Computer Hardware and Peripherals Flashcards

What is the purpose of ECC RAM in a server environment?

Answer: Detect and correct single-bit memory errors

ECC (Error-Correcting Code) RAM uses extra bits to automatically detect and correct single-bit errors, preventing data corruption in critical workloads.

Which port type was specifically designed to connect digital cameras and camcorders to a PC using a 4- or 6-pin connector?

Answer: FireWire (IEEE 1394)

FireWire (IEEE 1394) was popular for DV camcorder transfer due to its isochronous data delivery, which guarantees consistent bandwidth for video streams.

A laptop suddenly throttles performance when running on battery. What hardware feature causes this behavior?

Answer: CPU power management / TDP limits

To conserve battery life, the CPU's power management reduces clock speed and voltage when the system is unplugged, limiting performance.

What does 'PCIe x16' indicate about an expansion slot?

Answer: It has 16 PCIe lanes for high-bandwidth transfer

The 'x16' designation means the slot uses 16 PCIe lanes, providing maximum bandwidth—most dedicated GPUs require an x16 slot.

Which type of display technology uses organic compounds that emit light without a backlight?

Answer: OLED

OLED panels use organic electroluminescent compounds where each pixel generates its own light, enabling true blacks and high contrast ratios.

What is the role of the Northbridge chip in older PC architectures?

Answer: Connect the CPU to high-speed components like RAM and GPU

The Northbridge handled high-bandwidth communication between the CPU, system memory, and the PCIe/AGP graphics bus in legacy chipset designs.

Which connector type carries only audio signals and is color-coded green on most desktop PCs?

Answer: 3.5 mm TRS (line-out)

The green 3.5 mm TRS jack on desktop audio panels is the standard analog line-out (speaker) connector for stereo audio output.