The speed that the microprocessor executes each instruction or each vibration of the clock. The CPU requires a fixed number of clock ticks, or cycles, to execute each instruction. The faster the clocks rate, the faster the CPU, or the faster it can execute instructions. Clock Speeds are usually determined in MHz, 1 MHz representing 1 million cycles per second, or in GHz, 1 GHz representing 1 thousand million cycles per second. The higher the CPU speed, the better a computer will perform.

The model number for the processor in a computer.

A family of processors is a group of processors produced by one company over a short period of time e.g. Intel Pentium processors.

The number of central processing units ('cores') in a processor. Some processors have 1 core, others have 2 (e.g. Intel Core Duo) or more (e.g. the Intel Xeon E7-2850 has 10 cores).

Mechanical component(s) that provides mechanical and electrical connections between a microprocessor and a printed circuit board (PCB). This allows the processor to be replaced without soldering.

A bus is a communication system that transfers data between components inside a computer, or between computers. The system bus rate is the speed at which data is transferred in this communication system.

The process which is performed by the processor e.g. CPU (Central Processing Unit).

Operating modes for the processors that place restrictions on the type and scope of operations for certain processes run by the CPU. This design allows the operating system to run with more privileges than application software.

Number of processors in the product.

The total amount of data that can be stored on the device.

Used for the storage of date e.g. HDD (hard disk drive), SSD (solid-state drive).

Amount of storage drives built into the device.

The number of hard drives built into the device.

The maximum storage capacity of the hard disk, usually measured in bytes e.g. GB.

The way that a hard disk drive (HDD) is connected to the rest of the computer through a 'bus' such as ATA or SCSI.

The rotational speed of a hard disk expressed in rotations per minute. The faster the better.

The device includes a card reader e.g. a card reader in the disk bay of a computer or thin client to permit log-on using smart/pin cards.

A graphics adapter (often known as a video card) generates images for a display. A discrete graphics adapter plugs into the motherboard, and usually produces much better graphics than an integrated graphics adapter. There are various models of discrete graphics adapters.

Graphics hardware which is built into the motherboard or CPU, as opposed to a separate graphics adapter (video card). On-board graphics uses CPU and RAM for graphics processing.

"Graphic adapter" is the hardware that produces images on a display. "On-board" means that the graphics adapter is intergrated inside the motherboard.

The feature may not be available on all computing systems. Functionality, performance, and other benefits of this feature may vary depending on system configuration.

The number of optical drives e.g. CD players/writers, DVD players/writers.

An optical drive uses laser to read optical discs such as CDs, DVDs and Blu-Ray. Some types of optical drive are: CD ROM drive, CR-RW (CD writer) drive, DVD-ROM.

A computer's memory which is directly accessible to the CPU.

The type of internal memory such as RAM, GDDR5.

The slots and size of the memory for the CPU.

Number and type of memory expansion slots, including connector and memory module descriptions.

The frequency at which the memory (e.g. RAM) runs.

An Ethernet LAN (Local Area Network) interface is present, for a wired conection via a cable.

The different speed levels of the Ethernet LAN connection.

Popular technology that allows an electronic device to exchange data or connect to the internet wirelessly using radio waves.

The type of wireless local area network (LAN). It can be ad-hoc, where units in a network communicate peer-to-peer, or Infrastructure, where units communicate with each other via an access point A LAN interconnects computers in a small area e.g. home, school or office.

Bluetooth is a low-power radio technology developed to replace the cables and wires currently used to link or connect electronic devices such as personal computers, printers, and a wide variety of handheld devices including mobile phones. Because it uses radio-wave connectivity, a Bluetooth-enabled device has a constant, established connection to whatever browser it uses. This saves the user the trouble of logging on to check for emails or news updates, for example.