When you’re shopping around for a new laptop or desktop, it can be helpful to know a little about the important internal components that help such devices perform as well they do. This way, you can figure out if the computer you’re considering purchasing has the right specs for how you intend to use the machine once you take it home.
In this guide, we’ll be taking a quick look at one of these internal computing components: GPUs. We’ll go over what its abbreviation means, how they can (in some cases) be different from graphics cards, and a few other details you’ll want to keep in mind while shopping for your next computer.
GPU stands for “graphics processing unit.” Generally speaking, it’s a type of processor that handles and speeds up graphics rendering (the generation of the images you’ll see on computer screens). This is especially important for computing tasks such as 3D rendering and gaming. So if you’re buying a PC or laptop for gaming or content creation projects, you’ll need to pay attention to the kinds of GPUs such devices have to offer because it can affect the quality of what you see on screen and how fast certain operations are completed.
Colloquially, GPU is often used interchangeably with “graphics card,” but it can also mean the actual GPU at the heart of the graphics card, alongside the memory and other components — in the same way that CPU refers to the central processor, not the entire PC around it. Technically, a GPU is part of a graphics card. The GPU does the graphics rendering, while the graphics card provides the power and access to high-speed memory it requires. It also connects it to the other parts of the computer it needs access to, like the CPU, system memory, and storage, to complete its tasks.
An iGPU is an integrated graphics processing unit. It’s a type of GPU that’s found on the same chip as a CPU. Almost all Intel processors (save its F-series models) include integrated or onboard graphics, so they have an iGPU. AMD only includes iGPUs on its APU model processors, typically found in laptops.
With iGPU’s, the main processor shares memory with the GPU, which results in benefits such as a cooler machine and less power consumption. iGPUs are great for normal everyday computing tasks like surfing the web and productivity tasks, but if you need a powerhouse machine for serious gaming or video editing, you may want to look at a graphics card, or dGPU, instead.
A dGPU is a “discrete GPU.” A dGPU is not merged with the main processor and doesn’t share memory with the main processor either. It has its own memory, so it can be a full-size graphics card in a desktop or a discrete graphics chip within a laptop. Typically, dGPUs offer better performance and can handle more intensive tasks. But this also means they consume more power, and machines with dGPUs will produce more heat. Laptops can have dGPUs, but you’ll mostly see them in desktop computers.
Generally speaking, you can search for your machine’s GPU information via its device settings. For example, on Windows 10, you can do so by navigating to Device Manager and then selecting Display Adapters, which should expand to show you a list of GPUs that your device has. You can Google the name of the GPUs to find out if they’re graphics cards or iGPUs.
You can also find your PC’s GPU info and other specs in several other ways, including third-party programs. Check out our guide to how to check your PC’s specifications on Windows 10 for more info.
Now that you’ve learned a little more about GPUs, you may want to continue doing a little more research before you commit to buying your next PC. If you need more information, you should peruse our best laptops guide.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.
Two new highly requested iCloud plugins just got added to ChatGPT, giving people who rely on Apple’s Mail and Calendar services a way to search emails, check appointments, and manage their schedules directly through the chatbot.
The integration is rolling out to all ChatGPT plans, including the free tier. You can access it on the web, desktop, and iOS.