Today, both young and old know about what modern PCs are like. But few are guided in detail in the question. PC is a personal computer. What do they do in our time? Consider in general terms, paying attention to typology and varieties.
About Species
If you ask the expert what modern PCs are, he will tell you about the division into categories based on the purpose of the machine. So, universal models are designed to work on a variety of problems. It is not established in advance what tasks such a technique will solve, what are the types. In general, machines of this class have the ability to interact with a wide variety of forms of information. The range of data values is large, the accuracy of the presentation is quite large. Universal machines have a fairly large memory and a good system of information output, data input. Possibilities of connecting a variety of peripherals for inputting, outputting information are provided.
Another type is problem-oriented. Such machines are designed for a specialized narrow set of problems. Mostly this is the management of objects, working with data, the performance of simple calculations. The software and hardware available for introduction into such a machine are rather small in quantity and variety.
Finally, there are specialized ones. These are designed to work on a highly specialized problem. This one of the three types of modern computers, basic for the current classification, is formed in such a way that the structure is aimed at solving the main problem. Machines are designed to minimize cost, reduce complexity while maintaining flawless performance. An important criterion for the subject is the level of reliability. These computers include the units responsible for managing external memory. The inhabitants are known as controllers (adapters).
About dimensions
Among the types of modern computers are: micro-, super-, large, small products. Super are powerful systems with a large number of processors. They are characterized by unique performance. Due to the abundance of processors, problems are solved simultaneously by many of them. A large amount of memory guarantees the maximum speed of obtaining solutions. Often, such products are used to work on experimental tasks. It is they who are needed to conduct a chess tournament.
Large aggregates are also called mainframes. Their feature is the possibility of simultaneous use by multiple users, up to a thousand people at one time. Such mechanisms are mainly used in scientific work, with their help they work on technical problems, interact with impressive information databases. Mainframes are useful if you need to manage a grid of computers or control the resources of such machines.
Small and micro
Small, modern information machines work to track a specific process. These are used if it is necessary to shorten a multi-user project. They found a place in design systems that automate work, in modeling systems that work on relatively simple objects. Small machines are used if you need to simulate artificial intelligence.
Micro is a type of machine that combines universal, specialized units. Such PCs are designed for one person, can support multi-user mode. There are specialized devices designed for simultaneous use by different people. They are called servers. These are powerful products used to calculate requests from networked machines. Specialized devices designed for one user are called workstations. They are designed to work on applied tasks.
Universal multi-user micros are machines that have impressive resources and have multiple terminals. There are universal micro-units created per user. These are publicly available appliances. They belong to personal computers. Nowadays, in our country, most often people resort to the type of modern PC “IBM”.
Computers and more
It’s almost impossible to find a modern person who would be completely unfamiliar with at least some type of modern PC. In the general case, a person understands a PC as an aggregate for typing, games, designing materials, printing documents, archiving information, and managing resources. Here you can watch movies, listen to sounds, count engineering projects, share information through the World Wide Web, and learn.
An important aspect is the ability to distinguish a PC from a game console. It seems different that such products are very similar to PCs, so they can conditionally be combined into one category. According to experts, the similarities are exhausted by the fact of the ability to play a variety of games.
Thanks to the use of the most modern PC technologies available to our contemporaries, these are not only stationary, but also personal models. Desktop products in foreign languages are called desktops. Reduced PC variations are laptops. Some time ago they created handheld computers. These are simplified models with limited functionality.
If the task is to choose a computer for yourself, you need to know the features of each of these categories in order to correctly determine what is needed in a particular case. So that the purchase does not disappoint, you should know in advance which criteria deserve special attention. This is an optimal configuration.
Where does it all begin
So that modern PCs with information can work quite efficiently, a processor is introduced into the structure of such machines. This unit is responsible for managing all other parts of the system. The operation of the processor is subordinate to the software selected by the user. Even younger devices give good speed, they will be stunned by considerable productivity. There are relatively inexpensive products, which are often enough for the machine of an ordinary person. If you want to get a reliable and powerful unit, you should consider installing one of the latest Intel products.
