What does a computer consist of - the basic elements. What is a system unit

There are a huge number of incorrect terms that beginners try to call a computer - a processor, a case, an iron box located under the desktop.

It's hard to say where these misnomers come from, but they are incredibly resilient. And sometimes, even after explanation, they continue to be used by a person. Indeed, psychology is a subtle science. We hope that this article will once again remind you that using the correct terms not only means respect for your interlocutor, but also allows you to choose a good computer system unit when purchasing or assembling it yourself.

Definition

If you turn to the encyclopedia, you can read the following: the computer system unit is a case that houses all the main components of the computer system, including the power supply. It can be made of metal (steel, aluminum), polymers, as well as wood and even glass. In other words, the case alone cannot be called a “computer system unit,” just as components assembled “on your knees” are not one either. Just like wheels without a cab cannot be called a car.

How to assemble a computer yourself

Buying a computer system is a whole event, because the future ease of working with programs depends on the correct selection of components. For example, a person who wants to transcode video and audio streams, but at the same time buys a budget central processor, will be forced to spend hours waiting for the operation to complete.

The opposite is also true: if the main tasks solved on a computer are typing texts and printing them, then powerful components are not only unnecessary, but also undesirable, since their acquisition is associated with unnecessary financial costs, as well as more significant electricity. Thus, before you buy, you need to decide on the range of tasks that will be solved on it most of the time.

Components

We have already mentioned the main components that make up a computer. These include:

Motherboard. It is one of the main parts, since it is to its connectors that all other components are connected. It is its characteristics that determine which components can be used in the assembled computer system.

This large chip does all the math calculations. Therefore, the performance of the entire system as a whole greatly depends on the performance of this element. The entire range can be divided into three groups: budget, characterized by low cost, relatively low speed, sufficient for office tasks and low energy consumption; universal; top-end ones that use the “performance at any cost” principle.

RAM. Without this module, the system will not work. Modern solutions use DDR3 standard boards. When choosing, you can use the principle “the larger the volume, the better.”

Storage device. Most often it is a hard drive, although now they are being abandoned in favor of SSD solutions.

Video card. Serves to display an image on the screen. It can be presented as a separate device, or built into a processor or chipset.

Power supply unit.

Many users do not understand why a computer is still called a system unit. This concept is complex and hides a whole complex of equipment, which will be discussed in this article. The reader is invited to learn about the structure of the computer, the characteristics of the devices and the connection of the system unit.

Generalized concept

Many users believe that the metal one is the system unit, which houses all kinds of components responsible for performance. This opinion is erroneous. In fact, the case of the system unit is the same element as the processor, memory or video card. All this is necessary for any user to work.

The concept of “system unit” hides something more - a set of components interconnected and ensuring stable operation with the operating system, programs and games. Moreover, this entire complex of devices is a complete and complete product of the seller. It would be easier to say that a system unit is a personal computer without a monitor, keyboard and other peripherals.

Form factor

Size is a basic factor when purchasing any computer equipment. Therefore, the reader is invited to start studying with the form factor. First of all, they differ in size, and, accordingly, have a general name and their own classification.

1. Personal Computer. A metal box familiar to all users comes in different sizes and shapes. Accordingly, all components are selected individually for each unit.
2. Mobile computer. A laptop, tablet, smartphone - these are all system units, only reduced several times.
3. Narrowly targeted equipment. Servers, terminals and other specialized electronic computing equipment fall into this category.

Regular personal computer

In the computer equipment market, any buyer is always offered a choice: purchase assembled system units or produce an independent set of spare parts, focusing on the price and performance of the platform. In most cases, users prefer the second option, because manual assembly is always cheaper. And with platform performance, things are much better. But many buyers always lose sight of one important criterion - hardware compatibility.

Another thing is a system unit assembled in an entire enterprise (HP, Intel or some other very well-known brand). In the factory, engineers not only select the most compatible components, but also test the computer’s performance, the efficiency of the cooling system, and determine fault tolerance under maximum loads.

The market for regular computers

In any specialized store, a potential buyer will find that all computers have not only different colors, but also different shapes and sizes. So, they look quite massive (decent cooling is required), and office systems, on the contrary, are more compact to save space on the desktop. All computers, and, accordingly, their components, are classified by form factor: ATX, miniATX, microATX, monoblock and terminal.

Accordingly, each type of system unit has its own case, motherboard, video card and expansion devices. All other spare parts (processor, memory, hard drives) are universal and can be installed in any computer. The form factor is the main characteristic of the system unit, which decides the future fate of the platform and its purpose.

