Module 7:

Computer
System Specifications
For the learner:

Welcome to Computer Systems Servicing NCII Module on Computer Peripheral

Devices. The hand is one of the most symbolized part of the human body. It is often
used to depict skill, action and purpose. Through our hands we may learn, create
and accomplish. Hence, the hand in this learning resource signifies that you as a
learner is capable and empowered to successfully achieve the relevant competencies
and skills at your own pace and time. Your academic success lies in your own hands!

This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful
opportunities for guided and independent learning at your own pace and time. You
will be enabled to process the contents of the learning material while being an active
learner.

This module has the following parts and corresponding icons:

Expectation - These are what you will be able to know after
completing the lessons in the module

Pre-test - This will measure your prior knowledge and

the concepts to be mastered throughout the lesson.

Recap - This section will measure what learnings and

skills that you understand from the previous lesson.

Lesson- This section will discuss the topic for this

module.

Activities - This is a set of activities you will perform.

Wrap Up- This section summarizes the concepts and

applications of the lessons.

Valuing-this part will check the integration of values in

the learning competency.

Post-test - This will measure how much you have learned

from the entire module. Ito po ang parts ng module
 EXPECTATIONS
After completing this lesson, you should be able to:
1. identify the computer system specifications;
2. understand computer system specifications;
3. appreciate the importance of learning computer system specifications.

PRETEST

DIRECTION: Read the following statement carefully. Choose the best

answer by encircling your answer.

1. It is technical descriptions of the computer's components and capabilities.

a. Computer system specification c. Gigahertz
b. Megabytes & Gigabytes d. Gigabytes
2. What is the unit of measurement to measure CPU speed?
a. Computer system specification c. Gigahertz
b. Megabytes & Gigabytes d. Gigabytes
3. In what unit of measurement can RAM be measured?
a. Computer system specification c. Gigahertz
b. Megabytes & Gigabytes d. Gigabytes
4. Hard disk drive can be measured in what unit of measurement?
a. Computer system specification c. Gigahertz
b. Megabytes & Gigabytes d. Gigabytes
5. This pertaining to the speed of the disk spins when reading and writing of
data in the drive.
a. Rotational Velocity c. Gigahertz
b. Megabytes & Gigabytes d. Interface

RECAP
DIRECTION: Read the following statement carefully. Choose the best
answer by encircling your answer.
1. It is generally defined as any auxiliary device such as a computer mouse
or keyboard, that connects to and works with the computer.
a. Computer Peripheral c. Mouse
b. Webcam d. Keyboard
2. It is an input device that uses "point and click" technology to
interact with a computer.
a. Computer Peripheral c. Mouse
b. Webcam d. Keyboard
3. It is one of the most common input device that is used to enter letters,
numbers, and other symbols to give the computer with information
and instruction.
a. Computer Peripheral c. Mouse
b. Webcam d. Keyboard
4. This device is most often used to enable people to see each other when
communicating over the internet, or for recording video blogs, or other
videos.
a. Computer Peripheral c. Mouse
b. Webcam d. Keyboard
5. This device feeds a sound signal to the computer, where it can be recorded,
or streamed across the internet.
a. Monitor c. Projector
b. Speaker d. Microphone
6. It essentially displays a signal sent by the computer in a visual format.
a. Monitor c. Projector
b. Speaker d. Microphone
7. It is another common type of output device that typically come in pairs to
provide stereo sound and sometimes with a subwoofer unit too in
order to enhance bass frequency.
a. Monitor c. Projector
b. Speaker d. Microphone
8. This device project still or moving images onto a screen, blank wall, or
other surface.
a. Monitor c. Projector
b. Speaker d. Microphone
9. They are used to generate hard copies of electronic data stored on a
computer, most often text or images onto paper.
a. Monitor c. Joystick
b. Printer d. Microphone
10. It is an input device that is often used to control video games, and
usually have one or more push-buttons whose state can also be read
by the computer.
a. Monitor c. Joystick
b. Printer d. Microphone
 LESSON

COMPUTER SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS

Computer system specifications are technical descriptions of the

computer's components and capabilities. Decisions on hardware specification
are often driven by the minimum hardware required to run specific software.
In broad terms, the performance of a computer depends on four factors: the
speed and architecture of its processor or "central processing unit" (CPU), how
much random access memory (RAM) it has, its graphics system, and its
internal hard drive speed and capacity.

PROCESSOR SPEED & ARCHITECTURE

The speed of a computer's processor chip is
measured in gigahertz (GHz). For most
computing tasks -- including web browsing,
sending e-mails, word processing and
spreadsheet work -- any processor running at
1GHz or more remains perfectly sufficient.
The architecture of a processor is the most important factor to determine
its performance, and refers to its basic design and complexity. Some
processors are simply more sophisticated than others, with Intel (for example)
producing "basic" processors called Celerons and Pentiums, as well as more
powerful processors under its "Core" processor family. The later include the
Core 2, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7 & Core i9, with the last of these being the
most powerful.

RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY (RAM)

RAM -- or "random access memory" --
is the temporary storage space that a
computer loads software applications and
user data into when it is running. To a large
extent, the more RAM a computer has the
faster and more effectively it will operate.
 RAM is measured in megabytes (MB) and gigabytes (GB). Just how
much RAM a computer needs depends on the software it is required to run
effectively. A computer running Windows XP will usually function quite
happily with 1GB of RAM, whereas twice this amount (ie 2GB) is the realistic
minimum for computers running Windows 7.

GRAPHICS SYSTEM (VIDEO CARD)

A computer's graphics system determines how well it can work with
visual output. Graphics systems can either be integrated into a computer's
motherboard, or plugged into the motherboard as a separate "video card".
Graphics systems integrated into the motherboard (also known as "onboard
graphics") are now quite powerful, and sufficient for handling the
requirements of most software applications aside from games playing, 3D
modelling, and some forms of video editing.

As a basic rule, unless a computer is going to be used to handle 3D

graphics or to undertake a significant volume of video editing or recording,
today there is little point in opting for anything other than onboard graphics
(not least because separate graphics cards consume quite a lot of electricity
and create quite a lot of heat and noise). Adding a new graphics card to a
computer with onboard graphics is also a very easy upgrade if required in the
future.

Graphics cards connect to what is known as either a "PCI Express" or

an "AGP" slot on a computer's motherboard. PCI Express is the more powerful
and modern standard, with the best graphics cards requiring the use of two
PCI Express slots. A PC being upgraded from onboard graphics sometimes
also requires an upgraded power supply if it is to continue to run in a stable
fashion.
HARD DRIVE SPEED AND CAPACITY

Hard disk drives are the

high capacity storage
devices inside a computer
from which software and
user data are loaded. Like
most other modern storage
devices, the capacity of the
one or more internal hard
disks inside a computer is measured in gigabytes (GB), as detailed on
the storage page.

Two key factors determine the speed of Hard Drive:

1. Rotational velocity - The faster the disk spins, the quicker data can
be read from or written to it, hence the faster the disk the better. Most
desktop hard disks run at either 5400 or 7200 rpm, while most laptop
hard disks run at 4200 or 5400. However, upgrading to a 10000 or
15000 rpm disk -- such as a Velociraptor from Western Digital -- can
prove one of the most cost-effective upgrades for increasing the
performance and responsiveness of a desktop computer.

2. Interface used to connect it to the computer's motherboard

Types of Interfaces
a. SATA - the most modern and commonly used on new PCs
b. IDE (also known as UDMA) - which is a slower and older form of
interface
c. SCSI - the oldest but in it most modern variant is still the fastest
disk interface standard
The above points all noted, for users seeking ultimate performance, there is
now the option of installing a computer's operating system, programs and data on a
solid state drive (SSD), rather than a traditional, spinning hard disk. SSDs are far
faster and more energy efficient than traditional, spinning hard disks, which in
time they will largely replace. This said, at present SSDs are still a lot more expensive
than traditional spinning hard disks in terms of cost-per-gigabyte.
 ACTIVITIES

Activity #1 : TRUE or FALSE

Direction : Read the following statement carefully. Write TRUE if the
statement is correct and FALSE if it’s not. Write your answer on the space
provided before the number.

___________1. Computer processor can be measured in gigahertz (GHz).

___________2. The more RAM a computer has the faster and more effectively it
will operate.
___________3. All of the graphic systems are onboard or built-in.
___________4. For Hard disk drives, it is said that the faster the disk spins, the
quicker data can be read from or written to it, hence the faster
the disk the better.
___________5. SATA interface is the most modern and commonly used on new
PCs nowadays.

WRAP–UP
DIRECTION: Complete the following sentences base on what you’ve learn.

1. Computer systems specifications is______________________________________

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. The following should be consider for computer hardware specifications:
a.CPU__________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
b.RAM_________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
c.Graphic System_______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
d. Hard Drive___________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
 , VALUING
DIRECTION: Read the following questions carefully. State your answer in two
to three sentences each number on the space provided.

1. What do you think are the importance of learning computer system

specifications?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________.

2. Cite a situation in which you can use the knowledge you acquired about
this lesson?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________.

P POSTTEST
Direction: Identify what is being asked in the following statements. Write
your answer on the space provided.

_________________1. It is technical descriptions of the computer's

components and capabilities.
_________________2. What is the unit of measurement to measure CPU speed?
_________________3. In what unit of measurement can RAM be measured?
_________________4. Hard disk drive can be measured in what unit of
measurement?
_________________5. This pertaining to the speed of the disk spins when
reading and writing of data in the drive.
Pretest RECAP Activity # 1: Post Test
1. A 1. A 1. TRUE 1. Computer
2. C 2. C 2. TRUE system
3. B 3. D 3. FALSE specification
4. D 4. B 4. TRUE 2. Gigahertz
5. A 5. D 5. TRUE
3. Megabytes &
6. A
Gigabytes
7. B
4. Gigabytes
8. C
9. B 5. Rotational
10.C Velocity
KEY TO CORRECTION