Don't
know SATA from AGP? Get CAS level confused with
FSB? When shopping for a computer, you're bound
to come across some unfamiliar acronyms and technologies.
Read on for Velocity Micro's guide to understanding
today's hardware.
A motherboard
is a large piece of printed circuit board (PCB)
that attaches to the inside of your system’s
case. Motherboards feature attachments for different
computer devices: processors, hard drives, CD
and DVD drives, add-on cards, and USB ports. All
of these devices connect to the motherboard directly,
as in the case of video cards, or indirectly via
cables, as in the case of hard drives and optical
drives.
You can
think of the motherboard as a hub, a central station
through which all information must pass. The front-side
bus (FSB) speed of your motherboard measures how
quickly it can pass information along to different
PC devices. Faster FSB speeds mean increased system
performance.
When a
feature is advertised as “onboard,”
this means it is integrated directly onto the
motherboard. For example, “onboard sound”
means that the motherboard has a chip on it which
produces sound. The disadvantage in this situation
is that sound processing uses system memory (RAM)
instead of the specially dedicated memory found
on a sound card. The same holds true for onboard
graphics and Ethernet. Users concerned with high
performance may want to reduce the number of onboard
feature to their system by adding cards for certain
applications.
Motherboards
are custom-built to support a certain range of
processors. You cannot, for example, place an
AMD Athlon processor on a motherboard designed
to support an Intel Pentium 4 processor. Additionally,
a motherboard will only support certain types
of each kind of processor.
The processor,
also called the Central Processing Unit (CPU),
is the brain of your system. The processor executes
instructions, transforming computer code into
real-time action. The processor is the single
most important factor in determining the speed
of a system.
The faster
the processor the faster it can handle information
and the faster the system will run overall.
In recent
years, CPU makers Intel and AMD have introduced
many new features to their processor lines.
Read on for some definitions of terms related
to processors.
-
Athlon
64 and 64-bit processing (for AMD systems)
– While 32-bit processors can only handle
4 gigabytes (billions of bytes) of data, 64-bit
processors can address 16 exabytes
of information – that’s 3 orders
of magnitude beyond one trillion. While that
is a futuristic amount of information, 64-bit
processors are still attached to modern-day
memory and system bus architectures. However,
64-bit processors will not fully realize their
potential until the introduction of a true
64-bit operating system and 64-bit software.
At present the key to 64-bit processors is
not speed, which has been the traditional
measure of a processor’s power, but
its ability to handle large amounts of data
more efficiently than a 32-bit processor.
For more technical information, see AMD's
website.
-
Extreme Edition (for Intel Systems)
– Pentium chips marked “Extreme
Edition” run at an 800MHz FSB, include
2MB of L3 Cache, and support HyperThreading.
Extreme Edition processors are designed for
high-end gamers and power users.
-
FSB – Front-Side Bus,
the speed of which measures how fast the motherboard
can communicate with its RAM and its chipset.
FSB speed is measured in megahertz (MHz).
-
GHz
– Gigahertz. The standard measurement
of processor speed. 1GHz = 1,000 Megahertz
(MHz). AMD’s processors do not use
this rating; instead, they go by a numbering
scheme that roughly corresponds with certain
GHz speeds.
-
HT – HyperThreading
(sometimes abbreviated HTT, or HyperThreading
Technology). Technology released by Intel
for its Pentium processors. HyperThreading
enables the processor to multitask between
two software programs at the same time, providing
a performance boost of 25-30%.
-
L2 Cache – Level 2
Cache. A collection of chips on the processor
that speeds up commonly-used functions. The
more cache a processor has, the quicker it
can perform certain functions.
-
L3 Cache – Level 3
Cache. An extra level of chips on the processor
that speeds up commonly-used functions.
The term
“memory” used by itself is synonymous
with Random Access Memory (RAM). RAM acts as
temporary storage for information. The processor
can grab information from RAM extremely quickly.
This technology allows you to multitask, or
run several programs on your system at the same
time. A spreadsheet, for example, is held in
RAM until you save it to the hard drive. While
the spreadsheet is open you can do other things
like burn CDs, play games, or browse the Internet.
