What is hardware?

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When talking about computers, the two main components are hardware and software. Hardware simply refers to all the physical components of a computer system. The computer processor unit, computer screen, and keyboard for example are all parts of computer hardware. The software component meanwhile refers to the programs and applications that are installed on the computer for it to become functional. Both hardware and software components are needed for the computer system to work and function as it is designed and configured to do.

Standard computer hardware includes the CPU or central processing unit. This component is the most important part because it holds the physical components that are needed for literally computational purposes. It is also through the CPU that software is installed for various functions and specifications. The computer CPU is typically a collection of various other computer hardware components that are housed in one unit. Aside from the actual computer chip or processor, a computer’s CPU may also have other components like the optical disk and flash storage drives. These drives are often used to introduce software into the computer system. Storage disks are also hardware components that are part of the CPU. As its name suggests, these disks or drives will take care of data storage. Also included in the CPU is the motherboard, video or graphics cards, and flash disk drives or readers. All these hardware components are typically included in a CPU package.

Aside from the CPU, there are other hardware components in a computer system. The monitor, keyboard, and mouse are also essential components. Without any of them, the whole computer system will not work. Other non-essential hardware components include speakers, document scanners, and printers among many others. These hardware components are not really necessary for the computer to work but are helpful for various special tasks.

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