What is a computer and types of computers. Types of computers - description, features, characteristics and interesting facts Types of computers and their applications

Every PC user knows perfectly well that a computer consists of a monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers and a system unit. But it is clear that this is just the tip of the iceberg. This is, so to speak, just one side of the coin. If we look inside the system unit and other components of the computer, we will find a huge number of details thanks to which, in fact, it works.

The most basic, of course, is system unit.

In general, it is directly a computer that performs hundreds of thousands of operations. If we replace the monitor, keyboard or mouse, it will simply become more convenient for us to watch movies, listen to music, type texts, etc., but the PC parameters will remain the same. Everything that is displayed on the monitor and heard in the speakers depends on what is inside. The internal details of the system unit determine the capabilities of the system as a whole.

The computer system unit consists of: video card, hard drive, RAM modules, coolers, processor, motherboard and many other parts. Let's look at the important parts and their functions in more detail.

Motherboard - This is the basis of the entire system unit.

This is the board to which all the other parts of the mechanism are attached: video card, processor, hard drive, etc. Because of this, its name is appropriate. It ensures the vital functions of other parts. The main function of the motherboard is to connect the other parts so that they work as one. If you open the cover of the system unit, you will immediately notice it.

CPU - This is the so-called heart of the computer.

It is the processor that executes all the commands that the PC user sets. The speed and capabilities of a computer depend on how powerful the processor is. The processor is located on the motherboard in a special connector, which is called the “Central Processor Connector” or “socket”.

Cooler. This part is located immediately above the processor.

A cooler is a small heatsink with a fan that dissipates heat and thus cools the processor. This is a very important detail, because if the processor overheats, the computer will shut down. And this will quickly lead to PC failure.

Winchester or hard drive is a device on which all the information on your PC is stored.

It goes without saying that the larger the hard drive, the more information the computer can hold. The location of the hard drive in modern computers is slightly different from older ones. Now they are connected using an interface. As a rule, hard drives also often overheat, and therefore, for a longer computer life, install another small cooler near the hard drive, which will be enough to avoid repairs.

Video card– part of the computer responsible for the speed of processing video information.

In modern computers, the video card is installed on the motherboard via a PCI-Express connector. There are also motherboards that have several PCI-Express slots, this naturally improves the picture and makes the graphics subsystem more powerful overall. But basically, a regular video card is enough for the average user. Powerful video cards are necessary for those who directly work with graphics or simply who like to play games with a clearer picture in order to feel the whole atmosphere of the game. Each computer also has a sound and network card. Their names themselves speak for their functions in the PC.

RAM modules– this is RAM in other words.

RAM temporarily stores data that the processor needs to perform an operation. At the end of such processes, for example, after closing a particular operation, the data from the RAM is immediately deleted. The speed of RAM, or more precisely access to it, is much higher than the speed of access to the hard drive. This helps you get virtually instant access to the information you need. There are different models of RAM, and therefore the connectors for them on the motherboard are also different.

These, of course, are not all the parts that make up a computer. In order to expand the capabilities of your PC, various TV tuners, modems, etc. are also installed. It depends on the desires of the user.

And, of course, in order for all this to function, you need power unit, which will give life to all this “hardware”.

Hello to all my blog readers! Today there are many devices that proudly bear the name “computer”. Every year the types of computers become more diverse and interesting, manufacturers are doing more, and also adding new functions for the convenience of the user. This article will help you understand this diversity, thereby you will learn what types of computers there are.

Desktop computers. In order to be called a desktop computer, it must have a system unit, a monitor, a keyboard and a mouse - this is the minimum set. Often you can find a printer, scanner, speakers or peripheral equipment nearby.

Also, a novice user may be confused by the different shape and size of the system unit, with the same composition of the minimum components mentioned above.

So, system units are:

• Classic, vertical (tower). They can be of regular medium size (midi-tower) or high (full-tower). Full-towers are rare today; a common system unit is a midi-tower.

• Horizontal system blocks. This type is almost never seen anymore; it was popular at the dawn of the computer era; usually such a system unit was placed directly under the monitor.

• LCD PC slim-desk. This terrible English phrase is usually used to describe modern system units that are 2-4 times smaller than usual.

There is also a version of a desktop computer without a system unit at all, but they are not yet widespread and are rather the exception. In this case, all the “internals” are placed in the monitor. This is, of course, very aesthetically pleasing, convenient, takes up little space, but is very expensive compared to conventional desktop computers. I think over time the price will fall and the average user will no longer pay attention to the price of this computer and I would also like to note that these computers are made with a touchscreen screen.

Laptop. The name comes from the English “Notebook” (Russian notebook) since it is the notebook that resembles this type of computer in its “opened” form. Another, less common name in the post-Soviet space is laptop, from the English “LapTop” (lap = knees of a sitting person, top = top). The name comes from the “place” where the computer usually stands in the absence of a table: on the lap.