Correct selection of components

The next step for the future owner is to select compatible computer components. It is necessary to decide on the platform, who to give preference to - AMD or Intel. Having received the answer to this question, you need to select a basic motherboard that will have a standard size that matches the case. There are some nuances here. For example, a small microATX motherboard can be mounted without problems into a huge ATX system unit case, but the user will not be able to do the opposite.

The subsequent steps require the buyer to decide on the processor, RAM and video adapter. Here professionals recommend giving preference to a balanced system. The choice of hard drive and other spare parts directly depends on the purpose of the computer. For toys, it is better to take a fast and expensive SSD disk, but for office and multimedia, a magnetic disk with a large capacity will be preferable. It turns out that the system unit is an ordinary construction set that can be assembled in any way, you just need to know what the result should be.

Portable systems

Minimized platforms for home and office use are more suitable under the definition of “monoblock”. Very often they are compared to a laptop or tablet. The thing is that no matter what components are installed inside the computer, due to the small dimensions of the device case, their functionality is greatly limited (when compared with a regular PC). However, in terms of performance and performance, not a single user has any complaints about them. Take, for example, the portable Intel system unit, which has the most powerful processor in the world, Core i7, inside.

The downside of all laptop computers is their limited functionality. The user cannot add new, more powerful components or install any expansion cards on his own. It is this limitation that allows mobile device manufacturers to control the relevant market, constantly imposing more powerful, expensive devices on users.

Highly specialized equipment

Many sellers believe that gaming system units should be classified as highly targeted equipment, because they, like expensive servers, are evaluated based on the “performance” criterion. Regardless of the cost, many fans of dynamic and resource-intensive applications are willing to pay hundreds of thousands of rubles just to have the most powerful platform in the world, which can immerse the user in virtual reality.

However, specialized equipment refers more to the HP system unit, designed as a server and designed to work with databases. Its main difference from a conventional computer is its processing power. Manufacturers of such system units install special motherboards inside the case that support multiple processors. Also critical for the server is the amount of RAM and hard drives. It is unlikely that anyone will be able to play on such a system, since the platform does not have a discrete video adapter, and it is unlikely that ordinary users can afford the multimillion-dollar cost of such equipment.

Finally

Having found out that the system unit is a whole complex of computer parts assembled together, the reader can only find out how to connect and use this platform at home or in the office. At this stage, everything is very simple, because all manufacturers are concerned about users and have adopted a single standard, which requires matching connectors for all components and color identification marks.

By turning the back of the system unit case towards you, the owner will find that all the pins on the motherboard have a different shape, and some components differ in color from each other. So, the lilac keyboard plug must be inserted into the corresponding color contact on the computer. The monitor and mouse also have correspondingly sized ports. Even the power cable cannot be inserted incorrectly, because all power supplies have built-in grounding.

In this article we will look at what does the system unit consist of?.

Go!

So, all components of the computer system unit can be divided into two categories.

First of these, includes something without which the PC will not work at all:

• Frame.
• HDD.
• CPU.
• Power unit.
• Motherboard.
• Cooling system.
• RAM.

• Video card.
• Optical drive (CD, DVD, BluRay).
• Card reader.
• TV-map.
• Audio card.
• Satellite map.

The main components that make up the system unit

Frame. Designed for compact arrangement and fixation of all other PC components. Sometimes they are supplied immediately with a built-in power supply. Several standards (ATX) are issued that describe the permissible sizes of motherboards and power supplies that can be installed in these cases. May have built-in ports:

USB.
Audio (miniJack).
eSATA.
IEEE 1394.

HDD. This is a device with non-volatile memory for storing information. For PCs, hard drives of form factor 3.5 are almost always used? and rotation speed 7200 rpm. There are three types of hard drives:

• HDD. The noisiest, but the cheapest. In terms of writing/reading speed it ranks third. In case of failure, the data can be restored. They are afraid of shock loads. The resource is practically unlimited.
• SSD. Silent, not afraid of shocks and falls, the highest possible speed. If damaged, the data cannot be restored. The resource is limited. The most expensive.
• H-HDD. A less common type of hard drive. This is a hybrid of the two models described above. Main memory on HDD + 1.5-2% of the total volume on SSD.

You can install several hard drives in one system unit. Some motherboards allow you to create RAID arrays from them.

CPU. A set of integrated circuits located on a single module. All computing processes take place in it.
The speed of the PC depends on the speed of the processor. All modern processors are multi-core. Everyone has Cash. This is a kind of RAM of the processor. It is divided into three levels – L1, L2, L3.

Power unit. Selected taking into account the case, motherboard and power. It has a certain number of connectors for connecting components of the system unit.

