Handy Computer Acronyms ROM: Read-Only Memory

SATA: Serial Advanced Technology Attachment

AGP: Accelerated Graphics Port SCSI: Small Computer System Interface
ATX (Advanced Technology eXtended SIMM: Single In-Line Memory Module
BIOS: Basic Input-Output Services SMART: Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology
CD: Compact Disc SMPS, or switched-mode power supply
CD-R: Compact Disc Recordable SO-DIMM: Small Outline Dual In-Line Memory Module
CD-ROM: Compact Disc Read-Only Memory SPOF: Single Point of Failure
CD-RW: Compact Disc Re-Writable SRAM: Static Random Access Memory
CPU: The Central Processing Unit, Microprocessor, or sRGB: Standard Red Green Blue
simply Processor. SSD: Solid State Drive
DDR: Double Data Rate UPS: Uninterruptible Power Supply
DDR2: Double Data Rate 2. USB: Universal Serial Bus.
DDR3: Double Data Rate Type 3. VGA: Video Graphics Array
DDR4: Double Data Rate Type 4. VDU: Visual Display Unit
DIMM: Dual In-Line Memory Module VRAM: Video Random Access Memory
DV: Digital Video CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semi-Conductor)
DVD: Digital Versatile Disc
DVD+R: Digital Versatile Disc Recordable Parts of A Motherboard
DVD+RW: Digital Versatile Disk Rewritable
DVD-R: Digital Versatile Disc Recordable
DVD-RAM: Digital Versatile Disc Random Access Memory
DVD-RW: Digital Versatile Disk Rewritable
DVI: Digital Video Interface
ECC: Error Correction Code
EIDE: Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics
FSB: Front Side Bus
HDD: Hard Disk Drive
HDMI: High-Definition Multimedia Interface
HDTV: High-Definition Television
I/O: Input/Output
ID10T: Pronounced "Eye Dee Ten Tee
IDE: Integrated Device Electronics
IEEE: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
IGP: Integrated Graphics Processor
IRQ: Interrupt Request
ISA: Industry Standard Architecture 1. BIOS and CMOS – storage of information and settings of
LAN: Local Area Network the mother board.
LCD: Liquid Crystal Display 2. Input/Output Ports - follow a standard PC color coding.
LUN: Logical Unit  Microphone- pink
MAC Address: Media Access Control Address  Speakers and Headphones- green
MBR: Master Boot Record  Monitor- Older motherboards are equipped
MCA: Micro Channel Architecture with a solid blue VGA port at the back but
MOBO: A cooler way to say "motherboard." newer motherboards use the HDMI and black
NIC: Network Interface Card or white DVI port as standard.
NTFS: New Technology File System.  Ethernet network cable- colorless port
NVMe SSD: An SSD drive with a very fast interface  Keyboard and Mouse- PS/2 port (Keyboard-
NVRAM: Non-Volatile Random Access Memory purple; Mouse- green)
OSD: On Screen Display  USB devices- USB 2.0 colorless port
PCB: Printed Circuit Board USB 3.0 solid blue port
PCI: Peripheral Component Interconnect 3. IDE and SATA connector (Storage Device Connectors)
PCIe: Peripheral Component Interconnect Express The internal storage device connectors are where you will
PCI-X: Peripheral Component Interconnect Extended connect your storage devices.
PCMCIA: Personal Computer Memory Card International
Association
PEBKAC: Problem Exists Between Keyboard and Chair
PMU: Power Management Unit
PROM: Programmable Read-Only Memory
PS/2: Personal System/2
PSU: Power supply unit
RAID: Redundant Array of Independent Disks
RAM: Random-Access Memory
RDRAM: Rambus Dynamic Random Access Memory
 4. Power Connectors- draws out the needed power directly
from the power supply.
5. Cabinet Connections -connect the Power Switch, the LED
power indicator, the Reset Switch, the HDD.
6. CPU Socket - where the processing and transfer of data
happens.
7. Expansion Card Slots - add a new component to the
motherboard
 Video card slot
 Network card slot
 Modem card slot
 Audio card slot
Video Card Slot
Aside from the integrated graphics from APUs and other
Intel CPUs with integrated graphics, the video card slot lets
you upgrade the graphical output and performance of your
computer. This goes to the high data slots, like the PCIe slot
or AGP slot. Ports include, but are not limited to, (depends
on the card):
 HDMI
 DVI
 DisplayPort
Network Card Slot
 Network card slot is where you put the Network Interface
Card (NIC). This allows you to connect to other computer
networks via LAN or the internet. It has an RJ-45 port at the
back.
Modem Card Slot
This is where you connect your network card so you can
connect to the internet through the telephone line.
Obviously, this is an older technology than the above NIC.
This typically has 2 RJ-11 connectors to connect to the
telephone.
Audio Card Slot
This is where audio cards fit. They basically convert
electrical signals to the audio signals or sound that we can
hear. Depending on the type of audio there will be different
types of ports found at the back. But it usually has several
3.5mm ports used for the following:
 Microphone
 Speaker
 Recorder
 Gaming Joystick
8. RAM (Memory) Slots
RAM, or Random Access Memory, slots are one of the most
important parts on a motherboard.
The RAM slots are, unsurprisingly, where you place the
RAM modules. There is the SIMM slot (Single in-line
memory module) that only supports 32-bit bus and there is
the DIMM slot (Dual inline memory module) that can
simultaneously run with a 64-bit bus.
DDR3 (Double Data Rate 3th Generation) was once the
standard with RAM, but this has slowly been replaced
with DDR4 (Double Data Rate 4th Generation). While DDR3
is still surprisingly effective, DDR4 is slowly becoming the
standard. Moreover, most motherboards don’t support
both DDR3 and DDR4, so there are compatibility and future
proofing concerns.
When it comes to gaming, there’s still an active debate
whether you need 8GB or 16GB of DDR4.