Different Types of Computer | How Many Types of Computer

Hello guys, Today we will learn Different Types of computer.

In this post, I will explain in detail what are the types of computer.

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If you read this article carefully you will understand all about the various categories of computer and computer types.

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What is Computer?

A computer is an electronic & Programming Machine. Nowadays all human beings and organizations depend on computers.

Computers are a helping hand when it comes to completing our day-to-day tasks.

But each individual has different needs and has to perform different tasks.

A scientist has to do complex scientific calculations, while an assistant has to maintain data in an organized way.

With so many differences in the work, no single computer can perform such varied tasks.

This is why computers are designed according to the need and purposes.

Therefore, an understanding of the fundamentals of computers is required for each individual. In this article, we will discuss computers based on their size and data type handling.

Different Types of Computer

There are mainly three (3) Types of computer systems, which names are given below.

Note - There are many types of computers in computer classifications. But mainly there are three types of computers.

We have explained the classification computer in detail, you can read it if you want.

Read - Classifications of computer

Read Basic Fundamentals of Computer System

• What is Computer?
• What is CPU?
• What is Software?
• Components of Computer System
• Hardware Components of Computer
• Parts of Computer
• Generations of Computer
• Classifications of Computer
• Applications of Computer
• Uses of Computer System
• Functions of Computer
• Uses of Computer Graphics
• Uses of Internet
• Uses of Smartphones
• Uses of Mobile Phone
• Uses of Laptop
• Types of Laptop
• Different Types of Computer
• Types of Web Browser
• Block Diagram of Computer
• Advantages of Computer
• Disadvantages of Computer
• Characteristics of Computer
• Limitations of Computer
• Capabilities of Computer
• Elements of Computer System
• Structure of Computer
• Names of Computer
• What is Accuracy in Computer ?
• What is Speed in computer?
• Types of Operating System
• What is Pen Drive?
• What is Portable Computer and its types?
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Internet
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Mobile Phone
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Email
• Examples of Hardware
• Examples of Utility Software
• Examples of Web Applications
• Parts of Keyboard
• Parts of Mouse
• Parts of CPU
• Parts of Motherboard
• Parts of Printer
• Parts of Scanner
• What is Web Browser?

1. Analog Computer

Computers that are used to measure quantities such as voltage, current, temperature are called analog computers.

When data given to be analyzed is continuous in nature analog computers are used to process that data.

They are used to analyze or measure quantities like voltage, current, temperature, etc. and convert them into digital form.

Analog computers are used for scientific purposes like in the field of
medicine or engineering.

However, these are slow and less precise than digital computers. 

Types of Analog Computer

There are four (4) main types of analog computer, which names are given below.

• Slide Rules
• Differential Analysers
• Castle Clock
• Electronic Analog Computers

1. Slide Rules

The simplest type of analog computer was first developed to solve basic mathematical problems. An analog computer is made up of two rods. Or you can say in simple language there are two rods in an analog computer.

This computer has markings on the first rod which is slid to align with the second rod. This computer was used to calculate

2. Differential Analysers

Differential Analysers was developed to perform differential calculations purposes. This computer performs integration calculations using wheel-and-disc mechanisms.

Or you can say in simple language that this computer is also capable of doing complex calculations using wheel-and-disc.

3. Castle Clock

The Castle Clock was invented by Al-Jarazi. It is also a type of analog computer, which was capable of saving programming instructions.

The Castle Clock was approximately 11 feet in height and is provided with displays of time, zodiac, and solar and lunar orbits.

This computer also provided the facility to its user to set the length of the day according to the current weather.

4. Electronic Analog Computers

In electronic analog computers, electrical signals are passed through the use of capacitors and resistors to simulate physical phenomena.

In electronic analog computers, electrical signals flow through capacitors and resistors without mechanical contact with the components.

Advantages of Analog Computer

• Analog computers are mostly used in the electrical or mechanical field.
• Analog computers give or display the results of work in numbers or quantities.
• Analog computers give real-time results for a job. Eg - measuring weight.

Characteristics of Analog Computer

There are various characteristics of analog computer, which are given below.

• An analog computer is a real-time operating device capable of representing data continuously at the same time within a given range.
• An analog computer is capable of computing input and output data in electronic form without third-party support for conversion and vice versa.
• Analog computers allow their users to reduce the problem by helping those users to understand the errors and implications of their problem.