Motherboard. A device for pairing all PC components. Its choice determines the type of processor and RAM. Almost all motherboards have integrated audio and video cards. Their capabilities are more than enough for watching movies, listening to music and even playing simple games. The motherboard configuration is characterized by:

USB3.0 and 2.0 port controllers
PCI Express ports and PSI ports.
Network Controller.
Channels for connecting devices with SATA interface.
Number of slots for RAM modules.

Cooling system. Cooler and radiator. The minimum quantity in one system unit is 2 pcs. One is mounted on the processor, the second on the power supply. 96% of system unit noise is produced by cooling system coolers. Some processors are sold immediately, with a cooler and radiator, in which case they have the prefix “BOX” in the name. There is a rarely used water cooling system. It is 3-3.5 times more expensive, but it works silently.

RAM. This is a set of chips that store the data necessary for the operation of the PC at the moment. Installed in special sockets on the motherboard. On some boards you can install immediately up to 4 slats. It is very important that all modules are from the same batch. Clock frequency (speed of information exchange with the processor) and the amount of RAM directly affect the performance of the PC. When you turn off the system unit, all data from RAM is deleted.

Minor elements that make up the system unit

From the entire list of the second part, it is highly desirable to have a video card and drive in the system unit, and the rest are less important:

Video card, needed for gaming and working with complex video editing programs. It is installed on all productive computers, but for the average user, for whom social networks, Skype and the like are primarily important, it is generally not important. But without installing a video card, the main processor of the computer must have a built-in graphics core.

Optical drive. Of three types:

• CD drive. Outdated standard.
• DVD drive. The most common option.
• Blu-ray drive. More perfect look. But quite expensive.

The remaining components of the system unit do not play a significant role for the average user and have a narrow specialization. For example:

Card reader. A device that allows you to connect memory cards to the system unit.

Audio card, required to create a 7.1 surround sound effect.

TV card(TV tuner), allows you to watch and record television programs.

Satellite map, processes the signal received by the satellite dish.

Now you fully know what the computer system unit consists of and can easily give exact definition for any of the components: video card, processor, hard drive, RAM, and so on.

Today, computer technology is advancing by leaps and bounds, and, for example, a PC can become completely obsolete in a few years. And on outdated hardware, many modern programs will run slowly or not start at all. Someone will offer to buy and someone will offer to upgrade. In both cases, you need to know the structure of the computer system unit.

General information

What are the main parts of your PC? In general, the structure of a computer requires the presence of the following elements:

• Internal devices of the system unit.
• (usually a keyboard and mouse, but can be supplemented with many others, for example, a drawing tablet).
• Information output devices (monitor, headphones).
• Additional (card readers, TV tuners, network adapters, USB modems).

The structure of the computer system unit must be considered in detail, because it includes many important components that directly or indirectly affect the performance of the system as a whole. These components include:

• Motherboard.
• CPU.
• RAM.
• Hard drive or solid state drive.
• Video card.
• Sound card.
• PCI devices.

Computer processor structure

It is believed that the central processing unit is the most complex digital device in a computer. It is made in the form of a silicon wafer in a housing with many pins that connect to a special socket on the motherboard. A substance is sprayed onto the silicon, reproducing a complex but very small electrical circuit.

Several million elements (transistors, resistors) are included in the structure of a computer processor. All parts are several nanometers in size. After manufacturing the device, a radiator is installed on it to remove heat and a blowing fan. When a large number of transistors operate simultaneously, this cannot be avoided.

The structure of a computer processor is so high-tech that only two companies in the world compete in this market segment (Intel and AMD).

Main characteristics of the CPU

The main characteristics of the CPU are the cache size and the number of cores. Accordingly, the higher these parameters, the faster the device performs calculations. The clock frequency determines how many logical and arithmetic operations can be performed per second by one core; accordingly, if there are two cores in the computer, then twice as many operations are performed per second.

The cache is designed to store commands that programs send to the central processor. Information is exchanged with the cache at the highest speed. If its size is too small, then it will not be possible to use the full speed of the processor.

Motherboard structure

Of course, it is necessary to consider the structure of the computer motherboard. The motherboard is a complex device with multi-layer circuitry. It contains the main sockets for connecting all other computer devices, logic sets so that all components work interconnectedly, and controllers for the main interfaces (sound card, input/output devices). Often, the motherboard may have slots for additional devices (PSI-e, PCI, USB).

The key component of a motherboard is the chipset. This is a chip that connects device controllers to the CPU for their joint functioning. The internal structure of the computer is entirely determined by the chipset. For example, it is impossible to install third-generation memory into a motherboard if the logic only supports the second, and this also applies to all other devices.

