PAPER 2 · TOPIC 1SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES: HARDWARE & DEVICES
⭐ EXAM FAVOURITE
Hardware questions almost always land as a "help this person choose a device" scenario: a student, a small business, or a traveller with a stated need and a budget. The marks are not for reciting specs, they are for matching the right component to the job and justifying it. Learn the four stages of the information-processing cycle - input, processing, output, storage - and you can slot any device into place and defend your choice.
Know what the job needs before you shop.· the right device is the one that fits the task, not the one with the biggest number on the box
Every computer, from a smartwatch to a gaming desktop, does the same four things: it takes data in, works on it, shows a result, and keeps it. Once you can name which part of the machine does each of those, comparing a tablet to a laptop stops being guesswork and becomes a checklist.
What you must be able to do
Explain the information-processing cycle and name the hardware that performs each stage
Classify a device as input, output, storage or processing, including devices that do more than one job
Describe the role of the CPU, RAM, cache and the motherboard in processing, and read a spec sheet correctly
Compare storage types by capacity, speed, portability and cost, and pick one for a stated need
Identify common ports and connectors and say what each is used for
Compare mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops) against desktops on power, portability, battery and upgradability
Read a real advertisement and decide whether a device meets a given user's requirements and budget
The information-processing cycle
📖 KEY DEFINITIONHardware is any physical part of the computer system you can touch. The information-processing cycle is the sequence a computer follows to turn raw data into useful information: input (data enters), processing (the CPU works on it), output (the result is presented to the user), and storage (the data or result is kept). Communication is often added as a fifth stage, covering how devices send data to each other.
Input devices: getting data in
Common input devices
Keyboard and mouse: the standard way to enter text and point
Touchscreen: input and output in one surface, standard on phones and tablets
Scanner: turns a printed page or photo into a digital file
Webcam and microphone: capture video and sound for calls and recording
Biometric readers: fingerprint or face sensors that read a body feature to identify a user
Specialised input
Barcode and QR scanners: read printed codes at a till or on a parcel
Stylus or digital pen: precise handwriting and drawing on a touchscreen
Game controller: directional and button input for games
Sensors: GPS, accelerometer and light sensors feed a device data about its surroundings
⚠️ COMMON MISTAKE
A touchscreen is both an input and an output device, so calling it "only input" or "only output" loses the mark. The same trap applies to a multifunction printer (it prints, which is output, and scans, which is input) and to a headset (the earpiece is output, the microphone is input). Watch for any device that does two jobs at once.
Processing: the CPU and memory
🔥 FREQUENTLY TESTED
The relationship between the CPU, RAM and storage is tested almost every year, usually as "why is this computer slow" or "what should this user upgrade". The CPU is the brain that carries out instructions; RAM is the fast, temporary workspace it uses while a program runs; storage is the permanent shelf that keeps files when the machine is off. Too little RAM is the most common cause of a slow but otherwise capable machine.
📖 KEY DEFINITION
The CPU (central processing unit) is the chip that fetches and carries out program instructions; its speed is measured in gigahertz (GHz) and its capacity to work in parallel is described by its number of cores. RAM (random access memory) is fast, volatile memory that holds the data and programs currently in use; its contents are lost when power is removed. Cache is a very small, very fast memory built into the CPU that stores the data it is most likely to need next, so it does not have to wait for slower RAM.
Component
What it does
Measured in
Keeps data without power?
CPU
Carries out instructions
GHz and cores
N/A (does no long-term storing)
Cache
Tiny ultra-fast store next to the CPU
MB
No
RAM
Live workspace for open programs
GB
No, cleared on shutdown
SSD / hard drive
Permanent storage of files
GB and TB
Yes
💡 EASY MARK
When a scenario says a computer "slows down badly when many browser tabs and programs are open, but has plenty of free disk space", the answer is almost always "add more RAM". Free disk space is storage, not workspace; the bottleneck is the live workspace filling up. Naming the specific upgrade, RAM, banks the mark cleanly.
