ACTIVITY IN ICT

Different Types of Computer

&
Different Parts of Computer

Submitted by:
JAVIER, ROSEBERT E.
BIT MT – 1A

Submitted to:
PROF. SHELLA MAE BALATUCAN
 Types of Computer
There are many different types of computer available today. They range from giant super computers
right down to small handheld personal organisers.

Computers today are categorized based on size, cost and performance. They fall into four major categories:

1. Micro-computers
2. Mini-computer
3. Mainframe
4. Supercomputers
This will give you a brief overview of the different categories of computers available and an idea of what
they are used to do!

 Micro-computers
Micro-computers are designed for personal use in the office or at home and are often referred to as a PC
(Personal Computer). In this class of computer there are also different types, such as desktops, Laptops,
netbooks, Palm-tops/PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), organizers and calculators.

Personal Computers

Desktop Computer
Modern PC’s are very powerful and are now relatively inexpensive. You will find very similar machines
both in the home and the office environment.

PC’s can carry out millions of calculations per

second and store large amounts of data –
typically anything from 120GB to 1TB.

Personal computers tend to be set up and left in

one place, they are not designed to be mobile
of carried around with you.

They are useful for lets of different types of

tasks:

Running office applications such as word

processing, spreadsheets and databases
Figure 1 - Desktop PC
• For CAD design such as designing kitchens
• Editing video
• Creating and playing music
• Accessing the internet for research, work and entertainment.
Laptop Computers
A laptop computer is a portable computer which is mobile and small enough to carry around with you. They
can literally be used on your lap or placed onto desks or tables.
Most laptops have an integrated keyboard which is often smaller in size than a standard keyboard. They also
have a touchpad and buttons next to the keyboard which can be used in place of a traditional mouse.

The screen is attached to the base of the laptop

and it folds down to protect it when the laptop is
not in use.

Laptops have a powerful battery inside which

means they can be used anywhere if the battery is
flat, the laptop can still be used as long as an
electrical socket is available.

Modern laptops are every bit as powerful as a

personal computer. They have as much
processing power, the same processing power,
the same processing power, the same amount of
memory and large hard disks. Figure 2 – Laptop Computer

All of the software applications that you would install and use on a PC can be installed on a laptop. They can
also be connected to the internet via Wi-Fi, 3G or a physical network connection.

The battery life can also be an issue as they will need recharging regularly.

Some people find the keyboard difficult to use, especially if it is a lot smaller than a standard keyboard.

Netbook Computer
Netbook computers are much smaller both in size and
weight than a traditional laptop. They still have an
integral keyboard, touchpad and an attached screen but
they are specifically designed to be ultra-lightweight
and small enough to carry in one hand.

Netbooks are typically around 10 inches in size

(diagonally across the screen) but they are becoming
increasingly smaller as technology advances.

Unlike a laptop, they may not have a traditional hard

drive to store the operating system, applications and
data. Instead they may use ‘flash’ memory instead Figure3 - Netbook Computer
(some netbooks do not have a hard disk). This means that they don’t have as much storage capacity, with
many netbooks having only 20 – 120GB of storage whereas laptops will have 12oGb to 1TB of hard disk
space.
Also, they may have less RAM than a laptop, with many having between 512Mb and 1GB, compared to a
laptop’s 1 – 2GB of RAM. This means that they may be slightly slower at processing data than a laptop or a
PC, but in reality you are unlikely to notice the difference. The real difference comes with very data
intensive applications such as games.

Tablet Computers
A table computer is a mobile, quite thin device, having a flat surface. The device can be easily held in your
hand.

It contains a touch screen which is operated using your fingers in various ways such as tapping, double
tapping, swiping and pinching.

The screen view can be changed

automatically from landscape to
portrait mode by simply changing the
orientation of the tablet. This is
possible because the tablet has an in-
built three axis gyroscope unlike
standard laptops.

Other sensors include an

accelerometer, magnetometer, and one
or more cameras. It can also receive
GPS signals for mapping and geo-location. Figure 4 - Tablet computer

Tablet computers can connect to the internet using Wi-Fi or 3G – although you might need to pay a monthly
fee to use this service and there may be a limit on the amount of data that you can download each month.

Storage within the tablet is by solid state flash memory rather than a hard disk that is commonly used in a
laptop.