RAM

RAM (random access memory). When describing the internal structure of a computer, this element cannot be ignored. RAM stores temporary data and processor instructions for which there is not enough space in the cache. The most important memory characteristics are frequency, capacity, generation and timings. At the same time, a memory stick of the DDR2 or DDR generation cannot be installed in the DDR3 slot, because the sets of software logic for all these generations are different.

Frequency and timings are the most important indicators for determining the speed of information exchange with RAM. There are two mutually inverse rules here. If the frequency is higher, the speed is higher. The opposite law applies to timings, so lower indicators are preferable.

Video card

The structure of a personal computer in the modern world necessarily requires the presence of a video card. In simple terms, this device prepares and generates graphic information, which is subsequently displayed on the screen.

The video adapter can be built into the computer's motherboard or connected to a PCI-e connector. Adapters of the first type are almost always called budget adapters; they allow you to work comfortably in office software packages, but do not create complex three-dimensional images. Even if such video cards are capable of outputting graphics, it is unlikely that their power will be enough to reliably maintain an acceptable level of FPS (frames per second).

If we consider a video adapter connected to the PSI-e connector, we can say that this is an additional computer installed inside the system unit. Its structure also includes a processor (but not a CPU, but a GPU) with a cooling system, video memory (GDDR), controller, DAC and ADC (digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital converters).

The fact that the computer structure includes such a complex apparatus is due to the increased resource requirements for rendering realistic three-dimensional graphics. Otherwise, you will have to forget about the beauty of modern video games.

You can study the main characteristics of a video card based on the most important parameters of the remaining components included in the structure of the computer. Here you need to include the frequency of the video processor, the volume, frequency and bandwidth of video memory. We can't help but mention SLI and CrossFire technologies. They allow you to combine several video adapters to increase the power of the video system.

HDD

Disk Drive) is used to store data. It is on it that the OS, games, programs are installed, and it is on it that music, videos, and photographs are stored. The structure of the computer is such that any device can be replaced with a similar one without problems, however, after changing the HDD, all user data is lost, because the highest reliability requirements are imposed on devices of this type.

Main characteristics of HDD

Capacity (measured in bytes), the larger this number, the more data can be written to the drive. In modern conditions, it makes sense to give preference only to those members of the family whose capacity is above 500 Gigabytes.

Spindle speed (measured in revolutions per second) determines the average speed of data access. The higher this characteristic, the faster the information is read and written. Remember that high speeds create high noise levels.

Interface (type of connector for connecting to the system board). The structure of a personal computer in the modern world is such that it is almost impossible to choose a motherboard and a hard drive so that they do not fit each other.

A cache is similar to RAM. Its purpose is to smooth out the difference between read and write speeds. When choosing a device, this parameter can be ignored.

Keyboard

Everything is moving forward, everything is developing, the computing power of processors is increasing, teaching aids and lectures on which computer science is taught are changing. The computer structure, however, has one component that remains unchanged - the keyboard. It can be with membrane keys, semi-mechanical, mechanical or use a scissor mechanism.

The membrane mechanism structure includes plastic cones and three layers of film on which the contacts are located. When you press a key, the cone contracts, shorting the upper and lower contacts. These keyboards are the cheapest and lightest.

In semi-mechanical keyboards, instead of short-lived sprayed contacts, metal ones are installed, which are attached to the But the return of the key to its original position and the closure of the contacts is still performed by a plastic cone.

Mechanical keyboards use a spring as a return mechanism. They are considered the most durable and reliable. Their service life in normal mode ranges from 50 to 100 years. The weight is much higher than any others.

They are considered a type of membrane. These are most often installed in laptops. Under the key, in addition to the membrane, there are two cross rectangular bars that ensure smooth movement, and this in turn protects against jamming.

power unit

When computer anatomy (or the structure of a computer) is described, information about that component is often crossed out. But in vain, the stability of the entire system depends on the power supply.

Its main characteristic is power. The modern market offers a choice of devices from 300 to 1600 Watts. Four hundred is enough for an office computer, but the latest gaming system will require at least a kilowatt.

Keep in mind that the power supply must not only provide all components with the necessary power, but also have excess power exceeding the standard indicators by 20%. This is the case because over time the characteristics of power supplies “sag”, and peak loads can damage the device.

As computer science says, the structure of a computer is absolutely independent of the selected power supply. They are universal and suitable for any configuration. However, more powerful power supplies have a larger size and an increased number of connectors of the same type. In the vast majority of cases, the number of connectors is excessive even on power supplies with the lowest power.

