Specification for Personal

Computer

GIT

SHYAMALEE SRIYANI
 What is the Specification?
The specification is a list of the key components that make up the
computer.
It is provided by retailers to help buyers decide which PC, and which
combination of features, they need.
When buying a PC, it is important to start by deciding what you need
to do with the PC.

When reviewing a computer specification, the most important

components to take account of are
Clock speed of the processor
Capacity and clock speed of the RAM
Capacity and speed of Hard Disk Drive(HDD)
Type, size and resolution of the Monitor
Mother board: compatibility and connect criteria (Wi-Fi, RJ45, USB
etc.)
Operating Systems (OS)
PCs are generally purchased with an operating system pre-
installed.
It is worth checking that your existing software will still work
with the operating system of any new systems being
purchased.
It may be possible to choose a particular operating system
and, if so, this may help standardize new machines with
existing PCs.
Some operating systems are proprietary and required a license
to use while others are freely available.
Purchasing Considerations consider the following points when
purchasing PCs

What is the intended use of the PC and will the chosen

specification fulfill these requirements?
Is the PC compatible with existing computer hardware and
software?
Is the technical support service satisfactory?
Warranty ( comprehensive, limited, onsite, number of years)
Computer specifications
Factors to Consider When Buying a new
processor
 Number of cores
Core is an execution unit inside the CPU that receive and
executes instructions
 Clock Speed

Hard disk capacity

A hard disk drive (HDD), hard disk, hard drive or fixed disk is a
data storage device that uses magnetic storage to store and
retrieve digital information using one or more rigid rapidly
rotating disks (platters) coated with magnetic material.

HDDs are a type of non-volatile storage, retaining stored data

even when powered off
Data storage capacity
Data storage capacity is measured by units such as bits, bytes,
kilobytes, Megabytes, Gigabytes, Terabytes and Petabytes.
 Monitor specifications

1. CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors

These monitors employ CRT technology, which was used most
commonly in the manufacturing of television screens. With these
monitors, a stream of intense high energy electrons is used to form
images on a fluorescent screen. A cathode ray tube is basically a vacuum
tube containing an electron gun at one end and a fluorescent screen at
another end.
While CRT monitors can still be found in some organizations, many
offices have stopped using them largely because they are heavy, bulky,
and costly to replace should they break. While they are still in use, it
would be a good idea to phase these monitors out for cheaper, lighter,
and more reliable monitors.
2. LCD (liquid crystal display) monitors
 The LCD monitor incorporates one of the most advanced
technologies available today.

 The advantages of LCD monitors include their compact size

which makes them lightweight. They also don’t consume
much electricity as CRT monitors, and can be run off of
batteries which makes them ideal for laptops.

 this type of monitor does have disadvantages, such as its

relatively high price, an image quality which is not constant
when viewed from different angles, and a monitor resolution
that is not always constant, meaning any alterations can
result in reduced performance.
3. LED (light-emitting diodes) monitors

LED monitors are the latest types of monitors on the market

today. These are flat panel, or slightly curved displays which
make use of light-emitting diodes for back-lighting, instead of
cold cathode fluorescent (CCFL) back-lighting used in LCDs. LED
monitors are said to use much lesser power than CRT and LCD
and are considered far more environmentally friendly

The advantages of LED monitors are that they produce images

with higher contrast, have less negative environmental impact
when disposed, are more durable than CRT or LCD monitors, and
features a very thin design. They also don’t produce much heat
while running. The only downside is that they can be more
expensive, especially for the high-end monitors like the new
curved displays that are being released.
Factors to Consider When Buying a
Computer Monitor
 Size - The diagonal measurement of the screen
 Resolution - The number of pixels a monitor has to
display an image.
 Aspect Ratio - ratio between the display area’s width
and height.
 Backlighting - LED backlighting has become more
common place with today’s computer monitors.
 Video input - Newer computer models use a digital
connection for the monitor (e.g. DVI, HDMI or Display
Port).
 Main Memory
 RAM specifications
 RAM (Random Access Memory) is the internal memory of the CPU
for storing data, program, and program result.

