--- tags: [computer-architecture] created: Sunday, September 22, 2024 --- # GPU versus CPU - GPU stands for _Graphics Processing Unit_. Originally designed for rendering graphics and video but now used for other applications of parallel computing eg. machine learning. - The standard CPU uses sequential processing whereas the GPU is designed for parallel processing, specialising in performing many simple calculations simultaneously. - Harnessing the GPU requires specialised programming approaches. - Most standard laptops and desktops (if they are not designed for graphically-intensive tasks) incorporate graphics processing within the CPU. The CPU chip is on the same chip as the CPU chip. This is called _integrated_ graphics processing. - Some laptops, especially those marketed for gaming or professional work, have a separate GPU chip. This is a more powerful graphics processor, separate from the CPU.