TERM 2 HARDWARE IN A NUTSHELL

You have learnt about the different hardware devices, their functions and capabilities. Here is a recap of
these:
CHAPTER
HARDWARE
3
●● An input device allows the user to interact directly with a computer. An input device allows the user
to interact directly with a computer. Common input devices include the following: keyboards,
pointing devices (mouse), touch-sensitive pads, pen input, video input, scanners, capturing devices,
data collection devices, biometric input, and card readers.
●● An input/output device is any hardware used by a human operator or other systems to communicate
with a computer. They are capable of sending data (output) to a computer and receiving data from a
computer (input). Common input/output devices include: touch screens, game controllers, digital
cameras, smart phones, smartboards, toy/electronic device interfaces.
CHAPTER OUTCOMES ●● An output device is any device that takes data stored on a computer and makes it available to the
Unit 3.1 Mobile technologies user in an easy to understand way. This data may be made available using pictures (such as on a
monitor or printed to a page) or using sounds (such as with speakers and earphones). the output
Unit 3.2 Factors influencing performance of a computer
devices can be divided into the following: display devices – monitors (LCD, LED), and printers (inkjet,
Unit 3.3 Motivate a typical computer system in respect of user requirements ink tank, laser, 3-D).
●● Storage devices all serve the same general purpose: to store data. because of the differences in
storage capacity, portability and speed, different storage devices are generally used for different
Learning outcomes reasons. Types of storage devices: hard disk drive (HDD), external (portable) hard drives, solid-state
At the end of this chapter you should be able to: drive, hybrid storage device, flash drives (disks), SD/memory cards, cd, dvd and blu-ray drives.
●● list the advantages and disadvantages of mobile technologies ●● Processing devices are the computer devices responsible for carrying out instructions and
●● discuss the factors influencing the performance of a computer performing calculations. Processing devices include: central processing unit (CPU) and the graphics
●● make better hardware buying decisions and make recommendations for specific processing unit (GPU).
scenarios.

ACTIVITY 3.1 Revision Activity

INTRODUCTION 3.1.1 List five examples of hardware.
3.1.2 List five of your own examples of input devices.
A large reason for this trend towards mobile computing is that mobile computers
provide you with most of the advantages of computers wherever you go. 3.1.3 Explain how computers have changed (in what way, advantages and disadvantages).
Computer users no longer need to sit in one place to use a computer or a fixed
internet line to connect to the internet. Instead, any question you have, message
you need to send, video you want to watch or song you want to listen to, is now
available to you wherever you go – if you have a smartphone.

Most of the tasks smartphones are not suited to do (sending long emails, creating
documents etc.), notebooks can do exceptionally well. It Is only in specialist
areas like programming, video editing and gaming that desktop computers are
prefferred. As a result, many desktop computers are sold to power users and
gamers, while average computer users prefer moble computers.

In this chapter you will learn about the advantages and disadvantages of mobile
computing and how to troubleshoot hardware problems. You will also learn more
about choosing hardware components and designing an appropriate computer
for different situations.

term 2 I Chapter 3 Hardware 33 34 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY I GRADE 12 I Theory Book

 UNIT

3.1 Mobile technologies

MOBILE CONSTRAINTS
Mobile computing constraints refers to the disadvantages of smart phones,
In ICT, mobile technologies refer to computing devices like smartphones, laptops and tablets. These are laptops and tablets caused through battery life and computing power versus
small, but powerful, devices that are easy to carry around. This unit will look briefly at the advantages of power consumption.
mobile computers, before looking at the constraints faced by mobile computer creators. Let’s work through each constraint in order to understand how these constraints
affect mobile computers.

UNDERSTANDING SMARTPHONES BATTERY LIFE

Small, mobile computers and smartphones have most of the same hardware as desktop computers. As The processing power of a CPU is closely linked to the amount of electricity
such, it is important to understand how smartphone components compare with those of desktop available to it. The more power your CPU uses; the more instructions it can
computers. In general: complete. The problem for smartphones and tablets is that they have a limited
●● A smartphone features an onscreen-touch keyboard that is much smaller than that of a standard amount of power stored in the battery, and this power generally needs to last the
computer. The keyboard and mouse of a standard computer is prefferred becausee of the whole day.
comfortable sizing.
●● Smartphones screens are touch screens that are smaller than desktop screens.
●● Standard computers generally can be fitted with more RAM and faster processsors, making them
better suited to tasks that require significant processing power.
●● Smartphones come standard with communication devices like bluetooth and wifi, making them
better at connecting to the internet via the numerous hotspots anywhere in the world.

This means that desktop computers are more powerful and are better suited for serious computing tasks,
whether it is a processor intensive task such as encoding videos or inputting large amounts of data.
However, high-end smartphones are small, easy to carry around and better suited than computers at
many tasks requiring a very mobile computer. This includes tasks like reading messages and emails,
setting reminders, checking the weather, updating social media accounts, making bank payments, doing
Google searches and making voice and video calls.

