How to use this glossary
Gaming hardware is described with a lot of short, similar-sounding terms. This page defines the common ones in plain language, grouped by what they do. It deliberately contains no benchmark scores, prices or model numbers: those change constantly and are best checked against current, independent sources when you are buying something.
A console and a gaming PC contain broadly the same kinds of parts. The difference is mostly that a console’s parts are chosen and fixed by the manufacturer, while a PC’s parts can be mixed, matched and swapped.
The processing parts
CPU (central processing unit). The general-purpose “brain” that runs the game’s logic: rules, artificial intelligence, physics and the instructions that tell other parts what to do. A CPU is split into processor cores, each able to work on its own stream of instructions. More cores help when a game can spread work across them, but they do not automatically make every game faster.
GPU (graphics processing unit). A processor built to do huge numbers of similar calculations at once, which suits drawing images. It turns the game’s 3D scenes into the pictures you see. In many modern games the GPU has the biggest influence on how detailed the image can be and how smoothly it is drawn.
Integrated graphics. A GPU built into the same chip as the CPU. It is usually cheaper and uses less power, but typically has less capability than a separate graphics card.
Graphics card. A separate add-in board carrying a GPU and its own memory. In a PC it plugs into the motherboard; consoles use a single combined chip design instead.
Core, thread, clock speed. A core is one processing unit; a thread is a stream of instructions a core can handle; clock speed describes how fast a core ticks. Comparing clock speed alone between different designs can mislead, because what each tick accomplishes differs.
Memory and storage
RAM (random access memory). Short-term working memory for the CPU. It holds whatever the game and your system need right now and is cleared when the power goes off. Games typically keep textures, level data and the operating system’s own needs in system memory, and running short can cause stutter.
VRAM (video memory). Memory attached to the GPU, holding textures, frame data and other graphics material. It is separate from RAM, and running short of it can cause stutter or force lower texture settings. How much it needs depends on resolution and texture quality.
SSD (solid-state drive). Storage with no moving parts, built from flash memory. It generally loads games and levels faster than a hard drive.
HDD (hard disk drive). Storage that reads from spinning magnetic platters. It tends to offer more space for the money but is slower and more sensitive to knocks.
NVMe. A way of connecting an SSD that is designed for flash storage. NVMe drives are usually faster than older SSDs that use the SATA connection, though the real-world difference in load times varies by game.
Load times. The wait while a game reads data from storage into memory. Storage speed is one factor, but the CPU and how the game was built matter too.
The board, power and cooling
Motherboard. The main circuit board that every other part connects to. It determines which CPUs, memory types and expansion cards you can use.
Chipset. A set of controllers on the motherboard that decides which features, such as the number of connections, are available.
PSU (power supply unit). Converts wall power into the lower voltages the parts need. Its wattage rating tells you how much it can supply. Leaving some spare capacity is generally sensible.
Cooling. Everything that removes heat: heatsinks, fans, liquid loops and the airflow through the case. When a chip gets too hot it may slow itself down to protect itself, which is called thermal throttling.
TDP (thermal design power). A manufacturer’s rough guide to how much heat a part is designed to produce. It is a design figure, not a measurement of actual power use.
Case airflow. The path air takes in, over the hot parts and out. Fan placement and dust levels both affect it.
Display and input terms
Resolution. The number of pixels that make up the image, for example the common “1080p” or “4K” labels. Higher resolution gives a sharper picture and asks more of the GPU.
Frame rate. How many images the game produces each second. It is not the same as refresh rate, which is how many times per second the screen can update. A screen’s refresh rate sets the ceiling on how many of those frames you can actually see.
Input latency. The delay between pressing a button and seeing the result on screen. It builds up across the controller, the game, the system and the display.
Sync technologies. Features such as variable refresh rate that make the screen follow the GPU’s output, reducing visible tearing.
Terms you will see on product pages
Bottleneck. The part that limits overall performance. If a fast GPU is held back by a slow CPU, the CPU is the bottleneck. Understanding hardware bottlenecks helps you judge whether a claim makes sense.
Form factor. The physical size and layout standard of a part, such as a motherboard or case. It decides what fits with what.
Firmware. Low-level software stored on a device that controls how the hardware behaves. Updates can fix bugs or add compatibility.
Overclocking. Running a part faster than its default settings. It can raise performance but also heat, power draw and risk, and it may affect warranty terms.
Thermal paste. A thin compound between a chip and its cooler that helps heat move across.
Reading hardware claims carefully
Spec sheets tell you what a part is, not how a particular game will run on it. Treat a single number with caution, check that comparisons use similar test conditions, and prefer independent reviews that explain how they measured. Where this glossary uses a word like “typically”, it is because results genuinely differ between games and setups.
In a working machine these parts cooperate constantly, and the weakest link usually shapes the experience.