Desktop Computers Key Terms
Understand the meanings of desktop computers key terms
Desktop computers are staple in most offices. These computers can help you do everything from accounting to printing signs and business cards. Computer terminology can be confusing for some users. Learning exactly what the meanings are of desktop computers key terms will allow you to review product descriptions with ease and better navigate your computer system. Understanding these terms can also help you to pinpoint what type of computer your office needs.HDMI monitor
PCI
PCI, or peripheral component interconnect, is a type of port or connection for devices plugged into a computer. There are two types of PCI slots: basic and express. PCI express slots have a higher bandwidth for communicating with peripheral devices.Optical drive
An optical disk drive uses electromagnetic waves or a laser light to read data on disks. The most common optical drives are CD and DVD drives. These are available in both readers (which read the disk) and writers (which record data on the disk) for both CDs and DVDs.Chipset
A chipset is a group of chips or integrated circuits that are designed to work with each other to control the components in a computer. Most commonly when a desktop computer description includes a chipset it is referring to the chipset on the motherboard.Processor
A processor is the device that allows the computer to run programs. Processors are available in both dual and quad core. The dual core processor has two processing units on one piece of equipment. The quad core has four processors within the unit.Platform
A computer platform is the software that allows the computer to run. Platforms are also referred to as operating systems. There are three major computer platforms Windows, MAC and Linux.Copyright © 2013 Business.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
