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Computer hardware consists of the different components of a computer including the CPU or the Central Processing Unit, mouse, keyboard, monitor, hard disk, RAM or memory, drives such as the DVD, CD, optical, tape and so forth. All these components are essential for the proper functioning of a personal computer.

Understanding Computer Hardware in Detail

The whole computer is available with the above mentioned components but it is also possible to purchase these components individually from many of the online and offline stores. Some of the most important components include the following:

• Central Processing Unit or the CPU: the CPU refers to the processor of the computer. Although there are a wide number of companies that manufacture CPUs or processors for personal computers, the Pentium chip manufactured by Intel is widely and commonly used by most of the manufacturers.

• Keyboard: most important computer hardware includes the keyboard which is essential to enter commands and words. Every key in the keyboard is a representation of an alphabet, number, sign, function and so forth. There are keys which represent actions like Delete, Enter, Alt, Ctrl, Page Up, Page Down, Home, End and many more. Each different key has a specific function.

There are 101 keys in an ordinary standard keyboard. Keyboards which are ergonomically designed have special features to make typing easier. Each key has two characters which can be typed by pressing the Shift key. The Ctrl, Alt and Shift keys are known as the command keys.

If you are using a desktop computer, you may already know that there isn’t any single part known as a “computer”. A computer is a system of several parts working together. The physical parts which you could see and touch are jointly known as hardware. There are some computer hardware parts which collectively form a computer.

Computer Hardware Parts:
System Unit
The system unit is the heart of a computer system. Generally, it’s a rectangular box placed on or beneath your desk. There are several electronic components which process information inside this box. The most vital of these components is the central processing unit (CPU), or microprocessor, which acts as the brain of your computer. Another component is the RAM or the random access memory which temporarily stores data that the CPU uses while the computer is on. When the computer is turned off, the information stored in RAM gets erased.

Hard Disk Drive
Your computer’s hard disk drive stores data on a hard disk, a firm plate or stack of plates with a magnetic surface. The hard disks normally serve as your computer’s primary means of storage, holding almost all of your programs and files as it can hold enormous amounts of information. The hard disk is usually located inside the system unit.

DVD and CD Drives
Almost all computers today come equipped with a DVD or CD drive, generally located on the front of the system unit. CD drives use lasers to read or retrieve data from a CD and several CD drives could also write or record data onto CDs. DVD drives could do everything that CD drives can plus they can also read DVDs. If you have a DVD drive, you could watch movies on your computer. Several DVD drives could record data onto blank DVDs.