Smartphones and tablets are also better at location-based computing, which refers to software that
changes the application based on a user’s location. As you have learned in Chapter 1, examples of
location-based computing include weather applications, food ordering applications, car sharing services,
dating applications and augmented reality (AR) applications.
Figure 3.1: Smartphone batteries are designed to last at least one day on a single charge
All these technologies use a combination of GPS and mobile internet connections to improve the service
they offer you. Many of these location-based services are unique to mobile computers. COMPUTING POWER VS POWER CONSUMPTION
Because of the small size of mobile devices (especially smartphones
and tablets), all smartphone components need to be miniaturised. The
ADVANTAGES OF MOBILITY physical size of a smartphone or tablet CPU is almost the same as the
When compared to desktop computers, mobile computers have several significant advantages. Amongst physical size of a desktop CPU. However, unlike desktop CPUs, these
these advantages is: chips contain many components, including a CPU, GPU, LTE modem,
●● size and weight: due to these devices being small and light weight, they are easy to carry around, Wi-Fi connector, RAM, Bluetooth connector and GPS tracker. In a
easy to keep on hand, can be used in any location and are comfortable to use without a desk. desktop, each of these components are separate – this means that
each item can be more powerful.
As smartphones, tablets and notebooks have become more powerful, the number of uses that desktop
computers are significantly better at (like gaming and video editing) have decreased, while the number of Even the biggest smartphone monitor is tiny compared to a desktop
tasks that mobile computers are significantly better at continues to increase. monitor and can only display a limited amount of information. This
makes it unsuitable to use applications that require a large amount of
information to be shown (such as spreadsheets or word processing).
●● While this works well when it is in a user’s hands, it makes it
Figure 3.2: Smartphone do not show difficult to use with a physical mouse and keyboard.
large amounts of data well

term 2 I Chapter 3 Hardware I Unit 3.1 Mobile technologies 35 36 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY I GRADE 12 I Theory Book
The last element we will explore is the size of the keyboard. While a smartphone Activity 3.2 Mobile technologies continued
or tablet keyboard is well suited to sending quick messages or occasionally
typing an email, they are not well suited to entering large amounts of text
Did you know 3.2.2 Compare mobile devices with desktop computers and give at least THREE reasons
why mobile devices are becoming more popular than their larger counterparts?
A high-end gaming PC
Taken together, these functions make smartphones and tablets less suitable for uses more power in one 3.2.3 What are the limitations of smartphone monitors as compared to desktop monitors?
tasks requiring a lot of processing power or user input. day than a high-end 3.2.4 You bought yourself a good middle-of-the-range smartphone so that you can play
smartphone uses in a year! your games wherever you are. However, you soon realise that most of the time you
Because of this, smartphones simply cannot run the same CPU-intensive are playing a game, your phone becomes very hot.
programs as computers. Even if they could somehow get rid of all the heat this a. Why does this happen? Explain.
would generate, their battery would go flat in a few minutes. b. Why does this not happen when you play the same games on your desktop
computer? Explain in your own words.

Case Study Samsung Galaxy Note 7 heat problems c. What other problems may you experience when playing games on your
smartphone and why does it happen?
In 2016, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was one of the fastest and most expensive d. Choose whether you would prefer using a desktop computer or a laptop/mobile
smartphones of the year. However, a few weeks after the phone launched, Samsung device. List all the pros and cons of the device you choose. Your list should
received thousands of complaints that the phone was heating up to dangerous levels and convince someone else to switch from their current device.
were forced to recall and refund the owners of more than 2 000 000 Galaxy Note 7s.

Figure 3.3: Many organisations banned people from travelling with Galaxy Note 7’s

Two months after being released, Samsung issued a full recall on all Samsung Galaxy
Note 7s and stopped all production of the phone. After testing more than 200 000
phones, Samsung announced that the problem was with the lack of space between the
CPU and the battery. As a result, the connectors inside the battery warped from the
heat, which caused some of them to short circuit and catch fire.

Activity 3.2 Mobile technologies

3.2.1 Choose the answer and write TRUE or FALSE next to the question number. Correct
the statement if it is FALSE. Change the underlined word(s) to make the statement
TRUE. (You may not simply use the word ‘NOT’ to change the statement.)
a. In ICT, mobile technologies refer to computing devices that are small, but
powerful, devices that are easy to carry around.
b. The current trend shows that more desktops are sold than mobile devices.
c. Notebooks are not suited to do tasks such as sending long emails or creating
documents.
d. Mobile computing constraints do not refer to the disadvantages of mobile
computers.
e. The more power a CPU uses the less heat it generates.

term 2 I Chapter 3 Hardware I Unit 3.1 Mobile technologies 37 38 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY I GRADE 12 I Theory Book
 UNIT

