microcomputer
Personal digital device
A microcomputer is a small computer built around a microprocessor—a single integrated circuit containing the central processing unit.
The term emerged in the 1970s to distinguish personal and desktop machines from larger minicomputers and mainframes.
Though technically still accurate, microcomputer sounds dated; most people now just say computer or PC.
Technical computing system
- towerTall slender edifice
- monitorDisplay or supervisor
- keyboardArray of input keys
- mouseSmall gnawing mammal
CPU · motherboard · RAM · harddrive · ethernet · Windows · macOS · Linux
Portable hinged computer
- notebookBlank pages for jottings
- netbookCompact budget laptop
- tabletFlat portable computing device
- palmtopPocket-sized personal computer
handheld · battery-powered · compact · lightweight · touchscreen · convertible · detachable · foldable
Small broken-off piece
- motherboardComputer's primary circuit platform
- RAMTemporary data storage hardware
- firmwareHardware's permanent programming
- binaryConsisting of two parts
bit · byte · register · bus · cache · semiconductor · transistor · circuitboard
Commodore's 1985 home computer
Casual, unskilled adjusting
- ArduinoOpen-source prototyping platform
- breadboardSolderless circuit-building platform
- solderingLow-temp metal fusion
- circuitryInterconnected electronic components
DIY · maker · kits · modding · programming · robotics · electronics · assembly
Computer-based document composition
- spreadsheetsTabular data documents
- gamesOrganized competitive activities
- databasesOrganized electronic information collections
- programmingWriting software instructions
graphics · education · accounting · desktop publishing · emulation · multimedia · coding · simulation
workstation
Technical computing system
mouse · CPU · motherboard · RAM · harddrive · ethernet · Windows · macOS · Linux · peripherals
laptop
Portable hinged computer
palmtop · handheld · battery-powered · compact · lightweight · touchscreen · convertible · detachable · foldable · slim
chip
Small broken-off piece
- motherboardComputer's primary circuit platform
- RAMTemporary data storage hardware
- firmwareHardware's permanent programming
binary · bit · byte · register · bus · cache · semiconductor · transistor · circuitboard · heatsink
Amiga
Commodore's 1985 home computer
tinkering
Casual, unskilled adjusting
- ArduinoOpen-source prototyping platform
- breadboardSolderless circuit-building platform
- solderingLow-temp metal fusion
circuitry · DIY · maker · kits · modding · programming · robotics · electronics · assembly · hacking
wordprocessing
Computer-based document composition
- spreadsheetsTabular data documents
- gamesOrganized competitive activities
- databasesOrganized electronic information collections
programming · graphics · education · accounting · desktop publishing · emulation · multimedia · coding · simulation
- computerscomputers, desktop, desktops, laptop, laptops
- retro gamingretro gaming, 8-bit, NES, SNES, 16-bit
- calculating machinescalculator, adding machine, difference engine, abacus, desk calculator
microcomputermainframe
Large centralized computer system
mainframe computer · supercomputer · server farm · data center · minicomputer
microcomputermainframe
Large centralized computer system
ENIAC · analog computer · dumb terminal · cloud computing · quantum computer