Tablet computers run from an internal battery which needs to be recharged after a number of hours.

The unique combination of advanced sensors and a fairly powerful CPU has resulted in an incredible array of
imaginative applications (Known as ‘Apps’) being developed. For example, there is a star gazing app that
shows the stars that would be seen on a clear night sky by simply holding the tablet up in the air in the relevant
direction. There are ‘augmented reality’ apps that make use of the camera to overlay information on the screen
being viewed.
Smart Phones
Quite recently the mobile phone has developed into
what is now called a ‘smartphone’. These are true
multifunction devices. Yes, they can do all that a
mobile phone can do, but also so much more. They
have replaced the PDA’s and become a computer in
your pocket.

Part of the reason for the improvement in their

capability has been the addition of some extra
sensors in the device – namely the gyroscope that
can measure angles, tilt and orientation.

They also contain GPS chips to pick up your exact

location and touch screen technology.

Figure 5 - Smartphones

Smart phones are now supported by thousands of independent developers around the world who dream up
new things you can do with smartphones.

There are ‘apps’ that tell you the name of any song just by listening to a few bars of music, apps to find out
what is on at your local cinema, apps that track your exercise and calories, games, video players, joke
generators and so on.
Basically, if you want to do something with your smartphone, there is generally an app to help you! All these
are available in the ‘app store’ of the smartphone maker. Some apps are free; some are available for purchase
for a small fee.

Palm Top
A palmtop computer is similar to a laptop computer but it’s small enough to fit into the palm of your hand
(hence the name!).

Palmtops are usually not very powerful since the CPU’s

require a large battery and get hot – both problems in a small
device.

A typical palmtop has a very small keyboard – too small to

type on normally. Instead the user types using both thumbs.
Also there is no room for a track pad, so touchscreen or a
tiny joystick is used instead.

Palmtops are extremely portable, but the small keyboard and

screen make the devices tiring to use for long periods.

What do you think a palmtop computer has turned into? Figure 6 - Palmtop computer
Personal Digital Assistant (PDA’s)
A PDA is similar to a palmtop computer, except it is even
more compact, and typically has no keyboard, using a
touchscreen for all data input. Since the screen is so small,
many PDA’s have a small stylus (plastic stick) that is used
to press things on the screen.

Most PDA’s use some sort of handwriting-recognition

system to allow the user to write on the screen, and to have
their writing converted into text.

PDA’s tend to be used as ‘digital diaries’ allowing users to

take their email, documents, appointments, etc. with them
wherever they go!

Note: You don’t see PDA’s any more since the onset of the
smartphone, as a smartphone can do everything a PDA can
do and much, much more! Figure 7 - PDA

 Mini Computers
Mini-computer is a general purpose computer sometimes about the size of a small filing cabinet. It is faster,
more expensive and has a higher storage capacity than the average desktop model. The minicomputer is
oriented towards multiple users.

In size and power, minicomputers lie between workstations and mainframes. In the past decade, the
distinction between large minicomputers and small mainframes has blurred, however, as has the distinction
between small minicomputers and workstations. But in general, a minicomputer is a multiprocessing system
capable of supporting from 4 to about 200 users simultaneously.

A multiprocessing system refers to a computer system's ability to

support more than one process (program) at the same time.

1. Multiprocessing operating systems enable several

programs to run concurrently. UNIX is one of the most
widely used multiprocessing systems, but there are many
others, including OS/2 for high-end PCs. Multiprocessing
systems are much more complicated than single-process
systems because the operating system must allocate
resources to competing processes in a reasonable manner.
2. It refers to the utilization of multiple CPUs in a single
computer system. This is also called parallel processing.
Figure 8 - Multi-processing computer
  Mainframe Computers
Mainframe computers are large, powerful computers that carry out many different tasks for many different
people at the same time.

They are slower than a supercomputer

but they are far less expensive. They
may cost around four million pounds
to purchase.

Mainframes can execute billions of

instructions per second and can
process large amounts of data
simultaneously.

They are usually connected to a large

number of peripheral e.g. printers,
terminals, disk drives, etc.

