CPU vs GPU - why arent CPU's as powerful?

19ninety · 25 Jul 2008 at 22:08

As title really, with using the GPU F@H client its seems the GPU is hugely powerful, I also hear something about CS4 utilizing GPU power to help along. So how comes GPU technology cant be intergreated into CPU's to make em more quicker?

19ninety · 25 Jul 2008 at 22:11

Jihad said:
Most the people in GD can't decide on what hairstyle or socks to go for, do you think this is the best place to discuss such a thing?!

lol yea i did wonder that after seeing theres a bloomin big borther topis in here!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe should have stuck it in General Hardware? Feel free admins

19ninety · 25 Jul 2008 at 22:14

Tefal said:
GPU's are built for very specialized calculations very useful for gfx and some maths, but woeful at the stuff your cpu is.

just like your cpu is crap at gfx.

like a tank and an F1 car, one will out do the other on a track, but fail epically off road.

Although they are working on gpGPU stuff in dx11 so it will be able to help in certain tasks.

Hmmm, true, would be interesting if they could use the GPU for those kinda things in line with the CPU, like sharing the load - would make some serious difference in computing power.

19ninety · 25 Jul 2008 at 22:35

Una said:
The term your kinda looking for is co-processor anyhow.

Thats the word! You probably guessed I'm not too technically clued up on this, hense asking

Dr_Fartypants said:
To make an analogy: Think of the CPU as a scalpel, and the GPU as a sledgehammer. You can break down a wall with a scalpel, but it will take a long time. However you can never do brain-surgery with a sledgehammer.

Cheers to you both though, very helpful and now I understand more about what the two different processors do.