The Ultimate PC Component Glossary Though your PC's inner
workings may seem mystifying, breaking down the various
components is a worthwhile exercise especially if you're
thinking about upgrades. The PC is really a group of
interconnected parts working together, including the following
components. Motherboard: At the heart of your PC is the
motherboard the communications center that allows the various
components to talk to one another. The motherboard not only
determines your PC's capabilities, but also defines your upgrade
options because other parts rely on its support and
compatibility. Chipset: Tying the CPU to the motherboard is the
chipset, which carries messages between the CPU and other
components, including your PC's main memory. When thinking about
upgrades, remember that your chipset has to be optimized to
support a new CPU. Central processing unit (CPU): Think of the
CPU as the brain of the PC. It manages the calculations
constantly taking place within your computer. Installing this
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