Random test How fast an SSD can
read and write files from RAM.
Read To access data saved on a
computer.
Read speed How long it takes
a hard drive to ‘read’ data, and
respond to it.
Sans-serif A font that doesn’t
have strokes in letters. Considered
to look simpler and more modern
that serif fonts, particularly when
used online.
SATA Serial ATA. An interface for
connecting hard drives and optical
discs to a computer.
Scart A standard connector for
video and audio signals.
Secure Boot A security standard
designed to make sure your PC
avoids malware when booting.
Sequential data Data from a file
that a computer reads or writes
in a strict order. Much faster than
doing so randomly.
Server A computer on a network,
such as the internet, that
distributes information to other PCs.SIM Subscriber Identity Module.
The smart card used by all digital
mobile phones.SMS Short Message Service.
More commonly called text
messaging.sRGB A standard RGB colour
space for use on monitors,
printers and the internet.SSD Solid-state drive. Storage
that, unlike a hard drive, uses no
moving parts. Faster but more
expensive than conventional hard
drives.Switch Mechanism under a
keyboard that determines whether
a key has been pressed.System restore point The
collection of system files stored
by System Restore on a given date
and time to which Windows can
revert if a problem occurs.TPM Trusted Platform Module.
A computer chip that allows your
hardware to perform security-
related tasks.Trojan A malicious computer
program that’s disguised as a
different, harmless program.UEFI Unified Extensible Firmware
Interface. A modern replacement
for the BIOS.USB 2.0/3.0/3.1 Faster successors
to USB.USB-C A new connector that’s
reversible, letting you plug it in
upside down.Ve g a 8 Radeon’s built-in graphics
card for laptops.VGA Video Graphics Array. An older
standard socket for connecting a
monitor to a computer.Virtual machine A software-
based computer running inside
another computer. Often used to
emulate another operating system.VPN Virtual private network.
Keeps all internet communication
safe and private.Waveform An image that represents
an audio signal or recording.Wi-Fi 5 A standard for wireless –
also known as 802.11ac – networks
that allows for much higher transfer
speeds than 802.11n.Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi standard with
speeds up to 10 times faster than
802.11ac. Also called 802.11ax.Wiki site A collaborative website
that users can easily edit.Wildcard A character that can
be substituted for one or more
characters in a web search,
much like the blank tile in Scrabble.WMV Windows Media Video. A
Microsoft file format for video.Write Save data to a hard drive.ZIP file A file that contains
compressed documents or files.