They are used by large companies such as: Figure 9 - Mainframe computer

• Utility companies, e.g. gas and electric suppliers to calculate customers’ bills
• Banks – for managing thousands of customers accounts each day • Insurance companies – for
keeping track of policies and claims
• Airlines – for dealing with bookings, tickets, cancellations, etc.
• Police – for storing and processing all the data collected each day about crimes.

Mainframe computers need to be operated by specialist, trained staff. They are usually kept in air
conditioned rooms away from the office or factory floor.

 Super Computers
Super computers are the fastest and most expensive computers in the world.

They cost over a hundred million pounds to build and

very few organisations can afford to purchase one.

They are mainly used by large universities who do a

lot of research, weather modelling, etc., and by
organisations such as pharmaceutical companies for
drug research or by the military for weapons research.

Whilst supercomputers are working, they generate so

much heat that they need to be housed in specifically
designed rooms with environmental controls and air
conditioning systems.

Figure 10 - Super computer

It is vital that the atmosphere is kept free of dust particles and special filters are used to keep the air clean.
There may be many miles of cables which connect the computer to various peripherals. In order to hide the
cables, false floors and ceilings are often needed.

Supercomputers usually need their own back-up electricity generator to ensure that they can continue to work
even if there is a power failure.

Embedded computer
An embedded computer is a single chip that contains all of the elements that are essential for any
computer, i.e.:

• RAM
• ROM
• CPU
• Input
• Output
• Clock

Another term often used for an embedded computer is ‘micro-controller’. This is because the main purpose
of an embedded computer is control something.
For example, the Raspberry Pi is an extremely popular single board computer that is intended to help school
students learn about computer programming.

All of the following also contain and

embedded computer:

• Telephones
• Televisions
• Cameras
• Washing machines
• Microwave cookers
• Dishwashers
• Cars

Figure 11 - Raspberry Pi

Reference: https://www.swe.school/_site/data/files/sixth-
form/transition%20work/information%20technology/1B520Types%of%20Computer.pdf
 Parts of a Computer and Their Functions
Here is a complete list of all the common computer hardware components and common peripherals used
with them.

Common computer hardware components

1. The computer case

This is the part that holds all of the internal components to make up the computer itself. It is usually
designed in such a manner to make fitting a motherboard, wiring, and drives as easy as possible. Some are
designed so well that it is easy to make everything look tidy and presentable too. Cases come in all different
shapes and sizes to accommodate various types of computer components and satisfy the consumer’s needs.
Design elements can vary from being plain to extremely elaborate. You can get a plain grey case or one that
has colored lighting everywhere to make it looks spectacular. Cases, like most things, vary in quality. You
can get them made from cheap metals or good quality materials that provide you with a sturdy design.

List of computer case sizes (known as form factor):

• Very small form factor: Supports Mini ITX motherboards
• Small form factor: Supports micro ATX motherboards.
• Standard form factor: Supports standard ATX motherboards.
• Larger form factors: Supports ATX and XL-ATX motherboards.

2. Motherboard
 The motherboard is the main board that is screwed directly inside the computer case. All other cards and
everything else plugs directly into the motherboard, hence its name. The CPU, RAM, drives, power supply,
and more all get connected to it. Its function is to integrate all the components so they can communicate and
operate together. A good motherboard offers a wide amount of connectivity options. It also has the least
amount of bottlenecks possible. This allows all the components to operate efficiently and to fulfill their
maximum potential as they were designed to do. Obviously, as the physical size is reduced, it begins to limit
connectivity options and functionality.

Motherboards come in the following sizes:

Motherboard Dimensions
Pico-ITX 3.9 inch x 2.9 inch | 100mm x 72mm
Nano-ITX 4.7 inch x 4.7 inch | 120mm x 120mm
Mini-ITX 6.7 inch x 6.7 inch | 170mm x 170mm
Micro-ATX 9.6 inch x 9.6 inch | 244mm x 244mm
Standard-ATX 12 inch x 9.6 inch | 305mm x 244mm
XL-ATX EVGA: 13.5 inch x 10.3 inch | 343mm x 262mm
Gigabyte: 13.58 inch x 10.31 inch | 345mm x 262mm
Micro-Star: 13.6 inch x 10.4 inch | 345mm x 264mm

3. CPU: Central Processing Unit

The CPU is basically like the brain of a computer. It processes all the information on a computational
level. It takes information from the RAM and processes it to perform the tasks required from the computer. It
is usually seated in a socket that utilizes a lever or a latch with a hinged plate with a cut out in the center to
secure it onto the motherboard. It has many copper pads underneath it for the socket contacts to push up against
them to make electrical contact.

