1. Describe the six major categories of hardware and provide an example of each.
Hardware consists of the physical devices associated with a computer system. The six major
categories of hardware include:
Central processing unit (CPU) The actual hardware that interprets and executes the program
(software) instructions and coordinates how all the other hardware devices work together (e.g.,
Primary storage The computer’s main memory, which consists of the random access memory
(RAM), cache memory, and the read-only memory (ROM) that is directly accessible to the
central processing unit (CPU) (e.g., RAM)
Secondary storage Equipment designed to store large volumes of data for long-term storage
(e.g., diskette, hard drive, memory card, CD).
Input devices Equipment used to capture information and commands (e.g., keyboard,
Output devices Equipment used to see, hear, or otherwise accept the results of information
processing requests (e.g., monitor, printer).
Communication devices Equipment used to send information and receive it from one location
to another (e.g., modem).
Personal digital assistant (PDA) - A small hand-held computer that performs simple tasks such
as taking notes, scheduling appointments, and maintaining an address book and a calendar.
Laptop - A fully functional computer designed to be carried around and run on battery power.
Laptops come equipped with all of the technology that a personal desktop computer has, yet
weigh as little as two pounds.
Tablet - A pen-based computer that provides the screen capabilities of a PDA with the
functional capabilities of a laptop or desktop computer. Similar to PDAs, tablet PCs use a
writing pen or stylus to write notes on the screen and touch the screen to perform functions
such as clicking on a link while visiting a website.
Desktop - Available with a horizontal system box (the box is where the CPU, RAM, and storage
devices are held) with a monitor on top, or a vertical system box (called a tower) usually placed
on the floor within a work area.
Workstation - Similar to a desktop but has more powerful mathematical and graphics
processing capabilities and can perform more complicated tasks in less time. Typically used for
software development, Web development, engineering, and ebusiness tools.
Minicomputer (midrange computer) - Designed to meet the computing needs of several people
simultaneously in a small to medium-size business environment. A common type of
minicomputer is a server and is used for managing internal company networks and websites.
Minicomputers are more powerful than desktop computers but also cost more, ranging in
price from $5,000 to several hundred thousand dollars.
Mainframe computer - Designed to meet the computing needs of hundreds of people in a large
business environment. Mainframe computers are a step up in size, power, capability, and cost
from minicomputers. Mainframes can cost in excess of $1 million. With processing speeds
greater than 1 trillion instructions per second (compared to a typical desktop that can process
about 2.5 billion instructions per second), mainframes can easily handle the processing
requests of hundreds of people simultaneously.
Supercomputer - The fastest, most powerful, and most expensive type of computer.
Organizations such as NASA that are heavily involved in research and number crunching
employ supercomputers because of the speed with which they can process information.
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