Hardware is a term denoting the physical items necessary to operate a computer. In contrast, software refers to the computer programs that specify the various tasks that the computer performs, such as word processing, spreadsheets and desktop publishing.

As computer technology continues to improve at a rapid pace, the computer hardware can quickly become limiting for effective operation of the computer. Thus, upgrading of hardware is something many computer operators face on a regular basis.

An example of hardware that has gone through a series of upgrades is the Central Processing Unit, or CPU, which determines the speed of operation of the computer. The CPU can also be called the microprocessor. The unit of operation for a CPU is megahertz (MHz). The larger the number of the CPU, 386 versus 486 for example, the faster the computer operates. Another core piece of hardware is the motherboard. The motherboard physically houses...