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Hardware Terms
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Central processing unit (CPU) | The chip located inside the system unit of a computer that performs the processing for a computer. |
GHz – (gigahertz) | speed of a processor counted by billions of ticks per second. |
MHz – (megahertz) | speed of a processor counted by millions of ticks per second. |
System Unit | The container that holds the motherboard and keeps components safe. |
Motherboard | The main circuit board of a computer to which all computer system components connect. |
BIOS | Basic Input/Output System Lowest level software in the computer that acts as an interface between the hardware of the operating system. |
ROM | Read Only Memory Contain permanently written data called firmware that loads the operating system when first powered on. |
Cache | small, high speed memory between the processor and system memory. Faster than RAM. |
Hard disk drive | A storage system consisting of one or more metal magnetic disks permanently sealed with an access mechanism inside its drive. |
MB, Megabyte | Storage measurement in millions of bytes. |
GB, Gigabyte | Storage measurement in billions of bytes. |
TB, Terabyte | Storage measurement in trillions of bytes. |
Random access memory (RAM) | provides a high speed, temporary location for the computer to hold data and program instructions. |
Bit | The smallest unit of computing, consists of either a 0 or 1 (on or off) |
Byte | 8 bits makes 1 byte. |
Video Graphic Adapter | Enables the connection of a monitor and may provide additional graphics capabilities. |
3D Printer | A 3D printer is a computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) device that creates three-dimensional objects. Like a traditional printer, a 3D printer receives digital data from a computer as input. |
Cable Modem | A cable modem is a peripheral device used to connect to the Internet. It operates over coax cable TV lines and provides high-speed Internet access. |
Tape Drive | his is a removable storage device mainly used for backing up data. It is similar to a Zip Drive, but instead of Zip disks, it uses small tapes. The drive acts like a tape recorder, reading data from the computer and writing it onto the tape. |
USB | Stands for "Universal Serial Bus." USB is the most common type of computer port used in today's computers. |
Card Reader | "Card reader" is the generic term for an input device that reads flash memory cards. |