commodity computer

A commodity computer is a standard-issue PC that is widely available for purchase. The term usually differentiates typical consumer products from specialized or high-performance computers but is sometimes used to refer to low-cost and no-frills but functional machines. 

Commodity computers share various characteristics:

• A base instruction set.
• Widely available software.
• Compatibility with common peripherals.
• Out-of-the-box functionality.
• architecture common to similar models.
• Parts interchangeable among similar models.

The term “commodity computing” is often used in reference to low-budget cluster computing, which is the use of multiple computers, multiple storage devices, and redundant interconnections to compose the user equivalent of a single highly available system. A governing principle of commodity computing in this context is a preference for inexpensive, modestly performing hardware components working in parallel. Commodity computing systems are conceived, designed, and built to minimize the cost per unit of performance.