Joseph
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Joseph-Building a PC
For my CoRE project I learned about the components in a computer as well as helped a friend choose parts and build a computer with a budget of about $1000.
Parts of a Computer
Motherboard:
- PCI Slots: (Peripheral Component Interconnect) Where the graphics card and other such extras are connected.
- Memory Slots: Where you place the RAM.
- Back Panel Connector: Contains many different connections to the computer such as USB Ports
- Firewire: Extra efficient connection to the motherboard
- CPU Socket: Where the processor is placed
- Main Power Connector: Where the power supply is plugged in.
CPU:Central Processing Unit
- Computational engine: Does all the algorithms required to run a computer
Underside of the CPU contains hundreds of pins
- Socket types:
- LGA: (Land grid array) has many different pins that make contact with the underside of the CPU
- PGA: (Pin grid array) Has sockets that the underside of the CPU is inserted into
RAM(Random Access Memory)
- data is temporarily stored while in use by the processor
- Information is more readily processed with increasing amounts of ram for instant access
- All memory on RAM is erased when the computer is powered down
Graphics card
- Takes information from the CPU and displays that in the pixels of the monitor
- A graphics card contains
- RAM: temporarily stores information for graphics
- graphics processing unit (GPU): like a CPU, does all the complex calculations to produce an image
- a BIOS chip (input/output): stores basic settings
Power Supply
- The power supply does exactly what the name suggests: it supplies power to all the components in the computer
- Actual wattage of the power supply varies and how much power you need depends on the parts you get
Memory: Hard drives and Solid state drives
- Computer’s main memory
- Where information is stored long term
- Solid state drive: no moving parts, more reliable, faster at accessing data and it uses less power.
