Member Avatar for vinnitro

I am using PC for last SIX years but still don't know what the coomponents do which create the computer?

Can anyone tell me: -
1) What RAM does in computer?
2) What Motherboard does in computer?
3) What Processor does in computer?
4) What is Video Card & why it is used?
5) What is Sound Card & why it is used?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by malrofo

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Good, concise summaries from and . The notes below build on those answers with practical, modern clarifications and a short upgrade/troubleshoot checklist so the high-level roles become actionable.

RAM is the machine's short-term workspace: very fast but volatile (contents are lost at shutdown). When system responsiveness drops while the disk is busy, the OS is likely swapping because RAM is full; adding more RAM or closing memory-heavy programs reduces that. For upgrades, match the motherboard's memory generation and install identical modules in the supported slots to enable multi‑channel bandwidth. Check the board's supported capacity and speeds before buying.

The motherboard is the compatibility and connectivity hub: it defines the CPU socket and supported memory, how many PCIe lanes are available, which storage interfaces exist (SATA, M.2), USB/other I/O, and the power-delivery quality for overclocking. The firmware (BIOS/UEFI) boots the PC and may need updates to support newer CPUs. Modern CPUs combine cores, threads and caches; real-world performance depends on core count, single-thread speed, cache sizes, cooling, and the motherboard's power delivery rather than clock speed alone.

A GPU (video card) is a highly parallel processor optimized for graphics and certain compute tasks; it has its own memory (VRAM) separate from system RAM. Integrated graphics are fine for everyday tasks; discrete GPUs are chosen for gaming, 3D work, video encoding, or GPU-accelerated compute. Onboard audio handles basic playback; dedicated sound cards or external USB/Thunderbolt audio interfaces provide better analog converters, pro inputs, and lower-latency recording for music production.

Quick checklist:

  • Verify CPU socket/chipset and RAM type on the motherboard before upgrades.
  • Confirm PSU wattage and required GPU power connectors.
  • Update BIOS/UEFI if a new CPU is unrecognized.
  • Check memory use and background processes before replacing hardware when performance is poor.
  • For multitrack recording or pro audio, prefer a dedicated audio interface over basic onboard sound.

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Member Avatar for JorgeM

6 years? You may want to purchase, in my opinion, the best PC hardware book on the market: Upgrading and Repairing PCs by Que.

At a high level...

RAM stands for Random Access Memory. It provides an area for your computer to read and write data to be accessed by the CPU (central processing unit).

Motherboard - Also known as main board. You'll find all of the shared circuits, and where the CPU, power, and components plug into. You can think of it as the central nervous system.

Processor: if you mean the CPU, its the central processing unit, or the brains. This is where all of the processing occurs. A computer may have more than one processor. Some components, such as video cards have their own processors.

Video card and Sound card... well I think the name speaks for itself. A video card is dedicated to video processing and a sound card is dedicated for audio processing.

I highly recommend that you purchase the book I mentioned. It is very, very comprehensive and each edition includes all of the previous information so you can learn about all of the components since PCs (and their componets) made it to the market.

Member Avatar for vinnitro

Oh thank you JorgeM

Member Avatar for caperjack

hi I like to interduce you to my best friend when it comes to learning about computers ,I have been using it since it was created in 2000 ,and used other engins long gone from the internet world
google

Edited by caperjack
Member Avatar for vinnitro

i know but sometimes u dont get what you want to know from google

Member Avatar for caperjack

I beg to differ .its all how you ask the question .
example
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=What+RAM+does+in+computer

more answer than anyone would need .good luck ,happy learning

Edited by caperjack
Member Avatar for vinnitro

thanx
i used wrong question to find the answers

Member Avatar for johhny-marshal

So are you satisfied with the answers you received here on posts?

Member Avatar for malrofo
  1. the ram holds the data last used by the cpu so it can get to it quickly
  2. the motherboard connects all the componenets in the cmputer
  3. the processor peforms the calculations
  4. the video card does calculations related to video and takes stress off the cpu
  5. the sound card does the same thing but related to sound
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