What is Computer Hardware

Computer Hardware
Computer hardware is the physical part of a computer, including the digital circuitry, as distinguished from the computer software that executes within the hardware. The hardware of a computer is infrequently changed, in comparison with software and hardware data, which are "soft" in the sense that they are readily created, modified or erased on the computer. Firmware is a special type of software that rarely, if ever, needs to be changed and so is stored on hardware devices such as read-only memory (ROM) where it is not readily changed (and is, therefore, "firm" rather than just "soft").

Know Computer Hardware
All the elements that go together to make up a PC fall into one of two categories, hardware or software. This section is about hardware, the stuff upon which software runs.

One of the definitions of 'hardware' according to Webster's dictionary is 'major items of equipment or their components used for a particular purpose'.

Everything you can see and touch in your PC is hardware. Complete PCs can be purchased for about $300 today, and the prices keep falling! All the items listed below that make up a PC can be purchased individually at computer or web supply stores.

This following list represents a basic set of hardware found in most PCs.
For more information on these components just click one.

1. PC Case
2. Motherboard
3. Power Supply
4. Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
5. Floppy Disk Drive (FDD)
6. Compact Disk Drive (CDD)
7. Digital Video Disk drive (DVD)
8. Monitors (CRT and LCD)
9. Keyboard
10. Mouse
11. Audio
12. Cables & Wires