KOFORIDUA TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
COURSE NAME: COMPUTER HARDWARE
CODE: BSC120
• LECTURER NAME: DR. BRIGHT ANIBRIKA
• VENUE: SGS LR2
• DATE: 8TH JULY, 2025
• TIME: 10AM – 1PM
GROUP FOUR(4)
• Emmanuel Agborsornu - 04/2024/2408D
• Clinton Owusu sekyere - 04/2024/2430D
• Promise Dogbey Kasah - 04/2024/2348D
• Samuel Teye - 04/2024/2400D
• Caleb Owusu Osei Gyapong - 04/2024/2342D
• Ahiabu Richard - 04/2024/2397D
• Narh Prosper Nenebi - 04/2024/2361D
• Jerry Asempa - 04/2024/2425D
• Mubarak Adams - 04/2024/2413D
• Anim Daniel Baah - 04/2024/2344D
PRESENTING ON:
• Describe hardware component according to the following; ① Internal hardware ②
• Micro computing and microcomputers. External hardware (peripherals)
• Identify the type of microcomputers according to the following; Size, • Describe primary storage devices and how they are used in the following order ①
Processing speed, Storage capacity Ram ② D ram ③ SD ram ④ DDRam SD Ram ⑤ Ready and writing data ⑥ S Ram
• What are hybrid computers? Give examples ⑦ cache memory ⑧ ROM (booting process)
• Describe the following computers; netbook, comb book, Mac • Describe Secondary storage according to the following ① HDD ② SSD ③ RAID
computers and personal computers ④ CD/DVD/blue-ray drive/Disk ⑤ Memory cards ⑥ flash drive ⑦ external hard
disk ⑧ NAS drives
• Examine the following types of computers; mainframe, super,
Embedded system • Describe CPU and processers according to the following ① types ② model
• Describe computer specifications and printer specifications • Describe the following internal component; ① sound cards. ② Video cards ③
network cards
• Describe computer software according to the following; device
drivers (relate to device controller), operating Systems and system • ④ Capture cards (audio/video) ⑤ expansion slots
utilities • Discribe motherboards (PCBs) according to the following ① form factor ② TPM
③ chip set
• ④ north bridge ⑤ south bridge ⑥ BIOS ⑦ UEFI
MICROCOMPUTERS AND MICRO COMPUTING
• Microcomputers, now commonly known as personal computers (PCs), are small, relatively inexpensive computers designed for individual use. They
are characterized by a single microprocessor acting as the central processing unit (CPU).
• Microcomputing refers to the field and practice of using microcomputers, encompassing their hardware, software, and applications
TYPES OF MICROCOMPUTERS.
TYPE SIZE PROCESSING POWER SPEED STORAGE CAPACITY
Desktop medium Moderate high fast 256GB to 4TB
Laptop small Moderate high fast 256GB to 2TB
Netbook Very small low slow 32 to 128GB
Workstation large Very high Very fast 1to 10+TB
Table/Smartphone Very small moderate fast 64GB to 1TB
Raspberry PI tiny Low moderate moderate SD card storage
HYBRID COMPUTERS
• ❖ Hybrid Computers Is a type of computer that exhibits the features of both analog computers and digital computers. The digital component normally
serves as the controller and provides logical and numerical operations , while the analog component often serves as a solves of differential equations
and other mathematical complex problems.
• Examples: Ultrasound Machine, Forensic, Gasoline station.
CLASSIFICATION/TYPES OF MICROCOMPUTERS
DEVICE TYPE CLASSIFICATION DESCRIPTION
Netbook Portable microcomputer Small, lightweight, low-powered laptop for basic
tasks like browsing and word processing. Largely
outdated.
Chromebook Cloud Based microcomputer Lightweight laptop running Chrome OS; designed
for web-based apps and cloud storage.
MacBook Personal laptop microcomputer Apple's line of high-end laptops; powerful and
portable with macOS operating system.
Personal Computer General Purpose microcomputer Most common form of microcomputer, includes
desktops and laptops running Windows or Linux.
CLASSIFICATION OF COMPUTERS .
COMPUTER TYPE FORM FACTOR DESCRIPTION EXAMPLES
Supercomputers Large-scale (room-sized) Extremely powerful machines used IBM Summit, Fugaku (Japan), Cray
for complex simulations, weather XC40
forecasting.
Mainfraimes Cabinet/ Room-sized High-performance systems for bulk IBM Z Series, UNIVAC, Hitachi
data processing in banks, Z800
governments, etc.
Hybrid computers Varies (rack/cabinet form Combines analog and digital ECG Machines, Process Control
features; used in hospitals, labs, Systems
industry.
Embedded Systems Micro / Embedded boards Special-purpose computers within Arduino, Raspberry Pi (IoT), Car
devices. ECUs, Smart TVs
Minicomputers Mid-size (rack-mounted) Multi-user computers used in small PDP-11, VAX 750, IBM AS/400
organizations; less powerful than
mainframes.
