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Overview of Computer Hardware Components

This document discusses the history and components of computer hardware. It describes the four main components of a general-purpose computer: the arithmetic logic unit, control unit, memory, and input/output devices. These components are interconnected by buses and contain thousands to trillions of electrical circuits that can be switched on or off to represent binary digits and perform logic operations. The document outlines the evolution of hardware through four generations from mechanical to integrated circuits. It also lists various types of computer hardware including central processing units, graphics cards, memory, and peripheral devices.

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Mark Galicia
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94 views7 pages

Overview of Computer Hardware Components

This document discusses the history and components of computer hardware. It describes the four main components of a general-purpose computer: the arithmetic logic unit, control unit, memory, and input/output devices. These components are interconnected by buses and contain thousands to trillions of electrical circuits that can be switched on or off to represent binary digits and perform logic operations. The document outlines the evolution of hardware through four generations from mechanical to integrated circuits. It also lists various types of computer hardware including central processing units, graphics cards, memory, and peripheral devices.

Uploaded by

Mark Galicia
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Hardware

Main articles: Computer hardware, Personal


computer hardware, Central processing unit,
and Microprocessor

Video demonstrating the standard components of a


"slimline" computer
The term hardware covers all of those parts of a
computer that are tangible physical objects.
Circuits, computer chips, graphic cards, sound
cards, memory (RAM), motherboard, displays,
power supplies, cables, keyboards, printers and
"mice" input devices are all hardware.
History of computing hardware
Main article: History of computing hardware

First Calculators Pascal's


generation calculator, Arithm
(mechanical/el ometer, Difference
ectromechanic engine, Quevedo'
s analytical
machines

Jacquard
loom, Analytical
al) engine, IBM
Programmabl
ASCC/Harvard
e devices
Mark I, Harvard
Mark II, IBM
SSEC, Z1, Z2, Z3

Second Atanasoff–Berry
generation Computer, IBM
Calculators
(vacuum tubes) 604, UNIVAC
60, UNIVAC 120

Programmabl Colossus, ENIAC, 
e devices Manchester
Baby, EDSAC, Ma
nchester Mark
1, Ferranti
Pegasus, Ferranti
Mercury, CSIRAC, 
EDVAC, UNIVAC
I, IBM 701, IBM
702, IBM 650, Z22

IBM 7090, IBM
7080, IBM
Mainframes
System/360, BUN
Third CH
generation
(discrete transi
HP 2116A, IBM
stors and SSI,
System/32, IBM
MSI, Minicomputer
System/36, LINC, 
LSI integrated
PDP-8, PDP-11
circuits)

Desktop
HP 9100
Computer

Fourth VAX, IBM System


Minicomputer
generation i
(VLSI integrate
d circuits) 4-bit microco Intel 4004, Intel
mputer 4040

8-bit microco Intel 8008, Intel


mputer 8080, Motorola
6800, Motorola
6809, MOS
Technology
6502, Zilog Z80

Intel 8088, Zilog
16-bit microc
Z8000, WDC
omputer
65816/65802

Intel
32-bit microc 80386, Pentium, 
omputer Motorola
68000, ARM

Alpha, MIPS, PA-
64-bit microc RISC, PowerPC, 
omputer[91] SPARC, x86-64, 
ARMv8-A

Embedded Intel 8048, Intel


computer 8051

Personal Desktop
computer computer, Home
computer, Laptop 
computer, Person
al digital
assistant (PDA), P
ortable
computer, Tablet
PC, Wearable
computer

Quantum
computer, Ch
emical
computer, D
NA
computing, O
Theoretical/exp
ptical
erimental
computer, Sp
intronics-
based
computer, W
etware/Organ
ic computer
Other hardware topics

Peripheral de Input Mouse, keyboard, joystic


vice k, image
scanner, webcam, graphi
cs tablet, microphone

Monitor, printer, loudspea
Output
(input/output) ker

Floppy disk drive, hard
Both disk drive, optical
disc drive, teleprinter

Short
RS-232, SCSI, PCI, USB
range

Computer Long
buses range
(comput
Ethernet, ATM, FDDI
er
networki
ng)

A general-purpose computer has four main


components: the arithmetic logic unit (ALU),
the control unit, the memory, and the input and
output devices (collectively termed I/O). These
parts are interconnected by buses, often made of
groups of wires. Inside each of these parts are
thousands to trillions of small electrical
circuits which can be turned off or on by means of
an electronic switch. Each circuit represents
a bit (binary digit) of information so that when the
circuit is on it represents a "1", and when off it
represents a "0" (in positive logic representation).
The circuits are arranged in logic gates so that
one or more of the circuits may control the state of
one or more of the other circuits.

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