Difference Between PC and Server (With Table)

The computer is one of the brainstorming inventions in the history of man. It has simplified lives and has provided a smarter option to process and store things. It is the reason behind many other inventions. Without computers, the field of research and technology will not have advanced. The computer is made super beneficial with the internet. Both these things have a crucial role in the modern world.

PC vs Server

The main difference between PC and server is that PC is the device used for personal uses and to access the internet. While a server is the part of the computer that takes care of the network resources. The server helps the computer to connect to the internet but the PC is the device that contains the server.

A PC is used by normal people for their day-to-day activities. It is not suitable for experts or people working in the software field for complex programming. The size, ability, storage, and price of PCs differ from one another. Initially, PC was designed for common people to use and specialized programs cannot be run but, nowadays PC’s are advanced and support any type of work.

A server can either be Software or Hardware. A server is commonly the part of a computer that facilitates the sharing of data and resources to another computer or any device. During early times, mainframe computers were used as servers. Minicomputers were also used in some cases. During this time these servers carried out all the work.

Comparison Table Between PC and Server

Parameters of Comparison

PC

Server

Type

Hardware

Hardware or Software

Usage time

Personal computers are used only when required and then shut down

Servers are kept working without interruptions

Complexity

PC is less complex to work with

The server is complex and involves highly advanced technology

Storage

Less compared to the server. Ranges from few GB to TB

Large storage from Terabytes to Petabytes

Example

Desktop, Laptop, workstation, Smartphones

Web server, Proxy server, Database server, etc

What is a PC?

People buy Personal computers depending on their needs and their price range. The world of technology is rapidly growing and PCs are coming with different novel features to attract customers. Companies work hard to succeed in this market and to make their products preferable. But Microsoft and Intel have acquired a strong place in the market.

Personal computers are designed for normal purposes and are not suitable for high-end operations. They are the best choice for students for academic purposes. Initially, computers were designed to be operated by one technician who is trained to do it. But later the need for computers among common people increased.

So computers were made in large numbers so that they can be owned and used by everyone. Personal computers were used by technicians. People whose jobs require computerized works also started purchasing personal computers. But as time passed owning a computer became very common. Video gaming and other technological advancements increased the demand for computers.

Now personal computers are used for common purposes like video conferencing, sending emails, storing data, study purposes, and for other purposes. Personal computers are now more advanced they are connected to various other devices and can be used to control those devices like smart TVs. Since the demand for personal computers increased it caused the generation of more electronic wastes.

What is a Server?

Servers are now used by companies for providing uninterrupted experiences to their customers. The devices that are linked to a server are called clients. Servers are used to share resources or carry out computational tasks for the client devices connected to them. Clients are normal devices like mobile phones and PCs. Servers can connect with many clients.

A client device can make a connection with a server by sending a request to it. The server process this request and respond. File servers are used in transfer and web servers can be used in any computer device. There are various uses of a server in computing. The major function is to share or transfer resources. Servers are the backbone of today’s innovation and modernization.

Servers are essential in every application we use on our mobile phones and laptops. Database servers are crucial for maintaining large databases. Spreadsheets use this type of server. Gaming servers let several gamers use different devices to play the same multiplayer games. Email servers help in faster and better communication. Web servers help the websites work. The client in this case is the device with a browser.

Servers of larger search engines and websites like Google and Amazon should be run with no interruptions. These servers are maintained in specialized data centers. Data centers are provided with an uninterrupted power supply, security, and a good internet source. Heat generation is a major drawback of server rooms. So they are air-conditioned and data centers are placed near river banks.

Main Differences Between PC and Server

  1. PC is a device used by normal people for personal uses but, a server is a program that connects a device with another source
  2. PC is common and used by most people. Servers for large databases are maintained in specialized data houses
  3. PC is simple to work with and are made for normal man usage while servers are complex to deal with
  4. PC does not involve very advanced technology but, servers are developed with highly advanced technology
  5. PC is used by people to store data and to send it to others while the server paves the portal to send this data.

Conclusion

A personal computer is widely useful for many activities. They are helpful to browse and search on the internet, communicate with loved ones, it is also applicable for educational purposes, processing and analyzing businesses data is also made easier with PC, it also serves as a great source for entertainment. PC is used to stream movies on web platforms.

The large server is maintained in data centers built on acres of land. They use a large amount of energy and generate heat. However, cooling techniques are used to cool down the building. Coolants are used to deal with the heat generated in server rooms. The server is one of the essential requirements for the PC to work.

References

  1. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Shakirat-Sulyman/publication/271295146_Client-Server_Model/links/5864e11308ae8fce490c1b01/Client-Server-Model.pdf
  2. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08838159809364436