Example of Analog Computer

There are many examples of analog computers are given below.

• Voltmeter
• Odometer
• Speedometer
• Thermometer
• Analogue Clock

These all are the examples of analog computing. I hope you understand.

1. Voltmeter

A voltmeter is also known as a voltage meter, it is a device that tells the voltage or potential difference between two points of an electronic or electrical circuit, or you can simply say that voltmeter is the show the voltage of the electric current.

There are various types of voltmeter, which names are given below.

• Analog Voltmeter
• Digital Voltmeter
• MI Voltmeter
• Rectifier Voltmeter
• PMMC Voltmeter
• Amplified Voltmeter

I hope you understand this voltmeter.

2. Odometer

An odometer is also a type of analog computer. An odometer is a device that shows the distance covered by a vehicle. This odometer is available in all types of two-wheelers and four-wheelers.

Which tells you how many kilometers you have driven from your vehicle. In simple language, the odometer tells you how many kilometers you have driven your car.

I hope you understand this.

3. Speedometer

A speedometer is also a type of analog computer. The speedometer measures the speed of your vehicle and shows the speed of your vehicle in km/h.

I hope you understand this speedometer.

4. Thermometer

A thermometer is also a type of analog computer. The thermometer is a device that measures the temperature.

You must have seen that when someone has a very high fever, then people use Thermometer to measure the fever, Thermometer is also able to measure the temperature of your body.

5. Analogue Clock

Analog Clock is also a type of analog computer. Analog Clock This is a clock that shows you the time. This watch has three needles that mark to show you the time, usually from 1 to 12 hours.

2. Digital Computer

By the name, it can be guessed that the input to be processed is in digital (numbers, alphabets, symbols) form.

Digital computers compute in the binary form (0’s and 1’s), and this is why they are quite fast with calculations.

Digital computers tend to be more precise too and have a static memory to store a lot of data, unlike analog ones.

The computers that are used in our daily life, all computers are digital computers.

Simply put, digital computers are those computer systems that run on electricity. Can't run digital without electric.

In today's time, whatever computer you are using, is all digital computers and there are many types of digital computers.

I hope you understand digital computers.

10 Types of Digital Computer

There are various types of digital computers, which names are given below.

1. Laptop

The laptop computer is the most used computer system today. Because it is very easy to use a laptop computer, and you can do your work from anywhere using a laptop. There are many types of laptop computer

Because a laptop is a portable computer, that is, a laptop is a very lightweight computer system, so that you can take this computer very easily anywhere.

In a laptop computer, you do not need to connect any peripheral device separately because all these devices are already inbuilt in laptop-like - display, keyboard, a pointing device mouse or touchpad, processor, memory and hard drive, and battery.

2. Desktop Computer

A desktop computer is also a type of digital computer. As the name of the desktop suggests, a computer that is placed on the desk and only after that you can use the desktop computer.

Desktops are very heavy in weight and are also big in size, which you need more space to keep. Desktop computers are cheaper than laptop computers. There are various types of desktop computers.

3. Smartphone

The smartphone is also a type of digital computer. Today more people are using smartphones than laptop computers. Because the smartphone is also a portable computer that you can take anywhere and the smartphone fits in the pocket of your jeans too.

You can talk to anyone using a smartphone and there are various uses of smartphones.

4. Tablet PC

Tablet pc is also a type of digital computer. Laptop computers are smaller in appearance and larger than smartphones. Tablet pc is also a portable computer because you can take tablet pc from one place to another very easily.

Tablet pc has a large touch screen and in tablet pc, all the work is done through the touch screen. Tablet PC also has all the features that a smartphone has. You can also call, text message, click pictures using tablet pc and there are various uses of tablet pc.

5. Notebook Computer

A notebook computer is a type of laptop computer. Notebooks have fewer features than laptop computers. This is also a portable computer, due to the small size of notebook computers, they also fit in our briefcase.

Notebook computers are more expensive than desktop computers. Because notebooks are faster than a common computer.

Notebook computers also have inbuilt peripheral devices like laptop computers such as screen, keyboard, mouse and touchpad, hard disk, processor, and battery.

I hope you understand notebook computer.

