CPU vs GPU

L

l3ender

Supreme [H]ardness
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Jan 1, 2007
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I've recently been thinking about this and can't really find an answer to my question. The reading I've done doesn't seem to a) make sense or b) cover what I'm wondering.

Anyway, what's the deal with these? I definitely know what they are, but exactly how are they different? What's the point of a GPU? Especially with multi-core systems now, could a CPU do the GPU's work? Or could a separate CPU do a GPU's work?

Feel free to talk as low-level (as in the workings of them) as needed...I want to get to the bottom of this. (ha, ha ...)
 
i don't know if this going to make sense but the best anology i could give is

the engine and transmission in your car, they both make it go but you can't have one without the other and and no matter how much power one has they can't do the other ones job.

it makes sense to me just no sure if it is exactly correct :)

i am sure someone will come along and give you a much better explaination.
 
A CPU is a general purpose processor. It's made so it can do a lot of things well. A GPU is made with one thing in mind (for the most part) and does it very well and very fast.

A CPU cannot even come close to being able to do the graphical rendering at a high speed in comparison to a GPU. The CPU test in 3DMark 2006 or whatever version shows this. When processing the graphics in that scene, the CPU doesn't do more than 1-2 frames per second. A GPU would render that scene a hell of a lot faster without even breaking a sweat.

On the other hand, a GPU cannot do anywhere near as many different types of calculations that a CPU can do. A GPU is specialized processor.

 
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