Regardless of the type, a modern PC is equipped with a motherboard. It is also called systemic. This product guarantees the connection between the different parts that make up the machine. There are several well-known manufacturers. In addition to the already mentioned Intel enterprise, motherboards presented to the market are available from AMD, ASUS, Gigabyte companies. There are more expensive and reliable models and relatively cheap.
For example, some time ago the products of the Formosa brand were exclusively in demand. Of course, they were inferior in quality and reliability to the top products of more well-known brands, but they attracted by their affordable price, therefore they enjoyed mass popularity for some time.
About memory
In order to be able to use a modern PC, it must necessarily have RAM. This element is responsible for the accumulation of information about the program currently executing. It also contains other information important for the performance of the machine. If the PC has a simple operating system, and the user runs only the office program, a couple of gigabytes is more than enough for him.
The more memory, the faster the machine runs, the higher its performance level, the more demanding programs a user can run. A high level of graphic resolution, modern games, updated operating systems force the work unit to be equipped with several tens of gigabytes of RAM.
Another important component of a modern PC is a hard drive (hard drive). This product is intended for storing information. It has a large capacity, so on the disk you can store data, programs, films, audio files and any other information important to the user.
Today, it’s almost impossible to find a ready-made standard computer on sale, whose internal memory would be less than 500 GB. Many people think that when buying, you should immediately install a hard drive or several working in pairs, so that the total available memory is a terabyte or several. The larger the volumes, the more information you can save on your computer. However, if the task is to assemble the minimum configuration, at first you can put a relatively small drive - in the future it will be possible to easily replace or supplement it with another drive.
Video
When planning the assembly of a modern PC, you will have to thoroughly study the market for the availability of a high-quality, productive, adequately worthy video card. This product is designed to display a variety of pictures on the monitor display, including three-dimensional images, video display. In many ways, this card determines how high-quality the reflected image will be, how quickly it will be possible to reproduce the graphics.
If the user plans to work with office programs, reference books, he does not need a special video card power, which means that it will be possible to save on it. Sometimes an integrated product is enough, that is, a card built into the motherboard.
If the plans include modern games, you will have to consider the latest models from top manufacturers. The main giants of the market are Gifors and ATI. When choosing a model, you need to pay attention to the memory built into the video card. The larger it is, the higher the level of performance will be. However, the highest quality products cost tens of thousands of rubles. Often, the price of a video card alone is comparable to the cost of an entire computer for solving simple problems.
Meet by clothes
Even the most modern PC has a case, as it was in the old days, when such machines had just appeared. Much has changed, other blocks merged into one product in order to save space, others stood out in order to increase productivity, but the case, as it was, remains an important part of any PC. He is responsible for sufficient voltage, which means power to the parts of the machine.
Inside the case is the main part of the computer. Many of the elements generate heat, and quite intensively. To correct this, a cooling system is integrated in the housing. By the way, in the old days PCs were rather weak, so the machine could work without special cooling. But it was a very long time ago, at a time when the available power was really miserable.
If you study the modern PC requirements in terms of cooling, you can find out that the quality option is considered to be the presence of built-in cooling units on different circuits, as well as the presence of a common cooling system inside the case, and it also can be multi-layered.
Almost no video card in which there would be no fan of its own. If you study the cases on sale, you can see that some are equipped with fans, others only have a place to install them, but there are also combined options. The basic, relatively weak cooling device is provided by the design, and additional units are designed for subsequent installation of the missing elements, if the user needs them.
Peripherals: how to type text?
The interface provided for typing in a modern PC is the connector through which the keyboard is connected. This product helps to print, enter text data, and manage various solutions installed on the machine.
The device is interactive, that is, it needs data that the user must provide during operation. Programmed actions are the answer to this data. Keyboard, mouse - products through which the user transmits information. Without them, even the most powerful PC is pretty useless.
