CPU vs GPU? | Graphics Processing Unit : Explained

Many of us are unaware about the difference between CPU and GPU as well as their specifications and functionality. So now we will discuss about their functions and support.

Imagine that you are having a computer with the latest processor but you have not installed a Graphics Card in it externally and your friend is having a computer with an older version of processor but your friend has used a good quality high end Graphics Card.
If you play a video game with your friend simultaneously, you will observe that the gaming performance of your friend's computer is much better than your's. How the GPU has affected the performance?

GPU and CPU explanation - 

GPU stands for Graphics Processing Unit and CPU stands for Central Processing Unit, if we take an overview of the objects we can say that both works on a central micro processor which handles all the processing but their functions and capacity differentiates them.

Now if I talk about processor, whether it is in your cell phone or in your PC, it is a general purpose processor that handles almost all the tasks such as logical, arithmetical and others.

On the other hand if I talk about GPU, it is a specific purpose processor that handles only the Graphics with the help of parallel computing.

GPU can be of two types. One can be integrated, which will be the part of the processor that handles graphics and the others will be dedicated which can be seen in Laptops and PCs, if you added them externally like AMD's RX460 OR GTX1080, then that is a dedicated GPU, but if it is integrated then, if you have intel's processor then you will get Intels's HT graphics, iris graphics, iris pro graphics.

Simialarly, in your smartphones and tablets, If you have used Qualcomm's processors then you'll get Adreno GPU, or if you have used exynos processor then you'll get Mali GPU, so here the GPU's are integrated in the processor and a section of its handle the Graphics.

Also Read :

• Graphics cards : Explained | How GPU works?
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Uses of GPU -

What is different in Graphics that it needs another system that can handle only the graphics?
Because in Graphics, parallel computing is used. Which means, if you are playing a video game and it has a particular structure in it like roads, building etc so before showing you that the computer has to calculate everything, so these things have to processed at a high speed.

And because we can use parallel computing in this, as the things aren't dependent on each other, every section of the GPU handles different things in the video game, and all these sections work together at high speed to present a view in front of you.

But a CPU is unable to do so. That's why if you have a dedicated GPU, your gaming performance is quite good.







Also, if I talk about video rendering, video processing or image processing, it can be done in small blocks in the screen. So if you have a dedicated GPU, you can improve this performance as compared to a integrated GPU.

So this was the difference between GPU and CPU, and both has its own use in a device as per the user's choice and needs. CPU deals with all the functions of the system such as use of internet, memory etc and GPU deals with Graphics in video games, videos and images.

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