What Are Personal Computers? The Insanely Powerful Machines!

Computers have outsmarted humans in trillions of ways. From calculating massive data to providing extreme security in tons of domains, computers are doing more than what they were built for. They are in the charge of almost every other dimension of our technologically-dominated society.

The rapid invasion of computers into our personal lives describes our growing reliance on them. Computers have gotten so powerful that it seems as if they are on their way to leading the world. Soon, they would overtake our world and enslave us.

Sounds like a script for any sci-fi Hollywood movie, yeah? Well, I was just throwing a lame joke. You can minus the 2nd last sentence of computers overtaking our world and the rest is undeniably true.

We are living in an age where Computers and humans are interconnected to each other. In short, they are like our partners in work. Since Computers help us out with so many personal things, we have a dedicated breed of theirs called Personal Computers. Nicknamed PC, Personal Computers will be the focus of this post for the next few minutes.

What Are Personal Computers?

A Personal Computer is a type of computer designed to be used by an individual user for a general purpose. One of the commonly-used Computer breeds, Personal Computers are way smaller in size than oversized Super Computers.

Based on an operating system designed specifically for personal use, a PC is generally used to access media files, browse the internet, run applications, and programs or play video games. In companies and corporations, a PC is used by employees for work-related purposes.

Often termed a microcomputer, a PC is a perfect device to store and access your personal information. It is one of the most reliable computing solutions for users that want to keep their privacy maintained.

Functions Of Personal Computers

Personal Computers perform a number of functions to serve the users. Although quite basic in comparison to the functions of other heavy-duty computers, these functions influence the computing experience of a user and add value to the worth of a PC.

Data Input

The first and very basic function of a PC is to get the data input from the connected devices. From keyboard to mouse devices and scanners to printers, the PC gets the data input from any type of device that connects with it.

Data Storage

Once the data input enters the system of the PC, it needs to be stored somewhere. For the purpose of storing the data, the PCs are provided with temporary and permanent data storage tanks called Random Access Memory and Hard Disk Drive respectively. Whatever data a user adds to a PC, gets stored in these storage tanks. Thus, data storage proves to be a crucial function of a Personal Computer.

Processing The Data

If data Input is the very basic function of a PC, data processing is the most important one. Keep in mind that no PC can operate without the capability of processing the data. After the PC stores the data input in storage tanks, it shares it with the CPU (Central Processing Unit) to process it. As a faculty that leads all operations of the PC, the CPU processes the data input with Random Access Memory and converts it into the desired output.

Displaying Output

As an equally important function, a PC displays the output to the user. The output is often displayed as numerics, characters, audio files, images, videos, or any other medium.

Uses Of Personal Computers

Personal Computers serve the users in so many ways that it is impossible to list their use one by one. Just to give you a rough idea, there are multiple uses of Personal Computers in households.

For example, PCs are used to create documents, access audio and video files such as songs and movies, browse the internet to get the required information, send and receive files via emails, and play video games. Moreover, PCs are also used to access social media platforms for audio and video calling.

You can also add applications and programs such as photo and video editors to the list of the uses of Personal Computers.

In workplaces, PCs are primarily used for digital documentation, database management applications, and accounting, In addition to that, PCs are also used to store business-related data to be analyzed for strategic and policy-making purposes.

Characteristics Of Personal Computers

There are multiple properties of a Personal Computer that make it a worth-using device machine. Keeping it short and to the point, these characteristics have been defined below.

Speed

To nobody’s surprise, speed is the primary characteristic of a Personal Computer. It is because of the insane super speed that a PC can run thousands of commands within a second. No matter how hard a mathematical problem is, a PC can solve it in almost no time.

Accurate Result Delivery

When processing data, Personal Computers deliver accurate results to the users. They are smart enough to make no mistakes in bringing up the results. Its highly unlikely for a PC to provide inaccurate data output.

Memorization

Like humans, Personal Computers are also good at memorizing data. They store the data in temporary and permanent storage facilities and use them when required. Because of these storage tanks, they can keep the data for as long as years.

Multitasking

While you and I have a hard time seeing, hearing, and speaking at the same time, Personal Computers don’t. They are super-good at performing thousands of tasks simultaneously and without any extreme effort. Simultaneous multitasking is one of the most amazing characteristics of Personal Computers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wrap Up

Personal Computers are leading the revolution of digitalization. With PCs, we can now access the virtual world more frequently than ever before. PCs are perfectly designed for personal use ranging from internet connectivity to digital documentation. Competing with smartphones and other similar devices, Personal Computers have been able to maintain their worth and are unlikely to retire soon.