There is a wide variety of keyboards on the market today. There are very simple models, there are supplemented with specific functionality. The keyboard can integrate sound control systems, disk drive, browser. If it is designed to assist the player, it has a number of additional keys through which you can control the game faster and more efficiently.
For some, remotely working objects seem especially attractive to the structure of a modern PC. They allow you to transfer text data to the machine, being a few meters away from it. However, for such a device to work, it is necessary to monitor the level of charge and regularly recharge the product.
Where will the picture be?
As mentioned above, the main element of a modern PC is the processor. True, for a particular user it is not so important how good he is if the unit does not have a display where the information would be displayed. The most powerful processor, supplemented by all other panels and cards, will not create images in the air. To see dynamic pictures, use a monitor. It is designed to reflect the visual data generated by the device.
The monitor is one of the key parts of the unit. When selecting, you must take into account the dimensions of the product, the quality of the picture, the display of which the product is capable of. Different monitors operate at different frequencies. On average, popular market models have more than similar characteristics.
Among low-cost customers, Samsung and Vyusonik models are available. If you want to buy something more expensive, more reliable, you should take a closer look at the products of Sony and Hitachi. According to experts, it is worth buying a monitor whose diameter is at least 17 inches.
How it all began
It is interesting not only to imagine the structure of a modern PC, but also to know the historical details. PCs first appeared in the 70s. At first, such products were called microcomputers. The first generations were sold as a set of parts and instructions. Assembly, debugging, programming was assigned to the user, so only an experienced person who knew machine codes could control the device.
In the 75th market, the Altair 8800 model was introduced. It is he who is considered the ancestor of all modern PCs. The product was based on the S-100 bus. This model was presented to customers by several manufacturers at once. There were finished items and assembly kits. The processors put in the base of models of that time are the i8080 series. Specific architectural features were such that the user could put in a product a different processor, known in those years. Mostly the devices supported the CP / M OS.
In the 77th, the Apple 2 car appeared. She became the first mass modern PC for that period. The manufacturer, as you might guess from the name, was Apple Computer. Gradually, devices for the home became more convenient, the user did not have to own such an abundance of specialized skills.
At the end of the summer of the 81st, “Aybiem” introduced to customers a new system “Aybiem RS”. In the 80s, the English Zetics Spectrum appeared. In the 83rd year, Apple Lisa saw the light; a year later, the company launched the Macintosh. This device was the first mass-marketed product with GUI. In the 85th they released Amiga, a multimedia PC. Until the 95th, Amiga and Macintosh were the best-selling PCs in the world.
History: 1995
This year several events took place that determined the familiar device of a modern PC. At first, Commodore manufacturers became bankrupt, having actively produced PCs since the 1980s. This company specialized in Amiga and Commodore appliances.
In the same year, the new Microsoft Windows 95 OS was released. PC capabilities have become as close as possible to what is available in our time. Today, every user who owns a PC has multimedia capabilities on any platform.
Soviet history
For the first time in our country, the Agat unit has gone into serial production. The start of sales came in 84th. Soon, several more devices were created, which also became in demand on the market. Models compatible with the English Spectrum were in demand among consumers. Developed PCs compatible with "Aybiem RS".
For people of that time, a modern PC device included a TV as a display. The role of external memory was played by a regular tape recorder that worked on cassettes. On the screen, the data was reflected in black and white, four-color, 64-character lines, 32-character lines. There were 25 lines in total. A sound signal was supplied to the speaker provided for in the design.
The latest and most convenient: tablet
The technologies of our time have stepped far forward in comparison with the 80-90s. Today, for example, users have access to an extremely convenient device, which has a special place in the classification of modern PCs. It's about a tablet.
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Most use tablets for entertainment only. They are indispensable in relaxation. Tablets weigh a little, more compact than laptops. They are more convenient to take with you on a trip. True, one does not have to expect quick action, as from a full-fledged computer. The most expensive modern models are characterized by high power and performance, but their price will be frankly rather big. A typical representative of this luxury class is the product from Apple iPad.