Until recently, laptops were far behind their desktop counterparts in terms of power and were often used only as an addition to a home computer. Today, many users have abandoned bulky desktop computers in favor of compact and mobile laptops. A modern laptop offers fairly high performance, a wide selection of sizes, colors and a fairly long battery life, which is especially useful for a mobile device.

Netbook. In essence, this is a laptop, but with some of its own features. First, they are usually smaller than a laptop. Secondly, their battery life is greatly increased, although this is done at the expense of performance (and there is no other way). Thirdly, they are cheaper. In general, performance is reduced not only to reduce power, but also to reduce cost. Initially, these computers were intended solely as a means of accessing the Internet and performing only minimal actions beyond that. This is where the name comes from: in Russian “Net” is a network.

Tablet computers or TabletPC. This category is now just gaining its popularity. This computer is simply a small touch screen. In TabletPC, due to the touch screen, a keyboard and mouse are not required (although they can be used if the user wishes); usually the tablet computer monitor is adapted for working with fingers. In some models you can also find sliding or folding keyboards. Tablets are not very powerful, but this is not required of them.

Their main task is to allow the user to access the Internet; in addition, you can watch a movie, listen to music, or anything else that does not require much power, which, in principle, is convenient to do on such a device. But the main task is to provide the owner with comfortable Internet access without burdening him with a large and heavy bag. The most important indicator for a tablet computer is battery life, since this is primarily a mobile device, they usually have this indicator at their best. The Apple iPad, so desired by many users, falls into this category.

Handheld computers or PDAs (PDAs). Such a computer is often called a “handheld”; it earned this name due to its size. This type of computer is a small device with a touch screen, which is usually used with a stylus (a small special pointer). Using your fingers on this device is not convenient (due to the small size of the elements on the screen) or is completely impossible due to the design features of the display.

The device can also be equipped with a folding push-button keyboard. Typically, PDAs do not have access to the Internet and are designed to solve some problems locally. It should be noted that smartphones, in fact, are a logical continuation of the evolution of pocket computers. Since they differ only in their ability to make calls, which means they can access the Internet.

The main feature of the game console is the lack of a screen. That’s why it’s a “set-top box”, because it’s “attached” to the TV. Previously, they could only provide an opportunity to play and hardly resembled a computer. Modern models provide much more opportunities: to play games, watch a movie, listen to music, and even go online.

Inside, they are the same computer: they have a central processor, random access memory (RAM), and a hard drive (ROM). On the outside they have a drive for laser discs (cd, dvd, blu-ray), as well as connectors for connecting external devices (for example, USB and an Ethernet network connector). But do not forget that their main task remains games. Now there are models of consoles that can be played even without a TV, since it has its own small screen.

As you understand, there are a lot of types of computers. But I am sure that in the near future an even more interesting and useful device for humans will appear.

P.S. Today for dessert - a computer that is slightly larger than a credit card. It's nice to see where a person goes.

Refers to the type of stationary PC. From the name it is clear that these are devices that are installed and operate on a table and are not portable during operation. As a rule, representatives of this group are high-performance, powerful devices. They consist of a system unit (rectangular box) to which a monitor, keyboard and mouse are connected.

This type of computer has its own specific tasks, which it performs remotely or locally. The vast majority of servers are quite powerful machines. The appearance of the servers is somewhat different from the usual PC - they are mounted in metal racks that look like furniture shelves. The racks themselves are placed in a special room (server room), where the required temperature conditions must be maintained.

Refers to the type of stationary PC. The system unit is compact in size, usually with low energy consumption and noise. Due to their small size, nettops have lower performance, but they fit perfectly into a home environment and do not take up expensive space in offices.

These are computers that fit into a miniature case that looks very similar to a flash drive. The microcomputer itself does not have an information output device, so it is connected to a monitor or TV via an HDMI connection. Controls such as a mouse or keyboard are connected via built-in USB ports or Bluetooth. Specifications depend on the configuration, like any other PC.

Refers to the type of stationary PC. The system unit and monitor form a single unit. Components and boards are placed in a compartment that is attached to the back of the monitor. It has an aesthetic appearance and does not take up much space.

Types of portable personal computers

A laptop computer can also be called portable. They differ from desktop ones in terms of dimensions and weight, and they have more capacious batteries, which is understandable because you need to carry it with you.

They are a type of portable (portable) PC; they include a battery for autonomous operation without using a network. The case is made in the form of a clamshell, with a screen installed in the upper part and a keyboard in the lower part. Netbooks are smaller in size than laptops and therefore have lower performance, although the battery life is longer.

