desktop computers
Stationary office PCs
Desktop computers are personal computers designed for stationary use at a desk, typically consisting of a separate monitor, keyboard, and tower or case housing the processor and storage.
Distinguished from laptops and tablets by their larger size, greater power, and lack of portability: She prefers a desktop computer for video editing.
The term emerged in the 1980s as computers shrank from room-sized to desk-sized, though it now seems almost quaint as devices continue shrinking.
Main computing chip
- motherboardComputer's primary circuit platform
- RAMTemporary data storage hardware
- hard driveComputer's internal storage device
- SSDChip-based storage device
power supply · peripherals · ethernet · USB ports · BIOS · firmware · drivers · heat sink
What's passed down
- discontinuedNo longer available
- retroEvoking recent past
- CRT monitorElectron-beam display device
- floppy driveMagnetic disk reader
parallel port · serial port · dial-up · beige box · tower · PS/2 · IDE · AGP
Output relative to input
- monitorDisplay or supervisor
- keyboardArray of input keys
- mouseSmall gnawing mammal
- printerMachine producing paper copies
scanner · cubicle · spreadsheet · email · corporate · networking · teleconference · all-in-one
Technical computing system
- CADTechnical drawing technology
- 3D modelingCreating digital three-dimensional objects
- video editingAssembling filmed footage digitally
- graphic designArranging images and text
rendering · multitasking · Xeon · developer · programming · precision · color accuracy · creative suite
Visual processing hardware
- GPUVisual processing hardware
- overclockingExceeding manufacturer's speed specifications
- coolingLosing thermal energy
- RGBAdditive color model
4K · streaming · battlestation · SSD · liquid cooling · mechanical keyboard · gaming mouse · dual monitor
CPU
Main computing chip
- motherboardComputer's primary circuit platform
- RAMTemporary data storage hardware
- hard driveComputer's internal storage device
SSD · power supply · peripherals · ethernet · USB ports · BIOS · firmware · drivers · heat sink · expansion slots
legacy
What's passed down
- discontinuedNo longer available
- retroEvoking recent past
- CRT monitorElectron-beam display device
floppy drive · parallel port · serial port · dial-up · beige box · tower · PS/2 · IDE · AGP · Windows XP
productivity
Output relative to input
printer · scanner · cubicle · spreadsheet · email · corporate · networking · teleconference · all-in-one · inventory
workstation
Technical computing system
- CADTechnical drawing technology
- 3D modelingCreating digital three-dimensional objects
- video editingAssembling filmed footage digitally
graphic design · rendering · multitasking · Xeon · developer · programming · precision · color accuracy · creative suite · compositing
graphics card
Visual processing hardware
- GPUVisual processing hardware
- overclockingExceeding manufacturer's speed specifications
- coolingLosing thermal energy
RGB · 4K · streaming · battlestation · SSD · liquid cooling · mechanical keyboard · gaming mouse · dual monitor · frame rate
desktop computerslaptops
Mobile personal computers
notebook computers · mobile devices · smartphones · tablets · portable computers
desktop computerssupercomputers
Extremely powerful computing machines
mainframes · data centers · cloud computing · quantum computers · embedded systems
desktop computerscloud computing
Internet-delivered digital infrastructure
mobile computing · edge computing · mainframes · typewriters · analog computers
desk, computer, compute, computing, computers, desktop, computation, computerized, computes