The tablet is powered by a battery. It must be regularly charged using special devices. Without recharging, modern models work for 6-10 hours, which significantly exceeds the battery life of most laptops.
Apple
If you turn to the market of modern PCs, it will be impossible not to notice the products of Apple. This company is the most effective competitor to Aybim. For some features, the machines are similar: they have processors, memory, system cards and information storage devices. Apple products have a closed platform, that is, the buyer has a limited selection of components that can be activated on the device. The OS running on such computers is developed by only one enterprise - the same as the devices themselves.
According to many, in the modern market, Apple products are extremely attractive to anyone who can afford such expenses. On the one hand, these are quite expensive cars, at the same time they have several unique features and qualities.
This is speed of action, the ability to use official software that reduces the risk of infection of the machine. Most models are equipped with first-class quality monitors. Apple was the one who introduced Retina displays on mass-produced machines.
In addition, mainly models of this brand are compact, especially thin, aesthetically designed in accordance with the latest trends of our time. In a word, such modern PCs are the subject of pride of its owner.
What to buy?
When choosing a model for yourself, it is important not only to study what are the main devices of a modern PC (the key ones are listed above), but also to determine the manufacturer.
You can buy a ready-made device or purchase all its elements separately, which you can then personally connect to a one-piece machine or contact a master who specializes in this. The main idea is to choose elements without too much haste.
According to experts, it is better to purchase all the parts in one store, then order the assembly from the parts of the whole machine in it. Preference is given to long-standing companies in the market with a good reputation. Before paying for the selected parts, it is advisable to consult with the manager or assembler in order to clarify how the selected elements are combined with each other. It is advisable to formulate in advance what are the expectations from the device, so that an experienced person estimates how much the selected configuration meets the challenges ahead.
The main advantage of the device assembly of your choice is the opportunity to save by removing unnecessary, focusing on especially significant for a person. Both the characteristics and the design solution of the product, as well as its price - all this will meet the expectations and requirements of a particular client.
True, not without drawbacks. By assembling the computer in this way, you can randomly select incompatible elements, incorrectly determine the optimal components, and the manager may not control this point. Another subtle point is the quality of the collector's work. Turning to a dubious point of sale, you can get a not too well-assembled product.
Targets and goals
Different in level for a modern PC, the main devices are very different in price. It is customary to divide all models into four categories - primary, secondary, high and specialized.
Starter - these are the most low-cost products that are designed for the simplest tasks. Through them, you can watch video files and listen to sounds, you can surf the World Wide Web, work with office programs. Some models in this category will cope with simple games, but with minimal settings. They are relevant for the office, but in recent years they have been replaced by laptops, as more convenient and requiring a minimum of space.
Medium-level machines are universal. These are the ones on the market most. The possibilities here are sufficient to solve simple problems, many cope with relatively demanding programs. If you want to play, you will have to start the game with minimal settings or an average level on such a computer, but high quality will be available only for a few games (not the newest). This car is considered a classic option for home use.
Level up
If the characteristics of a modern PC are above average, such a machine is considered to be at the highest level. These are computers designed for games. They allow you to run the latest projects at maximum settings.
Specialized are PCs designed for video editing, solving engineering and other high-precision, complex tasks. They need to be collected individually, taking into account the needs of the user.
On examples
Consider the characteristics of a modern PC designed for everyday tasks. This is a fairly budget model. So the options are:
- Case 60 V.
- 250 GB SSD
- Motherboard Asus N3150I-C.
- RAM 1.6 GB.
A simple machine will cope with basic successes. Thanks to the use of an SSD drive, the operating system will load extremely quickly.
A more universal model can be assembled using the following components:
- Case with 400 W power supply.
- Additional cooling system.
- RAM 8 GB.
- Winchester 1 Tb.
- Intel processor i3.
- Asus motherboard Prime N310M-K.
Such a device will work quietly and provide a sufficiently high level of performance.