Graphics Processing Unit

This is where the CPU off loads 2d and 3d graphics and image processing so that the CPU does not have to handle these objects. The GPUs ability to process these images and complex algorithms make the computer run in a more balanced way. Since GPUs do most of the image and algorithm processing, this component is essential for gamers, content creators, and anyone processing large data sets.
Similar to the CPU GPUs are primarily released by two main manufacturers, AMD and NVIDIA. A few months after these companies release new architectures, they allow other manufacturers to use their existing architecture to produce their own renditions. These different renditions maintain the same architecture but vary in things like clock speed, amount of video RAM, overclocking abilities, and cooling capacities. Other companies outside the two main producers are, Gigabyte, Asus, EVGA, Sapphire, and Zotac, just to name a few,

AMD

Current Generation

GPU Compute Units Base Frequency Boost Frequency Stream Processors Max Memory Size Max Performance
RX580/580 36 up to 1257 MHz up to 1340 MHz 2304 8 GB GDDR5 up to 6.2 TFLOPs
RX570/570 32 up to 1168 MHz up to 1244 MHz 2048 8 GB GDDR5 up to 5.1 TFLOPs
RX560/560 16/14 up to 1175 MHz up to 1275 MHz 1024/896 4 GB GDDR5 up to 2.6 TFLOPs
RX550/550 8 up to 1183-1287 MHz N/A 640/512 4 GB GDDR5 up to 1.2-1.65 TFLOPs
540 8 N/A up to 1124-1219 MHz 512 4 GB GDDR5 up to 1.2 TFLOPs
535 6 N/A up to 1024 MHz 384 2 GB GDDR5 N/A
530 6 N/A up to 1024 MHz 384/320 2 GB GDDR5 up to 800 GFLOPs
520 5 N/A up to 1030 MHz 320 2 GB GDDR5 up to 660 GFLOPs

Future Generations
"Navi"

GPU Compute Units Base Frequency Boost Frequency Stream Processors Max Memory Size Max Performance
700 Series N/A N/A N/A N/A HBM3/GDDR6 N/A

NVIDIA

Current Generation

GPU NVIDIA CUDA Cores Boost Frequency Max Memory Size Max Performance
Titan XP 3840 up to 1582 MHz 12 GB GDDR5X up to 15.3 TFLOPs
1080 Ti 3584 up to 1582 MHz 11 GB GDDR5 up to 14.3 TFLOPs
Titan X 3584 up to 1531 MHz 12 GB GDDR5X up to 13.6 TFLOPs
1080 2560 up to 1733 MHz 8 GB GDDR5X up to 10.8 TFLOPs
1070 Ti 2432 up to 1683 MHz 8 GB GDDR5 up to 9.6 TFLOPs
1070 1920 up to 1683 MHz 8 GB GDDR5 up to 8.1 TFLOPs
1060 6GB/3GB 1280/1152 up to 1708/1708 MHz 6/3 GB GDDR5 up to 5.4/4.8 TFLOPs
1050 Ti 768 up to 1392 MHz 4 GB GDDR5 up to 2.8 TFLOPs
1050 5 up to 1455 MHz 2 GB GDDR5 up to 2.3 TFLOPs

Future Generations
"Turing"

GPU NVIDIA CUDA Cores Boost Frequency Max Memory Size Max Performance
11 Series N/A up to 16 GB GDDR6 HBM3/GDDR6 N/A

Learn more about the difference between CPUs and GPUs by clicking on this video from Techquickie.

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