Difference between PCs and Mainframe Computers

A computer is a device that can carry out multiple logical and arithmetic operations according to the level of its programming. A computer is subject to reprogramming and updating to carry out new sequence of operations hence computers are constantly upgrading over the years with technological advancement to carry out different kinds of solutions. There are different types of computers, which can be differentiated based on their operational principle, and the categories are analog, digital and hybrid computers. Computers can also be categorized based on their processing power and size. The categories include mainframe computers and microcomputers, also known as personal computers.

Mainframe computers are powerful computers that are used by large organizations for applications that are highly critical such as bulk data processing and enterprise resource planning or by government organizations for operations such as census. Modern mainframe computers are defined by their repetitive nature in their internal engineering hence providing high reliability, security, high computation, hardware utilization and compatibility with older software. These systems support workload sharing where one system takes over another while it is refreshed. This is especially necessary for non-disruption of work as for software upgrades to be implemented; operating systems require to be set up. Historically, mainframes acquired the name due to their size, the specialized heating system and ventilation air conditioning and their huge consumption on power.

A personal computer on the other hand, is a general-purpose computer of a smaller size and capabilities and an affordable and original sales price and does not require any intervening computer operator as it is easy enough for direct use by the end user. Personal computers are of different forms and they include desktop, gaming computer, nettop, home theater PC, single unit, laptop, PDA, net book, pocket PC, minicomputer, a server, a tablet, supercomputer and wearable computer.

Mainframe computers and personal computers differ largely. This may be in their appearance where mainframe computers are large and bulky, personal computer are small and convenient with some being portable. Another difference between the two is the operating systems that run the two. There are various operating systems that run computers with those running mainframe computers being IBM zSeries, Unisys Libra, Unisys Dorado, Linux, Unix and Windows and those running PCs being Ms Windows, OS X, AmigaOS and Linux. Operating system is the major differentiating factor between PCs and mainframe computers. Mainframe computers are capable of running more than one operating system at a time on the same machine something that is not possible on the personal computers. This is because mainframe computers are built to handle many concurrent users while personal computers can handle just one user at a time. Therefore, a mainframe’s operating system is more powerful than that of a personal computer hence making it more expensive. Another difference is that mainframe computers are only used by large organizations and government bodies and cannot be used for personal use, whereas personal computers can be used commercially or for personal business. Mainframe computers mainly handle algorithm problems but personal computers perform a wide range of activities, for example, wearable computers are used in medical issues, gaming computers are used for entertainment, tablets can be used in business and net books are used mostly for carrying out studies.

Yet another difference between personal computers and mainframe computers is the storage space available for the two. In PCs, the storage space is enhanced by use of floppy disks, flash, DVDs, CDs, external hard disks and the computers hard disk itself. However, the size of memory of the mainframe computer surpasses that of personal computers as it serves many users hence its storage capacity has to be large enough to accommodate all the different users. Therefore, the mainframe computer has a large memory as compared to that of the PC. Yet another difference between these two types is the programs run on them. Programs run on the mainframe computer include service batch, transaction processing and timesharing. On personal computers however, the programs differ such as word processing, internet access, and spreadsheets and others. Another difference is the high compatibility of mainframe computers with older models, which is not the case when it comes to personal computers.