CPU
Motherboard
RAM
Power Supply
Storage
Optical Drives
GPU
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• The CPU is the “brain” of a computer
– CPU receives instructions from software programs
stored in memory
– Instructions are read and the tasks performed
– Results are written back to memory
• CPU also commands the other components of the
computer
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• Performance of the CPU is based on clock speed measured in Megahertz (MHz) or Gigahertz (GHz)
• CPU performance is one of the biggest factors in the
speed of your PC
• Upgrading your CPU can be expensive and difficult:
– CPUs can be very expensive, anywhere from below $100
to well over $1,000, but most CPU’s suited to normal
home use are below $500
– Compatibility is very important with CPUs. Upgrading an
old computer to a newer CPU may require replacing other
components as well.
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• Performance of the CPU is based on clock speed measured in Megahertz (MHz) or Gigahertz (GHz)
• CPU performance is one of the biggest factors in the speed
of your PC
• Most common CPU manufacturer is Intel, but AMD is also
common. Most consumer PC’s will have one of these
manufacturers.
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• RAM is a type of data storage/memory
• Serves as temporary storage and working space
for software
– All programs you run will use some RAM
• RAM can be accessed at much higher speeds than
many other types of memory
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• RAM is measured in a number of ways:
– Capacity is measured in Gigabytes (GB)
– Access speed is measured in Megahertz (MHz)
• Amount of RAM can greatly impact performance of your
computer.
• Upgrading the amount of RAM is easy and relatively inexpensive
– RAM can be purchased for less than $25, with cost rising with
capacity and speed
– Minimal compatibility issues
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• There are many manufacturers of RAM. Some common
companies include:
•Apple
•Corsair
•Crucial
•Dell
•G.Skill
•Hewlett Packard
•Kingston
•Lenovo
•OCZ
•Mushkin
•Patriot
•PNY
•Samsung
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• Provides long term, bulk storage of software and files
• Two types of storage devices are commonly used
Solid State Hybrid Drives (SSHD)
Hard Disk Drives (HDD)
• Most common storage type
• Cheapest option for data storage
• Capacity in the Terrabyte (TB)
range are relatively inexpensive
• Used in all types of electronics –
Desktops, Laptops, Tablets, etc.
Solid State Drives (SSD)
• Considerably more expensive than
comparable HDD
• Data access speeds are considerable
faster than HDD storage
• Generally more durable than HDD
• Often used in laptops and tablets
• Typically these storage devices are installed inside the
computer, but external versions are also available
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• Performance of the storage device is measured primarily in
two ways:
– Capacity is measured in Gigabytes (GB)
– Transfer speed is measured in GB/sec
• The storage capacity of the device has little impact on your
computers performance, but allows you to store more
programs and filed (music, photos, video, etc.)
• Upgrading your PC’s storage device is very easy
– Compatibility is almost a non-issue
– Many options are available for different needs and budgets
• One exception is upgrading your boot drive – this usually
provides the best performance boost, but requires either
transferring or reinstalling your operating system
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• Many manufacturers offer HDD and SDD devices, but your data is
important so choose carefully. Some reputable manufacturers for each
include:
HDD
SSHD
SSD
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• The GPU processes the visual output of the computer and
outputs video to the monitor or other display devices
• The GPU can be either a standalone device (as pictured
above) or integrated into the Motherboard (discussed later).
• Many GPUs support multiple monitors
• Some computers have multiple (2-4) GPUs to improve
performance
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• Performance of the GPU is measured in a few ways:
– Clock speed in MHz
– Memory capacity in GB
– Memory Clock Speed in MHz
• Most users do not require significant performance from GPU for normal use
– Video games or 3D rendering are most common applications needing high end
GPUs
– A midrange dedicated GPU can help your CPU play HD videos or other graphics
intensive programs
• Upgrading GPU is not difficult, but requires some research and can be
expensive:
– Compatibility between GPU and motherboard must be verified
– Advanced configurations with multiple GPUs requires additional research
– Midrange GPUs can be purchased for $100 or less. Performance cards will run
from $100-$500 or more for high end performance cards or specialty cards
– Some laptops may not be capable of upgrading the GPU
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• There are two common GPU designers:
– ATI and NVIDIA
• Each designer’s cards are made by a number of licensed
manufacturers, with slightly different designs. Most
manufacturers make both ATI and NVIDIA cards.
• Common manufacturers include:
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• CD, DVD, and Bluray drives are used to read and write data
discs, either for storage of files or installation of software.
– CD/DVD drives are common for both desktops and laptops.
– Bluray drives are becoming more common, but are not typically
found standard in most computers
• As flash storage and downloadable software has become
more popular, some computers no longer have optical drives.
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• The PSU provides power to the various portions of the computer.
• In general, the PSU doesn’t impact performance, but care must be
taken to ensure the PSU supplies enough power for all the
components in the PC. Overloading the PSU can lead to:
– System instability
– System Crashes
– Damage to the PSU and possibly other components it powers
• High end PSUs have built in protection that will shut them down under
overload conditions
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• PSU capacity is rated in Watts
– There is also a voluntary certification program, 80 Plus, that rates
the PSU’s energy efficiency
• Upgrading the PSU may be necessary if significant upgrades
are made to other components of the PC (i.e. CPU, GPU,
HDD/SSD, etc.).
• Care should be taken to ensure replacement PSU has all
power connections needed for your system components, and
the power capacity is larger than your system requires
• Some common PSU manufacturers include:
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• The motherboard is the foundation of the computer – it
connects all the major hardware of your computer and
provides the inputs for keyboard, mouse, and other input
devices.
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• The most important component of the motherboard is the
chipset
• The chipset controls the interconnection of the various
components that interact through the motherboard.
• The chipset is separated into two components:
– Northbridge: handles CPU, dedicated GPU, and memory
– Southbridge: handles storage devices, optical drives, and other
interfaces
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• Generally, there is little performance difference between chipsets, so
motherboards are generally differentiated by features rather than
performance.
–
–
–
–
–
Number of expansion slots (PCI Exp./PCI)
Input/output options (Video, audio, USB, etc.)
Number of inputs for optical drives or storage devices
Cooling technology
Other features such as monitors for internal PC temperatures or
performance boosts
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A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
K.
L.
M.
N.
O.
P.
PCI Slot
PCI-E 16x Slot
PCI-E 1x Slot
Northbridge
Power Connection
CPU-Fan
Socket
Memory Slots
ATX Power Connector
IDE Connection
Southbridge
SATA Connections
Front Panel
Connections
FDD Connection
External USB
Connections
Battery
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• The most important criteria will always be
compatibility – the chipset must be compatible
with all components, so care should be taken to
ensure the motherboard will work with all other
components
• Motherboards are not typically upgraded, and it
can be difficult to find new motherboard
models that retain compatibility with all
components of older computers
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Common Motherboard Form Factors
ATX
• Most common form factor
• Large selection of manufacturers
and models
• Numerous expansion slots and
available features
Micro ATX
• Miniaturized version of ATX
(25% shorter)
• Popular for small form factor
desktops
• Fewer expansion slots, but
comparable features to ATX
Mini-ITX
• Uncommon, but growing in popularity
for niche use
• Most common for Media centers, settop boxes, and mobile gaming systems
• VERY limited expansion capability –
typically can only support a single GPU
• Limited feature sets
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