Download Memory Card - Computer Systems

Components
RAM
RAM is an acronym for random access memory. It is this memory that allows your computer to run
programs and continue operations in a relatively quick manner. RAM is much faster to read from
and write to than the other kinds of storage in a computer, the hard disk, floppy disk, and CD-ROM.
However, the data in RAM stays there only as long as your computer is running as it holds temporary
instructions so the CPU accesses information fast. When you turn the computer off, RAM loses its
data. When you turn your computer on again, your operating system and other files are once again
loaded into RAM, usually from your hard disk. The speed of a RAM is 1333 Mhz and the capacity is
2GB-8GB. Corsair and Crucial are example brands of RAM, types include DDR, DDR2 and DDR3. The
Price ranges from £10-£50 and price will depend on the speed and capacity, the higher these are the
more expensive. For RAM to be compatible Ram must match Motherboard clock speed (Mhz) so
therefore this should be considered when buying extra or new RAM.
CPU
The CPU Alternatively referred to as the brain of the computer. Modern CPUs are small and square
and contain multiple metallic connectors or pins on the underside. The CPU is inserted directly into a
CPU socket, pin side down, on the motherboard.Every computer, whether a personal computer on
your desktop or the computer inside your car, has a processor which performs all of the calculations
needed to run software programs. The CPU Carries out the instructions of a computer program and
the computers functions by performing the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations
of the system. examples of popular CPU Brands include Intel and AMD. the price can range from
£50-£1000 and the price will depend on the capacity (MB) and speed (usually ranging from 2.13Ghz) Compatibility issues will occur if you don't check what CPU the motherboard supports as it
will only support AMD or Intel.
The Motherboard
The motherboard is the major, underlying circuit board of a computer. The motherboard in a
computer connects all the various elements of the computer together. It holds the power supply,
memory cards, the video card, drive connectors, the microprocessor and other peripheral
connections. Without a motherboard the computer could not function as it accepts components for
customization and distributes power. the price of a motherboard can range from £50-£150
Compatibility issues?
Different providers make different processors so it is essential to have a motherboard which
supports the firms processors else the computer will not function. For instance if you are building a
gaming pc there is no point saving on cost by shopping for a motherboard that is three years
outdated, due to the fact that you are going to have to purchase a processor that is three years
outdated which is no good as the more recent video games will demand more power than the cheap
components can supply.
Hard Disk
A hard disk is a section in the computer where programs are stored. A hard disk can save and update
the files stored on them. The hard disk is enabled when the computer starts. Older hard drives
typically used "IDE" or "ATA" cable, modern use a thick but narrow cable, usually red in colour called
SATA cable. A hard disk/drive unit comes with a set rotation speed varying from 4500 to 7200 rpm.
Disk access time is measured in milliseconds; the higher the RPM the faster data is accessed. Also
a useful measure of speed for a hard drive is Mb per second as it tells you how quickly information
can be written to disk. Capacity is measured in gigabits and can range from 120GB-1TB and it
indicates how much a hard disk can store. Examples of hard disk brands include seagate and western
digital, and can range from £40-£250 in price, depending on the MB cache and capacity.
Power Supply Unit
The power supply gives your machine all the different voltages it needs to operate properly. It is able
to take the AC (alternating current) voltage from your home electrical outlet and convert it to the
lower DC (direct current) voltage that your computer needs to function properly. The main
specification of a power supply is in watts. A watt is the product of the voltage in volts and
the current in amperes or amps. Wattages range from 250 to 1600 Watt power supply units. Since
each computer part requires a certain amount of power to function properly, it's important to have
a Power supply unit that can provide the right amount. It is also important to ensure the fan works
properly because if it fails your computer could overheat. The power supply unit connects through
cables, The side of the Power supply unit facing outside the case has a male, three pronged port that
a power cable, connected to a power source, plugs into. There is also often a power switch and
a power supply voltage switch. Popular power supply unit manufacturers include 'Cooler Master',
'Be Quiet' and 'Antec' and they range from £10-£100+ depending on efficiency and Wattage.
Graphics Card
The images you see on your monitor are made of tiny dots called pixels. At most common resolution
settings, a screen displays over a million pixels, and the computer has to decide what to do with
everyone in order to create an image. To do this, it needs a translator something to take binary data
from the CPU and turn it into a picture you can see. This is the function of the graphics card. The
graphics card connects via slot, AGP or PCI. Graphics chips often draw memory from the computer's
main RAM system. Graphics cards also contain some embedded memory, which typically ranges
from 128 MB (megabytes) to 4 GB (gigabytes.) The clock speed of the graphics card is the time taken
for the graphics card to process and is measured in Ghertz. Brands of Graphics card include AMD and
Nvidia, and the price ranges from £20-£400 depending on how good its performance is.