6. Smartwatch

Smartwatch is also a digital computer. Smartwatch is also a portable computer because you can wear the smartwatch in your hand and go anywhere. Smartwatch also has many features. You can also call someone through a smartwatch, check your blood pressure and do many other things.

7. Calculator

A calculator is also an electronic device, also a type of digital computer, and a portable computer. Because you can also use the calculator for the same and anytime. Calculators are used by people to slow down mathematical calculations.

8. PDA

PDA stands for personal digital assistant, it is also a type of microcomputer or you can also call PDA as a portable device. PDA pc looks like a mobile phone.

PDA computers are smaller in size than other microcomputers such as tablets and laptops. The PDA device is powered by the use of a battery.

This device also has a keyboard or a button that you can press using a key pen. Although the PDA device is not in use at present.

9. Server

The server is also a type of computer, a server is made up of both hardware and software, which is designed to serve the client. 

A server means a computer that is connected to the Internet and many types of data are stored in it so that you can access its data by sending a request to the server.

10. Workstations

A workstation computer is also a type of microcomputer that is capable of sharing data with a server. 

Workstation microcomputers are more powerful than other microcomputers and you can do any heavy work on this computer. Most of the professional people use this computer to do their professional work.

Advantages of Digital Computer

• You can store large amounts of digital data in a digital computer.
• Digital computers do your work very quickly and with accuracy.
• In a digital computer, you can do many things at once, because digital computers are multitasking.
• Microcomputers allow users to add the latest features to the system more easily.
• You can run many types of applications on microcomputers.

Example of Digital Computers

There are many examples of digital computers are given below.

• Laptop
• Desktops
• Mobile
• Tab
• Notebook

These all are the examples of digital computer. I hope you understand.

3.) Hybrid Computer

To overcome the flaws of both analog and digital computers, hybrid computers have been developed.

These computers contain characteristics of both, analog and digital computers.

These computers can process analog input with less speed than analog computers but are more precise.

Similarly, digital computers are always accurate but might take time for complex equations however, hybrid computers can solve quite complex equations faster than most digital computers.

Advantages of Hybrid Computer

• A hybrid computer is capable of performing all functions of analog and digital computers.
• This computer is capable of doing even bigger tasks.
• A hybrid computer gives the result of any equation in real-time.
• Hybrid computers are used for on-line data processing.

Example of Hybrid Computer

There are many examples of Hybrid computers are given below.

• ATM Machine
• Gas Pump Station
• CT Scan Machine
• Auto Gasoline Pump; measures the petrol amount as well as calculate the value.

These all are the examples of hybrid computer. I hope you understand.

How Many Types of Computer ?

There are five types of computer-based on size.

• Supercomputer
• Mainframe Computer
• Minicomputer
• Workstation
• Personal Computer

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1.) Supercomputer

Supercomputers are one of the biggest and fastest of all computers.

They are constructed for specific purposes.

These could be used for either scientific researches or for special tasks like assisting the government or the military.

Such special tasks are assigned only to supercomputers because of their ability to process millions of threads in a second.

This makes a huge amount of data get processed within seconds.

This high-level performance of them makes them the most sought-after computers by large organizations to handle their data.

Read - Types of Supercomputer

Some of the other applications of supercomputers are

• They are used for weather forecasting in the meteorological department.
• They are widely used in the medical field to create medicinal compounds.
• They are used to convert seismic waves into graphs to understand natural phenomena like earthquakes.
• Online currencies like bitcoins and managing stock markets are managed by supercomputers without breaking a sweat.
• They are used to examine various critical diseases.
• Virtual testing of nuclear weapons is done by supercomputers. This helps in creating less or no damage to the environment.
• Brute force on encrypted passwords can be done by them as it can create thousands of combinations in seconds.

Example of supercomputer - Some of the famous supercomputers

• PARAS
• Summit
• TIANHE-2A
• Sierr
• Piz Daint

These all are the examples of supercomputer. I hope you understand.

2.) Mainframe Computer

When the bulk of data needs to be processed mainframe computers come in handy.

These computers can be accessed by hundreds of users at the same time and can work on multiple tasks or programs simultaneously.

These computers are used by large industries or organizations that handle a large amount of data on a daily basis.

Although the different programs run on the same computer it may seem like they are running on distinct machines.

