System Unit Components

by Tetiana Sukmanik | April 13, 2018 4:24 pm

System Unit Components

Note: This article was updated in April 2022.

Speaking of testing, we often mean the readiness of a product to enter the market and evaluate the functionality, compatibility, security, etc. The fact that should be kept in mind is that the system unit components are essential for using programs. This article will consider what elements the system unit consists of and what functions they perform.

What Is a System Unit?

The system unit is, at first glance, a simple engineering solution in the form of a box. But it has an important purpose — to combine essential components for the computer to work. Its main functions are to protect the computer from external influences and mechanical damage and maintain an optimal temperature regime inside. Typically the system unit is made of aluminum, steel, or plastic.

What Are the System Unit Components?

The content of the system unit largely depends on the computing system as a whole, its tasks, goals, and form factor. The basic structure of the system unit includes the following components:

• Motherboard — the primary device of the system unit. All other devices are connected to it. The motherboard unites all computer devices (video card, RAM, sound card, hard drive, etc.) and links them together, subsequently regulating their close-knit work.
• Processor is an incredibly complex chip that performs billions of mathematical calculations per second. It is also called a central processing unit (CPU).
• RAM (Random Access Memory) — system memory. The RAM is connected directly to the motherboard and carries out a fast exchange of information with the processor.
• Hard Drive — a mechanical drive that works on the principle of magnetic recording, is the central storage of data on most computers.
• Video Card (Graphics Adapter) — graphics accelerator, a computer component responsible for generating and displaying images. Modern Video Cards support HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface), VGA (Video Graphics Array), and DVI (Digital Visual Interface).
• Power Supply — a component that converts electrical energy into direct current required by the computer.

Functions of components

Each component has peculiar indispensable functions, which provide proper system functioning. They are:

• Motherboard. The main purpose is to connect all computer nodes into one device, so, by and large, this is just a set of wires between the processor contacts and the contacts of memory modules and peripheral devices.
• Processor is the core of the computer, so to speak, its central brain, the component that performs the bulk of the computer’s work. Data from other details is sent to the processor for calculations. After mathematical calculations, the data is returned to the various devices that use it.
• RAM aims to store and quickly access data. All information on it is lost after the power is turned off.
  Hard Drive is designed to store music, videos, photos, documents, and other files in the computer’s permanent memory.
• Video Card converts the image in the computer’s memory into a video signal for the monitor.
• Power Supply provides power to the PC. It also performs the functions of stabilization and protection against minor interference in the electrical network.

Summary

One of the options for software testing is testing on the components of the system unit. It is essential to make sure that each of them and the system works in strict accordance with specific local requirements. Testing measures that could be followed include:

• conducting performance tests to evaluate how a system performs in terms of responsiveness and stability under a particular workload:
• carrying out tests for the sequence of system operation;
• conducting “load tests”, modeling various conditions as accurately as possible and using or exceeding data volumes;
• verifying the consistency of data input and output.

An ordinary user can try to use special utilities, but for compatibility[1], load[2], and performance testing[3], it is better to find specialists. Contact us[4], and we will help you solve the issues of testing your products for any components. 

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Source URL: https://blog.qatestlab.com/2018/04/13/system-unit-components/

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