Written by Alex Fisher

Thumbnail & Banner Photo by Nikolai Chernichenko on Unsplash

Computers are a part of our daily lives. We carry a small one around in our pocket at all times, many of us use them to take notes, complete assignments, or conduct research, and they have become a key part of many forms of entertainment. However, at best most people only have a surface-level understanding of what is actually inside their computer. In an increasingly technology-reliant world, it is only that much more important for us to demystify computers and develop some knowledge of how they function.

While all forms of computers–from phones, to laptops, to gaming consoles–are undoubtedly complex machines, the basics of them are actually fairly straightforward. We even published a brief article on this topic in June of 2020. In short, there are a few main components common to every single different type of computer. The most important part of any computer is the processor (or CPU), which acts as the ‘brain’ and does all of the processing and calculations. There is also the memory, which temporarily stores small pieces of information and is able to rapidly feed it to the processor. The more ‘permanent’ information such as documents, pictures, and the operating system is kept in the storage component of a computer, often a hard drive (HDD) or solid state drive (SSD). In order to generate the images you see on your monitor, there is the graphics processor–often called a graphics card, and sometimes integrated into the processor itself. Finally, there is the motherboard, which connects all of these components (and more) with one another, routing power and carrying information between them.

There is, of course, more nuance and detail to each of these components and their functions, of which a person should try to develop their understanding. For example, processors can have certain numbers of ‘cores’, which act to complete tasks simultaneously, as well as a listed speed (often measured in megahertz (MHz), or millions of cycles per second) which corresponds to how much each core can accomplish in a second, and other key features. While two different processors with identical core counts and speeds may not actually be as fast as one another, having a basic understanding of what each of these means is a fantastic start towards becoming familiar with computer hardware.

The question remains: why should you strive to understand all of this? What do you gain from it? On top of developing your own knowledge and becoming more informed on an increasingly important topic, it also directly benefits your day-to-day life. Suppose you were shopping for a new computer to take notes in class: you know that you would need something with a good battery life and storage capacity, but you would not necessarily need a high-powered processor or a lot of memory. Knowing how the components of a computer work and having at least some understanding of what each of their characteristics means, you would be far better equipped to shop around and ensure that you are getting the best deal for your money. Or if you were to take your laptop to a computer repair store, you would be better able to determine if they were trying to take advantage of uninformed customers to sell unnecessary programs or hardware upgrades. These are only two examples which many of us will have direct or indirect experience with. There are many more situations that may arise in which such awareness could not only save you or a friend or loved one money, but may even lead to opportunities you may not have otherwise found.

Computers, and to an even greater extent general electronics, are becoming more and more common with each passing day. Cars produced within the past few years are almost certain to have one or more of these devices integrated within them. Gone are the days of security officers sitting in dark rooms surrounded by monitors–especially when combined with recent advances in AI technology, peoples’ jobs are being increasingly made easier or in some cases entirely phased out by computers. Having a deeper understanding of them and maintaining that knowledge may serve to help a person stay ahead of that curve, keeping their future secure and ensuring that they are always able to effectively use the tools available to them.

Getting started on this path to knowledge can seem a daunting task with so much information available online: just finding where to start can be overwhelming. Fortunately, there are a few avenues for the average person to start learning. The Linus Tech Tips and Gamers Nexus YouTube channels are both free and accessible, with Linus Tech Tips focusing more on accessible entertainment while GamersNexus focuses more on quantitative data. For those who prefer reading, there are also the news sites AnandTech–though they tend to assume some level of existing background knowledge–and TechRadar. In short, there are a number of options for acquiring this understanding–all it takes is a little time and patience.

We interact with computers on a daily basis. Every time we use our phone, run a simulation for a lab, or even order food at a restaurant or pay for our groceries, it is apparent that computers are a fundamental part of the modern world. Just as you should understand how to file your taxes without needing to understand the deep nuances of global economics, you should also put in the effort to understand the basics of how a computer works even if you have no interest in knowing why they work or the fundamentals of computer science. In an increasingly technological world–and especially with such rapid advances being made in quantum computing, AI development, and other fields–being familiar with the basics of computers is only going to become ever more important.

Why You Should Understand What’s Inside Your Computer

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