System''s Specification

SYSTEM’S SPECIFICATION
Whenever you purchase software or hardware for your computer, you should first
make sure your computer supports the system requirements. These are the necessary
specifications your computer must have in order to use the software or hardware. For
example, a computer game may require your computer to have Windows XP or later, a
2.0 GHz processor, 512 MB of RAM, a 64 MB graphics card, and 500 MB or hard drive
space. If your computer does not meet all of these requirements, the game will not run
very well or might not run at all.
It is just as important to check system requirements for hardware devices. For

example, if you buy a printer, it may require either Windows XP or Mac OS X 10.3 or
later. It may also require a USB port and 80 MB of available hard drive space. If your
computer does not have any USB ports, you will not be able to physically connect the
printer. If your machine does not have Windows XP or Mac OS X 10.3 or later, the
printer drivers may be incompatible with your operating system. This means your
computer will be unable to recognize the printer.
Most hardware and software products have the system requirements printed on
the side or bottom of the product packaging. When you are shopping for computer
software or hardware, it is a good idea to first find out exactly what your system's
specifications are and write them down on a piece of paper. The important information
to record includes:
1. Operating System (i.e. Windows XP, SP 2 or Mac OS X 10.3.8)
2. Processor Speed (i.e. Pentium 4, 3.2 GHz or Power PC G5, 2.0 GHz)
3. Memory, a.k.a. RAM (i.e. 512 MB)
4. Graphics Card (i.e. ATI Radeon 9800 w/ 256 MB video memory)
5. Hard Disk Space (i.e. 80 GB available)
6. I/O Ports (i.e. USB, Firewire, Serial, Parallel, SCSI, VGA, DVI ports)
By recording these specifications from your computer, you will be able to make
sure your computer supports the products you are buying. In terms of installation,
systems’ specification is a big consideration in order for a computer to run and work
properly for the most efficient way it could be.
In broad terms, the performance of a computer depends on four factors: the

speed and architecture of its processor or "central processing unit" (CPU), how much
random access memory (RAM) it has, its graphics system, and its internal hard drive
speed and capacity. Also of importance to most users will be the specification of its
Internet connection. Most computer users and in particular those working with a lot of
photographs, music files or videos should also think about the most suitable storage
devices they will need in order to keep and back-up all of their valuable data.
1. Processor speed and architecture

The speed of a computer's processor chip (technically known as its "clock
speed") in measured in gigahertz (GHz), with the fastest modern processors currently
running at up to 4.7GHz. However, for most computing tasks, including web browsing,
sending e-mails, word processing and spreadsheet work any processor running at
1GHz or more remains perfectly sufficient.
For applications such as video editing, 3D graphics work and (for the majority of
"power users") playing computer games, higher processor speeds is highly required.
CPU performance is now determined by far more than raw speed alone. Intel made
this very clear when it introduced its system of processor numbers. These provide an
indication of a processor's "architecture", "cache" and "front side bus (FSB) speed" in
addition to its clock speed.
The architecture of a processor is the most important factor to determine its

performance, and refers to its basic design and complexity. Some processors are
simply more sophisticated than others, with Intel (for example) producing "basic"
processors called Celerons and Pentiums, as well as more powerful processors under
its "Core" processor family. The later include the Core 2, Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7,
with the last of these being the most powerful.
In addition to clock speed and architecture, a processor's cache and front side
bus (FSB) speed also determine a computer's overall power. Cache is a form of very
fast memory integrated into the processor chip, and used to store up instructions (work
for the processor) so that it has to slow down as little as possible between tasks.
Cache is measured in megabytes (MB), with (for example) low-end Celeron processors
having as little as 0.25MB of cache (256KB), and high-end Itaniums having up to
24MB. The simple message is, the more cache the better- though high levels of cache
still come at a very significant price.
Front side bus (FSB) speed is a measure of how fast a microprocessor

communicates with the computer's main circuit board (or "motherboard") into which it is
physically connected. Again, the higher the measure the better for overall performance,
with FSB speeds currently ranging from 533MHz (still perfectly sufficient for the vast
majority of applications) up to 1600 MHz.
2. RAM
To a large extent, the more RAM a computer has the faster and more effectively
it will operate. Computers with little RAM have to keep moving data to and from their
hard disks in order to keep running. This tends to make them not just slow in general,
but more annoyingly intermittently sluggish.
RAM is measured in megabytes (MB) and gigabytes (GB), as detailed on the

