Computer hardware: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 17:42, 16 June 2025

Revision as of 17:45, 16 June 2025

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{{short description|Physical components of a computer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}

{{Use American English|date=November 2023}}

[[File:PDP-11-M7270.jpg|thumb|upright|[[PDP-11]] CPU board]]

'''Computer hardware''' includes the physical parts of a [[computer]], such as the [[central processing unit]] (CPU), [[random-access memory]] (RAM), [[motherboard]], [[computer data storage]], [[graphics card]], [[sound card]], and [[computer case]]. It includes external devices such as a [[Computer monitor|monitor]], [[Computer mouse|mouse]], [[Computer keyboard|keyboard]], and [[Computer speakers|speakers]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Parts of computer |url=http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/parts-of-a-computer |publisher=Microsoft |access-date=5 December 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131127145607/http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Parts-of-a-computer |archive-date=27 November 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Gilster |first=Ron |url=http://archive.org/details/pchardwarebeginn00gils |title=PC hardware : a beginner's guide |date=2001 |publisher=New York; London : McGraw-Hill |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-07-212990-8}}</ref>

By contrast, [[software]] is a set of written instructions that can be stored and run by hardware. Hardware derived its name from the fact it is ''[[Hardness|hard]]'' or rigid with respect to changes, whereas software is ''soft'' because it is easy to change.

Hardware is typically directed by the software to execute any command or [[Instruction (computing)|instruction]]. A combination of hardware and software forms a usable [[computing]] system, although [[Digital electronics|other systems]] exist with only hardware.{{short description|Physical components of a computer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}

{{Use American English|date=November 2023}}