A graphics processor is a processing unit that its sole job is to manage the performance and enhance the performance of graphics and video games. The main features of a GPU/ Graphics processor include texture mapping, hardware overlays, MPEG decoding, rendering polygons, support for YUV colour space,high intensity graphics software such as AutoCAD and 2D/ 3D graphics. GPU's are used for PC's, motherboards, mobile phones, adapters and games consoles.
GPU's have been increasing in popularity as applications become more dependent on better graphics as the market wants more realism. At first graphics processors were seen as just an enhancement to what was already there but not its necessary to get the best out of your PC. You have specialized logic chips which give it better video implementations and fast graphics. GPU are connected to the CPU.
GPU's use transistors for its 3D graphics. Some will have quicker memory for mapping out vertices such as geographic information applications. A GPU is very similar to CPU's its main focus is geometric calculation and mathematical calculations which is needed to render graphics. Any graphics that are on your screen have to be rendered though the GPU. GPU and CPUs need a fan to keep the processing system cool, due to the speed and hard work needed to do the calculations needed it can sometimes overheat that's why fans are needed. The main focus of the GPU is to process and create images. The images are then stored in the computer RAM (Random Access Memory).
There are all kinds of graphics cards. It depends on what you want to do as to which one you will need. If for example if you are looking to do gaming on your device you will need to look into what GPU you need. You will find that if you want a high quality game with high quality graphics you may need to spend a lot on your graphics cards. Gamers can spend thousands on graphics cards. There is a market for this as to get the highest resolution on games you need the best one. The main aspect of gaming is graphics. There are two main makers of graphics cards ATU ir Nvidia.
GPU's have been increasing in popularity as applications become more dependent on better graphics as the market wants more realism. At first graphics processors were seen as just an enhancement to what was already there but not its necessary to get the best out of your PC. You have specialized logic chips which give it better video implementations and fast graphics. GPU are connected to the CPU.
GPU's use transistors for its 3D graphics. Some will have quicker memory for mapping out vertices such as geographic information applications. A GPU is very similar to CPU's its main focus is geometric calculation and mathematical calculations which is needed to render graphics. Any graphics that are on your screen have to be rendered though the GPU. GPU and CPUs need a fan to keep the processing system cool, due to the speed and hard work needed to do the calculations needed it can sometimes overheat that's why fans are needed. The main focus of the GPU is to process and create images. The images are then stored in the computer RAM (Random Access Memory).
There are all kinds of graphics cards. It depends on what you want to do as to which one you will need. If for example if you are looking to do gaming on your device you will need to look into what GPU you need. You will find that if you want a high quality game with high quality graphics you may need to spend a lot on your graphics cards. Gamers can spend thousands on graphics cards. There is a market for this as to get the highest resolution on games you need the best one. The main aspect of gaming is graphics. There are two main makers of graphics cards ATU ir Nvidia.
Speed with CPU's and GPU's are measured in the same way using MHz. One MHz represents one million cycles per second. The higher the speed of the GPU the more efficient the GPU and the better it is for processing complicated calculations. If you look at a PC it has a quicker speed than a laptop due to needing a better GPU to process its graphics. A laptop is slower and may have more lag due to having less GPU speed.
As with the CPU the GPU has a cache and use data buses. See below for details. Its the same as CPU's really.
Every GPU has a cache the GPU uses it to reduce the time it takes to access the data from the main memory of the PC.The cache is a smaller but faster memory. Its closer to the GPU than the RAM. GPU's can have different caches for either instructions or just data. The more caches you have the more data that can be stored.
The GPU's control unit will check the cache for instructions first before checking data from the RAM. RAM (Random Access Memory) is the memory within a PC/Laptop. By using the cache or at least checking it first it stop the need to be fetching data from the RAM.Which takes longer time to do and keeps the CPU waiting.
Caches in GPU's are graded you have Level 1 (L1), Level 2 (L2) or Level 3 (L3).
L1 type are built into the GPU chip itself. This makes it the smallest but also the fastest. It has a size limit of 8KB - 64KB. L2 and L3 are bigger. They have more caches which are built in between the Ram and the GPU. L2 can sometime be built within the GPU with L1. The downside is that it takes longer to access than L1. The more L2 and L3 you have the faster the computer can run.
The GPU uses an address bus. An address bus/data bus is data path that goes direct from CPU to the memory. Address buses are used as its the quickest way a GPU can relay the data to memory. You will find there are 2 types of buses a control bus and a data bus. The difference is that unlike the GPU just having a direct line from the GPU to the memory, data buses and control buses can go either way. They don't just go from data bus to memory it can go from memory to data bus unlike address buses.
As with the CPU the GPU has a cache and use data buses. See below for details. Its the same as CPU's really.
Every GPU has a cache the GPU uses it to reduce the time it takes to access the data from the main memory of the PC.The cache is a smaller but faster memory. Its closer to the GPU than the RAM. GPU's can have different caches for either instructions or just data. The more caches you have the more data that can be stored.
The GPU's control unit will check the cache for instructions first before checking data from the RAM. RAM (Random Access Memory) is the memory within a PC/Laptop. By using the cache or at least checking it first it stop the need to be fetching data from the RAM.Which takes longer time to do and keeps the CPU waiting.
Caches in GPU's are graded you have Level 1 (L1), Level 2 (L2) or Level 3 (L3).
L1 type are built into the GPU chip itself. This makes it the smallest but also the fastest. It has a size limit of 8KB - 64KB. L2 and L3 are bigger. They have more caches which are built in between the Ram and the GPU. L2 can sometime be built within the GPU with L1. The downside is that it takes longer to access than L1. The more L2 and L3 you have the faster the computer can run.
The GPU uses an address bus. An address bus/data bus is data path that goes direct from CPU to the memory. Address buses are used as its the quickest way a GPU can relay the data to memory. You will find there are 2 types of buses a control bus and a data bus. The difference is that unlike the GPU just having a direct line from the GPU to the memory, data buses and control buses can go either way. They don't just go from data bus to memory it can go from memory to data bus unlike address buses.
GPU's have a 3D and 2D processor. Its pretty easy to guess what each on does from the name. Each processor process all calculations that come and process to screen so we can see it. The rendering of the image comes later at the end this is the final stage before the information is sent to screen.
Then rendering part is an engine that can be either hardware or software this generates the final image in either 2D or 3D. graphics. £D rendering does take up more processing power as there is more detail need to the image, This is due to how object in 3D are constructed. They are made out of individual polygons as opposed to just calculating how many pixals is needed in a 2D image. To run modern game with the latest graphics you will need a dedicated GPU. Gamers will spend more on a GPU than a CPU as that is the main thing you need when gaming..