By: Dorian Gobert

In 1998, the Gateway G6-450 was "top of the line", the fastest computer Gateway offered.  Compared it to the eMachines ET1161-07 in 2009.  Notice that the processor has become 4 times faster, the hard drive is over 20 times larger, and your mouse no longer needs a track ball that can get clogged up with dirt.  Not only does the new computer have all those improvements, but it costs $3,920 less!

This Case is the "box" or "chassis" that holds and encloses the many parts of your computer.  Its purpose is to protect them from damage and dust.  The case is usually made of metal.  The style and color of the case has changed somewhat over the last few years.  Until the year 2000 almost every case was an off-white color.  Since then, most computer manufacturers have opted for a gray, black, or silver case color.  The front of the case usually features the power button and media drive bays for the CD DVD Drive.

This the picture of the case.

If you open your computer's case, you will see various wires, chips, slots, etc.  The largest circuit board is called the Motherboard.  It holds and connects all the important parts of your computer together.  For example, the Motherboard holds all your computer's internal components.  In fact, every component in your computer connects to the Motherboard.   Some are permanently secured to the Motherboard during its construction.   It also contains expansion slots that allow you to plug in additional boards to enable your computer to do even more things.

The picture of the Motherboard

When you think of a Hard Drive, think of Long Term Memory.  The hard drive stores your operating system, software programs, and many other files.  Hard drives in personal computers are non-removable.  They are also very fast and are now reaching sizes of over 1 TB or 1000 GB.  They are connected to the mother board by ribbon cables.  Shown at the right are two hard drives.  The image on the left has the top cover removed so you can view the interior

The picture of the Internal Hard Drive

Attached to the motherboard, the main processor acts as the brains of your computer.  It processes all the instructions given to your computer.  The more powerful the processor, the faster your computer can accomplish its tasks.  Its speed is measured in Gigahertz (GHz).  The higher the Gigahertz, the faster the chip runs.  The Intel Xeon 4, shown at the right, can run between 3-4 GHz (3000-4000 MHz).

The picture of the Processor

When you think of a RAM, think of Short Term Memory. Before you computer can open software, it must first copy it temporarily to your RAM.  This is where your computer places all your programs and applications that you currently have running.  The more RAM you have, the faster your computer can juggle multiple programs at once.  When you turn your computer off, the RAM is cleared.  Most computers allow you to change the amount of RAM you have.  If you want to add more RAM to your computer you can literally snap small boards(shown at the right) of RAM into your motherboard.  The most inexpensive way to speed up your computer is to add more RAM.

The picture of the RAM

When you want to add something to your computer, your first step is to see if you have any unused Expansion Slots.  Expansion Slots are ports in your motherboard to which you can additional hardware.  Most computers come with a few slots open, allowing you to expand your computer's capabilities.  There are many "cards" you can place in the slots, such as a Video Card or Ethernet Card (shown at the right).  Before you purchase a new card for you computer, it is important to make sure that the card is compatible with the available slots on your motherboard.  The side of the card will snap into the motherboard and the end of the card will face the outside of the rear of your computer.

The picture of the expansion slots and cards