What is a PC and what are its main characteristics?

Beginners and poorly versed in computer technology users often ask: "What is a PC?" This abbreviation comes from the English word combination: personal computer, which in Russian means literally "personal computer". Now such devices are so firmly embedded in our lives that it is impossible to imagine without them.

Definition: "What is RS?"

Initially, the acronym RS was supplemented with the name of IBM. This is because the first computer of this platform was developed by her in 1981. But after 6 years, she moved away from this business, because its name ceased to be used. Now the term "personal computer" means a set of hardware (monitor, system unit, keyboard, mouse, etc.) and software (operating system and application software) tools that will solve a wide range of various tasks. This is the answer to what a PC is. A decisive role among them is played by the system unit, the choice of which will be devoted to the following sections of this material.

Options

The main and most important characteristics of a personal computer The following:

• The type of processor installed. In most cases, these are products from Intel and AMD. The main parameters are as follows:
  • The clock frequency (the higher it is, the better);
  • Number of cores (the more of them, the more productive the CPU);
  • Cache volume (this is a fast memory integrated into the microprocessor's chip, the larger it is, the better);
  • Video card (can be integrated or discrete);
  • The amount of hard disk (it stores programs and user data);
  • RAM (here are the data with which the CPU is currently running);
  • Power supply unit power;
  • Chipset motherboard (the better it is, the more devices you can connect to a PC).

How to choose?

After we received an answer to the question about what a PC is, found out their main parameters, we will give the recommended configurations that are oriented to the solution of a certain range of problems. An entry-level computer (watching movies, office applications (Word, Excel, for example), listening to music and working on the Internet):

• AMD Athlon 5350 processor, 4 cores with 2.1 GHz frequency, cache 2 levels 64 kb and 2 MB respectively;
• The video card is integrated into the Radeon R3 CPU;
• Hard drive Caviar Blue from WD size 1 TB;
• RAM DDR3-1600 volume of 8GB;
• Power supply unit with a power of 400 W;
• Motherboard AM1B-ITX from ASRock.

Mid-level PCs (games, graphics packages):

• Processor FX-8320 from AMD, 8 cores with a frequency of 3.5 GHz, cache 3 levels of 8 kb, 8 kb and 8 mb, respectively;
• Video card Ge Force 770 with 2 GB of internal memory from the company NVidia;
• Hard drive Caviar Blue from WD size 1 TB;
• RAM DDR3-1866 volume of 16 GB;
• Power supply unit with a power of 600 W;
• Motherboard SABERTOOTH 990FX from ASUS.

The computer for all occasions (it will perfectly cope with any task in the next 2 years):

• Processor Intel Core i7 model 4770K, 4 cores, working in 8 streams at 3.5 GHz, cache 3 levels 8 kb, 1 MB and 8 MB respectively;
• Video card Radeon R9 290 with 3 GB of internal memory from AMD;
• Hard drive Caviar Blue from WD size 1 TB;
• RAM DDR3-1600 volume of 32 GB;
• Power supply unit with a power of 800 W;
• Motherboard Z87M OC Formula from ASRock.

Each of these configurations is the answer to this question: "What is the PC and what are its main characteristics?" These are the recommended parameters of the system units. If desired, they can be changed in one direction or another. But with the stated tasks, they will perfectly cope.

Summary

In this article was given not only the answer to what is a personal computer, but also its main technical characteristics. Based on the latter, three recommended configurations of system blocks are presented: the initial (an excellent solution for undemanding users), the middle one (excellently cope with games and graphics packages) and premium (universal solution).