Do you ever go through a tech review or ranking and have no idea what you’re reading? Sometimes the terms many tech blogs, including mine, use can get way too complicated. I will try to explain some of this computer jargon in this post.
If you want to see some posts that have this complex terminology, click on the links below.
The Best Desktops for 2022: https://thetechieturtle.com/blog/best-desktop-2022/
The Best Laptops for 2022: https://thetechieturtle.com/blog/best-laptops-2022/
The Best Phones for 2022: https://thetechieturtle.com/blog/the-best-phones-for-2022/
The Best Consoles for 2022: https://thetechieturtle.com/blog/the-best-consoles-for-2022/
Specs
Specs are short for specifications, and they describe a computer’s specific components and details.
CPU/Processor
A Central Processing Unit, CPU for short and also known as a processor, processes all the input data and returns output data. It gives instructions on what the computer needs to do. The speed at which it does this depends on how powerful the CPU is.
GPU/Graphics Card
A Graphics Processing Unit, GPU for short and also known as a graphics card, renders images and tasks. It speeds up the process of your computer generating images which can, in turn, give you better graphics.
RAM
Random Access Memory, or RAM for short, stores short-term data for temporary access, like if you were playing a game or opening up a browser. This way, the computer can access the information or data quickly.
SSD/HDD Storage
Both SSD and HDD are storage devices that store long-term data for permanent access. SSD stands for Solid State Drive, and HDD stands for Hard Disk Drives. HDD stores data on a disk and its parts are mechanical; SSD uses flash memory. This difference makes it quicker to access information through SSD; however, HDD is generally cheaper per gigabyte and can last longer than SSD. Overall it boils down to personal preference.
Refresh Rate
A refresh rate is the number of times a computer generates a new image per second. Generally, a higher refresh rate makes a far smoother image quality, and they can range from 30 to 240 Hertz.
Conclusion
Computer terms can sometimes get confusing, even for some of the most knowledgeable in the tech field. This list doesn’t go into depth, but I hope it demystifies some parts of computer hardware.
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