 It is a read/write memory which stores data until the machine is

working. As soon as the machine is switched off, data is erased.

 RAM is volatile, i.e. data stored in it is lost when we switch off the
computer or if there is a power failure.
(Uninterruptible Power System (UPS) is often used with computers).

 RAM is small, both in terms of its physical size and in the amount of
data it can hold.

 RAM is of two types

 Static RAM (SRAM)
 Dynamic RAM (DRAM)
 Static RAM (SRAM)
 The word static indicates that the memory retains its
contents as long as power is being supplied.
 However, data is lost when the power gets down due to
volatile nature. SRAM chips use a matrix of 6-transistors
and no capacitors.
 Transistors do not require power to prevent leakage, so
SRAM need not be refreshed on a regular basis.
 SRAM uses more chips than DRAM for the same amount
of storage space
 SRAM is thus used as cache memory and has very fast
access.
 (Cache memory, also called CPU memory, is high-speed
static random access memory (SRAM) that a computer
microprocessor can access more quickly than
it can access regular random access memory (RAM).)
Characteristic of Static RAM
 Long life
 No need to refresh
 Faster
 Used as cache memory
 Large size
 Expensive
 High power consumption
 Dynamic RAM (DRAM)
 DRAM, unlike SRAM, must be continually refreshed in order to
maintain the data.
 DRAM is used for most system memory as it is cheap and
small.
 All DRAMs are made up of memory cells, which are composed
of one capacitor and one transistor.
Characteristic of Dynamic RAM
 Short data lifetime
 Needs to be refreshed continuously
 Slower as compared to SRAM
 Used as RAM
 Smaller in size
 Less expensive
 Less power consumption
Video Graphic Adapter (VGA)
Video card Alternatively known as a display adapter,
graphics card, video adapter, video board, or video
controller, a video card is an IC or internal board that
creates a picture on a display.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BExSNV2KllE
Many versions of Microsoft Windows automatically
detect and install video card.
Computer video card buying tips
 Connection
 Power supply
 Memory
 Price range
 Where to purchase
Other considerations
 Ports
 Chipset
 Size
 Warranty
 Support
Other considerations
 Ports
 Chipset
 Size
 Warranty
 Support
 VGA(Video Graphic Adapter)
 Alternatively known as a display adapter, graphics card,
video adapter, video board, or video controller, a video
card is an IC or internal board that creates a picture on a
display.
 The output is fed to the monitor via the VGA
 Two types of VGA
1.On board VGAs
2.Separate VGAs (Separate VGA card has a separate video
memory and processor. This is useful for playing computer
games)
Modern computers use DVI or HDMI ports instead of VGA
port
 Sound Cards
 A sound card (also known as an audio card) is a type of
expansion card that enable the input and output of audio
signals to/from a computer.
 Sound cards facilitate the audio components for a range of
multimedia applications such as music composition, audio
editing, presentation/education, and entertainment.
 Pre-Installed software
An operating system provides the interface between the user
and the hardware.
The operating system is essential to run application software.
Once the operating system is installed in a computer, the
necessary application software can be installed.
 Pre-Installed Software
Free and Open source Operating system can be obtained free of
charged
Ex:Linux,Ubuntu,

(FOSS programs are those that have licenses that allow users to freely run the
program for any purpose, modify the program as they want, and also to freely
distribute copies of either the original version or their own modified version.)
 Trial Version OS
Can be used only for limited period
 DOS and LINUX computer systems are pre installed

 Computer with licensed software(Windows 8, Windows 10 )

installed is more expensive than a computer with free and
open OS
 Non-technical features to be considered
in purchasing a computer
Warranty
Manufacturer warranty y - If the device malfunctions during the warranty
period, it is either repaired or replaced with a new one.
Extended warranty -Customer needs bearing additional cost for extended
warranty.
On-site warranty -If a customer obtains an on-site warranty, technicians
from the respective company visit the place of work to repair the product. They
generally maintain, replace faulty parts and examine the operations of the machine.
Price
Services after-sale
1. Technical advice
2. Technical assistance
3. Telephone, e-mail and website information (i.e. contact
information) of the vendor