Component guide
Monitors and peripherals
The monitor displays images; the keyboard and mouse provide input. Headphones, speakers, microphones and cameras offer more ways to communicate with the computer.
How does it work?
Input peripherals capture actions or information, such as keystrokes or microphone sound. Output peripherals present results, such as monitor images or speaker audio.
Concepts you should know
Key concepts: on a monitor, resolution indicates image detail, while refresh rate indicates how many times the image updates per second. These are different characteristics.
An everyday example
When you move the mouse, its sensors record the movement and send it to the computer. The program updates the cursor position and the monitor displays the change.
How it connects to the rest of the computer
Peripherals use connections such as USB, Bluetooth, HDMI or DisplayPort. Available resolution and refresh rate depend on the display, graphics output and connection used.
References and further reading
Explore these guides and resources for more detail. Links open in a new tab.