COMPUTER SPECIFICATIONS
computer specifications refer to the detailed technical information about a computer's hardware
components and software, outlining its capabilities and performance
COMPONENTS DESCRIPTION COMMON SPECS
Processor (CPU) The brain of the computer; affects speed and Intel Core i5/i7/i9, AMD Ryzen 5/7/9, Apple
performance M1/M2
RAM memory Temporary memory used for running apps and 8 GB (basic), 16 GB (standard), 32 GB+ (heavy
multitasking use)
Storage Where files, OS, and apps are stored HDD (1TB), SSD (256GB – 2TB); SSDs are
much faster
Graphics (GPU) Handles visuals and gaming; essential for video Integrated (Intel/AMD), or Dedicated (NVIDIA,
editing, 3D work AMD)
Display Screen size and resolution 13"–17" (laptops), Full HD (1920x1080), 4K
(3840x2160)
Ports Connectors for USB, HDMI, Ethernet, etc. USB 3.0, USB-C, HDMI, Ethernet, SD card,
audio jack
Battery (Laptops only) Affects portable use time 4 to 12 hours depending on usage.
Operating System Software that runs the computer Windows,Linux,MacOS, Chrome OS
PRINTER SPECIFICATIONS
printer specifications are detailed characteristics that define a printer's capabilities and performance
FEATURE DESCRIPTION COMMON SPECS
Printer Type Defines printing technology Inkjet (color/photo), Laser (fast, sharp), Thermal
Functionality Single or multifunction (print, scan, copy, fax) Single-functioned or All in-One
Print Speed Pages printed per minute (ppm) 10–25 ppm (inkjet), 20–50+ ppm (laser)
Print Resolution Print quality, measured in DPI (dots per inch) 600x600 DPI (basic), 1200x1200 DPI+ (high
quality)
Connectivity How it connects to devices USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Bluetooth, AirPrint, Cloud
Print
COMPUTER SOFTWARE IN RELATION TO DEVICE DRIVERS AND CONTROLLERS
COMPONENT ROLE EXAMPLE
Device Driver Enables OS to communicate with hardware Printer driver, Graphics driver
devices
Controller Software Manages a hardware subsystem Disk controller, Network controller
Operating System Interfaces with drivers and applications. Windows, MacOS , Linux
computer hardware refers to the physical parts of a computer system that allow you to input and output information.
• Internal computer hardware components collect and store instructions from applications or operating systems. These parts are crucial for the
computer’s performance and functionality.
• External hardware peripherals are devices that connect to a computer system but are not essential for basic operations. These devices enhance the user
experience and enable various forms of interaction with the computer .
Primary storage devices, also known as main memory or internal memory, are the components that hold data and instructions directly
accessible by the computer's CPU
Type Description Uses
Running operating systems, applications, and active
RAM Temporary memory used by active programs
processes
DRAM Dynamic RAM, requires refreshing Main memory in computers and laptops
Used in modern PCs and servers for main system
SDRAM Synchronized with CPU clock
memory
Widely used in desktops, laptops, and gaming
DDR SDRAM Faster version (DDR1 to DDR5)
consoles
CPU cache (L1, L2, L3), small buffers, networking
SRAM Faster, static memory used in CPU cache
devices
Temporarily stores frequently accessed CPU
Cache Memory Small, high-speed memory (L1/L2/L3) in CPUs
instructions/data
BIOS/UEFI firmware, embedded systems, appliance
ROM Non-volatile, stores firmware & bootloader
firmware
secondary storage devices, also known as auxiliary or external storage, are non-volatile memory used to store data that is not actively in use by the
computer's operating system or applications
Type Use/Features
HDD Magnetic storage, high capacity
SSD Flash storage, faster, no moving parts
RAID Redundant setup for speed or fault-tolerance
CD/DVD/Blu-ray Optical media for backup/media playback
Memory Card Portable flash memory (SD/microSD)
Flash Drive (USB) Portable USB-based storage
External Hard Drive Backup/portable storage
NAS Drive Network-connected storage system
• . Internal Components
• Sound Cards: For audio output; integrated or separate PCIe cards.
• Video Cards (GPUs): Graphics processing—NVIDIA, AMD, or integrated Intel/Apple.
• Network Cards: Ethernet or Wi‑Fi adapters; integrated or expansion cards.
• Capture Cards: Record incoming audio/video (e.g., game capture via PCIe or USB).
• Expansion Slots: PCIe slots on motherboards to add GPUs, NICs, capture, or other cards.
MOTHERBOARDS (PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS—PCBS)
• Form Factor: Standard sizes like ATX, micro‑ATX, mini‑ITX—affect case compatibility.
• TPM (Trusted Platform Module): Security chip for encryption, secure boot.
• Chipset: Family of motherboard logic (determines feature support, CPU compatibility).
• Northbridge: Historically handled memory and PCIe/GPU; now integrated into CPU.
• Southbridge: Manages I/O (USB, SATA, audio); now part of single chipset.
• BIOS (Basic Input/Output System): Legacy firmware interface initializes hardware and boots OS.
• UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface): Modern replacement for BIOS with GUI, drive support, secure boot.
