Understanding the hardware inside the box and how it processes information.

The Basics

Hardware

Physical parts you can touch.

e.g. Mouse, Screen, CPU
Software

Programs and code.

e.g. Windows, Games

Inside the Box

  • Motherboard: Connects everything together.
  • CPU: The brain. Does the thinking.
  • RAM: Short-term memory (Fast, Volatile).
  • Storage (HDD/SSD): Long-term memory (Slower, Permanent).
  • PSU: Power Supply Unit.

The Cycle

How the CPU runs programs:

1. Fetch
Get instruction from RAM
2. Decode
Understand what to do
3. Execute
Do it!

Memory

RAM (Random Access Memory)

The workspace. Fast but Volatile (loses data when power is off).

ROM (Read Only Memory)

Start-up instructions. Non-Volatile (keeps data without power).

Building a PC

Office PC
  • Basic CPU (i3/i5)
  • 8GB RAM
  • Integrated Graphics
  • Focus: Reliability & Cost
Gaming PC
  • Powerful CPU (i7/i9)
  • 16GB+ RAM
  • Dedicated Graphics Card (GPU)
  • Focus: Performance & Speed