Why the heavy RAM usage for GPU tasks?


Message boards : Number crunching : Why the heavy RAM usage for GPU tasks?

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Lamberto Vitali

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Message 8471 - Posted: 3 Jul 2024, 22:01:09 UTC
Is a GPU doing the same size task as a CPU? If so, why does the GPU need 2GB, 200 times more than the CPU's 10MB?
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Message 8531 - Posted: 15 Aug 2024, 23:01:36 UTC - in response to Message 8471.  
VRAM is VERY slow compared to CPU caches, which is why GPU apps are designed differently to make the most of the hardware. While it's possible to reduce the memory requirements, doing so would negatively impact performance. Given that all modern GPUs come with more than 2GB of VRAM, optimizing the app simply for minimal VRAM usage isn't practical.
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Message boards : Number crunching : Why the heavy RAM usage for GPU tasks?