Reading: Hardware Devices

Read the text and mark the sentences TRUE or FALSE.

Have you ever wondered what’s inside your personal computer? Let us take a brief tour of a desktop computer’s interior.

All the physical elements of a computer system are referred to as hardware devices. The most important component underneath the case is the Central Processing Unit (CPU, microprocessor). It can be thought of as the brain of a computer and it is where all the data processing takes place. Modern CPUs are very small, square-shaped and have multiple metallic connectors on their underside. They can have a single core or multiple cores which enhance their performance.

The CPU is attached directly to a socket on the motherboard. The motherboard can be thought of as the backbone of a computer. All the other hardware devices are connected to the motherboard, either directly or via cables.
The Hard Disk Drive (HDD) is the most important and the largest data storage device in a computer. It is where the operating system, software and all files are stored. A hard drive is usually the size of a paperback book, and has pre-drilled holes for mounting. It can be divided into partitions of different sizes.

RAM is the acronym for Random Access Memory, i.e. the “working memory” of a computer. The more RAM a computer has, the more information it can process at the same time, which has a major impact on the overall system performance.
Some other hardware devices include Power Supply, Video Card, Solid-State Drive, Optical Drive and Card Reader.