Input and Output Devices List with their Functions

Input and Output Devices

This will be a basic query of every computer beginner and must wanted to know what are the input and output devices used in terms of computer?

The computer is a vast technology. You may have used so many features of computer and related devices. But I am sure, many of us might have unknown about their features.

Lets say, If you are a computer user then, you must be using a mouse, keyboard, printer, monitor, joysticks, webcam, speaker, touchpad, etc.

Do you really know what exactly are those devices called?

What kind of devices they are?

In what terminology they come under?

Hereby, providing you an input and output devices list related to computers and their brief description:

Certainly, you must have seen or heard about a mouse, keyboard, touchpad, monitor, printers, speaker, scanners, etc. Few of them comes under Input devices and some of them comes under output devices.

Check out the list below, separated input output devices:

List of Input Output Devices of a Computer

Input Devices: Computer related input devices are Keyboard, Mouse, Touchpad, TrackPoint, Scanner, Microphone, Digital Cameras, Barcode reader, Joystick, Webcam, etc.

Output Devices: Few examples of output devices are Printers, Projector, Plotters, Monitor, Speakers, Head Phone, etc.

Brief Explanation of Input Devices

Keyboard: A computer or laptop keyboard is kind of hardware device that you can use to type data in a computer system. It usually plugs and play device.

A computer keyboard includes a set of alphabets (A-Z), numbers (0-9), symbols and function keys. A computer keyboard type should be PS/2 (5-Pin DIN or 6-Pin DIN), USB (Universal Serial Bus), Wireless.

Now days USB and Wireless keyboard are common in use. Earlier, PS/2 was the most used keyboard.

Mouse: A computer mouse is an input and a hardware, pointing device that you can connect to your computer system. You can move cursor on your screen.

It’s a hand held device that you can move with your hand and do clicks (right or left) on your screen to send commands to your computer screen area.

Earlier PS/2 mouse was in existence but now a days USB and Wireless Mouse have taken place.

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Touchpad: A touchpad or trackpad is a kind of input device that has a limited area wherein you can Point, scroll, click and swipe.

A Touchpad most commonly found on computer laptops (computer brand doesn’t matter). Touchpad allows to use all the features as you do with a computer mouse.

TrackPoint: Most commonly TrackPoint found in IBM ThinkPad Notebook computers, and originally introduced by IBM in 1992.

TrackPoint is a cursor control device that’s built between laptop keyboard and also known as pointing stick.

Now the days touchpad method is in existence.

Scanner: A scanner is an electronic and input device that allows user to scan any of document, images, etc. and convert them to digital formats that you can see on your computer screen.

It’s a kind of hardware device that you can connect to your desktop computer/laptop by using USB connection.

Most uses in offices to create an image files of physical documents.

Microphone: Also knows as its common name “Mic”. Basically Microphone converts your voice/sound into electrical signals and you will get an output on connected speakers.

Can be used to record voice or to communicate to others by using supported applications.

Digital Cameras: A Digital Camera allow user to take pictures by using digital technology in cameras. You can click and take photographs/pictures of anything that you have focused.

You can control it by its certain features.

Barcode Reader: A Barcode Reader is an input device and also known as Barcode Scanner is a hand held device. It is an electronic device that can read barcodes those has printed on any product, etc.

It is generally used to track products and prices in a computer software system.

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Joystick: Joystick is a kind of control stick that most used for computer gaming’s that allows users to control characters or machine.

Webcam: Webcam is a short form of Web Camera is an input device. It should be connected to computer directly or indirectly.

It allows users to stream live video calling, take pictures, etc.

Brief Explanation of Output Devices

Printers: A printer is an output device that can print any document, web page, photographs, etc by command send by your computer desktop or laptop.

There are several brands and type of printers available for an example: Laser-jet, Office jet, Ink jet, Line printers.

Now days most of the printers includes the feature of scanner and copier too.

Projector: A projector is a hardware device that you can connected to computer desktop/laptop by using HDMI or VGA cable (depends compatibility) to project your computer display in a large screen.

If you are using a projector, you also required a projection screen where you can project the computer display.

list of input output devices — Projector Screen

Plotters: A Plotter is a big size printer that allow users to get big size print that cannot be done by basic printers.

Most of the plotter has the feature of LTP, LAN and USB printing ports that connectivity to your computer.

Generally, plotters are used to take prints of line-art application, big maps, architecture designs, drawings, etc.

Monitor: In computing, a monitor screen is a computer display. A monitor could be a CRT, LED or LCD.

Whatever you do in your computer, monitor is the hardware device that shows you the output. So, without monitor you can’t work in your computer.

Speakers: Computer speaker is an output device because you are getting sound from it whenever you play any online or offline music, video or anything that has sound in it.

Basically, speaker is a hardware device that you can connect to your computer to generate sound.