Hello everyone,

In part 1 of this series I talked about the seven major hardware components of a computer and in part 2 I talked about software basics. In part 3 I began to individually explain each hardware component more in depth by beginning with the motherboard. In upcoming posts I will continue to talk specifically, and more in-depth about each of the seven major hardware components. Today, part 4: The Motherboard Chipset.

In part 1 of this series I referred to the CPU as the “brain” of the computer as it sends out instructions to the system. But what component carries (delivers) these instructions to the appropriate computer destination? You guessed it, the chipset! The chipset connects the CPU to everything else in the computer and is the main component of the motherboard.

All of the CPUs data instructions to the system flow through the chipset. The chipset has all of the system bus controllers for the various system buses and is the “pipeline” for all data and system information. The chipset controls and regulates all of these extremely important “things”.

So, as I stated in part 3 of this series, the motherboard is the most important part of the system. On the motherboard is the chipset, which is the most important part of the motherboard. Without the chipset, the instructions from the CPU would never be delivered to the intended destination.

Professor Randy says: The CPU is the “brain” and the chipset is the “nervous system” of the computer. Ths chipset connects the CPU to everthing else in the machine.