component-based computer
nounUK /kəmˈpəʊnənt beɪst kəmˈpjuːtə/
US /kəmˈpoʊnənt beɪst kəmˈpjuːtər/
A computer made of separate parts that you can put together or swap out.
We built a component-based computer in class by connecting the screen, keyboard, and brain box.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A computer design where each function lives in its own replaceable piece.
The engineer chose a component-based computer so a broken part could be fixed alone.
3. A teaching model that shows how computer parts work together.
The museum's component-based computer lets kids plug in each piece to see what it does.
4. A computer you can improve by changing just one part instead of buying a new one.
With a component-based computer, adding more memory is as easy as clicking in a new stick.