Module 4: Unit 1 | System Components Flashcards
What two factors determine computer performance?
The type of components installed
How well-matched the components are to one another
The device that ‘runs’ software programs.
It processes instructions from software and directs other components to perform their actions (e.g. displaying an image on the screen, printing a document)
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
It is composed of many simple instructions
Software
Where the instructions are loaded when a program is started
System Memory
A type of technology that system memory uses
Having more of this allows the Pc to open more programs simultaneously and work on large files more efficiently
Random Access Memory (RAM)
Aside from the size of the system memory, the ________ of the memory subsystem is also important.
Speed
The bus between the CPU and memory
Front Side Bus (FSB)
Where programs and data are stored when the computer is turned off
Hard Disk Drive (HDD)/Solid State Drive (SSD)
The three reasons why the type and specification of the mass storage drive is important
- If there is not enough space, fewer programs and data files can be stored on the computer
- If disk is not fast enough, performance will suffer if the computer tries to load programs and data files into memory
- The computer may use part of the hard disk to supplement system RAM (virtual memory). If the computer does not have much system RAM, it helps for the hard disk to be fast otherwise accessing virtual memory often will reduce performance even more than usual.
A type of fixed disk that is based on a magnetic disk technology.
Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
A type of fixed disk that uses a type of transistor-based memory called flash memory
Faster than HDDs
Solid State Drive (SSD)
A dedicated processor that is responsible for display functions
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
Computers, smartphones, and tablets are almost always used as part of a computer _________.
Uses this to share information locally and to access data over the Internet
Network
The two main ways of making a network link
Wired Network
Wireless Network
A type of networking link where the computer will be connected to an Internet router via an Ethernet.
On a business network, the computer will be connected to the wider network via an Ethernet switch
Wired network
Provides the Ethernet port in a computer in a wired network.
Network Interface Card (NIC)
On a wired network, the connection to the router is made using what type of cable
A cable with RJ-45 connectors on each end.
A type of network link that computing devices have so they do not have to be cabled to access the network
Wireless network
Most home networks support _________ so that computing devices do not have to be cabled to the Internet router to access network
Wi-fi Radio Networking
The main thing you will see when you open up a PC/laptop
Determines the upgrade potential of the computer
Motherboard (System board)
The motherboard is a _________- with some built-in processors (the chipset), sockets, and slots for upgradable components (CPU, RAM, adapter cards, disk drives), and wires (buses) to connect them together
Printed Circuit Board (PCB)
What does a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) contain?
Built-in processors (chipset)
Sockets and slots for upgradable components (CPU, RAM, adapter cards, disk drives)
Wires (Buses)
The two reasons why a component may not be compatible with a motherboard?
It does not physically fit in the type of sockets available
It is too new for the motherboard’s chipset to be able to communicate with.
a programmable integrated circuit - a silicon chip embedded on a ceramic plate
Microprocessor (Processor)
A wafer of purified silicon doped with a metal oxide, typically copper or aluminum.
Silicon chip
Signal pathways within an area created from the doping process of a silicon chip.
Provides the electrical on/off states that are the basis of binary computer systems
Die
An Intel CPU Brand that is Intel’s flagship desktop and mobile CPU series. It is divided into i3, i5, and i7 brands.
Based on Nehalem, Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge, Haswell, Broadwell, and Skylake
Core
An Intel CPU brand that used to the Intel’s premium 32-bit CPU brand.
Reintroduced as a ‘mid-range’ CPU model based on core microarchitecture
Pentium
Intel’s budget CPU
Celeron
An Intel CPU brand that is designated for chips designed for low-power portable devices (smartphones, tablets)
Atom
An Intel CPU brand that is aimed at the server/workstation.
Differentiated from Core i counterparts by supporting n-way multiprocessing and ECC memory and coming with larger caches
Xeon
An AMD CPU brand that represents AMD’s pitch for high-end enthusiast segment, replacing older AMD FX chips
Ryzen/Threadripper
Ryzen Mobile
An AMD CPU brand that represents AMD’s server-class CPU brand, replacing its long standing Opteron series of chips.
Epyc
Where CPUs and their chipsets for mobile phones/smartphones and tablets are often based on (Apple A, Samsung Exynos, nVIDIA Tegra)
Advanced RISC Machine (ARM) architecture
Microarchitectures that use simple instructions that are processed very quickly
Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) microarchitecture
Microarchitecture that uses more powerful instructions but process each one more slowly
Complex Instruction Set Computing (CISC)
The operations that the CPU performs on the instruction set when a software program
The Control Unit fetches the next instruction in sequence from system memory to the pipeline
The control unit decodes each instruction in turn and either executes it itself or passes it to the Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) or Floating Point Unit (FPU) for execution.
The result of the executed instruction is written back to a register or to system A register is a temporary storage area available to the different units within the CPU.
The original version of x86 that was created in 1978 was designed for CPUs with how many bits?
16-bit CPUs
The first 36-bit CPU was introduced in what year?
1985
The name of the x86-32 architecture that Intel developed
IA-32
The instruction set AMD developed now used by most 64-bit CPUs in 2003
AMD64/x86-64/x64
The Intel version of the x86-64
EM64T/Intel 64
The main advantage of a 64-bit CPU
It’s ability to use more system memory (256 Terabytes or more) compared to 32-bit systems that can only address 4Gb of data
The number if instructions a CPU can process in one second.
Clock Speed
How is the measurement of clock speed expressed as?
Hertz (Hz)
The speed at which the CPU runs is generally seen as a key indicator of performance if comparing CPUs that ________________.
Have the same architecture
The speed at which the CPU runs internal processes and accesses cache
Core clock speed
Bus speed is determined by what factor?
Memory controller
Modern memory designs increase bandwidth by doing what?
Transferring data twice per clock cycle (Double Data Rate)
Transferring data from two memory modules simultaneously (Dual-channel)
An approach to making a computer system faster by using two or more physical CPUS
Makes efficient use of the processing resources available to run application processes on whichever CPU is available
Symmetric Multiprocessing (SMP)
An approach to making a computer system faster where two processors are combined on the same die
Dual-core CPU/Chip Level Multiprocessing (CMP)
The circuitry that connects the various microprocessors and other components on the motherboard
Bus
What are the four things that a bus carries?
Data
Address information
Timing signal
Power
The two main types of bus a PC system has
System/Local Bus (Front Side Bus (FSB))
Expansion bus (Input/Output (I/O) bus)
The type of bus that provides connections between the CPU and add-on components, which can be integrated onto the motherboard, installed as expansion cards, or connected as peripheral devices.
Expansion bus (Input/Output (I/O) bus)
Where the PC architecture has been based on since 1993
Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)
PCI with AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port)
or PCI Express (PCIe)
A new computer would most likely have what type of slot?
PCle x16 (graphics adapter)
PCle x1
PCI (backward compatibility)
A passive cooling device that is made up of a block of metal with fins
As the fins that expose a larger surface area to the air around the component, a greater cooling effect by convection is achieved.
Heatsink
The substance that ‘glues’ the heatsink to the surface of the chip that ensures the best transfer of heat.
Thermal paste
A type of cooling that does not require extra energy (electricity) to work.
Passive Cooling
Improves airflow and helps to dissipate heat
Fans