Another addition to the latest mainframes is their ability to detect errors by themselves.

They run the same task twice and compare both the results to arbitrate the differences.

Such characteristics make mainframe computers efficient and useful for commercial companies.

Some of the applications of the mainframe computers are -

• As it is capable to hold a huge amount of data it is used by many large hospitals to maintain records of the patients, they are medical updates, addresses, contacts, etc.
• In the field of business or retail sector, a huge amount of database of the clients is stored by the company. For this purpose, the mainframe computers are used for easy storage, retrieval, and update of the data. It is also used to store details of the company’s employees, their payroll, address, contact, designation, and other important information.
• It is used in the banking sector, for speedy and secured transactions. And also to store sensitive data like account numbers and contact numbers.

3.) Minicomputer

The minicomputer or the Mini frame is a midsized range of computer which is neither too small as a PC nor very large like mainframe and supercomputer.

Such computers can allow access to 4 to 200 users at a single time.

This characteristic of mini frames is useful in large stores, institutes, or departments where accounting, billing, data storage is required.

But if the mainframe computers can similarly do the task then why use the mini frames?

Characteristics of Minicomputers

Some of the prominent characteristics of minicomputers that make them useful as well as desirable are -

• They are much less expensive than the mainframe computers.
• They are light-weighted and hence easy to carry around.
• They are easier to set up than large mainframe computers.
• Mainframe computers fail to work in an undesirable work environment but mini frames cause no problem and can work efficiently in any environment. 

A few applications of mainframe or minicomputers are -

• They are ideal for data management at local hospitals, small offices, or retail shops. There the data is neither too large nor a large number of users need to access the computer.
• In the manufacturing sector processed control is done by using mini frames. They collect the data and give feedback. In this way, they ensure if an error occurs during the processing, adjustments are made accordingly.

4.) Workstation

A workstation is a single user-based computer with a high-speed powerful processor, huge storage, advanced graphic capabilities, and a large RAM.

These are specifically designed for scientific and technological purposes Applications-

• They are used to perform intense and complex scientific calculations. With the presence of multiple processors, it can perform such calculations in seconds.
• They are sometimes connected to the PCs in a network and are accessible to them through resident tools and applications to provide data.
• Many IT firms use workstations to perform data analysis.
• They are also used for high definition animation purposes which are sometimes not possible on a simple PC.

Some examples of workstations are- 

• ThinkPad Power Series,
• IBM Intellistation Power
• Silicon Graphics IRIX machine

These all are the examples of workstation.

5.) Personal Computers (PCs)

Personal computers or microcomputers are the most commonly used computers.

This is because they are useful for assisting in the day to day life tasks like sending emails, watching movies, creating PPTs, watching movies, surfing the internet, and much more.

Read - How to Shut Down Personal Computer ?

The traditional desktops have now been replaced with lighter and portable work devices laptop Applications -

• They are used in schools and universities for interactive learning and surfing the internet.
• They are used at most of the offices for common tasks like emailing, printing, creating spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, video conferencing, etc.
• They are used in small hospitals and clinics to store data of the patients visiting, and scheduling appointments.
• They are used at home for work from home purposes, watching movies, or playing games.

FAQ Related to Computer Types

What are the 7 types of computer?

The 7 types of computer are -

1. Supercomputer
2. Mainframe
3. Server Computer
4. Workstation Computer
5. Personal Computer or PC
6. Microcontroller
7. Smartphone

What are the 3 different types of computer?

The 3 different types of computer are -

1. Analog Computer
2. Digital Computer
3. Hybrid Computer

What are the main types of computers?

There are three main types of computer, which names are given below.

1. Analog Computer
2. Digital Computer
3. Hybrid Computer

What are the 5 types of computer?

There are five types of computer-based on size.

• Supercomputer.
• Mainframe computer.
• Minicomputer.
• Workstation.
• PC (Personal Computer)

What are the 4 types of computers?

The four types of computers based on size, which names are given below.

• Supercomputer
• Mainframe Computer
• Microcomputer
• Mini Computer

What are the 2 types of computers?

There are two types of computer based on purpose, which names are given below.

• Special Purpose Computer
• General Purpose Computer

Who invented computer?

Charles Babbage invented the computer system.

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