storage page. Just how much RAM a computer needs depends on the software it is
required to run effectively. A computer running Windows XP will usually function quite
happily with 1GB of RAM, whereas twice this amount (ie 2GB) is the realistic minimum
for computers running Windows 7.
3. Graphic System
A computer's graphics system determines how well it can work with visual output.
Graphics systems can either be integrated into a computer's motherboard, or plugged
into the motherboard as a separate "video card". Graphics systems integrated into the
motherboard (also known as "onboard graphics") are now quite powerful, and sufficient
for handling the requirements of most software applications aside from games playing,
3D modeling, and some forms of video editing.
Any form of modern computer graphics system can now display highresolution
color images on a standard-sized display screen (ie any monitor up to about 19" in
size). The more sophisticated graphics cards now determines how well a computer can
handle the playback of high definition video, as well as the speed and quality at which
3D scenes can be rendered. Another key feature of separate graphics cards is that
most of them now allow more than one display screen to be connected to a computer.
Others also permit the recording of video.
As a basic rule, unless a computer is going to be used to handle 3D graphics or

to undertake a significant volume of video editing or recording, today there is little point
in opting for anything other than onboard graphics (not least because separate
graphics cards consume quite a lot of electricity and create quite a lot of heat and
noise). Adding a new graphics card to a computer with onboard graphics is also a very
easy upgrade if required in the future.
4. Hard Drive Speed and Capacity

Today 40GB is an absolute minimum hard drive size for a new computer running
Windows 7, with a far larger capacity being recommended in any situation where more
than office software is going to be installed. Where a computer will frequently be used
to edit video, a second internal hard disk dedicated only to video storage is highly
recommended for stable operation. Indeed, for professional video editing using a
program like Premiere Pro CS5, Adobe now recommend that a PC has at least three
internal hard disks (one for the operating system and programs, one for video project
files, and one for video media).
Two key factors determine the speed of traditional, spinning hard disks. The first
is the rotational velocity of the physical disk itself. This can currently be 4200, 5400,
7200, 10000 or 15000 rpm (revolutions per minute). The faster the disk spins, 72 the
quicker data can be read from or written to it, hence the faster the disk the better
(although faster disks consumer more power, make more noise, and generate more
heat). Most desktop hard disks run at either 5400 or 7200 rpm, whilst most laptop hard
disks run at 4200 or 5400.
The second key factor that determines performance of a traditional, internal hard
disk is the interface used to connect it to the computer's motherboard. Three types of
interface exist: Serial Advance Technology Attachment (SATA), which is the most
modern and now pretty much the norm on new PCs; Integrated Device Electronics
(IDE) (also known as UDMA), which is a slower and older form of interface, and finally
SCSI, which happens to be the oldest but in it most modern variant is still the fastest
disk interface standard.
ACTIVITY
Answer the following questions;
1. In your point of view, describe system specification? 2 points
2. How does it affect the performance of the computer? 2 points
3. What is the relevance of understanding system specification in computer hardware
servicing? 3 points
4. Why do you think that system specification is one of the most important
considerations during installation? 3 points
Quiz; Multiple choice: Choose the letter of the correct answer. (letters only)
1. This is the most important factor to determine its performance, and refers to its basic
design and complexity.
a) Ram
b) Graphic System
c) Architecture
2. This factor tends to make them not just slow in general, but more annoyingly
intermittently sluggish.
a) Graphic System
b) Ram
c) FSB
3. This factor determines how well it can work with visual output.
a) Graphic System
b) Ram
c) FSB
4. This is a form of very fast memory integrated into the processor chip, and used to
store up instructions.
a) Cache
b) Architecture
c) Hard drive speed and capacity
5. This is the measure of how fast a microprocessor communicates with the computer's
main circuit board (or "motherboard") into which it is physically connected.
a) Cache
b) Ram
c) FSB

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SYSTEM’S SPECIFICATION

It is just as important to check system requirements for hardware devices. For

In broad terms, the performance of a computer depends on four factors: the

1. Processor speed and architecture

The architecture of a processor is the most important factor to determine its

Front side bus (FSB) speed is a measure of how fast a microprocessor

RAM is measured in megabytes (MB) and gigabytes (GB), as detailed on the

As a basic rule, unless a computer is going to be used to handle 3D graphics or

4. Hard Drive Speed and Capacity

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