Origin: The first commercial processor was the Intel 4004, launched in 1971, developed in the USA. Manufacturers: Intel, AMD, ARM, Apple (M1/M2). Evolution: From 4-bit processors (like the 4004), through 8, 16, 32 up to current 64-bit ones. Intel generations are known as "Core Generations" (Core i3, i5, i7, i9) and AMD as Ryzen (1000 to 7000 Series). Advances: More cores, higher clock speed, technologies like Hyper-Threading, Turbo Boost, Zen Architecture (AMD).
Origin: The first memories were magnetic core (1950s). Dynamic RAM (DRAM) was developed by IBM and Intel in the 70s. Major manufacturers: Samsung, Kingston, Corsair, Crucial. Generations: DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4, DDR5 (current). Use: Temporary data and instruction storage. Each new generation offers more speed and lower consumption.
Hard Disk Drive (HDD): Invented by IBM in 1956 with the IBM 305 RAMAC model, it weighed over 1 ton and stored 5 MB. SSD: Appeared in the 1990s, became mainstream in the 2010s. They use NAND flash memory, with no moving parts. Manufacturers: Western Digital, Seagate, Samsung, Crucial, SanDisk. SSD advantages: Speed, lower power use, no noise. Common formats: SATA, NVMe, M.2.
Origin: Appeared in the 1980s with the IBM PC. The first major standard was AT and then ATX. Functions: Interconnects CPU, RAM, expansion cards, drives, and peripherals. Manufacturers: ASUS, MSI, ASRock, Gigabyte. Generations: Varies in chipsets and sockets like LGA1151, AM4, AM5.
Origin: IBM created the first graphics card in 1981 (MDA, text-only). Modern: NVIDIA and AMD dominate with Turing, Ampere, Ada Lovelace (NVIDIA) and RDNA (AMD) architectures. Use: Rendering images, 3D modeling, AI, video games.
Originally integrated, dedicated ones appeared in the 1990s by Creative (Sound Blaster). Ethernet cards evolved from 10 Mbps to 10 Gbps+, now including Wi-Fi 6 and 7.
Modem: Stands for "Modulator/Demodulator". Popular in the 80s–90s for dial-up internet access. Router: Emerged with widespread home internet (2000s). Shares connection via cable or Wi-Fi. Adapters: PCI, USB, or integrated, they enable wireless (Wi-Fi) or wired (Ethernet) connections.
Floppy disk and drive: Invented by IBM (8-inch in 1971). Replaced by CD, DVD, USB. Cables and connectors: From serial and parallel to USB, HDMI, DisplayPort. Crucial for peripheral evolution. Peripherals: Keyboard (Sholes, 1868), mouse (Douglas Engelbart, 1964), CRT monitor → LCD → LED → OLED.