A barebones computer includes only the necessary components for basic functionality, such as a CPU, motherboard, power source, RAM slots, and a hard drive. Users can add or install additional components themselves.
When many people think of a computer, they think of the hard drive tower, monitor, keyboard, and mouse together, as a unit. Each of these components is required to take full advantage of the computer, but people who already have several of these components may choose to save money by buying a barebones computer. This is a machine that includes only parts that are absolutely necessary for a computer to function.
Keyboards and mice allow a user to send commands to a computer, and a monitor allows a user to see the output of a computer. A computer’s primary functionality, however, lies in its central processing unit (CPU), typically a chip capable of performing millions of calculations in less than a second. Everything a computer does comes from the arithmetic and logical comparisons performed by the CPU. A barebones computer is designed to support this basic functionality, while leaving more advanced upgrades or components that support additional functions for users to add or install such things themselves.
Among the components of a barebones computer is the CPU itself, mounted in the special socket of a motherboard. Every piece of computer hardware needs to be connected to the motherboard because it contains the circuitry through which the different components send signals to and from the CPU. The number and types of ports on motherboards vary from model to model, but even the most basic version will include memory slots, a port for a power source, and an interface for a hard drive.
A barebones computer includes a power source sufficient to support the hardware inside the machine. The power source itself connects to the motherboard, which regulates the flow of power to the different hardware components. Each piece of hardware has different power requirements, so the source must be able to supply enough power to meet the sum of all these requirements. If the wattage that a particular power source can supply is lower than that required by the hardware inside the machine, the computer may freeze or fail to boot.
CPUs store data for various programs in computer temporary memory, also known as random access memory (RAM), which takes the form of RAM sticks attached to memory slots on a motherboard. The more RAM a computer has, the more efficient the CPU will be able to run. The amount of RAM a computer can have is limited by the number of memory slots on a motherboard. A barebones computer built for the lowest price will likely include only the number of slots and corresponding memory sticks needed to run the user’s intended operating system.
The last critical component of a barebones computer is a hard drive. These store the computer’s operating system and user files in a long-term format, rather than the short-term format of RAM. Some barebones computers come with an operating system pre-installed, but some users choose to purchase a machine with a blank hard drive. This allows them to save money on their purchase by not paying the extra cost of an operating system. Users who choose to purchase a blank drive will need their own installation media to put an operating system on their computer, and will generally need to include an optical drive in their machine to read the installation media.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
