What Does Hardware Mean?
You could consider any tangible piece of technology hardware, even wireless earbuds and smart switches.
Hardware is the counterpart of software.
Jason Fitzpatrick / How-To Geek
Software is the set of instructions that runs on your hardware.
Examples of software include your operating system, programs, video games, and web browsers.
Software and hardware need each other to function.
daniiD / Shutterstock.com
We can categorize computer hardware into two main categoriesinternal and external.
Let’s go over each and see some examples to better understand how our computers work.
When you hear an enthusiast talk about hardware, they usually refer to internal hardware.
Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek
Some hardware in your setup is rather “dumb” or simple in its design, such ascooling fans.
A more common name for external hardware is “peripherals.”
External hardware can be further categorized into input and output devices.
A few other examples are touchpads, styluses, foot switches, racing wheels, and eye trackers.
And remember, hardware and software are equally important, as one couldn’t work without the other.