School is almost out for the summer. Memorial and 4th of July sales are coming. The question on a lot of peoples’ mind is what kind of work laptop they should get.
Now I could just give you my “top ten” laptops, but with how fast technology advances you’re better off educating yourself. So, I’m here to teach you what you should be looking for.
Today we’re going to talk about the Graphics Processing Unit or GPU for short. As the title says there are two different kinds to be on the lookout for.
Integrated is when your GPU is built into your Central Processing Unit (CPU). Which in return means that your GPU isn’t going to be the strongest. Why isn’t it as strong? Well, first off a CPU isn’t built for rendering 3D models. So, if you’re looking for something to game on, video edit, or even make your own 3D models you’re out of luck.
If you’re not looking to do any of those things you can save yourself a lot of money and just get an Integrated GPU laptop. It’ll really only be useful for simple things like watching videos, web browsing, and other typical everyday actions.
On top of the less power you’d get from a CPU chances are you’ll lower its lifespan with an Integrated GPU because of the amount of extra power it’s using. GPUs usually use up a lot more power and have a lot more going on creating more heat. That heat in return slowly kills your CPU faster. Normal dedicated GPUs have their own cooling as to not overheat your system. So, you’re getting less performance all around.
So, now we know what an Integrated is and what it does but what’s dedicated? A dedicated GPU is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a dedicated processing unit designed specifically for handling graphics.
There are all kinds of GPUs new and old. There are even different variations of the same card because of other companies that mod the card. As seen above is a GTX 1080Ti which is a BEAST of a graphics card. Surely to make all computer and gaming enthusiasts drool all over themselves.
What does it do though? Well, anything from doing 3D rendering to video editing. Obviously, the nicer the card you buy the better performance you’re going to get. So, you can’t just go around and buy any card. It’s important to pay attention to the market and find out what all the terms mean.
If you’re someone outside looking in all these phrases and words can seem hard to understand. For instance, if I said I had a Geforce GTX 1070 Twin Frozr, someone who didn’t know what I was talking about would think “huh?”. It’s important to research further into what they are and what they do. You want to make sure you’re well informed before buying a computer or laptop. Trust me! I walk into Best Buy and they’ll sell you a hunk of junk for way to much money and praise it for being the next best thing.
Integrated is good for if you’re not planning on doing much with your laptop. I’d recommend getting a dedicated GPU even if it is a little more expensive just for the sake of taking a load off your CPU and saving RAM.
So, based off your computer usage which do you think you’d need?
Toby Lopez 