A PC is made up of components and hardware usually called PC parts, and these PC parts work together to make a working computer. Not all PC parts are made the same, and they all have varying effects on the computer.
If you’re looking to build a computer, you may notice the sheer quantity of PC parts available, but you can’t just pick up random PC parts and expect them to work together. Some first-time builders will actually make this mistake, there needs to be a level of compatibility.
The Processor, Memory, Graphics Card, & Motherboard
The processor also called CPU is usually referred to as the brain of the computer, and it usually processes all the critical instructions sent to it. It fetches data from the memory also known as RAM, and it processes this information. Additionally, the CPU will also require a cooler, either an AIO or an air cooler.
The memory is a volatile storage device, and it has to work extremely quickly, faster than SSDs. It allows data to be stored and received almost instantly. The RAM is shared memory used by both the Processor and the Graphics card.
The graphics card aka the GPU is the component that specializes in processing graphical information, the CPU can also process graphical information, but the GPU accelerates rendering and animation. It performs maths calculations extremely quickly which allows the CPU to do other tasks.
The Motherboard connects and provides communication between all the components such as the CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage devices. The motherboard is the main circuit which you use plug all the components, without it, the hardware won’t be able to communicate.
The Storage, Power Supply, and PC Case
The storage of your computer is a non-volatile storage device as opposed to the volatile nature of the memory. The storage device is used to store data permanently for the user to retrieve later. The most popular storage devices are SSDs/Solid State Drives and HDDs/Hard Drives.
The power supply speaking from a practical sense is the most important component for your PC, and it’s the component you have to get right first try. A bad power supply will usually underpower your components resulting in instability issues, and sometimes even destroying them.
The PC case is where your house all the internal components we just discussed, you don’t need a PC case for the computer to work, but it’s highly recommended. A PC case will come with a number of fans that will provide ambient cooling and airflow.
