What is the GPU in a computer? | One PC Panda

Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is a type of specialized programmable processor that facilitates faster graphics rendering on the computer’s screen. Video and 3D animation are rendered smoothly using a GPU. The higher the resolution, the faster and smoother the transition of motion. 

There are 2 common types of GPU  - one is a stand-alone card with its own memory or a  built-in GPU circuitry found within the motherboard chipset or in the CPU chip. 

GPU vs CPU: What’s the difference?

Essentially, CPUs and GPUs serve different purposes. Central Processing Unit (CPU) executes and retrieves commands of the operating system. It is essentially the general-purpose processor and called the brain of the computer. Although both CPU and GPU are thought to have some common elements, they are built for different purposes and have different architectures. GPU is a more specialized core while CPU is designed for a wide variety but smaller individual core tasks. This includes running databases and serial computing.  

GPU on the other hand has fixed-function engines that are more flexible and programmable. GPUs help convert video from one graphics format to another more quickly than CPUs.

GPU vs TPU What’s the difference?

Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) is highly-optimized, specifically designed and developed for neural network machine learning for the TensorFlow software. It’s an application-oriented integrated circuit developed by Google to enhance AI calculations and algorithms. GPU and TPU share the same technology. The only difference is that TPU is tailored for TensorFlow. Because TPU specializes in processing neural network simulations, it is better at artificial intelligence processing such as supercomputers and AI-devoted servers. 

What does the GPU do in gaming?

Is it possible to play a game without a video card or graphic card? The answer is YES if you have the right graphics settings and CPU speed. 

Although the scarcity of supply is still not abated from the past year, there is a reason why gamers would go to any lengths to upgrade their classic gaming PC. GPUs can render graphics in both 2D and 3D. Playing certain types of games requires it to be just as critical as the CPU. To put it simply, the basic purpose of a GPU in gaming is to render every image and graphic that you see on your screen; from the characters, effects, weapons, and every detail and movement on screen is calculated by GPU. Many latest games require both the CPU and GPU to play them. 

There are the latest games that have minimum GPU requirements. Other than the brand and model. You may want to know whether your GPU is built-in or is a dedicated chip. If you want to know what kind of GPU your PC has, see: How To Check What GPU You Have.

What is GPU Hashrate?

Hashrate refers to how many hashes per second your GPU can perform, and it depends on both the GPU card itself and on your power consumption. LHR stands for Low Hash Rate, which indicates you’re spending more money on electricity than you’re making mining cryptocurrency. A hashrate helps your computer’s processor complete mathematical equations and mine cryptocurrency. A higher hash rate means a faster computer, which can boost your gaming performance. This makes it possible to play some demanding games at higher settings than you could otherwise. For example, if you have a system with an Intel Core i7-6700K CPU and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics card (which has a hash rate of about 25 MH/s), then you can get around 60 FPS on medium graphics for most modern PC games. You might be able to get more frames per second if you turned down your graphics settings, but even so, that’s still pretty good for high-end gaming hardware.

Memory and Core Clock

Your graphics card has two clocks called the Memory Clock and Core Clock. Your Memory Clock tells you how fast your VRAM runs, while your Core Clock tells you how fast your GPU's actual processor will run. In terms of FPS (Frames Per Second) with gaming graphics cards, games perform best at higher Core Clocks than they do at high Memory Clocks; yet both clocks will affect game play experience one way or another.

Memory and Core Clock

Your graphics card has two clocks called the Memory Clock and Core Clock. Your Memory Clock tells you how fast your VRAM runs, while your Core Clock tells you how fast your GPU's actual processor will run. In terms of FPS (Frames Per Second) with gaming graphics cards, games perform best at higher Core Clocks than they do at high Memory Clocks; yet both clocks will affect gameplay experience one way or another.

The process of changing your GPUs clock speeds to increase hashrates. Each card has an individual tweak-ability and some benefit more than others. In general, you’ll want to run a few benchmarks at stock settings before overclocking. This will give you a baseline for comparison when you overclock, so that you can tell if it’s worth it or not. If your hashrate increases by 20% after overclocking, then it was worth it; if not, then there’s no point in doing so (unless you just like tweaking things).

How to benchmark your GPU

Benchmarking your GPU allows you to know how much it can handle especially when it comes to playing the latest PC games. Other than the specs, it shows you how much it can cope with, which resolutions it can handle and how it will perform, and identify what issues your GPU may have. Benchmarking involves testing the boot-up of games and recording their frame rates.

Why benchmark?

Avid PC gamers and enthusiasts know how essential it is to benchmark a GPU. Running benchmarks can show you how stable your GPU is, or how it may have issues when under load. You might experience glitches, crashes, delays, and artifacts when running, which allows you to address the issues early on.  

Benchmarking a GPU requires software. There are many popular ones suggested online that you can choose from and even free ones. Some free versions have sufficient settings to allow you to benchmark your GPU. 

1. Simply download and install the benchmark software of your choice.

2. Run the program.

3. A window will pop up displaying a selection of different texture qualities and resolutions. Configure the setting according to your preference. However, it is always preferable to select the resolution your PC always runs when you’re gaming. 

4. Allow the benchmark to run for a few hours. It is best to run your games in full-screen or borderless window mode like you would when playing. 

5.  If you run it without a problem, then your GPU is good to go. However, if certain issues arise such as crashing and glitches, it is best to address them early.  

You may want to record and analyze your results. Frame rate is one of the most crucial factors to track. Low 1% frame rates suggest stuttering and deep frame drops, which means poor performance. In addition, the greater the disparity between your average frame rate and your 1% low frame rate, the more likely you are to experience stuttering or deeper frame drops

Most benchmarking software already has preset settings that you can quickly run once it’s installed. They are industry-standard and preprogrammed to benchmark and score a GPU. 

GPU plays an essential role in PC gaming. Even for non-gamers such as content and video creators, having a powerful GPU improves the performance of apps and displays. Therefore, it is important that one has sufficient knowledge about it.