Optical Drive
Optical drives retrieve and/or store data on optical discs like CDs, DVDs, and BDs (Blu-ray discs)
which hold much more information than classic portable media options like the floppy disk. The
optical drive is mounted so the end with the connections faces inside the computer and the end with
the drive bay faces outside. The back end of the optical drive contains a port for a cable that
connects to the motherboard. Popular Brands include: Lite-On IT ,Memorex and NEC and the price
ranges from £15-£60 depending on the read or write speed, for instance 24x is faster than 2x.
Peripherals
What is meant by the term Peripheral?
A peripheral is a device that is connected to a computer, but isn't built into the computer itself. It
expands the computers capabilities but is not needed for the computer itself to function. A
peripheral could be an output for instance speakers or printer or it could be an input for instance
computer and mouse. An input sends information to the computer from a device whereas an
output receives information from the computer.
Examples of Peripherals:
Output
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Speakers
Printer
Monitor
Input
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Mouse
Keyboard
Scanner
Do they vary according to user?
The peripherals people connect to their computer will depend on what they aim to carry out on the
computer. For instance a graphics designer may connect digital cameras, printers, and graphics
tablets to their computer where as someone who carries out more basic tasks will only have devices
such as keyboard and mouse.
Connectivity is almost as important as the development of computer components. Would you
agree? How is this present in the development of technology today?
Peripherals can send and receive data much faster due to interface advancements for instance USB
advancements as some peripherals that connect to USB can now operate at over 4GB per second
e.g. phone devices connecting through USB cables are recognised by the computer at a faster rates
due to the development of USB connectivity.
Back Up Storage
In computers, backup storage is storage that is intended to copy the storage on a hard disk so that, if
the storage medium such as a hard disk fails and data is lost on that medium, it can be recovered
from the copy.
Pen Drives/memory sticks
A memory stick is 'pen top' sized USB device and can be used in a similar way to a floppy disk but it is
inserted into the USB port, it is then seen by the computer as a removable drive. They typically come
in sizes from 512MB to 32GB upwards depending on the price.
Advantages:
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Memory sticks can hold large quantities of data.
They are extremely portable, so the user can take them wherever they go.
Disadvantages:
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Not possible to get a USB with as much storage space as a harddrive.
Portable storage devices in general are more likely to be lost, stolen or damaged.
Since it is still a fairly new technology, the cost per megabyte of storage is pricey.
Memory Card
A memory card is a stamp-sized USB device and can be used in a similar way to a floppy disk but it is
inserted into either a memory card reader or a USB converter. They typically come in sizes from 1 GB
to 32 GB upwards, depending on the price paid. The SD card has became the most popular in recent
times.
Advantages:
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Memory cards can hold large quantities of data.
They are very portable meaning the user can take them wherever they go.
Digital accessories such as compact cameras and mobile phones are able to read and write
to memory cards allowing the user to transport large collections of photographs, songs or
information with them.
Disadvantages:
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Memory cards, specifically the micro SD card, are the smallest storage devices available
meaning they are most likely to be lost or damaged.
All computers do not come with memory card readers built in so the users will often be
required to purchase a card reader or USB converter to view the data on a card.
External hard disk
An external hard disk can store very large amounts of data, up to 1TB, and can be plugged into your
computer via a USB or FireWire port to provide the user with extra storage.
Advantages:
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Can be very high capacity, so they can be used to backup data or move large amounts of
data between machines.
One of the best things about external hard drives is that they are portable. This makes it
really easy to carry them around with you whereas with internal disks you cannot.
Disadvantages:
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They're often quite large and therefore inconvenient to carry around.
They have moving parts so are more likely to break, especially if dropped.
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It is slower than internal hard disk drive because its transferring data through USB 2.0.
Optical Discs
An optical disc is an electronic data storage medium that can be written to and read using a lowpowered laser beam.
Advantages:
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They are very portable meaning the user can take them wherever they go.
Can buy them relatively cheap.
Disadvantages:
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In some cases if the disk is readable only, once the CD-ROMs has been produced/burnt it is
not possible to update them.
Optical storage does not provide enough data storage in comparison to other storage
methods.
If scratched all data may be lost as CD-ROM may not be readable.