3.2 Factors influencing performance of a computer

CPU CACHE
Another form of memory is caching. Caching refers to a small, temporary form of
Having looked at some of the differences between mobile technologies and traditional desktop computers, storage that is created so that the data stored in the cache can be accessed more
it is useful to see exactly how the different computer components influence the performance of a computer quickly. There are three important forms of caching:
or smartphone. ●● CPU cache: Due to the growing difference in speed between a computer’s
CPU and RAM, many CPUs now have a small, high-speed cache built into
There are two factors that have a direct effect on your CPU’s (and therefore, your computer’s) performance: the CPU where it can temporarily store the data it needs. The speed and size
The speed of the CPU and the ability of the CPU to run multiple processes. of the CPU cache can have a significant impact on a CPU’s performance.
●● Disk cache: The disk cache is a small amount of RAM that is built into a
The speed of the CPU is a direct measurement of how many instructions it can complete per second. The hard disk drive. It stores data being sent or received by the hard disk plates
more instructions it can complete, the faster the CPU and your applications run. This is closely linked to for a short period of time.
the CPU’s clock speed (given in MHz or GHz), which indicates how frequently it will complete an instruction ●● Web cache: The web cache is a small area on a computer’s hard drive
per second. where images and pages from the world wide web are stored for a short
period of time. This allows users to quickly load those images from their
The second factor is the ability of the CPU to do multiprocessing. Multiprocessing allows a computer to computers, rather than over a slow internet connection, when they open a
complete tasks from multiple applications at the same time. A CPU that is good at multiprocessing might page that they have previously viewed.
be able to complete the instructions from hundreds of processes at the same time. A CPU that is not as
good at multiprocessing might start stuttering if it tries to run too many processes at once.
STORAGE
A slow GPU will not affect your computer’s performance on normal applications (like creating a document Secondary Storage (also called external memory or auxilliary storage) is not
or browsing the web), but it will have a big effect on the performance of graphic-intensive tasks, such as directly acessible to the CPU. The computer uses Its Input/output channels to
playing games or creating videos. access secondary storage and transfer the desired data to primary storage. Hard
Disk Drives (HDDs) and Solid State Drives (SSDs) are used as secondary
The two main factors that affect the GPU’s performance are: New words storage. Other examples of secondary storage technologies include USB flash
●● GPU clock speed (MHz) – the higher the clock speed, the more instructions the GPU can process seek time – the time taken drives, Compact Disks(CDs), Digital Video disks(DVDs) external hard disk drives.
●● the type of GPU. for a disk drive to locate the
area on the disk where the
data to be read is stored. SPEED
MEMORY CAPACITY rotational latency – also The access time per byte for HDDs or SSDs is typically measured
called rotational delay, is the in milliseconds (one thousandth seconds), while the access time per byte for
RAM amount of time it takes for primary storage is measured in nanoseconds (one billionth seconds). Thus,
When the RAM capacity is too small, using the computer will become much slower as information needs the desired sector of secondary storage is significantly slower than primary storage. Rotating optical
to constantly be added to and removed from RAM. This will be especially noticeable when switching a disk (i.e., the sector from storage devices, such as CD and DVD drives, have even longer access times.
between two open applications since the computer would need to remove all the previously open which data is to be read Once the disk read/write head on HDDs reaches the proper placement and the
application’s data from memory and replace it with the new application’s data. When this problem becomes or written) to rotate under data, subsequent data on the track are very fast to access. To reduce the seek
serious enough, your computer might automatically close some applications to free up memory. the read-write heads of time and rotational latency, data are transferred to and from disks in large
the disk drive)
contiguous blocks.

DISK CACHING
The disk cache is a small amount of RAM that is built into a hard disk drive. It
stores data being sent or received by the hard disk plates for a short period of
time and if the same data is required then it is taken from the disk cache improving
the time it takes to read from or write to a hard disk. It is usually included as part
of the hard disk or a specified portion of random access memory (RAM).

Figure 3.4: A computer might close applications or web pages if it runs out of RAM