Your system’s ability to efficiently handle
large amounts of information (whether in a single
program or between many programs) is directly
influenced by the amount and speed of RAM it
contains.
Velocity
Micro systems use DDR RAM, a technology which
improves upon Single Data Rate (SDR) RAM by
processing twice as many instructions.
RAM is
volatile, meaning it is erased when the system
is turned off. More RAM means that you can handle
larger files and open more applications at the
same time.
RAM comes
in many different types and speeds. Read on
for definitions of technologies used in RAM.
-
CL2 – CAS Level 2.
The CAS level refers to your memory’s
latency, the time it takes for your memory
to respond when given instructions. Lower
numbers are better; CL2 is faster memory than
CL2.5, which is in turn faster than memory
rated at CL3.
-
DDR – Double Data Rate.
Type of RAM used in nearly all systems and
video cards today.
-
Heat Spreader – A piece
of hardware that attaches to a memory module,
helping to dissipate heat.
-
PCxxxx –The internal
speed of your RAM. PC4200 memory runs at 533Mhz,
PC4000 memory runs at 500Mhz, PC 3700 memory
runs at 466MHz, PC3500 memory runs at 433mhz,
and PC3200 memory runs at 400Mhz. You will
notice that these MHz speeds correspond with
the DDR number listed: for example, our 400
MHz memory is listed as "PC3200 DDR400."
A video
adapter, also referred to as a video card, is
responsible for displaying images on the monitor.
Modern video cards stress 3D imaging and include
a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) or Visual Processing
Unit (VPU) to handle special graphics-related
tasks. This design frees up the processor (CPU)
to handle other data. Additionally, modern video
cards come with increasingly higher amounts
of dedicated (onboard) RAM. The RAM onboard
the video card ensures that system RAM remains
free for other tasks.
Modern
video cards generate a lot of heat when they
are being used for performance applications
such as 3D games. Velocity Micro offers a fan
system that ensures your video card does not
overheat. Maintaining a moderate temperature
is an important factor in system stability.
Faster
video cards with more RAM mean quicker games
and increased image quality. Gaming enthusiasts
may want to consider adding high-end video cards
to their systems.
3D games
utilize many features on video cards. See Velocity
Micro’s 3D Gaming Glossary
for more information on these terms.
-
AGP – Accelerated Graphics
Port. The standard interface a video card
uses to connect to the motherboard. A motherboard
offering an AGP port will accommodate all
of today’s newest 3D graphics cards.
A number in front of the letters denotes increased
speed; for example, “8x AGP” means
the video card supports AGP speeds up to eight
times its original specification.
-
Dual Heads – Technology
that allows video output to be split among
two monitors. Each monitor can display the
same image or the image can be split across
both monitors. You can also have different
programs open on each monitor.
Hard
drives (also called hard disks) store data permanently.
The amount of information you can store on your
hard drive depends on its size, which is measured
in gigabytes (GB). Though this seems like a
lot of space, programs and data can quickly
gobble up large amounts of storage. Investing
in a large hard drive will serve you well during
the life of your system.
-
ATA – Advanced Technology
Attachment. Interface that allows hard drives
to connect to the motherboard. Revisions of
ATA include ATA/66, ATA/100, and ATA/133,
all offering increased speeds. Also known
as Parallel ATA or IDE, this interface is
beginning to be phased out with the introduction
of SATA hard drives. Optical drives still
require an IDE attachment.
-
Cache
- Similar to the cache on processors, a hard
drive's cache stores frequently-used information
for quick access. The larger a drive's cache,
the more information it can store inside.
-
GB – Gigabytes. A measure
of a hard drive’s capacity to store
data. 1 GB equals roughly 1,000 Megabytes.
-
RAID
- Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive)
Disks. Technology that allows two hard drives
to be "striped" together into a
single C:\ drive, providing a variety of benefits.
The most common setup is RAID 0 Stripe which
offers increased hard disk performance since
two hard drives are working to process the
same data. Most motherboards today provide
for RAID, eliminating the need for a separate
controller.
-
RPM – Revolutions per
Minute. Hard drives contain a spindle which
rotates the magnetic platters. The spindle
speed of the hard drive is measured in RPM.
Traditional speeds include 5400RPM and 7200RPM.
