CPU and GPU – What’s The Difference?

The CPU is comprised of several components:  

1. The arithmetic logic unit (ALU) performs simple arithmetic and logical calculations.  
2. The control unit (CU) handles various components of the device, reading and interpreting instructions from RAM. It then transforms the instructions into a series of signals to activate other components.  
3. The cache carries out the back and forth of data within the CPU. It contains the hierarchy of memory.  

Located on the motherboard, the CPU sits in a socket specifically for that processor. It gets very hot and requires its own cooling system, most commonly in the form of a fan.  

The ALU is where the calculations happen. Billions of microscopic transistors work as tiny gates that switch on and off and control the flow of electricity. It contains binary information consisting of ones and zeros in the computer world. If the current passes through, it is a one, if the current does not pass through, it is a zero.  

Think of the CPU as a silicon brain of a device. The graphics processing unit (GPU) can be called the creative side of the brain, aiding render graphical user interfaces into visually appealing icons and designs.

GPU 

Many CPUs come with integrated GPUs to ensure basic graphics can be displayed. This includes being able to render basic objects like a systems desktop environment. However, computers now, demand more intensive graphics-based tasks, such as rendering and designing videos on high-end software. To enable such demanding tasks, a computer needs a dedicated GPU. 

The screen of your device is made up of millions of tiny pixels. The CPU creates a binary code which is sent to the GPU. The GPU, following this binary code, decides how to use the pixels to create an image. The information on how to use the pixels to generate an image is sent through a cable to the monitor.