term 2 I Chapter 3 Hardware I Unit 3.2 Factors influencing performance of a computer 39 40 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY I GRADE 12 I Theory Book
NETWORK INTERFACE CARD (NIC) Activity 3.3 continued
The NIC provides the hardware interface between a computer and a network and
3.3.2 Choose a term/concept from COLUMN B that matches a description in COLUMN A. Write only the letter next to
enables a device to network with other devices. It can either be in the form of an
the question number (e.g. 1 – A).
add-in card that fits in an expansion slot on a computer’s motherboard to expand
the functionality of the system or is usually built-in and is a part of the circuit board. COLUMN A COLUMN B
The standard wired NIC is measured by its speed in Mbps (Megabits per second): 1. CPU cache A. It is a small area on a computer’s hard drive where images and pages from the
10 Mbps is too slow, 100 Mbps is faster, and 1000 Mbps (1 gigabit) is the fastest. world wide web are stored for a short period of time.
2. Disk cache
B. It is a small amount of RAM that is built into a hard disk drive which stores data
The speed of the NIC can affect perfermance when it comes to: 3. Computers
being sent or received by the hard disk plates for a short period of time.
●● loading webpages or web applications 4. Smartphone C. _____ have more and better communication devices, making them better at
●● downloading applications or games from the internet
5. Web cache connecting to the internet from anywhere in the world.
●● downloading program updates from the internet
●● copying large amounts of data over the network
D. It is a small, high-speed cache built into the CPU where it can temporarily store
the data it needs.
●● watching multimedia over the network.
E. _____ have more RAM and faster processing devices, making them better suited
to tasks that require significant processing power.
Activity 3.3 3.3.3 Choose the correct answer.
3.3.1 Choose the correct answer. a. What causes a computer program to stutter, stall, or take a long time to complete a task?
a. What is the purpose of the CPU? A. The speed of the storage device.
A. Completes the graphics processing tasks of the computer. B. Slow CPU.
B. Completes the general processing tasks of the computer C. A RAM capacity that is too small.
C. Slow, long-term storage of data used on the computer D. All three
D. Fast, long-term storage of data used on the computer b. What is the speed of the CPU a direct measurement of?
b. What is the purpose of the GPU? A. The CPU’s clock speed.
A. Completes the general processing tasks of the computer B. Network speed
B. Slow, long-term storage of data used on the computer C. How many instructions it can complete per second.
C. Connects all the components of the computer. D. The computer’s cache and RAM.
D. Completes the graphics processing tasks of the computer c. When does low NIC speed affect a computer’s performance?
c. What is the purpose of the ROM? A. When switching between two open applications.
A. It stores the BIOS, the motherboard’s operating software B. When storing large amounts of data on a storage device.
B. Connects computers to a network and the internet. C. When loading your operating system.
C. Fast, long-term storage of data used on the computer. D. When watching multimedia over the network.
D. Very high-speed storage which temporarily stores data the CPU is using. 3.3.4 Choose the answer and write ‘true’ or ‘false’ next to the question number. Correct the statement if it is FALSE.
d. What is the purpose of the HDD? Change the underlined word(s) to make the statement TRUE. (You may not simply use the word ‘NOT’ to change
the statement.)
A. Very high-speed storage which temporarily stores data the CPU is using
a. When programs stutter, stall or take a long time to complete a task, the CPU is too slow.
B. Very high-speed storage which temporarily stores data the CPU is using
b. The speed of the CPU and its ability to run multiple processes have a direct effect on the CPU’s
C. It stores the BIOS, the motherboard’s operating software
performance.
D. Slow, long-term storage of data used on the computer.
c. The speed of the CPU is a direct measurement of how many instructions it can complete per minute.
e. What is the purpose of a NIC?
d. The CPU’s clock speed indicates how frequently it will complete an instruction per second.
A. Displays the images generated by the computer.
e. The CPUs ability to do a single task determines how good it is.
B. Connects all the components of the computer.
f. Data that the computer is using, is permanently stored by the cache and RAM.
C. Connects computers to a network and the internet.
g. Since the cache and RAM are both much faster than the computer’s hard drive, this ensures that the CPU
D. Completes the general processing tasks of the computer has access to the data it needs.
h. If a computer’s RAM capacity is too small, using the computer will become much slower as information needs
to constantly be added to and removed from the CPU.

term 2 I Chapter 3 Hardware I Unit 3.2 Factors influencing performance of a computer 41 42 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY I GRADE 12 I Theory Book
 UNIT
Motivate a typical computer system in respect of
3.3 user requirements
Activity 3.3 continued

