What is a personal conputer

What is a personal computer (PC)?
A personal computer (PC) is a microcomputer designed for use by one person at a time.

Prior to the PC, computers were designed for -- and only affordable for -- companies that attached terminals for multiple users to a single large 8mainframe computer whose resources were shared among all users. By the 1980s, technological advances made it feasible to build a small computer that an individual could own and use as a word processor and for other computing functions.

The advent of the era of the personal computer was acknowledged by Time magazine in 1982, when it broke with tradition by choosing the PC as its Man of the Year.


What are personal computers used for?
Whether they are home computers or business ones, PCs can be used to store, retrieve and process data of all kinds. A PC runs firmware that supports an operating system (OS), which supports a spectrum of other software. This software lets consumers and business users perform a range of general-purpose tasks, such as the following:

word processing
spreadsheets
email
instant messaging
accounting
database management
internet access
listening to music
network-attached storage
graphic design
music composition
video gaming
software development
network reconnaissance
multimedia servers
wireless network access hotspots
video conferencing
Users can repurpose older PCs for tasks outside of standard computing, such as contributing processing power to distributed computing projects. The Folding@home project is an example where idle processing power is used to run simulations of cell protein dynamics to help scientists find cures for chronic illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease.

Photo of a man using an HP Z8 G4 desktop personal computer.HP INC.
Desktops come with a tower and monitor, and they aren't usually portable.
Types of personal computers
Personal computers fall into various categories, such as the following:

Desktop computers usually have a tower, monitor, keyboard and mouse.
Tablets are mobile devices with a touchscreen display.
Smartphones are phones with computing capabilities.
Wearables are devices users wear, such as smartwatches and various types of smart clothing.
Laptop computers are portable personal computers that usually come with an attached keyboard and trackpad.
Notebook computers are lightweight laptops.
Handheld computers include advanced calculators and various gaming devices.
Other ways of categorizing PCs include the following:

processing speed
processing power
power consumption
memory capacity
Personal computing devices differ in other ways as well. For example, laptops and notebooks generally use less power than desktops, but often don't have as much storage. Tablets and smartphones typically have less input/output (I/O) capability than laptops and desktops.

PC components can be switched out to modify the devices. For example, people who play video games often construct gaming PCs that maximize processing power and speed using high-quality processors.

Diagram of a desktop computer.A desktop PC consists of several disparate parts, whereas the laptop's components are consolidated in one device.
Components of personal computers
Personal computer systems generally consist of the following hardware components:

Computer cases are the boxes that hold the main components of the PC. They come in different colors and sizes, and might have fans already installed.
Power supplies deliver electricity to PCs. They come in different wattages.
Motherboards are circuit boards that connect many parts of the PC's inner workings. They hold the central processing unit (CPU) and graphics processing unit (GPU).
CPUs are the brains of the computer. They determine the PC's performance capability.
GPUs are specialized processors that accelerate graphics processing. Sometimes these come integrated with CPUs, and sometimes they are discrete parts.
Fans are the cooling units that keep PCs from overheating.
Random access memory, also called short-term memory, holds data while it is actively being used by the CPU. RAM is volatile memory, which means it does not hold information after the PC is powered off.
Storage provides the PC's long-term memory. It stores information when the PC does not have power. PCs can have hard disk drives, solid-state drives or non-volatile memory express SSDs.
Optical drives and/or writers. These allow the PC to read and write CDs, DVDs or Blu-ray discs. These can also be external.
Input ports are where external devices such as USB storage devices and external hard drives are plugged in.
Operating systems provide a graphical user interface (GUI) and a platform to run other software on.
Monitors display information to the end user.
Keyboards are peripheral devices that let users type commands and other information.
Mice and trackpads let users control the cursor.

History of personal computers
Some significant dates in PC history include the following:

1974. The first personal computer -- the MITS Altair -- was developed. It was popular with hobbyists, but lacked consumer appeal.
1977. Three PCs targeted at consumers were mass produced: Apple Computer's Apple II, Tandy Radio Shack's TRS-80 and Commodore International's Personal Electronic Transactor. Individuals, small and medium-sized businesses, and schools bought them because they were much less expensive than the mainframes that preceded them.
1981. IBM entered the market with IBM PC, which was faster and had more memory than rival machines. The first truly portable computers were released: Osborne Computer's Osborne I and the Epson HX-20.
1983. Apple introduced Lisa, the first PC with a GUI. Previous interfaces used command-based interfaces.
1985. Microsoft introduced the Windows OS as a GUI extension to the Microsoft Disk Operating System, or MS-DOS.
1988. The NEC UltraLite was introduced; it was the first laptop PC weighing less than 5 pounds.
1992. The IBM ThinkPad was introduced with features such as the pointer stick and touchpad, which many laptops retain today. The first personal digital assistant devices came out this year as well.
Examples of personal computers
The term personal computer traditionally has been used to describe an IBM-compatible PC as opposed to an Apple computer. The distinction is both technical and cultural, going back to the early years of PCs when IBM and Apple were the two major competitors.

Originally, the IBM PC was one with an Intel microprocessor architecture and a DOS or Microsoft Windows OS written to use an Intel microprocessor. The Apple Macintosh used a proprietary OS.

IBM-compatible PCs were associated with business use. Apple computers were known for having more intuitive user interfaces and were associated with graphic design and desktop publishing. Although those distinctions have become less clear-cut in recent years, people often still categorize personal computers as either Macs or non-Macs.