There are other ways CPUs can be attached to the motherboard.

Here are some common examples:

• ZIF (Zero Insertion Force): Although this a more desirable socket, they are mostly found on older
computer motherboards. A lever-operated mechanism to clamp the pins of the processor.
• PGA (Pin Grid Array): It is also a ZIF socket but has a different pin pitch and contains a different
pin count.
• LGA (Land Grid Array): More commonly found on motherboards today. A levered hinged plate
with a center cut-out clamps down on the processor.
• BGA (Ball Grid Array): The CPU is soldered directly onto the motherboard. This makes it a
nonuser swappable part. It is susceptible to bad connectivity.
A processor generates a decent amount of heat, especially when it is working under high loads. It will run
even hotter when it is set to a higher clock speed to make it run faster. This is called overclocking. This is why
a heatsink and fan assembly are required to draw the heat away from the processor and distribute it to thin
sheets or fins of metal for the fan to cool down. There are so many different types of processors. The top
manufacturers of computers are Intel, AMD, and NVidia.

4. RAM: Random Access Memory

RAM is a data storage device that can provide fast read and write access. RAM is also volatile, which
means that it loses all the stored data when power is lost. The RAM keeps data ready for the CPU to process.
The speed of the RAM is a big contributor to the overall speed of a computer. It plugs directly into a long slot
that has contacts on either side of the slot. It, too, has a clock speed, just like a processor. So, it can also be
overclocked to deliver increased performance beyond the intended specification. Certain RAM modules are
sold with a heat spreader. It helps dissipate the heat from the individual memory IC’s, keeping them cooler.
RAM has evolved like any other component. RAM used on the motherboard often uses DDR (Double Data
Rate) SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory) type memory.

5. Graphics Card

A graphics card processes the data from the motherboard and sends the appropriate information to the
monitor for it to be displayed. It can do so using an HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, or VGA connector. A graphics
card can also be referred to as a video card or a display card. It takes the burden of all the video processing
from the main CPU. This gives a computer a big boost in performance. Because of the large processing
requirements for a gaming graphics card, fans are almost a given. A graphics card plugs into a PCI Express
(Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) slot on the motherboard. It is a serial expansion bus slot capable
of a high amount of bandwidth in two directions. A graphics card has a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) which
is the main component that requires cooling. A GPU is slower than a CPU, but it is designed to deal with
mathematical operations required for video rendering. The amount of memory on the card varies depending
on the manufacturer’s design. Graphics cards use GDDR (Graphics Double Data Rate) SDRAM, which is
specially designed to optimize graphics performance. GDDR is built to handle a higher bandwidth compared
to plain DDR ram.

6. Sound Card

Most of the time, the sound chip built into the motherboard is used for audio output. But, if you are a
sound enthusiast or prefer higher detailed audio while playing a game, you might be inclined to use a sound
card. Sound cards plug into a computer in multiple ways. It can be through USB, PCI slot, or PCI Express x
1 slot. External DACs have gained a lot more popularity and help deliver clearer and more defined audio.
They connect up using an IO cable like a USB cable to your computer or laptop and provide a line out for
your speakers or headphones. A sound processing chip on the card does all of the audio processing and is
usually not a very powerful processor. A sound card can offer a wide range of connectivity with various audio
equipment. A few examples could be optical audio, 1/4 inch jack, or RCA connectors.

7. Hard Drive

A hard drive is found in most computers. It’s usually a mechanical drive that stores all the data. Apart
from storing data, it can also be used as a boot drive to run the operating system from it. An operating system
is a software program that makes a computer useable like Microsoft Windows, for example. The biggest
vulnerability of a mechanical drive is its physically fragile nature. One bump the wrong way can destroy a
whole drive. A mechanical hard drive contains one or more platters that spin anywhere between 5200 to 10000
RPM (revolutions per minute). The read and write heads are spaced only about 0.002 (51 micro M) inches
away from the platter. This gives you an idea about the physical limitations regarding its fragile nature. Small
areas on the platter can be arranged to represent a 1 or a 0. It can be changed using the drive head to alter the
material to represent the correct value magnetically. There are various categories of hard drives made for
various real-world applications.