i. Your computer (or CPU’s) cache is a slower form of memory, used to send and store all the information the
By using top-of-the-line hardwrae components, you could build a computer able to play the latest games
CPU needs.
with ultra-quality graphics and 4K resolution, encode videos in a fraction of the time of normal computers,
j. Storage speed is unimportant when opening a program or a large data file. and complete any daily computing task while only using a small percentage of the power available!
k. Storage speed is important when loading your operating system.
l. Network speed also affects the computer’s performance. It the time to download a video is shorter than the In this unit, you will learn more about different hardware configurations. You will learn what range of
video time, the video will stutter if you try to play it on YouTube. hardware to select for a specific type of user, how to compare and select between two different types of
m. The network speed will negatively affect a computer’s performance when downloading applications or hardware, and finally, how to identify the hardware configuration already installed in a computer.
games from the internet.
n. Buses are the electrical circuit as well as the whole communication system between two devices, including
the hardware components, the electrical requirements, the communication format and the software.
SELECTING AN APPROPRIATE CONFIGURATION
This section will look at typical computer setups for the following types of users:
o. A faster GPU will allow you to browse the web much more quickly.
●● Home user
3.3.5 Answer the following questions in your own words: ●● Small office user
a. Which Three computer components can have a significant impact on a computer’s performance? ●● Gamer
b. How does a CPU’s clock speed affect the computer’s performance? ●● Power user
c. Why does the speed of a storage device determine how quickly a new program opens?
d. Why does the computer become slower if the RAM’s capacity is too small? For each user, you will learn to identify what they are most likely to use the computer for, what components
are important for their use and why certain components should be selected.
3.3.6 After owning the same computer for many years, you decide to upgrade your computer by purchasing a new CPU.
Fortunately, the CPU still uses the same socket as your motherboard, so you can install the CPU without replacing
HOME USER
the motherboard. However, after using your new CPU for a few days, you are disappointed that it has not improved
your computer’s speed as much as you hoped it would, especially in games. The average home user mostly uses a computer for:
●● browsing the internet
With this scenario in mind, answer the following questions.
●● posting on social networks
a. Although your computer has a brand-new CPU, you only have 2GB of RAM that is more than 10 years old. How ●● sending email
can RAM affect the performance of your computer? ●● doing word processing
b. Thinking back, your HDD might be even older than your RAM and runs at only 5 400 RPM. How will this ●● watching online and local videos
affect your computer’s performance? ●● listening to music.
c. Give three situations in which the speed of a hard disk drive is important.
d. Poor performance in games is often associated with a slow graphics card (or GPU). Why is this? However, categorising someone as an ‘average’ home user has become a lot harder than it used to be.
3.3.7 Sandy has been experiencing the following problems whenever she is on the network. The webpages and web
applications take a long time to open. She cannot download certain applications or games from the Internet. SMALL OFFICE USER
Whenever her computer starts downloading updates from the Internet, she knows it is going to take forever. The average business user uses a computer for:
a. What causes this to happen? ●● online research
●● sending emails and business communication
b. List at least THREE other problems that she is most probably experiencing.
●● using word processing and spreadsheet applications
c. What can she do to fix her problems? ●● note taking.

None of these tasks require a very powerful computer. However, there are four factors that are particularly
important to business users:
●● Mobility, which allows them to take their computers to meetings or home.
●● Battery life, which allows them to use their computers for extended periods of time without access
to a power source.
●● Screen resolution, which allows them to view more information on a screen at a time.
●● Speed, since business users are usually paid for the work they deliver, the computer should never
decrease their productivity.

term 2 I Chapter 3 Hardware I Unit 3.2 Factors influencing performance of a computer 43 44 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY I GRADE 12 I Theory Book
GAMER Activity 3.4 Analysing pre-built computers
Modern games are designed to take advantage of the incredible processing power of CPUs and GPUs.
Look at the following computer advertisements, then answer the questions below.
As a result, they are one of the most processing-intensive tasks completed on personal computers.

Gaming is such a good measure of a computer’s processing power, that games are often used to
benchmark computer hardware and see how well certain types of hardware perform.

This does not, however, mean that all gaming computers must be expensive. There are three options for
gaming PCs:
●● entry level
●● mid-range
●● high-end

The biggest difference between an entry-level gaming computer and a mid-range gaming computer is the
graphics card.High-end gaming computers will be able to play all games at high or very high quality, while
the most expensive of these computers will be able to play games at ultra-high quality at very high resolutions.

Based on these advertisements, answer the following questions.

With gaming computers, it is incredibly important that you build a balanced setup where all the components
3.4.1 Which computer would you recommend for a high-end gamer?
are roughly the same speed. Having a CPU that is much faster than your GPU will not help your computer,
since the quality of you game will be limited by the speed of your GPU. The same is true if you have too 3.4.2 Which notebook would you recommend for a power user?
little or too slow RAM. 3.4.3 Which computer would you select for a family and why would you select it? Are there any extra accessories you
would purchase for this computer?
POWER USERS
The term power user is a general term that refers to people who use their computers to do advanced Activity 3.5 Hardware configurations
tasks. Examples of power users include computer programmers, web developers, video editors and
graphic designers. 3.5.1 Choose a term/concept from COLUMN B that matches a description in COLUMN A. Write only the letter next to
the question number (e.g. 1 – A).
In general, these tasks do not require computers more powerful than those of gaming computers, although COLUMN A COLUMN B
processing speed and RAM are especially important for power users, as it allow these users to run more
1. Someone who uses a computer or network service for own personal use. A. Gamer
applications at the same time and complete processing-intensive tasks (such as video encoding or
5. This refers to the small or home office environment and the business culture that B. Home user
compiling a program) more quickly. Power users may also require more storage space on their computers
surrounds it. C. Power user
and usually use at least two monitors for their work.
6. A hobbyist or individual that enjoys playing various types of digital or online game. D. Small office user
7. This is a person that uses their computer to do advanced tasks.
SELECTING THE HARDWARE
8. Mobility, battery life, screen resolution and speed in a computer is important for
Now that you have a basic idea of the types of computers to purchase for different
this type of user.
users, you can look at specific components to use for different configurations.
Take note 9. The computers used by this type of user require powerful computers with very
The table below suggests hardware configuration for different types of computers.
Hardware manufacturers good processing speed and RAM. They also require more storage space on their
release new components computers and usually use at least two monitors for their work.
Table 3.1: Hardware configuration for different types of computers every year, and the relative
10. This type of user can start with a desktop computer with a mid-range CPU and
HOME SMALL OFFICE GAMING POWER USER strength and weaknesses
mid-range graphics card (for gaming).
of these components
CPU Entry Mid High end High end 11. An Ultrabook or mid-range notebook is a good choice for this type of user.
change every year. As such,
GPU No Specification/ No Specification High end High end the table above can, at 12. This user uses a computer with word processing and spreadsheet applications
Entry best, be a starting point. mostly for online research, sending emails and business communication, note taking
RAM Entry Mid High end High end Before purchasing any
components, you should do 13. This user uses a computer mostly to browse the Internet, post on social media,
STORAGE Entry/Mid Entry/ Mid High End High end research on them using the send emails, watch online and local videos and listen to music.
MONITOR Entry Entry High End High End internet.

