• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Technipages

Tutorials and fixes for smartphone, gadget, and computer problems

  • Topics
    • Android
    • Browsers
    • Gaming
    • Hardware
    • Internet
    • iPhone
    • Linux
    • macOS
    • Office
    • Reviews
    • Software
    • Windows
    • Definitions
  • Product Reviews
  • Downloads
  • About
What is Hardware-Acceleration?

What is Hardware-Acceleration?

September 11, 2020 by Mel Hawthorne Leave a Comment

Occasionally new computing technologies are announced that feature “hardware-acceleration” but that term is rarely explained in those announcements. It’s actually relatively simple to understand thankfully. The majority of processing on a computer takes place in software running on the general-purpose CPU. It’s possible, however, to create a separate processor specifically designed to perform a small range of tasks or even just a single task. Utilizing a separate processor like this is called hardware-acceleration.

Benefits and drawbacks of hardware-acceleration

Hardware-acceleration comes with two main performance benefits. Firstly, processors designed to perform specific types of logic are faster and more efficient at performing a task than a general-purpose CPU would be. Secondly, by offloading that processing load, the main CPU has more processing power free to dedicate to other tasks. Other advantages include increased parallelism, reduced power consumption, and increased efficiency.

The use of dedicated separate processors for hardware-acceleration means that adding new features or even just patching bugs can be difficult, if not impossible in some cases without replacing the hardware. It’s also significantly harder and more expensive to develop new hardware than it is to develop software.

Types of hardware-acceleration

There are currently three types of hardware-acceleration: specialized processors, FPGAs, and ASICs. A specialized processor is a separate processor that uses hardware optimized for the intended type or types of logic. A popular example of a specialized processor is the GPU. A modern GPU contains a set of processors designed for certain tasks such as shading and ray tracing.

A Field Programmable Gate Array or FPGA is a processor that is designed to be able to be configured by the customer after manufacturing. An FPGA can be programmed to be suited for a range of different logic functions, depending on the task that it is being designed for. As FPGAs are re-programmable, they are popular for the development of ASIC processors.

ASICs or Application-Specific Integrated Circuits are processors optimized specifically for running a single task. With ASICs there is never any intent for the processor to be used for anything other than exactly what it was designed for. Through this depth of optimization, ASICs are very efficient at performing their task.

You Might Also Like

  • How to Turn Hardware Acceleration Off or On in Google Chrome
    How to Turn Hardware Acceleration Off or On in Google Chrome
  • What is Mouse Acceleration?
    What is Mouse Acceleration?
  • Best Crypto Hardware Wallets 2021
    Best Crypto Hardware Wallets 2021
  • How to Find Your Chromebook’s Hardware Specs
    How to Find Your Chromebook’s Hardware Specs
  • Windows 10: Enable Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling
    Windows 10: Enable Hardware-Accelerated GPU Scheduling
  • Fix Intel WI-FI 6 AX201 Adapter Driver or Hardware Issues
    Fix Intel WI-FI 6 AX201 Adapter Driver or Hardware Issues

Filed Under: Hardware, Software

Reader Interactions

Did this help? Let us know!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Google Photos: How to Remove a Memory
  • How to Open Outlook in Safe Mode: The 6 Best Methods You Must Know
  • How to Make a Drop-Down List in Excel: 2 Best Methods in 2023
  • Can You Mix RAM Brands: A Guide for RAM Mix and Match
  • Google Photos: How to Recover Erased Pictures
  • New Galaxy S23: Full Specs, Features, and More
  • How to Block Calls on Android
  • Mimecast for Outlook: Everything You Need to Know

Who’s Behind Technipages?

Baby and Daddy My name is Mitch Bartlett. I've been working in technology for over 20 years in a wide range of tech jobs from Tech Support to Software Testing. I started this site as a technical guide for myself and it has grown into what I hope is a useful reference for all.

You May Also Like

  • Best Crypto Hardware Wallets 2021

© Copyright 2023 Guiding Tech Media · All Rights Reserved · Privacy