Answer to Question #153187 in Computer Networks for Djoukang Temfack Samanta Samira

Question

You have recently acquired a second-hand PC from a friend and immediately decided to upgrade some of its internal components.

a.) Name any three of the components.

b.) Explain one benefit to derive from the upgrade of each of the named components.

Answer 1

PC Internal components that could be upgraded

1. Random Access Memory(RAM)
2. Hard Disk/Hard drive
3. Graphics Card/Video Card

Benefits of upgrading each of the components

RAM

Computers store programs and data they are working on inside the RAM. This is because it is faster to access data stored in the RAM than fetching data from the hard drive during processing. A PC with low RAM capacity will keep moving data and programs from the RAM to the hard disk, in order create space for the immediate data needed by the CPU in the RAM.

This moving of data back and forth from the hard drive to the RAM slows down the computer. Therefore, a bigger RAM capacity in the PC would mean faster processing when using it as more data and programs can be loaded to the RAM at the same time.

Hard Disk

A computer stores data the operating system, programs and user files in the hard drive. Increasing the hard disks or swapping the original hard drive that came with the PC would mean that I can store much more data and programs in the PC.

Graphics card

The video card is responsible for processing video content for display on the screen. Many PCs come with an integrated video card in the motherboard. However, in order to have a good graphics experience when using programs such as graphics editing and video editing software and playing games, a more powerful video card will be required.