term 2 I Chapter 3 Hardware I Unit 3.3 Motivate a typical computer system in respect of user requirements 45 46 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY I GRADE 12 I Theory Book
 Activity 3.5 Hardware configurations continued Activity 3.5 Hardware configurations continued

3.5.2 If you have a computer at home, what do you do on the computer as a home user? d. Why do you think each of these advertisements start by listing the computer’s CPU?
3.5.3 Let’s say you choose to do home-schooling where you learn and study at home, will your uses of the computer e. The third advertisement states that an OS is optional. What do you think this means?
change? How? f. Which computer would you suggest for the following users? Give reasons for your answers.
3.5.4 What are the four factors that are particularly important to business users when they are selecting a computer i. A family that will use the computer for browsing the internet and playing some games.
to do their work on?
ii. A gamer and power-user.
3.5.5 What are the main characteristics of a gaming PC?
iii. An office worker who often travels.
3.5.6 What is a power user? Give two examples of power users.
3.5.10 This is an optional activity.
3.5.7 Explain the term, “hardware configuration” in your own words.
Read through the following table showing hardware configurations for different types of computers.
3.5.8 Give two reasons why you should know your computer hardware configuration.
HOME SMALL OFFICE GAMING POWER USER
3.5.9 Look at the following advertisements of four computers.
CPU Intel Core i3; Notebook Intel Intel Core i5; Intel Core i7;
ACER AXC-780 i3 HP 15-SERIES INTEL
AMD RYZEN 7 2700 INTEL 8TH GEN AMD Ryzen 3 Core i5 AMD Ryzen 5 AMD Ryzen 7
DESKTOP CORE i5 LAPTOP
Intel® CoreTM i3-7100 AMD RYZEN 7 2700 INTEL 8th generation Intel core i5 – 7200U GPU None; None GeForce x60 or GeForce x60 or
processor (3.2 GHz; 20 MB cache; core i7-8700 (3.2GHz; (up to 3.10 GHz) GeForce x50-series x70 series; x70 series;

4GB RAM & 1 TB hard 8 x cores, 16x threads, 12MB cache; 12 x cores; Integrated 3D graphics Radeon x70 or Radeon x70 or
drive turbo 4.1 GHz) CPU Turbo 4.6GHz) CPU x80 series x80 series
8GB RAM
Wireless mouse and MSI B350 PC mate MSI H310 PRO VD DDR4 RAM 8 GB, 2 400 MHz 8 GB 8 GB, 2 666 MHz 16 GB, 2 666 MHz
1 TB HHD
keyboard gaming AM4 DDR4 LGA 1151 USB 3.1INTEL
8 hour battery life Storage 1 TB, 7200 RPM 500 GB 256 GB SSD and 256 GB SSD and
USB3.1 RYZRN 8th Gen motherboard
Windows 10 Home 2 TB, 7200 RPM 4 TB, 7200 RPM
motherboard Default CPU integrated Ethernet/Wi-Fi/
1-year warranty Bluetooth
500W 80+ high 3D graphics video Monitor 23” FHD 14” – 15” built-in 23” FHD 2 × 23” FHD
R4 800 (Price includes performance power Windows 10 Home
INTEL 8th generation Additional Speakers, 23” FHD Monitor, Gaming mouse, Speakers
VAT) supply UHD 630 DX12 Includes backpack and Printer Printer, Gaming headset
4.1 GHz GeForce GTX integrated graphics core mouse
1070 TI Pro-gaming PC Wireless mouse
Featuring Intel 7th 8GB DDR4 high 2 year collect-an-repair and keyboard
generation CPU 8GB DDR4 2666MHz performance gaming warranty
Competent multi-tasker high performance RAM Based on internet research, answer the following questions:

