All about Laptop Parts What you need to know to buy a laptop without getting scammed.

All about Laptop Parts

What you need to know to buy a laptop without getting scammed

Laptop vs Desktop vs Tablet

• Factors: – Portability– Cost– Ease of typing– Expandable Memory – Connectivity– Ergonomics

Computer Parts

• There are 5 major components that make PCs work:– Hard Drive – CPU– RAM– Mother Board– Power Supply– Screen

Hard Drive

• Stores data magnetically (This means it doesn't disappear when the computer is switched off)

• Can store very large quantities of data. (4 Tb+)

Read/write arm swings while the disks all spin

Hard Drive 2

• Usually made of glass or aluminum with a magnetic coating.

Very Shiny, and must be kept perfectly clean!

Hard Drive 3

Cons: • Relatively slow access time. (100 000 times

slower than RAM!)

Pros:• Cheap memory (0.0001 $/mb) • Non-volatile – This means you can turn the computer off and

you don’t loose your stuff.• NOTE: When you click “Save” you are putting your project on the

HD.

CPU

• Central Processing Unit

CPU 2

• Also Called a “Microprocessor” • Everything that happens in a PC goes

through the CPU. (just like your brain)

CPU 3

• CPUs are made of billions of interconnected electric circuits.

• The speed of a CPU is measured in “Hertz” or “how many operations it can perform every second”

• A 4 GHz processor can do up 4 billion things each second!

RAM

RAM

• “Random Access Memory” • Often just called “Memory”• It is REALLY fast memory right near the

CPU• It holds currently running programs • Stores Data Electronically Volatile!

RAM 2

• Computers these days have around 2-6 Gb of Ram.

• My first computer only had 1 Mb! That’s 2000 times less!

• Having more ram makes your computer faster, because less information needs to go out to the HD.

Mother Board (MOBO)

Mother Board

• The main circuit board in the computer.It Contains:- RAM- CPU- Video Card (Sends the signal to monitor)

- Sound Card (Sends a signal to the speakers)- Much more!

Mother Boards

• It is the mother board that determines what components you can put in your machine.

EX: If you want a fancy gaming video card, your mobo must be able to support it!

Power Supply

• The power supply converts the 110v AC power from your wall into the very small amounts of power your computer needs to run.

Screen

• Screens are measured in inches from corner to corner.

• The resolution is how many pixels go up the side of the screen and along the top.

Size vs Resolution

• iPhone 6 screen resolution is 1920x1080 with a 4.7” screen (326 pixels per inch)

• A Cheap laptop with the same resolution on a 14” screen gives you only 155 ppi

• Ask a sales person how the resolution translates into ppi.

Summary of Components

• Hard drive– Non-volatile, stores info magnetically, very large storage device.

• CPU – The brain! Everything that a PC does goes through the CPU.

• RAM – Really fast memory right by the CPU– Stores data of currently running programs– Stores info electrically

• Mother Board– Brings all the PC parts together

• Power Supply– Converts household power to power a computer can use!