They are a type of portable (portable) PC. The housing consists of a display with a touch screen - Touchscreen. Their main purpose is surfing the Internet, watching videos, listening to audio, gaming and other applications. Compact dimensions make this group especially popular for travelers. Tablet laptops have a keyboard that either folds or slides out from a recess under the screen. For tablets, the input method is the Touchscreen. For this group, battery life is important.

They are a type of portable (portable) PC. Distinctive features are small size and long battery life. The input means is either a touch screen or a pull-out keyboard.

Computer is an electronic device that works with information and data. It can store information, process, receive, transmit, etc. You probably already know that using a computer you can work with documents, email, play games, browse the web, and also work with spreadsheets, presentations, watch videos and much more.

In this lesson, we will answer the basic questions that beginners have, such as what is a computer and what types of computers are there.

Hardware and Software

Before going further, you should know about two important things: this is the computer hardware, or in other words, “Hardware,” and the software, or simply programs, with which we perform any tasks on the computer every day.

Everything you do on your computer involves hardware and software. For example, you are currently viewing this web page and learning a lesson using web browser(software), and on your right hand you hold mouse(hardware) with which you can easily navigate through pages.

Types and types of computers

When most people hear the word computer, they think of a personal computer or laptop. However, computers come in different shapes and sizes, and they perform different functions in our daily lives. When you withdraw cash from an ATM, when your groceries are scanned at the supermarket, or when you use a calculator. All these are also computers, but only of a different type and purpose.

Desktop computers

We use desktop computers at work, home, school, library, etc. They can be small, medium, large and they are usually located on the table. It consists of a keyboard, mouse, monitor and system unit. Read more about what a computer consists of.

Most desktop computers are easy to upgrade and expand, or add new parts. Another advantage of desktop computers is their cost. If you compare a desktop computer and a laptop with the same functionality, you will most likely find that the desktop computer will be lower in price.

Laptop computers

The second type of computer is laptops. Their advantage is that they are battery operated and are more compact, mobile and therefore can be used almost anywhere.

Since a laptop is smaller than a desktop computer, it will be more difficult to access the internal components. This means you can't upgrade or add new parts as easily as you can with a desktop computer.

Tablet computers

Tablet computers or simply "tablet". They are even more compact and mobile than laptops. Instead of a keyboard and touchpad, a touchscreen is used for typing and navigation. iPad is an example of a tablet computer.

A tablet cannot completely replace your home computer or laptop, because... It will be more convenient to run programs and work with documents on a laptop or desktop computer. But if you just want to play games, surf social networks, listen to music and watch videos, then a tablet can be an excellent replacement for a computer.

Servers

A server is a computer that serves other computers on the network. Many companies and enterprises have file servers for storing information. The server may look like a regular desktop computer, or it may be much larger.

Servers play an important role in . They store web pages, websites, photos and videos. And they are responsible for their security and loading time in the browser.

Other types of computers

There are many devices that are also basically specialized computers, although we don't always think of them as computers. Here are some examples:

• Mobile phones: Today they are able to provide you with many functions that previously could only be performed on a computer, for example, such as playing games, watching movies, etc. Such phones are called smartphones.
• Game consoles: A specialized type of computer that is used to play video games. Although they are not as full-featured as desktop computers, many of them can perform tasks such as browsing the web and watching videos on the Internet.
• TVs: Many TVs now include programs and applications that allow you to surf the Internet or watch movies online.

There are two types of personal computers: PC and Mac. Both are fully functional but look different.

PC: The first such computer was called IBM PC, which was released in 1981. Then other companies began to produce similar computers. It is the most common type of PC today and uses the Microsoft Windows operating system.

Mac: These computers began to be produced in 1984 by Apple Inc. They are the first computers with a graphical user interface (GUI). They use the Mac OS X operating system.

This article contains a brief computer review: talks about what computers are, how they differ and what they are needed for.

What is a personal computer

Computers are electronic computing machines that perform tasks or calculations in accordance with a set of instructions, or programs. The first all-electronic computers, created in the 1940s, were huge and required many people to operate them. Compared to those early machines, today's computers are it's just a miracle. They are not only thousands of times faster, but also incomparably more compact: Can fit on your desk, lap or even in your pocket.

Computers operate by interconnecting hardware and software. Equipment call the visible and material components of a computer, including the case and all its contents. The most important device in the hardware is a small rectangular chip inside the computer called CPU or microprocessor. This is the “brain” of the computer—the part that interprets commands and performs calculations. Hardware components such as a monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer, and others are often called devices.

Software are commands, or programs, that tell the hardware what to do. For example, one type of software is a text editor, which you can use to write letters on your computer. An operating system is the software that runs your computer and the devices connected to it. Windows is a widely used operating system.

ENIAC

Developed in 1946, the ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Calculator) was the first general-purpose electronic computer. It was built for the United States Army to calculate the trajectories of artillery shells.