Some examples include:

• General use for desktops or laptops.

• Gaming optimized for desktops or laptops.
• General high capacity storage.
• NAS Devices.
• Servers.
• Video recording.

8. SSD: Solid State Drive

n SSD is also a type of hard drive, but it doesn’t have any moving parts. It consists of a bank of flash
memory that can hold a reasonable amount of data. While SSD’s are increasing in size all the time, they aren’t
cost-effective for storing large amounts of data. A mechanical drive has a cheaper gigabyte to dollar ratio.
However, the SSD is a high-performance drive. It’s fast and cannot be as easily damaged by dropping it or
taking a few knocks. SSDs are available as 2.5-inch laptop encapsulated drives as well as an M.2 SDD as the
most commonly used kinds on the market. That’s why I always recommend SSD’s for portable-type
computers where possible. You can read more about whether or not SSD’s are worth it in our other article.

9. PSU: Power Supply Unit

A power supply mounts inside the computer case. This converts the AC mains supply from the wall socket
and supplies the correct DC voltages to all the components inside the computer.
A computer power supply supplies the following voltages:

• +3.3v: This voltage is supplied to the motherboard.

• +5V: This voltage is supplied to the motherboard and other internal components.
• +12V: This voltage is supplied to the motherboard and other internal components.
• -12V: This voltage is supplied to the motherboard.
You get different wattage ratings for power supplies. The higher the wattage, the higher the electrical current
that can be made available to parts that need it. The higher you go in Watts, the more the power supply will
be likely to cost. A power supply also comes with its own cooling fan. This helps all the internal components
to stay cool when the power supply is subjected to bigger loads. If you would like to know more about a power
supply and its lifespan, I have written an article discussing it more in-depth.

10. Monitor or Visual Display Unit (VDU)

A monitor is what you use to visualize the graphics data sent from the computer’s graphics card. There
are various types of monitors on the market. The most commonly used is a LED-backlit LCD monitor. There
are also a variety of different sizes with different aspect ratios. The aspect ratio is simply the ratio between
height and width. For example, a 16:9 aspect ratio monitor will have 16 parts wide to 9 parts in height. There
are also curved monitors, but they are more expensive. Monitors also have a fast response time to keep up
with the high demands required to eliminate delays with user input for gaming.

11. Keyboard
 A keyboard is one of the ways to communicate with a computer. Typing a key from the keyboard
sends a small portion of data to tell the computer which key was pressed. The computer can use this
information in many ways. An example could be a command or a character that can be used in a document.
There are two main different types of keyboards. Mechanical and membrane types.

12. Mouse

A mouse allows the user to move a pointer displayed on the monitor and experience a more intuitive
interaction with the computer. These days mice have more buttons than the common three. However, the three
main buttons allow the user to select, grab, scroll and access extra menus and options. A computer mouse can
be wired or wireless. The latter obviously requires batteries. Optical mice of today allow for very accurate
precision and smooth movement.

Common external peripherals

Here are some common peripherals that get connected to a computer and that extend their usefulness.

Printer

A printer can take an image sent by a computer and deliver it onto a sheet of paper. It does this by using the
data from the computer, and by either using toner or ink, it deposits one of these in a controlled and accurate
manner to form the image.
Scanner

A scanner can take anything on paper and scan it to produce a replicated digital image. This is also
very handy for saving physical photos that you want to preserve. Once the photo is stored digitally, it won’t
decay as a physical photo does over time. The flatbed scanner is the most commonly used today. There are
many all-in-one devices also known as multifunction devices which have printer and scanning capabilities in
one reasonably compact product.

Computer Speakers

Computer speakers can connect up to the sound card at the rear of the computer. Another way they
can be connected is by a monitor that already has built-in speakers. Generally, the sound quality is poor from
a monitor’s speakers. That’s why most people buy a set of computer speakers to have on their computer desk.
You can even connect up a 7.1 surround speaker system to certain sound cards. This can add a nicer experience
to gaming, playing music, or watching a film.

Reference: https://computerinfobits.com/parts-of-computer-and-their-functions/