It is better not to use cheap PBs produced by nameless manufacturers. PC devices are supplied with low voltage (from 3 to 12 Volts), and even a slight fluctuation in this indicator can damage some hardware. In addition, in practice, such power supplies produce a power that is a quarter less than the data in the data sheet.

Instead of an afterword

Educational program on the topic "building a computer for dummies" is completed. It does not describe completely exhaustive information. In such descriptions, one can go in depth endlessly, describing technical details, but for the average user, the information provided in this article is enough. Having already understood this level, you cannot call yourself a beginner or a beginner.

Description of the internal structure of a computer (for beginners).

A home or office computer (in the common sense - an ordinary computer) consists of a system unit and peripheral devices (monitor, keyboard, mouse, scanner, printer, etc.).

I won’t describe what a monitor, printer and keyboard with a mouse look like, but will immediately move on to describing the insides of the main component of the computer - the system unit.

We remove the side cover of the system unit and see the following picture:

Photo of the internal structure of the computer

Main components of the system unit:

1. Frame- a very important part of the computer. They come in different sizes and form factors. The choice of system unit case should be approached carefully. In principle, the larger and heavier the case, the better - it will be easier to ensure good cooling and low noise levels. Buy cases only from well-known brands, for example: InWin, Thermaltake, Chieftec, Asus, etc.

2. power unit- one of the most important components of the computer system unit. You can save on anything, but not on the power supply. Oddly enough, the quality of the power supply can be indirectly determined by weight - the heavier, the better. Take a cheap, nameless power supply in one hand, and an expensive branded one in the other, and you will understand everything. High-quality radiators and transformers are quite heavy. The power supply provides power to all components of the system unit, and the quality of this power has a significant impact on the health of all components. A low-quality power supply can cause unstable computer operation and even burn out expensive components. Branded cases are usually equipped with fairly high-quality power supplies. When choosing a power supply, you also need to pay attention to its power, for example, 300 W will be enough for an office computer, but 500 W may not be enough for a gaming computer.

3. Microprocessor(CPU - central processing unit) with cooling radiator and fan. The microprocessor is the main computing device of the computer; it is the one that executes the commands that make up the programs in sequence. The performance of a computer largely depends on the speed of the processor. The speed of a processor is determined by the frequency at which it operates, the number of cores, and the architecture. Now there are two main brands on the market: Intel and AMD. The choice of processor is determined by the tasks for which the computer is purchased. Top models are usually needed for games, video processing and similar tasks. (website)

4. Case fan. Necessary for creating air circulation inside the system unit: it usually works as a blower, removing warm air from the computer case and causing an influx of cold air from outside.

5. RAM modules. Random access memory (RAM - random access memory, RAM) is the high-speed memory of a computer. It is this memory that the processor works directly with. After turning off the computer, the information stored in it is erased. Taking into account the gluttony of modern programs, the rule is: the more RAM, the better. At the moment, the optimal amount of RAM will probably be 4-8 Gigabytes.

6. Video card(video adapter, video card, videocard, videoadapter) - processes and displays graphic information on the monitor. The video card has its own specialized graphics processor, which processes 2D/3D graphic information. This reduces the computational load on the central processing unit (CPU). For office applications, almost any video card is suitable (even one built into the motherboard), but for toys you will have to fork out more. I think you should choose a gaming video card after first deciding on the set of games you would like to play. When choosing a top-end video card, make sure that the power of your power supply is sufficient.

7. Modem. (Probably an obsolete device in Moscow)

8. LAN card. Through a network card, the computer connects to a local or global network (Internet). Nowadays, network cards are usually integrated into motherboards.

9, 10. CD or DVD drive(CD/DVD-ROM). There are both those who write and those who do not write. Read and write speeds may differ.

11. HDD(hard magnetic disk drive, harddisk, HDD) is a long-term memory device, the data is not erased when the power is turned off, the operating speed is much lower than that of RAM, and the capacity is much higher. All your installed programs, documents, music and movies are stored on your hard drive. Its capacity is measured in Gigabytes - the more the better, although 40-80 Gigabytes are enough for most office applications.

12. Motherboard- the main component of the system unit, because it combines all the listed devices and also contains additional components: network adapter, video card, sound card, input/output devices, etc.

Conclusion:

When choosing components, you should make sure that they are compatible with each other. Don't skimp on the case and power supply - it's better to save on a video card and then buy a new one over time. It is also better to buy a motherboard “with a reserve” in order to upgrade the processor, memory, etc. in the future.