Smooth computing gaming RAM with heat 1TB HDD 7200rpm a. What is the best price you can find for the home computer’s components?
spreader 64MB cache high b. How much would the gaming computer cost?
Great HD visuals
480GB SSD up to performance hard drive c. Which components have the largest impact on the price?
Enjoy added functionality 500MB/s + speed Standard black case with d. How much would a similar small office notebook cost?
ultra-fast SSD (OS drive) 400W PSU
e. How much does a gaming notebook cost?
6 x 120mm RGB fans + 24 x dual layer DVD +/-
dual tempered glass 3.5.11 Building your own computer: Imagine you had a job that paid R100 per hour and wanted to save for a new
writer
computer. Based on the money you can save and the prices of components, complete the activity below:
Integrated 8 CH high Integrated 7.1 CH HD
definition sound card a. Make a list of all the components you would purchase for your computer. Make sure to include at least the
sound card
following components: CPU, motherboard, RAM, case, power supply, monitor, keyboard and mouse.
LCD and OS optional Gigabit LAN card +
b. Give reasons why you selected each of your components.
24 months warranty broadband ready
c. Using the internet, search for a benchmark for the CPU you selected. How does it compare to other CPUs on
LCD and OS optional
the list?
24 months warranty
d. Did you include a GPU in your computer? Why or why not?
Based on these advertisements, answer the following questions:
e. How much would your computer cost to build?
a. Identify the CPU used for each of the four computers.
f. How many hours would you need to work to save up for this computer?
b. Write down the name of one of the motherboards included in these computers.
g. Realistically, how many hours could you work per week?
c. Which computer is sold with a solid-state drive?
h. Based on this information, would you change any of your components?

term 2 I Chapter 3 Hardware I Unit 3.3 Motivate a typical computer system in respect of user requirements 47 48 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY I GRADE 12 I Theory Book
CONSOLIDATION ACTIVITY Chapter 3: Hardware CONSOLIDATION ACTIVITY Chapter 3: Hardware continued

1. Choose the correct answer. h. Which of the following connects the CPU with the memory and the input and output devices?
a. Which of the following affects the performance of the CPU? A. Bus system B. GPU
A. Memory clock speed C. Network D. RAM
B. Number of cores i. Which of the following devices would be best suited for a small office user?
C. Amount of RAM A. Smartphone B. Desktop PC
D. Amount of space C. Laptop computer D. Workstation computer
b. Which of the following would permanently store the operating system? j. Two of the most important requirements for a gamer are _______.
A. CPU A. Mobility and storage capacity.
B. ROM B. CPU speed and GPU processing power.
C. RAM C. CPU speed and RAM capacity.
D. Hard disk D. Cache speed and CPU speed.
c. Which of the following devices is best suited for location-based technology? 2. Indicate if the owing statements are ‘True’ or ‘False’. Choose the answer and write ‘true’ or ‘false’ next to the
A. Smartphone question number Correct the statement if it is FALSE. Change the underlined word(s) to make the statement
TRUE. (You may not simply use the word ‘NOT’ to change the statement.)
B. Laptop
a. Disk cache is located on the RAM.
C. Server
b. The purpose of a heat sink is to cool down all the internal components of a computer.
D. Desktop PC
c. The GPU’s quality is dependent on the CPU’s speed.
d. Which of the following devices is best suited for creating PowerPoint presentations?
d. Two of the most important requirements for a home user are mobility and battery life.
A. Server
e. The most important requirements for an office user are a lot of RAM, CPU speed and storage space.
B. Smartphone
3. Choose a term/concept from COLUMN B that matches a description in COLUMN A. Write only the letter next to
C. Notebook
the question number (e.g. 1 – A).
D. Mainframe computer
COLUMN A COLUMN B
e. Which of the following devices is the best device for a web developer?
A. Entry-level notebook 1. A constraint of mobile computing devices that is caused by a lack of A. Network speed
heat sinks and fans. B. Power and heat
B. Mid-range tablet
2. Memory that stores data being sent and received by the hard disk. C. CPU
C. High-end Smartphone
D. Mid-range desktop PC 3. This a factor that affects the download speed of online content. D. Small office user

f. Which of the following does not affect a computer’s performance? 4. A computing component that processes instructions sent from the E. CPU cache
computer’s internal and external components. F. Power user
A. Storage capacity
B. Control processing unit 5. Memory that stores instructions being sent and received by the central G. GHz
processing unit. H. Graphics processing
C. Central processing unit
6. A person who requires a lot of processing power, storage capacity, and ability
D. Memory speed
memory to run multiple resource-intensive applications at the same I. Battery life
g. If you want to install a large program on your computer, which of the following would affect your RAM’s time.
performance? J. kW
7. The measure of how many instructions the CPU can process each K. Gamer
A. Storage space
second.
B. Storage speed L. Home user
8. A factor that affects the visual quality of images displayed on your M. GB
C. Cache monitor.
D. Network speed N. Disk cache
9. The capability for a mobile computing device to supply power without a
O. Motherboard
power source.
10. A person who requires a computing device that can be used for multiple
purposes and by multiple users.

