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.