PC Hardware

Hardware Components.

A motherboard, also known as a logic board, is a computer circuit board that provides connectivity between the hardware components of a computer, like the processor (CPU), memory (RAM), hard drive, and video card. There are multiple types of motherboards, each designed to fit different types and sizes of computers. There are quite a few motherboard manufacturers worldwide, but some of the larger companies are ASRock, Asus, and Gigabyte.

The term chipset commonly refers to a set of specialized chips on a computer's motherboard. The chipset manages the data flow between the processor, memory, and peripherals. Some of the more well-known chipset manufacturers include Intel, Qualcomm, AMD, and Nvidia.

Key components that are included on, or connect to, the motherboard are described below.

CPU

At the core of the PC is its CPU, or central processing unit.  It is responsible for executing all computing instructions that the operating system tells it to execute.

In 2018, Intel controlled most of the CPU market with 77%.  In second place was Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), with 23%.  AMD’s market share increased in 2019 with the introduction of its 3rd-generation Ryzen Threadrippers.

Memory

There are two broad categories of memory on every PC: ROM and RAM.  ROM, or read-only memory, is used by the operating system to store and retrieve data it needs to boot or shutdown.  ROM is not volatile; it will retain its content after the PC is shut down.

RAM, or random access memory, is used by the operating system and applications to store computer instructions and data that are waiting to be processed by the CPU.  RAM is volatile; it will lose all its content when the PC is shut down.

RAM is typically sized based on the operating system that will run the PC, as well as the applications that will be installed on the PC.  Today's PCs are often sold with 8GB of RAM out of the box. The primary manufacturers of RAM modules in 2019 were Samsung with 46.1% of the market, followed by SK Hynix at 28.6% and Micron Group at 19.9%.

Storage

PC Storage is the persistent media on which the operating system, applications, and any other files on the computer are stored. There are two types of storage available on today’s PCs: Hard Disk Drive (HDD) and Solid-state disk (SSD).

All PCs are packaged with one or the other types of storage.  HDD has been around for a long time.  In 1957 IBM patented the HDD technology as part of its 305 RAMAC system.  The technology at its core is magnetic, spinning disks, or platters, that store data in a digital format. At the end of 2018, HDD market share was led by Seagate with 40%, followed by Western Digital at 37% and Toshiba at 23%.  With SSD becoming more affordable in recent years, HDD overall market share is declining. Solid-state disks (SSDs) have roots as far back as the late 1970s, but only recently have become an option for general purpose personal computers.  

At the end of 2018, market share for SSD makers was led by Samsung with 33.4%, followed by SanDisk with 13% and Toshiba at 10%.  Quite a few other makers are not far behind, and in 2019 there was jockeying for position, but Samsung is still the leader.

Communications

Practically all PCs support some way to communicate with a network of other computers.  These network connections are enabled by a network adaptor that is installed in the PC.  An explanation of the technologies that enable this connection is provided in the PC Networking lesson.