Difference Between System Unit and Motherboard

Summary: Difference Between System Unit and Motherboard is that the system unit is a case that contains electronic components of the computer used to process data. While Motherboard, sometimes called a system board, is the main circuit board of the system unit.

System Unit

Whether you are a home user or a business user, you most likely will purchase a new computer or upgrade an existing computer at some time in the future. Thus, you should understand the purpose of each component in a computer. A computer includes devices used for input, processing, output, storage, and communications. Many of these components are part of the system unit.

The system unit is a case that contains electronic components of the computer used to process data. System units are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. The case of the system unit is made of metal or plastic and protects the internal electronic components from damage. All computers and mobile devices have a system unit.

On desktop personal computers, the electronic components and most storage devices are part of the system unit. Other devices, such as the keyboard, mouse, microphone, monitor, printer, USB flash drive, scanner, Web cam, and speakers, normally occupy space outside the system unit. An all-in-one desktop personal computer is an exception, which houses the monitor and the system unit in the same case.

Motherboard

Motherboard, sometimes called a system board, is the main circuit board of the system unit. Many electronic components attach to the motherboard; others are built into it. Above image shows a current desktop personal computer motherboard and identifies its slots for adapter cards, the processor chip, and memory. Memory chips are installed on memory cards (modules) that fit in a slot on the motherboard. A computer chip is a small piece of semiconducting material, usually silicon, on which integrated circuits are etched. An integrated circuit contains many microscopic pathways capable of carrying electrical current. Each integrated circuit can contain millions of elements such as resistors, capacitors, and transistors. Specific types of processor, memory, and other chips.

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