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Four Types of Computers

There are four main types of computers: supercomputers, mainframe computers, minicomputers, and microcomputers. Supercomputers are the most powerful and are used for intensive tasks like space exploration, weather forecasting, and nuclear weapons simulation. They are very large and expensive. Mainframe computers are also large systems used by organizations to process and store large amounts of data. Minicomputers are smaller than mainframes and are used by small businesses and departments. Microcomputers are the smallest type and include personal computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. They are widely used for general purposes.

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292 views2 pages

Four Types of Computers

There are four main types of computers: supercomputers, mainframe computers, minicomputers, and microcomputers. Supercomputers are the most powerful and are used for intensive tasks like space exploration, weather forecasting, and nuclear weapons simulation. They are very large and expensive. Mainframe computers are also large systems used by organizations to process and store large amounts of data. Minicomputers are smaller than mainframes and are used by small businesses and departments. Microcomputers are the smallest type and include personal computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. They are widely used for general purposes.

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Four types of computers

Since the advent of the first computer different types and sizes of computers are offering different services. Computers can be
as big as occupying a large building and as small as a laptop or a microcontroller inmobile & embedded systems.The four basic
types of computers are.
Super computer
Mainframe Computer
Minicomputer
Microcomputer
Supercomputer
The most powerful computers in terms of performance and data processing are the supercomputers. These are specialized
and task specific computers used by large organizations. These computers are used for research and exploration purposes,
like NASA uses supercomputers for launching space shuttles, controlling them and for space exploration purpose.
See Also: What is a Computer?
The supercomputers are very expensive and very large in size. It can be accommodated in large air-conditioned rooms; some
super computers can span an entire building.
In 1964, Seymour cray designed the first supercomptuer CDC 6600.
Uses of Supercomputer
In Pakistan and other countries Supercomputers are used by Educational Institutes like NUST (Pakistan) for research purposes.
Pakistan Atomic Energy commission & Heavy Industry Taxila uses supercomputers for Research purposes.
Space Exploration
Supercomputers are used to study the origin of the universe, the dark-matters. For these studies scientist use IBMs powerful
supercomputer Roadrunner at National Laboratory Los Alamos.
Earthquake studies
Supercomputers are used to study the Earthquakes phenomenon. Besides that supercomputers are used for natural resources
exploration, like natural gas, petroleum, coal, etc.
Weather Forecasting
Supercomputers are used for weather forecasting, and to study the nature and extent of Hurricanes, Rainfalls, windstorms, etc.
Nuclear weapons testing
Supercomputers are used to run weapon simulation that can test the Range, accuracy & impact of Nuclear weapons.
Popular Supercomputers
IBMs Sequoia, in United States
IBMs SuperMUC in Germany
Mainframe computer

Although Mainframes are not as powerful as supercomputers, but certainly they are quite expensive nonetheless, and many
large firms & government organizations uses Mainframes to run their business operations. The Mainframe computers can be
accommodated in large air-conditioned rooms because of its size. Super-computers are the fastest computers with large data
storage capacity, Mainframes can also process & store large amount of data. Banks educational institutions & insurance
companies use mainframe computers to store data about their customers, students & insurance policy holders.
Popular Mainframe computers
Hitachis Z800
Minicomputer

Minicomputers are used by small businesses & firms. Minicomputers are also called as Midrange Computers. These are small
machines and can be accommodated on a disk with not as processing and data storage capabilities as super-computers &
Mainframes. These computers are not designed for a single user. Individual departments of a large company or organizations
use Mini-computers for specific purposes. For example, a production department can use Mini-computers for monitoring
certain production process.
Popular Minicomputers
K-202
SDS-92
Microcomputer
Desktop computers, laptops, personal digital assistant (PDA), tablets & smartphones are all types of microcomputers. The
micro-computers are widely used & the fastest growing computers. These computers are the cheapest among the other three
types of computers. The Micro-computers are specially designed for general usage like entertainment, education and work
purposes. Well known manufacturers of Micro-computer are Dell, Apple, Samsung, Sony & Toshiba.
Desktop computers, Gaming consoles, Sound & Navigation system of a car, Netbooks, Notebooks, PDAs, Tablet PCs,
Smartphones, Calculators are all type of Microcomputers.
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The Five Generations of Computers
Advantages & disadvantages of computers

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