Storage: keeping data safely
Storage type
Typical capacity
Speed
Best used for
SSD (solid state drive)
256 GB to 2 TB
Very fast, no moving parts
Main drive for the operating system and programs
Hard drive (HDD)
1 TB to 8 TB
Slower, spinning disk
Cheap bulk storage of large files
Flash drive / SD card
16 GB to 512 GB
Moderate
Portable transfer between machines
External drive
1 TB to 8 TB
Depends on SSD or HDD inside
Backups and moving large amounts of data
Cloud storage
Rented, effectively unlimited
Limited by internet speed
Access from anywhere, sharing, off-site backup
⚡ MUST MEMORISE
The capacity ladder, smallest to largest: bit → byte → kilobyte (KB) → megabyte (MB) → gigabyte (GB) → terabyte (TB). Each step up is roughly one thousand times larger. A byte is 8 bits and stores one character. A photo is a few MB, a movie a few GB, and a full drive is measured in hundreds of GB or in TB. Knowing this lets you sanity-check any storage question in seconds.
⚠️ COMMON MISTAKE
Cloud storage is not "free unlimited space that lives on your device". It is space rented on someone else's servers, reached over the internet, so it needs a connection to use and the free tier runs out. Recommending cloud storage for a user with no reliable internet, or treating it as a substitute for RAM, are both common errors.
Ports and connectors
Ports you should recognise
USB (including USB-C): the all-purpose port for flash drives, phones, keyboards and charging
HDMI: sends high-definition video and sound to a monitor, TV or projector
Ethernet (RJ45): a wired network connection, faster and steadier than Wi-Fi
Audio jack (3.5 mm): plugs in headphones or a microphone
Why ports matter in a buying decision
A thin laptop with only USB-C ports may need an adapter for older devices
A user who connects to a projector needs HDMI or a suitable adapter
An office needing a stable connection prefers Ethernet over Wi-Fi
Bluetooth is wireless, not a port, but does the same job of connecting devices
The ports along a laptop edge. Being able to name a port by sight is a quick, reliable exam mark.
Mobile devices versus desktops
📖 KEY DEFINITION
A mobile device is a small, battery-powered computer designed to be carried and used anywhere, such as a smartphone, tablet or laptop. A desktop is a stationary computer that runs on mains power and is built from separate parts. The trade-off is consistent: mobile devices buy portability at the cost of raw power, battery limits and harder upgrades; desktops trade portability for more power, easier upgrades and a lower price per unit of performance.
Factor
Mobile device
Desktop
Portability
High, carried anywhere
Low, stays on a desk
Power for the price
Less power per rand
More power per rand
Battery
Runs on a battery, needs recharging
Mains power, no battery limit
Upgrades
Hard or impossible to upgrade
Easy to add RAM, storage, cards
Best suited to
Travel, notes, communication, light work
Heavy or all-day fixed-location work
🔥 FREQUENTLY TESTED
"Recommend a device for this person and justify it" is a guaranteed style of question. Anchor your answer in the user's stated needs: a rep who travels daily and takes notes wants a light laptop or tablet for portability and battery life; a designer who edits video all day at one desk wants a desktop for power and easy upgrades. Always tie each point back to a need in the scenario, not to the spec in the abstract.
Worked example: reading a device advertisement
The advertisement below is invented for practice; the prices and specs are made up to demonstrate how to compare a device against a user's needs.
The scenario
Thabo is a Grade 11 learner who needs a computer for schoolwork: typing assignments, browsing, watching lessons and storing a few years of files.
His budget is R9 000. He works mostly at home but sometimes at the library, so light portability is a bonus, not a must.
Advertised laptop: CPU 4 cores at 2.4 GHz, 8 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, 14-inch screen, USB-C and HDMI ports, price R8 499.
Requirement
Does the advertised laptop meet it?
Within R9 000 budget
Yes, R8 499 leaves R501 spare
Enough RAM for browsing and typing
Yes, 8 GB comfortably handles school tasks and several tabs
Enough storage for years of files
Yes, 512 GB SSD is generous for documents and lessons, and the SSD makes it fast
Some portability
Yes, a 14-inch laptop is easy to carry to the library
Connect to a projector or monitor
Yes, the HDMI port handles this
💡 EASY MARK
In a "does it meet the needs" question, answer each requirement with a yes or no and a one-line reason tied to the spec. "Yes, 8 GB RAM is enough for browsing and typing" earns full marks, while a bare "yes" usually earns none. The reason is where the mark lives.
