System Requirements System requirements are the required specifications a device must have in order to use certain hardware or software. For example, a computer may require a specific I/O port to work with a peripheral device. A smartphone may need a specific operating system to run a particular app. Before purchasing a software program or …
System Unit The system unit, also known as a “tower” or “chassis,” contains the main components of a desktop computer. It includes the motherboard, CPU, RAM, and other components. The case that houses these components is also part of the system unit. Peripheral devices, such as the monitor, keyboard, and mouse are separate from the …
Tablet A tablet, or tablet PC, is a portable computer that uses a touchscreen as its primary input device. Most tablets are about the same size as a small laptop, between 8 and 13 inches (20 to 33 cm) diagonally. Many tablets, like the Apple iPad and Microsoft Surface, can connect to keyboards and use …
Tape Drive A tape drive is a type of storage device that reads and writes data to removable cartridges. These cartridges contain spools of magnetic tape, similar to a VHS tape or audio cassette. Tape drive cartridges have a high data storage capacity but must be written and read sequentially, which makes them best suited …
Thermistor A thermistor (short for “thermal resistor”) is a type of resistor that is used to measure temperature. While typical resistors are designed to maintain consistent resistance regardless of temperature, a thermistor’s resistance varies significantly as the temperature changes. Once a thermistor is calibrated, changes in electrical resistance can be accurately translated into changes in …
Thick Client Thick clients, also called heavy clients, are full-featured computers that are connected to a network. Unlike thin clients, which lack hard drives and other features, thick clients are functional whether they are connected to a network or not. While a thick client is fully functional without a network connection, it is only a …
Thin Client In the 1950s, minimalism emerged as an popular art movement. In the 1990s, minimalism emerged again as a popular computer trend. As computer networking became more commonplace, minimalist computers became more common as well. In fact, these trimmed-down machines, often referred to as thin clients, are still popular today. Thin clients function as …
Thunderbolt Thunderbolt is a high-speed I/O interface developed by Intel and Apple. It is based on the PCI Express and DisplayPort technologies and supports both data devices and displays. The first two generations of Thunderbolt use the Mini DisplayPort connector, while the third and fourth generations use a USB-C connector. Since Thunderbolt is based on …
Thyristor A thyristor is a four-layer semiconductor that is often used for handling large amounts of power. While a thyristor can be turned on or off, it can also regulate power using something called phase angle control. This allows the amount of power output to be controlled by adjusting the angle of the current input. …
Toggle Key A toggle key toggles the input from a group of keys on a keyboard between two different input modes. The most common toggle key is Caps Lock, which toggles the letter keys between lowercase and uppercase mode. Some keyboards also have other toggle keys, such as Num Lock, Scroll Lock, and Insert. Below …