Computer Hardware
2nd Year IT
Hard Drive/SSD
A hard drive is a disk which stores all the files and information on a computer. All the files are copied onto the hard drive, and when you save it, a link is created from the computer to the hard drive, and that is what allows you to come back to your files later. When you delete the file, the link is destroyed, but the information is always there. To read the information, there is an ‘arm’ to read it with, a bit like a record.
An SSD (solid state drive) does exactly the same thing as a hard drive, but faster. An SSD is smaller and lighter, without a disk or an arm – it is like a small rectangle. The only disadvantage is that it is a lot more expensive than a hard drive.
Optical Drive
An optical drive is a disk reader. With a laser, it reads things like CDs, DVDs and Blu-Rays. It can also write information onto disks.
CPU
A CPU is a Central Processing Unit. It is the brain/heart of the computer. It does all the calculations and works everything out for the computer; it is also the heart as it it the centre of the computer.
*the CPU is a lot smaller than the picture*