Hardware definition: What is hardware (Computer) in Simple English?

I am going to define hardware in computer, so you can understand what is hardware and how it helps to process the instructions which a person submit online via browser or via a software using the keyword and mouse.

At present everybody is familier with computer and mobile technology, but still many are confused about what is hardware and software? Well, I will sort this and define hardware in simple English, so everyone can understand what is this and how it helps to provide relevant output.

I assume everyone knows about the computer which is commonly known as PC, Desktop, Laptop.  In terms of mobile, the keypad phone, smartphone with touch display, tab, iPad are also a form of computer because they all take the input and provides output in meaningful that human being can understand.

So if we talk about the hardware, then a hardware is that we can touch and feel.

I am not talking about the product’s body, I am talking about the items that have been placed or connected inside the product’s body is called hardware.

For an example:

In computer, the keyboard, mouse, printer, cables, connectors, cooling fans, speakers, monitor are the hardware which you can touch with your bare hands and use them.

If you have a desktop PC that comes with a cabinet then you can see what’s inside that cabinet?

Upon opening the cabinet, you will find a dozen of items. All are placed smartly inside steel or aluminum built section and connected with multi lane wire.

Inside the cabinet you will find:

• Motherboard
• RAM
• ROM
• SDD/HDD
• Graphic Cards
• Cooling Fans
• SMPS
• Wires
• and Tiny but powerful CPU aka processor

These all are hardware which helps to process the given instruction. More powerful specs mean the PC is fast and cable to process the instructions within milliseconds.

A PC with high tech graphic cards are capable to play 3D games in live mode.

So if now I precisely define hardware, then it is the backbone of system which take the instructions, process it, save it in memory and show it to user via the monitor.

That’s why when someone says what are the specs of this PC or mobile? then the person would like to know about the hardware i.e. processor, RAM, storage space, L1 cache, L2 cache, graphic card, number of ports, battery capacity, wi-fi card, LAN port, display quality and resolution etc.

Now if we dive in detail and know more about the computer hardware then you can divide it in two parts:

• #1. Internal Hardware
• #2. External Hardware also known as peripheral devices.

#1. Internal Hardware

An internal hardware is what that is placed inside the cabinet or products body. Though we can touch them but we have to open the case first. So whatever item placed inside the body and tightened with nuts and bolts it is called internal hardware.

Mostly these type of hardware is operated and handled with care by a computer technician or by those who know about the computer hardware very well.

Components that falls under the internal hardware are:

• RAM
• Graphic Card
• SDD/HDD
• NIC
• Motherboard
• Cooling Fans
• CPU

#1. External Hardware

An external hardware is what that is placed outside the cabinet or products body. You can directly see them and interact on daily basis while working on the computer.  So whatever items you can touch or placed outside are called external hardware.

Mostly these type of hardware is operated and can handled with anyone with little knowledge of computer and related tech like mobile or tablet etc.

Components that falls under the external hardware are:

• Monitor
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Printer
• Scanner
• Touch Pad
• Digital Pen
• Web Camera
• USB
• Speakers

That’s an overview of computer hardware. I hope now you can educated your family members or friends about it and help them to understand what is hardware.

Now if we talk about the software, then it is just a program that we run on the device like computer or mobile. Unlike hardware, we can’t touch and feel it, but we can see what it can do by monitoring it on the computer monitor and we can further interact it with by the keyboard and mouse.

Well this a simple guide on what is hardware? Still would like to know, comment below and don’t forget to share!