Have you ever wondered what the difference between CPU and GPU rendering was and which one is best for your needs? In spite of the fact that you might think that they are similar, they are very different. In this post, we will show you all about CPU vs GPU rendering.
What is CPU vs GPU?
Whether it is for 3D rendering, processing Big Data, AI/deep learning/machine learning, or any other demanding workload, a central processing unit (CPU) or a graphics processing unit (GPU) plays separate roles.
CPU, which is composed of millions of transistors and can have multiple processing cores, is referred to as the computer’s brain. A CPU is an integral component of all modern computing systems, since it executes the commands and operations required by your computer and operating system. It determines the speed of applications as well.
If CPU is the brain, GPU must be the soul. GPU is a processor that has many smaller and more specialized cores. When a processing task can be broken up and processed across many cores, the cores all work together to deliver massive performance.
CPU and GPU
What is the difference between CPU vs GPU?
| CPU | GPU |
| Central Processing Unit Several cores Low latency Good for serial processing Can do a handful of operations at once |
Graphics Processing Unit Many cores High throughput Good for parallel processing Can do thousands of operations at once |
Both CPUs and GPUs perform computing tasks differently, but they have different architectures and are designed for different purposes. Unlike a CPU, which is made up of only a few cores and a lot of cache memory, a GPU is made up of hundreds of cores that can handle thousands of threads simultaneously.
The quality and accuracy of the work
Even though CPU rendering may take hours (or even days) to complete, it delivers higher quality images that are clearer and free of noise.
There are fewer cores in a CPU than there are in a GPU, but the clock speed makes each core run faster. Furthermore, today’s CPUs have up to 64 cores, which can render excellent images and frames. Because rendering is unlimited, CPUs are usually used to produce high-quality frames.
RAM
Using the CPU’s random-access memory (RAM), the user can render scenes with huge amounts of data with ease.
In contrast to CPUs, GPUs are limited by VRAM, not by the number or performance of graphics cards.
A stable environment
CPUs have been used for rendering for a long time, and most bugs have been fixed. As a result, system stability is naturally improved when using CPUs for rendering. Incompatibility with certain software versions and systems can lead to poor, unstable GPU performance, or even crash, as a result of driver updates.
Speed
Rendering on a GPU is generally faster than rendering on a CPU. GPUs have thousands of cores, while CPUs have only 64. Although a GPU runs at a relatively low clock speed, the large number of GPU cores makes up for it, allowing for powerful rendering. Also, GPU is designed to perform tasks in a parallel manner. As a result, GPUs render various elements of a scene at the same time, giving GPUs a faster rendering time than CPUs.
Speed between GPU and CPU
Scalability & Flexibility
The GPU executes rendering tasks in parallel, so they scale linearly with more cores. This means you can easily add more GPUs to your computer to increase performance. The number of GPUs that can be added depends on the 3D software, as well.
There are a few software packages that only utilize one or two GPUs, but most renderers support multiple GPUs. Some render farms provide packages with 4/6/8/10 GPUs so users can take advantage of multi-GPU rendering.
CPU vs GPU render farm: which to choose?
Ultimately, you will decide whether you want GPU or CPU processing based on your needs. If you want the best quality renders without worrying about quick turnaround times, a powerful CPU or CPU farm is the way to go. 3S Cloud Render Farm offers seamless distributed processing for optimized performance for CPU, GPU processing.
GPUs may be a good choice if you work in the visual effects or animation department and need quick results.
To avoid problems, make sure your GPU rendering source and CPU are compatible with not only each other, but the rest of your machine as well.
These are our thoughts about CPU and GPU rendering. Together, these tools will do more for your work and presentations and greatly increase the speed at which your machine can render your designs. What’s your experience with them? Let us know in the comment below. Happy rendering!