Motherboards: The Guts, Brain, and Heart Of Computers?

Answer 1

Many computer users don’t think about what’s inside their machines. People are probably more concerned with peripherals such as keyboard, mouse, speakers, and monitor. The truth is that such accessories play a minor role in the overall performance of a computer. The most important part of a computer is the motherboard. But the average computer user has probably never unscrewed his or her computer case to explore the amazing parts that are hidden beneath.

A motherboard can be compared to the internal anatomy of humans, while a computer case is comparable to bones and skin. The computer case simply protects and covers the important and sensitive parts, just like our skin and bones protect our organs.

A motherboard is simply a printed circuit board that connects all the important parts of a computer. When you glance at your computer motherboard for the first time, there may be some confusion. With so many transistors, chips, slots, wires, batteries, and other unfamiliar electronic parts, you may be overwhelmed. But the fundamental concept of a motherboard is quite simple, and it’s easy to upgrade your computer’s hardware once you get comfortable with the motherboard. You can even replace your old motherboard with a new one. There’s no need to buy a new computer if you’re not satisfied with something, upgrading is the best option.

The most important part of a computer is the CPU (Central Processor Unit.) This tiny chip, known as a microprocessor, is responsible for making all the calculations to deliver meaningful outputs to the user, such as letters and images. The CPU is typically covered by a heat sink and a cooling fan, because it heats up very fast due to the enormous amount of work it does. Intel and AMD are the leading brands of CPU for personal computers.

Some other important parts of a motherboard are the RAM modules and slots. RAM (Random Access Memory) plays a major role in the speed of a computer. If you notice empty RAM slots on the motherboard, this means there is space for memory upgrade. Be sure to find out the exact specifications of your computer’s RAM, such as number of DIMM pins, DDR and SDR. RAM is temporary memory, and it should not be confused with the permanent memory storage of internal hard drives.

PCI slots on a motherboard give you the option of upgrading your computer’s audio and video quality with sound and graphics cards. PCI slots are typically located closer to the peripheral connections, such as USB, Ethernet, mouse, and keyboard jacks. Be sure to distinguish the PCI slots from the RAM slots, because they both look similar.

Some other computer hardware upgrades which must be done through the motherboard are hard drive and power supply. Other parts of a motherboard will continue to operate automatically and will rarely require any attention, so don’t worry about them and just let them do their magic.