Serial ATA offers speeds of 10,000RPM.
-
SATA/150 or Serial ATA –
Serial Advanced Technology Attachment. High-speed
interface for connecting hard drives to the
motherboard. SATA replaces ATA by offering
increased data transfer speeds (up to 150
Mbps), and cables that are easier to manage
inside a system's case. Today's motherboards
can support 2 Serial ATA drives in a RAID
configuration.
Optical
drives are so named because they use lasers
to write and read data off discs. Types of optical
drives include CD-ROM, CD-R/W, DVD-ROM, and
DVD +/- R/W. Read on for an explanation of some
terms associated with optical drives.
-
Ax/Bx/Cx – Method of
referring to the write/rewrite/read speeds
of a CD-R/W drive. For example, a measurement
of 52x/32x/52x means that drive can write
to CD-R discs at 52x, re-write to CD-R/W discs
at 32x, and read data from CDs at 52x. For
reference, 1x is equivalent to 150 kilobytes
per second, which places 52x speeds at around
7,800 kilobytes per second, or 7.8 megabytes
per second. High-grade CD-R media, a fast
drive, and a great software package are your
keys to burning CDs quickly. The same “x”
numbers hold true for DVD +/- RW drives (those
that burn DVDs). A 4x DVD +/- RW drive burns
DVDs at a maximum of 5.54 megabytes per second.
-
ROM – Read Only Memory.
Drives with a “-ROM” suffix can
only read data from discs. These drives cannot
burn CDs or DVDs.
-
+/- RW – These letters
specify the formats to which a DVD burner
can write. Four formats exist: +R, -R, +RW,
and –RW. Check the specifications of
the drive you have selected to match with
the kind of blank DVD discs you buy.
Audio
cards (also called sound cards) output sound
from your system. Higher-end models feature
increased audio quality, support for multiple
speakers, and a variety of inputs for connecting
different audio equipment to your system.
-
5.1 vs. 6.1 vs. 7.1 –
Refers to the amount of speakers in a surround-sound
system. The “.1” refers to the
presence of a subwoofer; so a 6.1 system contains
6 speakers placed around the room and a subwoofer
to reproduce bass frequencies. The entire
Audigy 2 ZS line supports a 7.1 setup for
your system.
-
Audigy 2 ZS vs. ZS Platinum vs. ZS
Platinum Pro – The different
levels of Audigy 2 ZS include different features.
The ZS Platinum includes a “breakout
box” that handles many different types
of sound recording inputs and outputs. The
Platinum Pro places this same box outside
the case and includes a remote. Each step
up the ladder includes more bundled software.
-
IEEE 1394 FireWire –
FireWire (code-named by Apple Computers) is
an extremely fast way to connect peripherals
to your system. FireWire ports are traditionally
used in transferring digital video from a
camcorder to a system.
Ethernet
network adapters allow your system to connect
to a cable modem, DSL modem, or local area network
(LAN).
-
10/100/1000Mbps
Ethernet – Mbps stands for
“megabits per second” and refers
to the speed of data transmission across a
network. 10/100/1000 refers to the amount
of megabits per second that a card is capable
of transmitting: either 10, 100, or 1000 megabits
per second, allowing for maximum compatibility
with all networks. 1000 Mbps = 1Gbps (Gigabits
per second), which is why the technology is
referred to as “Gigabit Ethernet.”
-
NPU - Network Processing Unit acts as a co-processor to optimize all
PC/game communications by prioritizing game traffic, bypassing the Windows OS stack, and offloading the CPU.
-
LLR - Lag and Latency Reduction technology enables optimization of
online game network communications to improve game responsiveness.
-
USB
/ USB 2.0 – Universal Serial
Bus. USB is a technology that allows all sorts
of peripherals, from printers and scanners
to mice and sound cards, to connect to your
system. USB 2.0 ports improve data transfer
rate over the original USB. USB devices can
be plugged and unplugged while the system
is on.
-
Intellimouse
vs. Intellimouse 3.0A – Both
of these mice are optical, meaning they use
a laser for movement, and both feature a scroll
wheel. The Intellimouse 3.0A, however, has
extra buttons and a more durable construction.
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