Unit 03 – Hardware Issues
Presented by:Marjorie Ruschau, Allison Yantz,
and Benjamin Shum
Overview
Evaluating Hardware
ProcessorsShort-Term
MemoryLong-Term Memory
The motherboard should be thought of as the computer’s central
nervous system, and the microprocessor chip as
the brain.
The Central Processing Unit
So how do you choose the right motherboard?
Size, or form factorThe most popular motherboard
form factor today is ATX. Almost all computers use this type.
A chipset controls the flow of information in the motherboard.
It cannot be upgraded without upgrading the whole board.
NVidia and Via make chipsets for both AMD and Intel processors.
AMD and Intel only make chipsets compatible with their own processors.
What are Microprocessors?Microprocessors consist of a system of
transistors, which act as on/off switches (or 1/0 in binary language) to represent different kinds of data.
The size of your processor is measured in 0s or 1s, called bits.
8 bits = 1 byte1,000 bytes = 1 kilobyte (KB)1,000,000 bytes = 1 megabyte (MB)
…and so on.
PC Vs. MacintoshMicrosoft Windows are designed
to run on Intel processors, Apple computers use Motorola-type chips.
• The PowerPC chip, by Apple, IBM, and Motorola, allowed for Macintosh computers to run PC software as well.
• In 2005, Apple decided to convert solely to Intel processor chips by June 2007.
• These means more compatibility options.
Moore’s LawIn 1965,
Gordon E. Moore published a paper that proposes:The number of transistors packed onto a chip doubles every 18 months, while the price remains the same.
Moore's law. (2008, September 22). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 00:22, September 25, 2008, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Moore%27s_law&oldid=240240004
Processor Speed
1981The
original IBM
computer’s clock speed
was at 4.7 MHz.
2002 Intel
Pentium 4 up to 3 GHz.
Today Up to tetra
hertz, or trillions of cycles per second.
Processor speed is measured by a system clock. The clock rate is measured in hertz.
Thermal Design Power (TDP)
Because of these high speeds, systems often become overheated.• Fans and modes of heat transfer
have helped.• But much of today’s software
require a high number of processes to occur rapidly, such as in large networks or in games.
Multi-Core Processors Divides the processing load over two or more processors
to prevent sluggishness and overheating. This means improved multi-tasking performance.
“Understanding Processor Performance” (2008). Alienware Corporation. Retrieved 23 September 2008 at http://www.alienware.com/intro_pages/processors_101.aspx
Short-Term Memory
What is it and why is it important to consider when buying a computer?What amount of RAM is recommended for a new system?
Holds the data before and after processingCritical for a system to run smoothly and its
software to work well RAM size is usually measured in megabytes
or gigabytes
B.K. Williams & S.C. Sawyer, (2007). Using information Technology 128 megabytes for studentsAt least 256 megabytes or
possibly 512 megabytes if you want to handle graphics files
As memory size required for additional software continues to grow, the library might want to buy for future
DDR-SDRAM is a more recent development and most often found in personal computers so the staff would probably want to make sure they bought a system with this type of memory
Michael J. Miller, (Nov. 11, 2004) “Your Next PC.” PC Magazine
Recommends 512 MB of RAM as an inexpensive item that will do more to improve how a computer works than a more powerful processor
For games, 1 gigabyte of RAM
Kristopher Kubicki, . (March 19, 2006) “Vista and the Quest for More Memory.” Daily Tech.
Noticed a drop in price for more RAM every time a new Windows operating system is launched
Expects to see 2 gigabytes as the norm for new computer systems
Jason Cross, (Sept. 13, 2006) “The Best PC for the Money.” PC Magazine.
Recommends 2 gigabytes of memory with newer operating systems, especially Vista
You could get by with 1 but price makes this too good a bargain to pass up, especially with whatever technology comes next
Russell Hitchcock. (July 17, 2007) "Memory and Storage: Part 2.“ WindowsNetworking.com
Discuss newer type of chip called Magneto-resistive Random Access Memory , or MRAM, which uses magnetic storage
Expensive and not readily available
Schenone, Ron. (March 29, 2007) “Vista – How Much Ram Is Really Enough?” The Blade by Ron Schenone, MVP.
Microsoft always low-balls the amount of RAM needed
Found Microsoft XP ran fine with 1 gigabyte of RAM
Vista ran faster and smoother with 2 gigabytes. No noticeable difference with 4 gigabytes
Jeff Tyson and Dave Coustan, (2008). “How RAM Works,” How Stuff Works.
RAM needs depend on system you are running Microsoft recommends 128 megabytes with
Windows XP, 256 megabytes for optimal performance
Joel Santo Domingo, Cisco Cheng, Laarni Almendrala Ragaza. (September 2008) “Best PCs on Campus” PC Magazine
Some colleges require computers with 2 gigabytes of RAM
Best new computers have 2 gigabytes, some 3 or 4.
SummaryWhile books may provide a good
introduction to what you might need for purchasing, technology changing so rapidly that information quickly obsolete
Online articles and blogs and even print magazines seem a better source for the latest recommendations
Standard now seems to be at least 1or 2 gigabytes, but probably won’t be long before 3 or 4 is the norm
Long-term memory is traditionally known as Secondary Storage.
Long-Term Memory
Two Things to Consider1. Raw Capacity – the amount of data that
can be stored.2. Density – the amount of data that can be
stored per unit of size.
Secondary Storage MethodsHard Disk Drive (HDD)Floppy DiskZip DiskOptical Disk
Compact Disk (CD)Digital Versatile Disc (DVD)Blu-Ray Disc
Flash Memory
Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
Floppy Disk
Optical Disk
Flash Memory
Future TechnologyOne example is holographic memory
storage:
In magazines or online, you will find the latest information about different technologies. The books may give you an overview but change comes rapidly.
Conclusion
Questions andPossible Answers?
Top Related