🧠 ACTIVE RECALL
What is the correct order of the four stages of the information-processing cycle?(2)
Which statement about RAM is correct?(2)
A touchscreen on a tablet is best classified as which type of device?(2)
Which port would you use to connect a laptop to a projector to show video and sound?(2)
A computer runs slowly only when many programs are open at once, yet it still has plenty of free disk space. What is the most useful upgrade?(2)
Which of these is the largest unit of storage capacity?(2)
Explain the difference between RAM and storage, and state what happens to the contents of each when the computer is switched off.(4)
Distinguish between an input device and an output device, giving one example of each.(4)
A person edits video all day at a single fixed desk and wants the most power for their money, with room to upgrade later. Recommend either a mobile device or a desktop, and justify your choice with THREE reasons tied to their needs.(6)
Lerato is a first-year student with a budget of R8 500. She needs a computer for assignments, browsing and online classes, storage for several years of files, the ability to carry it to campus, and a way to connect to a projector for presentations. An advertised laptop offers: CPU 4 cores at 2.4 GHz, 8 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, 14-inch screen, USB-C and HDMI ports, price R7 999. Evaluate whether this laptop meets EACH of her requirements, giving a reason for each, and then make an overall recommendation.(10)
Explain it to a Grade 8: how are RAM and a hard drive like different kinds of memory you use when doing homework?
ONE-MINUTE SUMMARY
Every computer follows the information-processing cycle: input, processing, output and storage. Input devices such as keyboards, scanners and touchscreens get data in; the CPU processes it using fast temporary RAM and tiny cache; output devices such as monitors, printers and speakers present the result; and storage such as SSDs, hard drives, flash drives and cloud keeps it permanently. RAM is volatile and clears on shutdown, while storage survives a power-off, which is the difference behind most spec questions. Ports (USB-C, HDMI, Ethernet) and wireless links like Bluetooth connect devices together. Mobile devices trade power, battery life and upgradability for portability, while desktops trade portability for more power per rand and easy upgrades. The exam almost always asks you to match a device to a user's stated needs and budget, so justify every choice against the scenario.
IN THE EXAM
For any "classify this device" question, ask which stage of the cycle it serves, and remember that touchscreens, multifunction printers and headsets do more than one job.
When a machine is slow but has free disk space, recommend more RAM, not more storage; they solve different problems.
In a "does it meet the needs" question, answer each requirement with a yes or no plus a one-line reason tied to the spec, that reason is where the marks are.
When recommending mobile versus desktop, tie every point back to a need stated in the scenario, portability, power, battery or upgrades, rather than reciting specs in the abstract.
🔒 SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES: SYSTEM & APPLICATION SOFTWARE
🔒 SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES: FILE MANAGEMENT, TROUBLESHOOTING & PERFORMANCE
🔒 NETWORK TECHNOLOGIES
🔒 INTERNET, WWW & ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION
🔒 INFORMATION MANAGEMENT (PAT SPINE)
🔒 SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF ICT
🔒
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Feeling the pressure? Take a breath.
Exam stress is completely normal. Here are a few things that actually work. None of this replaces a doctor or a trusted adult.
Breathe in
Box breathing: 4 counts in, 4 hold, 4 out, 4 hold. Do it four times.
Anxiety
Grounding: name 5 things you see, 4 you hear, 3 you can touch.
Reframe "I am going to fail" into "I have prepared, I will do my best".
Concentration
Work in 25-minute blocks, then a 5-minute break (Pomodoro).
Put the phone in another room while you study.
One task at a time. Multitasking costs more than it saves.
Sleep
Cramming all night backfires: sleep is when the brain locks in memory.
No screens for 30 minutes before bed.
The same bedtime every night keeps the brain sharp.
Study habits
Active recall (testing yourself) beats passive re-reading by far.
Space your study across days; do not cram it all into one.
Practise past papers under time. That is exactly how these notes are built.
If it gets too much, talk to a parent, teacher or a trusted adult. You do not have to carry it alone. SADAG (free, 24 hours): 0800 567 567, or SMS 31393.