P1:Explain the Function of Computer

Hardware Components

By George Smith-Moore

My chosen computer to explain

CYBERPOWER

POWER MEGA PRO 3000 3D

Specs

• CPU: INTEL® Xeon® E5-2690 Eight-Core 2.90 GHz 20MB INTEL Smart Cache LGA 2011 Processor

• HDD: 1TB Samsung 840 EVO SATA III Gaming MLC Solid State Disk

• MEMORY: 64GB (8x8GB) DDR3/1866mhz Quad Channel Memory (Kingston HyperX Genesis w/Heat Spreader)

• MOTHERBOARD: ASUS Z9PE-D8 WS INTEL C602 Chipset 4-Way CrossFire / SLI supported DDR3 Server Mainboard w/ 8 RAM slots, 7.1 HD Audio, 2xGbLAN, USB3.0, 6xSATA-III RAID, 7 Gen3 PCIe X16

• SOUND: Creative Sound Blaster ZXR 5.1 PCI-Express Sound Card

• VIDEO: NVIDIA Quadro 6000 6GB 16X PCIe Workstation Video Card (Dual Card (non SLI)

CPU

• INTEL® Xeon® E5-2690 Eight-Core 2.90 GHz 20MB INTEL Smart Cache LGA 2011 Processor

• Intel is an CPU (central processing unit) manufacturer.

• Xeon is Intel’s, professional high-end range of CPU’s.

• E5 is the generation indicator, but ‘2690’ is the product number (SKU numeric digits).

• A core is the processing part of the CPU, and 2.9 GHz is the speed at which it runs at.

• 20 MB, is the cache where a small portion of information is stored by the CPU for quick access.

• LGA 2011, is the socket type for the CPU to fit inside the Motherboard.

STORAGE

• 1TB Samsung 840 EVO SATA III Gaming MLC Solid State Disk

• 1TB is the figure which states the amount of storage the medium holds.

• Samsung is the maker of the product, and 840 is the series indicator.

• EVO is the product line, and SATA III is a description about the object (it connects with SATA 3 cables)

• MLC is a type of storage which stores more than 1 Bit per cell.

• SSD (solid state disk), is a storage device which stores data without any moving parts.

MEMORY

• RAM- 64GB (8x8GB) DDR3/1866mhz Quad Channel Memory (Kingston HyperX Genesis w/Heat Spreader)

• RAM is the temporary storage for the PC.

• 64GB is the total amount of RAM. ‘8x8GB’, means 8 sticks of 8GB RAM.

• DDR3 is the version of RAM, but 1866MHz is the speed it runs at.

• Kingston HyperX Genesis, is description and product labelling.

• A heat spreader is a device which helps keep the RAM cool.

Function of computer hardware components

• The CPU needs to process information, this is done in the cores of the CPU. The fetch execution cycle is what is carried out, this is the process in which the core receives a programmed instruction, and then completes this action.

• The function of the storage medium (the hard drive), is to store files for the OS, and drivers, as well as for personal files.

• The function of the memory (RAM) is used to temporarily store files which makes it easier for the computer, this in turn speeds up the PC as the 'flash memory' used

Motherboard

PS2 Port

USB Ports

LPT and COM ports

CPU socket

DIMM (RAM) Slots

IDE Connectors

ATX PSU Connector

Mobo chipset

PCI cards

AGP card slot

CMOS/BIOS battery

SouthbridgeFDD connector

Northbridge (with heatsink)

Explained.• PCI is a computer bus for attaching components such as a graphics card, it has been superseded by PCIe slots.

• AGP are obsolete slots for attaching graphics cards.

• The battery for the BIOS powers the BIOS

• North/Southbridge. 2-part system in computer architecture for managing communications in the system.

• Chipset, this manages the data flow around the system, newer chipsets will require a compatible motherboard.

• IDE ports are the obsolete version of SATA ports, they manage data flow between devices such as internal HDD’s.

• FDD drives are becoming obsolete as they are used to connect floppy drives.

• DIMM slots (RAM slots), are used to connect RAM, newer versions of RAM have a different shaped port to avoid confusion.

• The CPU socket, it is the interface between the motherboard and the physical CPU.

• LPT and COM ports (parallel, serial ports). Are an older type of port to connect external monitors. Newer ports are HDMI and Display Port.

• USB ports, are the common interface for many external devices, these act as a transfer module for data.

• PS2 ports, are now being replaced by USB, but they act as a module for older Mouse and Keyboard interfaces.

• ATX PSU connector, ATX is the size of the motherboard, and the PSU is the power supply unit. This connector supplies power to the system.