Learn About Laptop GPUs

What is it?

It stands for graphics processing unit (GPU). It is a processor that is specialized in computing graphics very fast. With a GPU in your computer, you will be able to run graphic intensive programs smoothly such as 3D games. Lately, GPUs have been specializing in many more things like accelerating the performance of many programs that can take advantage of the GPU's highly parallel structure (Embarrassingly Parallel), and deep learning neural networks.

How does it work?

GPUs work by doing the following (over simplified) steps:

1. Receive instructions from CPU
2. Execute instructions (Graphics or Compute)
3. Send graphics to display or store compute results in memory

Look for

• General Benchmarks

  Check out general benchmarks so that you can get a feeling of how the GPU performs

  One example of such benchmarks is Geekbench

• Specific Benchmarks

  Check the benchmarks that are specific to the game or software that you will be using

  Let's say you only play 1 game, and that is the only thing you do on your computer, then only check how the GPU performs specifically to the game you intend on playing. If you found a GPU runs your game to your desired level, then no need to over spend on a faster GPU.

• Your Display Resolution

  Check GPU performance with the laptop display resolution

  Get a laptop GPU that can perform well for the display resolution.

• Your Display Refresh Rate

  Check GPU performance can take advantage of your display refresh rate

  Displays have many different refresh rates, most commonly 60Hz. Higher refresh rates are mainly for better gaming experience. If you have a display with 120Hz refresh rate, you need to make sure you get a GPU that can run your games at your display's native resolution and native refresh rate.

• Power Consumption

  Choose a GPU with the best performance per Watt for your requirements

  It is one of the most important metrics in laptop GPUs. Less power consumption means more battery life, less heat on your lap, less money paid on electricity bill. It also makes cooling the GPU easier and quieter.

• eGPU

  See if the laptop can support an eGPU

  eGPUs enable laptops to achieve desktop level GPU performance. Because of that, eGPUs can be the ultimate solution for the people who need the portability of laptops, and the performance of desktops.

Avoid

• Spec Comparisons

  Do not compare GPUs based on their specs

  Every GPU is based on an architecture, and every architecture is designed differently. For example, a 1280 Shaders GPU can be faster than 2048 Shaders GPU, hence, it is pointless to say that the 2048 Shaders is more than 1280 Shaders, so it must be better. Same thing with cache size, and any other metrics. The best thing to do is check the benchmarks and real world use cases.

• Clock Speeds Comparisons

  Do not compare GPUs based on their clock speeds

  All modern GPUs adjust their clock speeds based on usage and power/cooling headroom to save on power and maximize performance. As a result, if you have a fast GPU clocked at 1.5GHz, but your power/cooling headroom is only enough for it to run sustainably at 1GHz, then it will run at 1GHz, even though it is a 1.5GHz GPU. Also, a GPU from architecture X with clock speed of 1GHz can out perform a GPU from architecture Y running at 1.5GHz. Instead, you should check out how much your GPU power/cooling headroom is.

• Memory Size Comparisons

  Do not compare GPUs based on their memory size

  Usually, modern GPUs come with an appropriate GPU memory size relative to their performance level. Unfortunately, some manufacturers combine less powerful GPUs with more memory to deceive consumers with the assumption that more memory means more performance. It is rarely the case where getting more memory will get you more performance. Instead, focus on GPU benchmarks, not memory size.