A few other notable examples of personal computers over the years include the following:

BBC Micro
Google Chromebook
Microsoft Surface
Xerox Alto
Personal computer vs. desktop vs. laptop
Laptop and desktop computers are both types of personal computers.

Photo of an HP Elite Folio laptop personal computer.HP INC.
Laptops can come with a trackpad, touchscreen and digital pen.
Laptops
These portable computers have a rechargeable battery, keyboard, trackpad and screen attached to a case that contains the storage, RAM, fan and other central components. Laptops are portable, but might have less memory and less powerful processing capabilities. Laptops are also harder to customize. Components are packed tightly in the case for the sake of portability and are often permanently attached.

Desktops
These computers are not portable and usually consist of a tower that encases the processor, RAM, storage and I/O ports. They typically have an external monitor and a keyboard that plugs into the tower. Desktops do not have the benefit of portability, but likely have better processing power and more memory than laptops. They are often customizable, with preexisting space in the case to add extra components.

Businesses often need desktop management software to track and manage the many PCs they own. Compare these eight desktop management software options to find the best way to manage desktops and other devices in the enterprise.

Encyclopedia Britannica
HomeGames & QuizzesHistory & SocietyScience & TechBiographiesAnimals & NatureGeography & TravelArts & CultureMoneyVideos
Home
Technology
Computers
Science & Tech
personal computer
technology
Also known as: PC
Written and fact-checked by
Last Updated: Mar 31, 2024 • Article History
Recent News
Mar. 16, 2024, 11:29 PM ET (MSN)
Age of Mythology: Retold will launch on PC and Xbox at the same time
Mar. 14, 2024, 4:39 AM ET (CBC)
Premier asks for harassment policy review after ex-PC minister says she was sexually assaulted
Summary
Read a brief summary of this topic
Personal computer (PC), a digital computer designed for use by only one person at a time. A typical personal computer assemblage consists of a central processing unit (CPU), which contains the computer’s arithmetic, logic, and control circuitry on an integrated circuit; two types of computer memory, main memory, such as digital random-access memory (RAM), and auxiliary memory, such as magnetic hard disks and special optical compact discs, or read-only memory (ROM) discs (CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs); and various peripheral devices, including a display screen, keyboard and mouse, and printer. See also computer: History of computing.


laptop computer
laptop computer
See all media
Category: Science & Tech
Key People: Steve Jobs Steve Wozniak Bill Gates Larry Ellison Jony Ive
Related Topics: laptop computer netbook microcomputer
From hobby computers to Apple
Computers small and inexpensive enough to be purchased by individuals for use in their homes first became feasible in the 1970s, when large-scale integration made it possible to construct a sufficiently powerful microprocessor on a single semiconductor chip. A small firm named MITS made the first personal computer, the Altair. This computer, which used Intel Corporation’s 8080 microprocessor, was developed in 1974. Though the Altair was popular among computer hobbyists, its commercial appeal was limited.

Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs
Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs
Steve Wozniak (left) and Steve Jobs holding an Apple I circuit board, c. 1976.
The personal computer industry truly began in 1977, with the introduction of three preassembled mass-produced personal computers: the Apple Computer, Inc. (now Apple Inc.), Apple II, the Tandy Radio Shack TRS-80, and the Commodore Business Machines Personal Electronic Transactor (PET). These machines used eight-bit microprocessors (which process information in groups of eight bits, or binary digits, at a time) and possessed rather limited memory capacity—i.e., the ability to address a given quantity of data held in memory storage. But because personal computers were much less expensive than mainframe computers (the bigger computers typically deployed by large business, industry, and government organizations), they could be purchased by individuals, small and medium-sized businesses, and primary and secondary schools.


Of these computers, the TRS-80 dominated the market. The TRS-80 microcomputer came with four kilobytes of memory, a Z80 microprocessor, a BASIC programming language, and cassettes for data storage. To cut costs, the machine was built without the ability to type lowercase letters. Thanks to Tandy’s chain of Radio Shack stores and the breakthrough price ($399 fully assembled and tested), the machine was successful enough to persuade the company to introduce a more powerful computer two years later, the TRS-80 Model II, which could reasonably be marketed as a small-business computer.

The iPod nano, introduced by Apple CEO Steve Jobs in San Francisco, May 2007. A revolutionary full-featured iPod that holds 1,000 songs and is thinner than a standard #2 pencil. MP3 player, music player, digital music
Britannica Quiz
Electronics & Gadgets Quiz
The Apple II received a great boost in popularity when it became the host machine for VisiCalc, the first electronic spreadsheet (computerized accounting program). Other types of application software soon developed for personal computers.

IBM PC
IBM Personal Computer
IBM Personal Computer
The IBM Personal Computer (PC) was introduced in 1981. Microsoft supplied the machine's operating system, MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System).
IBM Corporation, the world’s dominant computer maker, did not enter the new market until 1981, when it introduced the IBM Personal Computer, or IBM PC. The IBM PC was significantly faster than rival machines, had about 10 times their memory capacity, and was backed by IBM’s large sales organization. The IBM PC was also the host machine for 1-2-3, an extremely popular spreadsheet introduced by the Lotus Development Corporation in 1982. The IBM PC became the world’s most popular personal computer, and both its microprocessor, the Intel 8088, and its operating system, which was adapted from Microsoft Corporation’s MS-DOS system, became industry standards. Rival machines that used Intel microprocessors and MS-DOS became known as “IBM compatibles” if they tried to compete with IBM on the basis of additional computing power or memory and “IBM clones” if they competed simply on the basis of low price.