IGCSE ICT - Types and Components of Computer Systems - Types of computer - Ajiro Tech - Part 4

1.4 Types of computer
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• Describe the characteristics of a personal/desktop computer and its uses, both as a
standalone and networked computer
• Describe the characteristics of a laptop computer and what it is used for, both as a
standalone and networked computer
• Describe the characteristics of a tablet computer and what it is used for, including its
ability to use wireless technology or 3G/4G technology
• Describe the computer characteristics of a smartphone and what it is used for in
computing terms
• Describe the advantages and disadvantages of each type of computer
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Desktop computers
Desktop usually refers to a general-purpose
computer that is made up of separate monitor,
keyboard, mouse and processor unit. It is
distinguished from, for example, a laptop computer
by the fact that it is made up of a number of
separate components, which makes them not very
portable.
Desktop Computers
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The advantages of desktop computers over laptop computers
❖ Spare parts and connections tend to be standardised, which usually results in lower
costs
❖ Desktop computers are easier, and less expensive, to upgrade or expand
❖ Because they are usually fixed in one location, there is less likelihood of them being
damaged or stolen.
❖ Internet access can be more stable because a desktop computer is more likely to have
a wired internet connection (the user will always have the same data transfer rate)
Advantages
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Describe the advantages and disadvantages of desktop over laptop computers
❖ The most obvious is that they are not particularly portable because they are made up
of separate components.
❖ They tend to be more complicated because all the components need to be hooked up
by wiring, which also clutters up the desk space.
❖ Because they are not particularly portable, it is necessary to copy files on, for
example, a memory stick, when you want to do some work elsewhere (for example,
doing office work at home); although cloud storage has diminished this disadvantage
recently, it still may not be possible to save sensitive data files on the cloud.
Disadvantages
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The main uses of desktop computers
❖ office and business work (word processing, spreadsheets, finance software and
databases being the main use)
❖ educational use (using interactive software to teach or learn from)
❖ use as a gaming device (for example, games such as chess, crossword puzzles, fantasy
games, and so on)
❖ general entertainment (for example, live or ‘catch-up’ streaming of television
programmes).
Uses
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Mobile computers
Mobile computers, by their very name, suggest a group of computers which are
considerably more portable than desktop computers. Such computers fall into four
categories:
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Laptop Smartphone Tablet Phablet
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Describe the characteristics of a laptop computer and what it is used for
Laptop (or notebook) refers to a type of computer where
the monitor, keyboard, pointing device and processor are
all together in one single unit. This makes them extremely
portable.
Key features you would expect to find in a laptop:
❖ lightweight (to aid portability)
❖ low power consumption (and also long battery life)
❖ low heat output (cooling is very important).
Laptop (or Notebook)
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❖ Everything is in one single unit, there are no trailing
wires (only one single cord is used).
❖ They take up much less room on a desk, so they can be
used anywhere (for example, in a café).
❖ Their portability allows them to take full advantage of
Wi-Fi features.
Laptop computers also have disadvantages when
compared to desktop computers
❖ Because they are easily portable, they are also easier to steal!
❖ It is not always possible to upgrade them, for instance by
adding more RAM.
❖ They have limited battery life so the user may need to carry a
heavy power adaptor.
Laptop computers do have advantages when
compared to desktop computers:
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❖ office and business work (word processing,
spreadsheets, finance software and databases being
the main use)
❖ educational use (using interactive software to teach or
learn from)
❖ used as a gaming device (for example, games such as
chess, crossword puzzles, fantasy games, and so on)
❖ general entertainment (for example, live or ‘catch-up’
streaming of television programmes)
❖ used in control and monitoring (because they can be
operated anywhere using
❖ their internal battery, it is possible to use laptops to
gather data directly from
❖ the environment
The main uses of laptop computers
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Describe the characteristics of a tablet computer and what it is used for, including
its ability to use wireless technology or 3G/4G technology
❖ They work in a similar way to a smartphone
❖ The keyboard is virtual; that is, it is part of the touch screen
and keys are activated by simply touching them with a finger
or a stylus
❖ Internet access is usually through Wi-Fi or 3G/4G/5G (mobile
phone) connectivity
❖ equipped with a series of sensors which include camera,
microphone, accelerometer and touch screen.
Tablets
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Tablets
❖ very fast to switch on (no time delay waiting for the
operating system to load up)
❖ fully portable – they are so lightweight that they can be
carried anywhere
❖ touch screen technology means they are simple to use
and do not need any other input devices
❖ battery life of a tablet is a lot longer
Disadvantages of tablets compared to laptops
❖ typing on a touch screen can be slow and error-prone
compared to a standard keyboard
❖ if 3G/4G/5G mobile phone networks are used, they
can be expensive to run if the internet is being
accessed frequently
Advantages of tablets compared to laptops
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Some of the latest smartphones have been designed as a hybrid between a
tablet and a smartphone; these are referred to as a phablet. They have much
larger screens than a smartphone but are smaller than a tablet. All the
features of a smartphone (described earlier) also apply to phablets together
with the typical features of a tablet.

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Describe the computer characteristics of a smartphone and what it is used for in
computing terms
❖ allow normal phone calls to be made
❖ have an operating system (such as iOS, Android or
Windows) allowing them to run a number of computer
applications (known as apps or applets)
❖ allow users to send/receive emails
❖ use a camera feature (to take photos or videos)
❖ MP3/4 players (for music and videos)
❖ communicate with the internet either by using Wi-Fi hot
spots or by using 3G/4G/5G mobile phone networks
Some of the typical features of smartphones
❖ front- and back-facing cameras (which are used to take
photos, videos or act as a webcam when doing video calls
over the internet)
❖ use Bluetooth for connection to printers and other devices
❖ make use of flash (solid state) memory and cloud storage
❖ lower weight and longer battery life than laptops
Smartphones
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The main uses of smartphones, tablets and phablets
❖ entertainment (streaming of music, videos and television
programmes)
❖ gaming (including group games)
❖ as a camera or video camera (the quality of videos and photos
now matches a good digital cameras)
❖ internet use (online sales, social networks, using QR codes)
❖ sending/receiving emails
❖ global positioning system (use of maps to navigate to a location)
❖ calendar functions
❖ telephone banking (sending and receiving money via the apps)
❖ Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) – telephone network using
the internet which also allows video calling
❖ instant access to social networks (social contact with friends no
matter where you are in the world)
❖ instant messaging
❖ education use (using interactive software to teach or learn from)
❖ » remotely control devices (it is possible to remotely operate
devices in the home, such as microwave ovens)
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