A comprehensive A-Z guide to technology terms. Understand specs and features when shopping for electronics.
53 terms across 19 categories
Advanced Micro Devices - A semiconductor company that makes CPUs (Ryzen) and GPUs (Radeon) competing with Intel and NVIDIA.
Advanced RISC Machine - Energy-efficient processor architecture used in smartphones, tablets, and Apple M-series chips.
All-in-One - A computer where the display and system unit are combined into a single device, saving desk space.
Basic Input/Output System - Firmware that initializes hardware during boot. Modern PCs use UEFI, the updated successor.
Short-range wireless technology for connecting peripherals like headphones, keyboards, and mice. Latest version: 5.3.
British Thermal Unit - Measurement of cooling capacity for air conditioners. Higher BTU = more cooling power.
Central Processing Unit - The primary processor (brain) of a computer. Key specs: core count, clock speed (GHz), and cache.
High-speed memory built into the processor for quick data access. L1 (fastest), L2, and L3 (largest) levels.
Controller hub on the motherboard that manages data flow between CPU, RAM, storage, and peripherals.
Double Data Rate 5 - Latest generation RAM offering higher bandwidth and lower power consumption vs DDR4.
Digital display interface supporting high resolutions and refresh rates. DP 2.1 supports 8K@60Hz and 4K@240Hz.
Deep Learning Super Sampling - NVIDIA AI technology that upscales lower-resolution images for better performance in games.
External Graphics Processing Unit - An external enclosure that lets you add a desktop GPU to a laptop via Thunderbolt.
Equated Monthly Installment - A fixed payment amount to pay off a purchase over months. Spark Tech offers 0% EMI.
Wired network connection using RJ45 cables. Gigabit (1Gbps) and 2.5Gbps are common on modern motherboards.
Full HD - 1920x1080 pixel resolution. The most common display resolution for monitors and laptops.
FidelityFX Super Resolution - AMD's open-source upscaling technology, alternative to NVIDIA DLSS.
Frames Per Second - Number of images displayed per second. Higher FPS = smoother visuals. 60 FPS is considered smooth.
Graphics Processing Unit - Dedicated processor for rendering visuals. Essential for gaming, video editing, and AI workloads.
PCIe Generation 5 - Latest PCIe standard doubling bandwidth to 32GT/s per lane. Used for fastest SSDs and GPUs.
High-Definition Multimedia Interface - Standard connector for audio/video. HDMI 2.1 supports 4K@120Hz and 8K@60Hz.
High Dynamic Range - Display technology offering brighter highlights and deeper blacks. HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision.
Hertz - How many times per second the display updates. 60Hz (standard), 144Hz (gaming), 240Hz+ (competitive).
In-Plane Switching - LCD panel type with excellent color accuracy and wide viewing angles. Popular for creative work.
Ingress Protection rating (e.g., IP68). First digit = dust protection (0-6), second = water protection (0-9).
Land Grid Array - Intel CPU socket type where pins are on the motherboard. E.g., LGA 1700 for 12th-14th Gen Intel.
Lithium Polymer - Rechargeable battery type used in smartphones and thin laptops. Lighter and more flexible than Li-Ion.
Compact SSD form factor connecting via PCIe or SATA. NVMe M.2 drives are 5-10x faster than traditional 2.5" SATA SSDs.
WiFi system using multiple nodes to blanket a large area with seamless coverage. Eliminates dead zones.
Non-Volatile Memory Express - Fast storage protocol for SSDs. Gen4 reaches 7,000MB/s, Gen5 reaches 14,000MB/s.
Neural Processing Unit - Dedicated AI chip in modern CPUs/SoCs for on-device AI tasks like image processing and voice.
Organic Light-Emitting Diode - Display tech where each pixel emits its own light. Perfect blacks, infinite contrast.
Running CPU/GPU/RAM above factory speeds for more performance. Requires adequate cooling and compatible parts.
Peripheral Component Interconnect Express - High-speed interface for GPUs, SSDs, and expansion cards on a motherboard.
Power Supply Unit - Converts AC power to DC for PC components. Rated in watts (e.g., 650W, 850W). 80+ certification = efficiency.
Quad HD - 2560x1440 pixel resolution (1440p). Sweet spot between FHD and 4K for gaming and productivity.
Quad-Level Cell - SSD memory storing 4 bits per cell. Higher density/cheaper but lower endurance vs TLC/MLC.
Random Access Memory - Temporary working memory. 16GB is standard, 32GB for power users, 64GB+ for production.
Rendering technique simulating realistic light behavior. Supported by NVIDIA RTX and AMD RDNA2+ GPUs.
Red Green Blue - Programmable lighting on PC components and peripherals. Controlled via software like iCUE, Aura Sync.
Solid State Drive - Flash-based storage with no moving parts. Much faster, quieter, and more durable than HDDs.
System on a Chip - Single chip containing CPU, GPU, memory controller, and other components. E.g., Apple M3, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
Thermal Design Power - Maximum heat output (in watts) a processor generates. Indicates cooling requirements.
High-speed I/O by Intel/Apple. Thunderbolt 4/5 via USB-C supports 40-80Gbps data, charging, and external displays.
Trusted Platform Module - Security chip for hardware-level encryption. Required for Windows 11.
Ultra HD - 3840x2160 pixel resolution. 4x the pixels of FHD. Standard for high-end monitors and TVs.
Universal Serial Bus Type-C - Reversible connector supporting data, charging, and video. Powers Thunderbolt, USB4, and DisplayPort Alt.
Video RAM - Dedicated memory on a GPU. 8GB minimum for 1080p gaming, 12-16GB for 1440p/4K.
Virtual Private Network - Encrypts internet traffic for privacy and security. Also used to access region-locked content.
Latest wireless standard (802.11be) with up to 46Gbps theoretical speed, lower latency, and better multi-device support.
Unit of power. For PSUs: total system's consumption. For monitors: power usage. For chargers: charging speed.
Extreme Memory Profile - Intel technology to run RAM at advertised speeds beyond default JEDEC specifications.
CPU architecture used by Intel and AMD desktop/laptop processors. Runs Windows, Linux, and most desktop software.
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