CPU vs. GPU: What's the Difference?
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A CPU (central processing unit) has a few powerful cores built to run varied tasks one after another very quickly, while a GPU (graphics processing unit) has hundreds to thousands of simpler cores that perform the same operation on huge batches of data at once. The CPU runs the operating system and program logic; the GPU excels at graphics, video and the matrix maths behind AI.
At a glance
| CPU | GPU | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of cores | Few, typically 4 to 16 in a consumer PC | Hundreds to thousands of small cores |
| Design goal | Finish each single task as fast as possible | Process as much data in parallel as possible |
| Best at | Branching logic, the operating system, everyday apps | Graphics, video, AI and scientific maths |
| Core design | Large caches and complex control logic per core | Simple cores that share control logic |
| Is it essential? | Yes: every computer needs one | Optional; often built into the CPU chip |
Which should you use?
The CPU handles work that is sequential or full of decisions, such as running Windows or Android, compiling code, or recalculating a spreadsheet where each step depends on the last.
The GPU fits jobs that repeat one calculation across millions of data points, such as shading every pixel of a game frame or training a neural network on thousands of images.