ENIAC was enormous in size, weighing over 27,000 kilograms and filling a large room. To process the data, ENIAC used about 18,000 vacuum tubes, each the size of a regular light bulb. The lamps burned out quickly and constantly needed to be replaced.

Computer types

Computers vary in size and capabilities. At one end of the scale are supercomputers, very large computers with thousands of interconnected microprocessors that can perform extremely complex calculations.

On the other side are small computers built into cars, televisions, stereos, calculators and home appliances. These computers are designed to perform a limited number of tasks.

Personal computer or PC, is a computer designed to be used by one person at a time. This section describes the different types of personal computers: desktop, laptop, pocket and tablet PCs.

Desktop computers

Desktop computers designed for desk work. They are usually larger and more powerful than other types of personal computers. Desktop computers are made up of individual components. The main component is called the system unit - usually a rectangular case that is located on or under the table. Other components, such as a monitor, mouse and keyboard, are connected to the system unit.

Laptops and netbooks

Laptop computers- These are lightweight mobile PCs with a thin screen. Laptop computers can run on batteries, so you can take them with you anywhere. Unlike desktop PCs, laptops combine the central processor, screen and keyboard in one case. When not in use, the screen folds down onto the keyboard.

Netbooks(often called mini-laptops) are small, affordable portable PCs designed to perform a limited number of tasks. They are usually less powerful than laptops, so they are used primarily for browsing the Internet and checking email.

Smartphones

Smartphones- These are mobile phones that have capabilities similar to a computer.

You can use your smartphone to make phone calls, access the Internet, store contact information, send emails and text messages, play games, and take photos. Smartphones usually have a keyboard and a wide screen.

Pocket computers

Some PDAs have advanced capabilities, such as making phone calls or the Internet. Instead of a keyboard, Pocket PCs are equipped with a touch screen that recognizes the touch of a finger or stylus.

Tablet computers

Tablet PCs- These are mobile computers that combine the capabilities of laptops and pocket computers. Like laptops, they are powerful and have a built-in screen. Like pocket PCs, they allow you to write notes or draw on the screen.

Typically, this is done not with a stylus, but with a tablet PC pen. They can also turn handwritten text into printed text. Some tablet computers have a universal solution - a screen that rotates and reveals a keyboard hidden underneath.

What can you use a computer for?

At work, many people use computers to store records, analyze data, conduct research, and manage projects. At home, computers can be used to search for information, store music and pictures, keep track of finances, play games and communicate - the list goes on.

You can also use your computer to connect to the Internet, a network that connects computers all over the world. Internet access is usually available for a monthly fee in most cities and is now spreading to less populated areas. By connecting to the Internet, you can communicate with people from all over the world and find large amounts of information.

Here are some popular ways to use computers:

Surfing the Internet

Web (also called the World Wide Web or the Internet) is a giant repository of information. The web is the most popular part of the Internet, partly because it displays information in a visually appealing format.

On one page, headlines, texts, images (like on a magazine page) can be combined with voiceovers and animation. A website is a collection of interconnected web pages. The web contains millions of sites and billions of web pages.

Internet navigation means browsing various web pages. On the Internet you can find information on almost any topic imaginable. For example, you can read news and movie reviews, check flight schedules, view a city map, get a weather forecast, or learn about health conditions. Most companies, institutions, museums and libraries have websites with information about their products, services or collections. Reference sources such as dictionaries and encyclopedias are also widely available.

The Internet is also a joy for the buyer. On the websites of large retail establishments you can view and buy goods: books, music, toys, clothes, electronics and much more. You can also buy and sell used items through websites that offer them through auctions.

E-mail

Electronic mail (abbreviated as email) is a fast and convenient way to communicate. An email message appears almost instantly in the recipient's email inbox.

You can send email messages to multiple recipients at once, and you can save, print, and forward them to others. You can send almost any type of file in an email message: documents, pictures, and music. Plus, you don't need stamps for email!

Instant messages

Instant messaging resembles a conversation with another person or group of people in real time. After you type and send an instant message, it immediately appears to everyone in the conversation.

Unlike email, instant messaging requires all participants to be online (connected to the Internet) and in front of their computer screens. Communication via instant messages is called chat.

Picture, music and films

If you have a digital camera, you can transfer images from the camera to your computer. You can then print these images, create slideshows from them, or share them by posting them on a website or sending them by email.

In addition, you can listen to music on your computer: music recordings need to be imported from CDs or purchased from a music website. You can also set up your computer to receive any of the thousands of radio stations that broadcast their programs on the Internet. If your computer is equipped with a DVD player, you can also watch movies.

Games

Do you like games? There are thousands of computer games of all possible categories. Test yourself behind the wheel of a sports car, in battle with terrible underground creatures, or rule civilizations and empires!

Many games allow you to compete with players from all over the world via the Internet. Windows includes a variety of card games, strategy games, and puzzles. For more information, see