term 2 I Chapter 3 Hardware I Unit 3.3 Motivate a typical computer system in respect of user requirements 49 50 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY I GRADE 12 I Theory Book
CONSOLIDATION ACTIVITY Chapter 3: Hardware continued CONSOLIDATION ACTIVITY Chapter 3: Hardware continued

4. Determine which of the following factors should be considered for the following performance issues: 6. Tokozile is a young entrepreneur who wants to open a computer centre for tourists in Cape Town. Her goal is to
CPU Memory capacity Storage speed have 16 computers with high-speed internet that can be used by tourists to browse the internet or send
messages home. However, she would also like the computers to be able to play modern multiplayer games so
Network speed Graphics processing ability Bus performance
that youths from the area will visit her centre.
PERFORMANCE ISSUE FACTOR She has obtained the following two quotations for her centre.
a. Clarissa recently built a top of the range desktop computer, with all the best and COMPUTER A COMPUTER B
most expensive components. But for some reason her computer’s performance is
3.2 GHz Quad Core CPU with 4 MB cache 3.6 GHz Dual Core CPU with 1 MB cache
very slow.
8 GB DDR3 RAM 2 GB DDR3 RAM
b. Every time Jung Min opens an application his computer automatically closes any
other open applications. 2 TB HDD 256 GB SSD
Gigabit (1 Gbps) network card 802.11 g (50 Mbps) wireless adapter
c. Kiva is a teacher and usually creates PowerPoint presentations from digital textbooks
that are in a PDF format. Whenever she switches between the presentation and NVidia GeForce graphics card (4 GB VRAM) Integrated graphics (32 MB VRAM)
textbook to compare the two, her computer starts to lag and freeze. 15’’ LCD monitor 17’’ LCD monitor
d. Yves is a gamer who loves playing first-person shooter games. Whenever he plays Windows Home 10 Ubuntu Linux
online games, they load slowly and have reduced graphic quality. Microsoft Office OpenOffice
e. All the applications on Mpano’s computer slow down each time he opens a new Skype (VoIP Software) Skype (VoIP Software)
application in the background.
f. Whenever Nicolas copies files from his flash disk onto his computer’s hard drive, his R10 795 R7 995
computer takes a long time to complete the copying process.
She starts her comparison by looking at the CPUs of the two computers.
g. Tsholofelo bought a brand new notebook but noticed that whenever she tries to run
a. Name TWO manufacturers of CPUs.
Adobe products like Adobe Premiere her computer takes a long time to open it and it
takes a long time to compile video files. b. One CPU is a “dual core” CPU, while the other is a “quad core” CPU. What do these terms mean?
c. Which CPU will be faster for multitasking? Give reasons for your answer
h. Imogen likes to play the latest racing games for titles like Dirt, Forza and Need for
Speed. Her computer has an overclocked Intel i5 core processor, but her games d. The two CPUs have different amounts of cache memory. Define the term cache memory?
perform very slowly when she tries to use high resolution settings, so she must use e. Tokozile expects that some of her customers will want to play games on the computers. Advise her on which
the lower game graphic settings. computer (according to the quotations) would be best for games and why.
i. Every time Martinique tries to install a new program on her computer, her computer f. The computers not only have different hardware, but also different software. List the operating systems
starts to slow down significantly. installed on each computer.
j. Before Sean buys an album from a musician, he prefers to download the songs so g. Which computer’s software will be the most expensive. Give reasons for your answer.
that he can listen to them because it takes too long to stream them online. h. The operating systems of both computers support multitasking and multithreading. Define these concepts
5. Consider the following 3 users: and explain how they differ.

a. Ahmed is a freelance graphic designer that travels a lot for business.

b. Belinda is a banker that must regularly check and edit accounting spreadsheets.
c. Nkosi is a professional gamer that plays at international gaming tournaments.
5.1 Which type of computer would be best suited for each user? Give ONE reason for each answer.
5.2 What type of user do you think Ahmed is? Give a reason for your answer.
5.3 Based on Belinda’s computing requirements, would she benefit from using a smartphone or a mobile
computer. Give TWO reasons for your answer.
5.4 a. Name ONE piece of computing hardware Nkosi should financially invest in upgrading. MentionTWO
benefits of upgrading this piece of hardware.
b. Other than being potentially expensive, mention ONE other disadvantage or problem that could occur
because of Nkosi upgrading this piece of hardware.

term 2 I Chapter 3 Hardware I Unit 3.3 Motivate a typical computer system in respect of user requirements 51 52 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY I GRADE 12 I Theory Book