You likely use your computer or even your phone every day, but do you ever wonder how it works? If you think about it, your phone is just various metals that have been put together in such a way that it displays an image, which you can interact with. However, I'm not going to go too deep into how all this metal works together to do such a thing. Some people spend 2-4 years to learn computer science, and I don't think that'll fit into an Instagram story! But I'll explain to you the basics of how your computer works in this article!
Your Computer Is Like Your Brain
Computers and phones are actually very comparable to your brain in the way that they work, as you will see throughout this article. There are a few main components in a computer/phone: The CPU (or the central processing unit), the GPU (or the graphical processing unit), the RAM (random access memory), your device's storage, and your device's power supply or battery.
How Do They All Communicate?
All these components communicate with each other via the motherboard. This houses all the main components of your device and lets the components exchange information with each other in order to produce an image. This can be compared to the neurons in your brain, that allows your brain to send chemical or electrical signals.
The "Brain" of the Brain
Often referred to as "the brain of the computer", the CPU, or known as the central processing unit executes the instructions that make up a computer program. This can be compared to the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for thinking, reasoning, and perception.
What Part Lets Me See Things?
The GPU, or Graphical Processing Unit is responsible for speeding up the creation and rendering of computer graphics. Many modern CPUs have a GPU built-in, most common on phones, tablets, and laptops, but a dedicated GPU in a system can greatly improve performance in games, editing software, and 3D modeling. The GPU can be thought of as the Occipital Lobe, as it is responsible for producing what you see on your screen, like the occipital lobe allows us as humans to see.
How Does My Computer Store Things?
Your computer uses 2 components to store files: the RAM, and the main storage. These are comparable to short-term and long-term memory. The RAM, or random access memory, is the short-term memory for your computer. It only stores things when your computer is switched on, and is much quicker than your main storage. The CPU uses this quick storage when you run an application, so when you use the application, things don't take a long time to load.
On the other hand, your main storage is the long-term memory of your device. Some use spinning or moving parts to record information, but newer devices, like tablets, and newer computers will use something known as an SSD, or a solid-state drive, which has no moving parts, making them more reliable, and much faster. This can store files, and it is not cleared when you shut down your device.
What Gives All of This Power?
On desktops, your components will be powered by a power supply, which provides enough power to the system to run under load. On laptops or portable devices, the system is usually powered by a battery. Charging this battery for long periods of time can shorten the battery life over time, and in some cases, can cause the battery to expand as it gets towards the end of its lifetime. To help increase battery life on your device, charge it to 100% (or less) and then disconnect it, which will reduce the overall wear on the battery. Some devices now have features that stop your device from charging to 100% until the morning as well, to help increase battery longevity. The battery is almost like your digestive system, which takes in food, and converts it into energy to power your body!
Conclusion
As you can see, your computer works a lot like your brain! I hope that you have learned something new and interesting about computers!
Written by Overclocked RGB
The Anonymous Helpers (TAH)
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