EVALUATE THE SPECIFICATIONS
OF A COMPUTER
Objectives
Understand the purpose of different computer
components.
Determine appropriate computer specifications for uses
such as school, gaming, web browsing, and video
editing.
Assess given computer specifications.
Specifications of a Computer
(Computer Specs)
Computer specs is a list of the hardware and software
that make up the computer system.
Hardware – technical descriptions and capabilities of the
hardware components. E.g. the processor, hard drive, RAM,
etc.
Software– list of software that come with the computer. E.g. the
operating system, antivirus software and productivity software.
Hardware components found on a
computer specs sheet
Input devices
Output devices
Other components: –
Processor
Motherboard (list of available ports)
Memory
Video card
Hard drive
Power supply
Networking - wireless card / network interface card (NIC)
Software usually found on a
computer specs sheet
Operating System – Windows 10, macOS, Linux
Security Software / Antivirus – MacAfee, Norton etc.
Productivity Software – Microsoft Office
Important note
Whenever you are considering buying an ICT device
(computer, tablet or smartphone), it’s important to ask yourself:
‘What am I going to use it for?’
Based on the use of the ICT device (playing games, video
editing, browsing the internet, watching movies, online
learning) the device specs will play an important role in
whether it is able to perform in an efficient manner.
Sample computer specs sheet
https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/p/desktops/thinkcentre/m-series-
sff/thinkcentre-m75s-gen-2/11tc1mdm75s?IPromoID=LEN851008
https://www.dell.com/en-tt/shop/cty/pdp/spd/alienware-area51m-r2-
laptop?ref=PD_OC
https://www.hp.com/us-en/shop/pdp/omen-by-hp-laptop-17t-ck100-6m0u7av-
1?source=igodigital
https://www.samsung.com/us/smartphones/
EXAMPLE OF COMPUTER SPECS
Optical Drive
Processor
DVD-RW Drive (Reads and Writes to DVD/CD)
6th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-6400 Processor (6M Cache, up to 3.3 GHz)
Processor Type Processor Speed Monitor Resolution
Older processor speeds are in 1280 × 800 pixels
Mhz
External I/O Ports
Operating System
1 USB 3.1 Gen
3 USB 2 Gen
Windows 10 Home 64bit English
1 HDMI
1 Headphone/Microphone combo
Productivity Software 1 RJ-45
Microsoft Office 30 Day Trial
Choose Options
Security Software
McAfee LiveSafe 12 Month Subscription
Choose Options
Memory2
8GB Dual Channel DDR4 2133MHz (4GBx2)
Memory Size Memory Type Memory Speed
Hard Drive
1TB 7200 rpm Hard Drive
Hard Drive Size Hard Drive Speed
Video Card3
NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 730 2GB DDR3
Graphics Card Model Graphics Card Memory
Understanding the different components
on a Computer Spec sheet
Processor
Processor
The CPU, which stands for Central Processing Unit, determines how
much data a computer can handle at one time and how quickly
it can handle that data.
The main things to consider when buying a CPU are:
The number of cores needed – a processor with more than one core is able
to split up the processor’s tasks. This makes the processor faster and more
efficient.
The speed of the CPU – this will determine how fast the processor is able to
retrieve and interpret instructions.
Memory
Memory
The memory on a computer spec sheet refers to the computer’s
primary storage known as Random Access Memory (RAM).
Computer RAM is another important component in determining
your system’s performance.
RAM gives applications a place to store and access data on a
short-term basis.
It stores the information your computer is actively using so that it
can be accessed quickly.
The more programs your system is running, the more RAM you’ll
need.
Storage (Hard disk drive)
OR
OR
Storage (Hard disk drive)
The hard disk drive (HDD) spec usually shows the size of the hard drive
which will determine how many items we can store on it (documents,
music, movies, programs etc.). Hard drives come in either GB or TB
storage capacity.
The HDD speed determines how fast data can be written and read to
and from the hard drive. This is called access time.
HDD is quickly being replaced with solid state drives (SSD) which are
faster.
The M.2 SSD has recently been introduced and in the next few years
might replace both HDD and SSD.
HDD vs SSD vs M.2
Video Card
DEDICATED GRAPHICS CARD:
OR
Integrated graphics card found on the mother board:
Video Card
If you are building a PC to play games or video editing, then the
video card (graphics card) will be your most important purchase.
Other components can also impact performance, such as the
CPU, storage, and RAM, but the video card has the most direct
connection to what you see on screen when playing games or
editing high definition videos.
Optical Drives & Monitor Resolution
The monitor / screen resolution tells you
how many pixels your screen can display
horizontally and vertically.
Ports
I/O ports allow for connections to hardware
• USB ports allow for most input/output devices such as
printers, webcams, game controls, to be connected to our
computer.
• HDMI ports allow for display devices (e.g. monitor or
projector) to be connected to our computer.
• RJ-45 ports allow for network cable to be attached to our
computer so we can connect to a network.
Software
Most pre-assembled
computers you
purchase today offer
these software with the
purchase.
If however you are
building your desktop
computer from scratch
you will need to
purchase these
software applications.
Activity 2
Explore your ICT device.
Make a computer spec list for your device. Include:
Processor – type, speed
Memory – type, size
Storage – type, size
Ports
Software
Operating System
Security
Productivity
Activity 3
Research and present a computer spec sheet of a
desktop computer for one of the following activities
(choose one activity):
Gaming
Video editing
Online learning
Streaming movies
