Resources to learn Hardware componentry - Mobo,CPU, RAM etc

I'm wanting to find a resource, be it a book, website, video series that explains a few concepts.

  • How a PCB is created
  • How a motherboard facilitates communication between components
  • The physical structure of a ram module, cpu, gpu, ram stick and each components purpose in relation to what is actually on the PCB.

I'd like to be able to look at a PCB or motherboard and know generally what each little bit actually does.

I've seen a lot of people recommend Code, which is great but doesn't really go as in depth as i'd like.

I've also had a look at http://www.amazon.com/Computer-Architecture-Fifth-Edition-Quantitative/dp/012383872X

Any other ideas?

Thanks!

I don't think that understanding how pcbs are made, the architecture of cpus, gpus, ram modules, etc and all of that in order to have a working understanding. If you just want to know what each component does and how they affect performance and all that, there isn't a point in knowing all of these detailed things. If you just want to know it for the sake of knowing it, that is fine, but you are out of the league of the understanding of most people on this website. Most people on tech forums just want to have a working understanding. Understanding the underlying hardware and a deep understanding of how things work would take a lot of time and wouldn't help with making a good computer.

^^^^^^^^^^^this (I am in this category)

even more so this

Most people are, but wanting to have a very good understanding and knowledge about this stuff is completely understandable. But most people wouldn't even know where to look for that sort of stuff. That is why I am trying to clarify with OP.

1 Like

The Engineer’s Guide To High-Quality PCB Design

Everything You Need to Know About Chipsets

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About SDRAM (Memory): But Were Afraid to Ask
http://www.anandtech.com/show/3851/everything-you-always-wanted-to-know-about-sdram-memory-but-were-afraid-to-ask

Intel Education: The Journey Inside: Microprocessor

Excerpt of "NVIDIA's Back with NV35 - GeForceFX 5900 Ultra" - The Graphics Pipeline
http://www.anandtech.com/show/1104/3

(Two pages, information on how GPUs operated from 1997 to 2006.)

NVIDIA's GeForce 8800 (G80): GPUs Re-architected for DirectX 10
http://www.anandtech.com/show/2116

(A good in-depth breakdown of the cataclysmic shift in GPU architecture brought on by parallel shader modules. I suggest reading up on the Fermi Architecture, TeraScale 2, Kepler, and GCN as well to get an exceptionally broad understanding of how GPUs have evolved in the last decade.)

Those should keep you busy.

1 Like

Ahh, should have mentioned this was purely for interest's sake and furthering my own knowledge as opposed to learning how to build a computer. I'm a Compsci/Infosys student but i'm super curious as to the electrical engineering side of things as well.

I've also been listening to a lot of the guys over at PC per and some of the things that Wendell talks about still confuses me, so i'm really just trying to extend my technical knowledge.

You're a legend, cheers!

1 Like

Magic
Lanes
memory modules attached to lanes

I might actually compile a small list of resources that I find for people curious. Just so they don't have to bumble around google like i've been doing and relying on kind folks like you for material!