PC Hardware & Components
This internal component handles most of the processing tasks and fits into the motherboard’s main socket.
What is the CPU?
Often color-coded blue, this USB standard introduced a 5 Gbps transfer rate.
What is USB 3.0?
This is the touchscreen technology found in modern smartphones and tablets that relies on electrical conductivity.
What is capacitive touch?
If your monitor shows “No Signal” and the system is on, this cable might be loose or disconnected.
What is the video cable (HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA)?
This type of IP address changes frequently and is typically assigned by a DHCP server.
What is a dynamic IP address?
DIMM modules are inserted into these motherboard slots to expand this kind of temporary system memory.
What are RAM slots?
This connector supports video and audio and has a smaller mini and micro version for mobile devices.
What is HDMI?
The built-in chip that allows for contactless mobile payments via services like Apple Pay or Google Pay.
What is NFC (Near Field Communication)?
This built-in diagnostic tool on the motherboard gives beep codes when hardware fails POST.
What is the BIOS/UEFI speaker?
This protocol resolves human-readable domain names like compTIA.org to numeric IP addresses.
What is DNS?
Spinning platters and magnetic storage are found in this type of legacy storage drive.
What is an HDD (Hard Disk Drive)?
The legacy parallel interface used primarily with printers before USB became the norm.
What is a DB-25 port?
Your phone’s screen won’t rotate unless this hardware sensor is functioning properly.
What is a gyroscope or accelerometer?
A computer that randomly restarts under load might be suffering from this thermal-related issue.
What is overheating or thermal throttling?
The standard port used by secure HTTPS web traffic.
What is port 443?
This component delivers power at multiple voltages and is rated in watts.
What is the PSU (Power Supply Unit)?
You’d terminate this networking cable with an RJ-45 connector.
What is a twisted-pair Ethernet cable (Cat5e/Cat6)?
In mobile device management, this process remotely erases a lost or stolen device.
What is remote wipe?
If a PC fails to recognize a new USB device, this Windows utility is your first stop for checking driver or hardware issues.
What is Device Manager?
A technician uses this command-line tool to test the path and delays of packets to a destination.
What is tracert or traceroute?
This type of expansion card is essential for rendering complex 3D graphics and high-resolution video output.
What is a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)?
This high-speed serial interface, developed by Apple, can transmit data, video, and power using a single cable.
What is Thunderbolt?
This protocol enables Bluetooth devices to connect to and control each other in a personal area network.
What is PAN (Personal Area Network)?
When troubleshooting a laptop that won't power on, this external component should be tested with a multimeter first.
What is the AC adapter or power brick?
This networking device works at OSI Layer 3 and routes traffic between multiple networks.
What is a router?