Understanding Midrange Computers
Uploaded by
Aeronn Jass SongaliaUnderstanding Midrange Computers
Uploaded by
Aeronn Jass SongaliaPERFORMING COMPUTER OPERATIONS (PCO)
KEY CONCEPT: 3 images from: [Link]
4. Microcomputer - Desktop computers, laptops, personal digital assistant (PDA), tablets &
A computer is an electronic device, operating under the control of instructions stored in its own smartphones are all types of microcomputers. The micro-computers are widely used & the fastest
memory that can accept data (input), process the data according to specified rules, produce information growing computers. These computers are the cheapest among the other three types of computers.
(output), and store the information for future use. Examples where it is used: general usage like entertainment, education and work purposes
TYPES OF COMPUTERS
The following are the classification of the different types of computers based on their sizes,
power and functionalities.
1. Supercomputer - in terms of performance and data processing, are the most powerful computers.
These are specialized and task specific computers used by large organizations. The
supercomputers are very expensive and very large in size. Some supercomputers can span an
entire building. Personal Digital
Desktop Computers Laptops Tablets Smartphones
Examples where it is used: Space Exploration, Earthquake studies and Weather Forecasting Assistant
Four Main Components of Hardware
2. Mainframe Computer - are not as powerful as supercomputers. Large organizations use
mainframes for highly critical applications such as bulk data processing and Enterprise Resource Hardware is the tangible, physical, electronic and mechanical parts of a computer that perform
Planning to run their business operations. Most of the mainframe computers have the capacities to the input, processing, storage, and output activities of the computer.
host multiple operating systems and operate as several virtual machines and can substitute for
several small servers.
Examples where it is used: Banks, Educational Institutions and Insurance Companies
3. Minicomputer - in terms of size and processing capacity, minicomputers lie in between mainframes
and microcomputers. These are used by small businesses & firms. Minicomputers are also called as
“Midrange Computers”. These are small machines and can be accommodated on a disk with not as A. Input Devices - are composed of a device that accepts data and instructions from the user or from
processing and data storage capabilities as super-computers & Mainframes. another computer system. These are the devices used by the user to communicate with the
Examples where it is used: computer.
Production department for monitoring production process and Data Management
Device
Keyboard Mouse Scanner Microphone
Examples of Input Devices:
A.1. Keyboard - is an input device used to enter characters and functions into
the computer system by pressing buttons, or keys. It is the primary device used to enter text.
SUPER COMPUTERS MAINFRAME COMPUTERS MINICOMPUTERS
A.2. Mouse - is another input device used to point and select objects on the computer monitor. C.1. Motherboard / Mainboard / System Board - is the main circuit board of a computer. It
Using the mouse and keyboard in combination allows the computer user substantial latitude contains all the circuits and components that run the computer.
in how to accomplish a wide variety of tasks. C.2. CPU (Central Processing Unit) - The processor is the main “brain” of a computer system. It
A.3. Scanner - captures a source document and converts printed data or images into an electronic performs all the instructions and calculations that are needed and manages the flow of
data format that a computer can store or process as required. information through a computer.
A.4. Microphone - is used to input sound that is then stored in a digital form. It is used for various C.3. RAM – (Random Access Memory) - is volatile storage device, meaning it holds data only
applications such as adding sound to a multimedia presentation or for mixing music. when the power is on. When the power is off, RAM's contents are lost.
B. Output Devices - is any piece of computer hardware that displays results after the computer has C.4. Video Card/GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) - is a specialized electronic circuit designed to
processed the input data that has been entered. These are the devices used by the computer to rapidly manipulate and alter memory to accelerate the creation of images in a frame buffer
communicate with the user. intended for output to a display device such as a computer monitor.
System Unit
The system unit, also known as a "tower" or "chassis," is the main part of a desktop computer
that encloses the motherboard, CPU, RAM, video card, and other internal components.
Monitor Printer Speaker Projector
Examples of Output Devices:
B.1. Monitor - displays information in visual form, using text and graphics. The portion of the
monitor that displays the information is called the screen or video display terminal.
B.2. Printer - is a device use to print texts and pictures.
B.3. Speaker - is an output hardware device that produces sound.
B.4. Projector - is an output device that projects an image onto a large surface, such as a white System Unit Power Supply Heat Sink Optical Drive
screen or wall. Unit
Other Internal Components of the System Unit
C. PROCESSING DEVICES - is the computer’s circuitry in the system unit. It plays an important role in a. Power Supply Unit (PSU) - installed in the back corner of the PC case, next to the
processing operations. It is used to process data using instructions from the program. It includes motherboard. It converts 220/110vac (standard house power) into DC voltages that are used
the computer chips that contain the central processing unit and main memory. by other components in the PC.
b. Heat sink (also commonly spelled as heatsink) - is a passive heat exchanger that transfers
the heat generated by an electronic or a mechanical device to a fluid medium, often air or a
liquid coolant, where it is dissipated away from the device, thereby allowing regulation of the
device's temperature.
c. Optical Drive - is a disc drive that uses laser light or electromagnetic waves within or near the
visible light spectrum as part of the process of reading or writing data to or from optical discs.
Three types of optical drives:
Motherboard Processor RAM GPU
Compact Disc (CD) Drive, Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) Drive and Blu-ray (BD) Drive.
