Ever experienced having to open your computer system unit to take a look on the things inside it? One may shy away from such idea fearing that it can cause their computer system to not function properly. If you have seen the computer parts inside your computer, are you aware of what they are and their respective functions? Or how each component is connected to another? For people who are interested in learning about the things inside the computer unit they often resort into searching thru the internet, asking help from computer technicians or even attend school to master it.

Like any other appliance or gadget, computer hardware parts are kept in a case for protection from damages as well as exposure to other foreign objects. Each component inside the computer case has a specific function. The following is the list of the vital hardware components found inside your computer:

• The power supply is the component that is responsible for power. The said power supply will convert the electricity that has been gathered from the source to current that is interpreted and used by the computer
• The motherboard contains a lot of other components such as the microprocessor, the memory, and several card slots for additional cards such as video cards, sound cards, internal modems or network cards.
• A microprocessor or CPU (Central Processing Unit) or simply processor is considered as the heart of the computer. It interprets and executes all instructions from a computer program starting from the time one turns the computer on till the user turns it off. It also communicates with outside devices and controls most of the operations of the computer.
• The memory or RAM (Random Access Memory) provides space for your computer to read and write data to be accessed by the microprocessor. When doing computer upgrading to boost the computer’s speed and performance, it is usually advised to add memory as you switch to faster processors. Faster processors promises more speed but then it cannot deliver the speed without enough memory.
• The hard disk drive which is often called as “disk drive” or “hard drive” is the one responsible for storing all data in a computer. It stores data and it stays on the drive even after the power supply is turned off.
• The video card helps the microprocessor to make it run more efficiently by processing the graphics portion of the processing load. It helps any program or application run more efficiently.
• Sound card or audio card is an expansion card that enables computer to manipulate and output sounds. The system unit will still run even without the sound card.
• The BIOS or Basic Input Output System is software stored on a small memory chip on the motherboard. It instructs the computer on how to perform a number of basic functions such as booting or restarting a computer and keyboard control. It is also used to identify and configure the hardware in a computer.
• Network Interface Card provides computers with connection to a network.

Other computer hardware devices also include the mouse, the keyboard, the CD ROM and the computer monitor. Some people may want to learn to assemble their own computer set and with that, one needs to know the different computer components as well as its proper location where they will be placed. One may know the different hardware components located inside the computer units they are working, but still when it comes to trouble-shooting or determining defects inside the computer, it is still best to just leave it to somebody who is expert in handling such problems like a computer technician. Anyways, one is not always expected to know every single part of a computer as well the defects in it.