Examples of Processing Devices:
significantly faste
D. STORAGE DEVICES - store data and programs. These hold data, information, and programs D.3.2. Memory Card – is a solid-state electronic flash memory data storage device used with
permanently. digital cameras, handheld and tablet/mobile computers and other electronics.
D.3.3. USB flash drive - is a plug-and-play portable storage device that uses flash memory
and is lightweight enough to attach to a key chain. A USB drive can be used in place of a floppy
disk, Zip drive disk, or CD.
ACTIVITY 2: Naming Parts of Computer
Directions: Name the basic parts of the desktop computer.
D.1. Magnetic Storage
D.1.1. Hard Disk Drive (HDD) - also known as hard drive, is a magnetic storage device
that is installed inside the computer. The hard drive is used as permanent storage
for data.
D.1.2. Floppy Diskette - is a removable data storage magnetic medium that housed in a
rigid plastic cartridge measuring 3.5 inches square and about 2millimeters thick.
Also called a "3.5-inch diskette," it can store up to 1.44 megabytes (MB) of data.
Hard Drive Floppy Blu-ray Disc Compact Disc Digital Versatile ACTIVITY 3: Classifying Hardware Devices
Diskette Disc Directions: Classify the following hardware devices according to its component.
Mouse Motherboard Microphone Projector
D.2. Optical Storage Monitor Scanner Printer Keyboard
D.2.1. BD (Blu-ray Disc) - is simply called as Blu-Ray, a digital optical disc data storage USB Flash Drive Memory Card CPU RAM
format. It was designed to supersede the DVD format, and is capable of storing several Speaker Video Card Hard drive
hours of video in high definition.
D.2.2. CD (Compact Disc) - also called optical disc is a nonmagnetic, polished metal disk
used to store digital information. The disc is read by the CD- ROM. INPUT OUTPUT PROCESSING STORAGE
D.2.3. DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) - an optical disc technology with a 4.7 gigabyte storage DEVICES DEVICES DEVICES DEVICES
capacity on a single-sided, one-layered disk, which is enough for a 133-minute movie.
D.3. Flash Memory
D.3.1. Solid State Drive – is a new generation of storage device used in computers. SSDs
replace traditional mechanical hard disks by using flash-based memory, which is
Common questions
Powered by AIInput devices are used to enter data and instructions into a computer (e.g., keyboard, mouse, scanner, microphone). Output devices display the results of processed data to the user (e.g., monitor, printer, speaker, projector). Input devices enable user communication with the computer, while output devices facilitate computer communication back to the user.
The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is crucial as it acts as the "brain" of the computer system. It performs all instructions and calculations that manage the flow of information within the computer, making it central to computer operations. It is housed in the system unit along with other components like the motherboard, RAM, and GPU .
A heat sink plays a vital role in cooling electronic components within the system unit, specifically the CPU and other temperature-sensitive parts. As a passive heat exchanger, it transfers heat from the device to a fluid medium like air, dissipating it away from critical components. This prevents overheating, ensuring consistent performance and longevity of the computer .
Different input devices enhance user interaction efficiency by catering to various user needs. Keyboards are crucial for text input in word processing, while mice allow intuitive navigation and selection on graphical interfaces. Scanners convert physical documents into digital formats for archival or processing, and microphones enable voice input for multimedia applications or voice-activated commands in hands-free scenarios, enhancing accessibility and productivity .
Mainframe computers are advantageous for large organizations because they offer high reliability, security, and scalability. They can handle critical applications involving bulk data processing and enterprise resource planning, essential for banks, educational institutions, and insurance companies, where they host multiple operating systems and can operate as several virtual machines, effectively replacing multiple smaller servers .
The power supply unit (PSU) is critical to a computer's system unit as it converts the standard house power (220/110VAC) into the DC voltages required by other internal components. It ensures stable and continuous power delivery to the motherboard, CPU, and other crucial hardware, directly influencing the computer's reliability and performance .
Minicomputers, also called "Midrange Computers", have more processing capabilities than microcomputers but less than mainframes or supercomputers. They are used by small businesses for tasks like production monitoring and data management . Microcomputers, which include desktops, laptops, PDAs, tablets, and smartphones, are cheaper and extensively used for general purposes such as entertainment, education, and work .
Microcomputers include devices like desktops, laptops, PDAs, tablets, and smartphones. They are characterized by their affordability and versatility, making them the fastest-growing type of computer. Microcomputers are significant in both personal and professional settings, providing solutions for entertainment, education, and various work-related tasks, facilitating a wide range of applications from basic computing to advanced multimedia .
Solid-state drives (SSDs) enhance storage efficiency by using flash-based memory, which significantly speeds up data access compared to traditional mechanical hard disks. SSDs lack moving parts, leading to faster data retrieval, reduced latency, and improved overall system performance, unlike hard disk drives (HDDs) which use spinning disks .
Supercomputers are specialized, task-specific computers that are the most powerful in terms of performance and data processing, used by large organizations for critical applications like space exploration, earthquake studies, and weather forecasting . Mainframe computers, while not as powerful as supercomputers, are used by large organizations for critical applications such as bulk data processing and enterprise resource planning, capable of hosting multiple operating systems and serving as several virtual machines .