What Is an APU? The Accelerated Processing Unit, Explained (2024)

The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the brain of the computer, handling most of the processing. However, one area where it doesn't excel is graphics.

To compensate for this, Graphics Processing Units (GPU) deal exclusively with visual output tasks. However, designing and manufacturing two units to handle this data is inefficient.

The solution is the Accelerated Processing Unit or APU.

What Is an APU?

What Is an APU? The Accelerated Processing Unit, Explained (1)

The Accelerated Processing Unit is designed to combine the two separate units onto a single die. In this case, a die is a small segment of semiconducting material, containing a copy of a mass-produced circuit.

Although placing two circuits onto a single die doesn't sound that forward-thinking, it is the manufacturing and design decisions that dictate the performance of your computer.

Reducing the footprint of the processing units brings down the cost, allows more room for other hardware, and is more efficient. Keeping the components close together increases the data transfer rates and reduces power consumption, too.

If you haven't heard of APU technology before, there may be a reason; the term is almost exclusively used by a single manufacturer, AMD.

The Benefits of an APU

What Is an APU? The Accelerated Processing Unit, Explained (2)

When considering upgrading your CPU or GPU, things can quickly become overwhelming. There are many products out there, with similar numerical names, and tall marketing claims. Each new release is touted as a vast improvement over the last, even if this isn't strictly borne out in benchmarking tests.

Of course, it's natural that a company should want to sell their product, so you'd be right to be skeptical of APUs, too. However, there are some real benefits to using the technology. The most immediate transformation is in system performance.

If your computer previously used just a single CPU and integrated graphics, then you'll see a noticeable bump in performance. Tasks will be quicker, videos will run smoother, and speeds will generally increase. In the long-term, you'll also see a reduction in power usage.

Although it is a significant change, the actual reduction may be minimal. Given the global climate, many of us want to decrease our energy usage. This is especially the case when it comes to our technology. You can, however, find out how much energy your PC uses and how to reduce it.

As the two processors reside on the same die, they can share resources, too. This makes your computer more efficient, increases speeds, and reduces the cost of manufacturing. For this reason, APUs are often good value for money and are a more affordable way of upgrading your hardware.

Should You Buy an APU?

What Is an APU? The Accelerated Processing Unit, Explained (3)

Despite these performance improvements, choosing whether to buy an APU isn't as straightforward as it seems. The first point to consider is that AMD's APUs are just one variety of combined processing unit. Intel and other manufacturers also produce components that are APUs in all but name.

Given that you can purchase devices that look and behave like APUs, you may wonder why you'd opt for AMD's implementation. While others turned their focus solely toward combined processors, AMD has continued to develop unique ranges; CPUs, GPUs, and APUs.

You should also consider, though, that APUs are a step up from your motherboard's integrated graphics, but are still trumped by an independent GPU. If gaming or video is a vital part of your setup, then an APU will only offer you limited improvements.

In this case, it would likely be preferable to purchase a high-end CPU and GPU separately. If you aren't sure of the function of a Central Processing Unit, then you may be interested in finding out more about the CPU and what it does.

Furthermore, APUs were impactful when they were first released in 2011, but technology has since moved on. As a combined processor became an industry standard, designers looked for other improvements they could make to the electronics. This led to the transformation of the APU into the System-on-a-Chip.

The Evolution of APUs

AMD released its first APU in January 2011. As mentioned before, APU was the firm's marketing term for combining two processing units on a single die. However, they weren't the only company to explore the benefits of this union.

Another notable processor manufacturer was also moving in the same direction. Intel began development on its own combined processing units, released under multiple Intel product names. If you're unsure of all the differences, check out our guide to Intel's CPU models.

As predicted by Moore's Law, the cost of technology has reduced, while the capability has increased. APUs were the first stage in the evolution of computer processing and electronics manufacturing.

If combining two computer components on a single die brings performance benefits, then it would follow that adding more onto that die would do the same. This led to the creation of System-on-a-Chip (SoC) designs.

SoCs combine the majority of all critical components on a single chip. The benefits of APU design---reduced power consumption, lower heat generation, increased performance---hold true here, too.

This design trend was prompted by the explosion in mobile devices, which happened around a similar time that APUs first launched. Mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets, needed to be both cheaper and more portable than their desktop counterparts.

Thus, the SoC became an industry-standard. However, this was only possible thanks to the advances made through APU design.

The Best Processor for Your Computer

While APUs were instrumental in the development of processors, these days, they are mostly a relic of an older time. The units were a stepping stone between standalone CPUs and GPUs and the SoC designs in use today. That said, their combined power offers an advantage over your motherboard's integrated graphics.

Still, times have moved on, and there's a lot of choice out there if you want to upgrade your setup. To find the most effective option, consider the parts of a computer and how to upgrade them.

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What Is an APU? The Accelerated Processing Unit, Explained (2024)

FAQs

What Is an APU? The Accelerated Processing Unit, Explained? ›

An APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) is a type of processor that combines both a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) onto a single chip. A CPU, on the other hand, is a standalone processor that is responsible for performing most of the computations and data processing in a computer.

What is the APU of a processor? ›

(1) (Accelerated Processing Unit) A chip that contains both the CPU and GPU. See GPU and AMD Fusion. (2) (Application Processing Unit) Another term for CPU, an APU is a general-purpose processor in contrast to specialized processors for graphics, voice, photos, etc.

What are accelerated processing units APUs? ›

First coined by AMD, an accelerated processing unit (APU) is a CPU with integrated graphics processing functions. In effect, it is a processor that combines the CPU and GPU into one package.

What is an APU in it? ›

An APU is an accelerated processing unit. They're manufactured by AMD as a way to house a CPU and GPU on a central die. This allows for efficient resource sharing between the two components, and it offers great core and thread counts at an affordable price.

What is APU accelerated processing unit also called? ›

AMD Accelerated Processing Unit (APU), formerly known as Fusion, is a series of 64-bit microprocessors from Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), combining a general-purpose AMD64 central processing unit (CPU) and 3D integrated graphics processing unit (IGPU) on a single die.

What is difference between CPU and APU? ›

APUs are specifically designed to provide both CPU and GPU functionality in a single chip, while CPUs are designed to provide only CPU functionality. While an APU can be used in place of a CPU, it may not provide the same level of performance for tasks that primarily rely on the CPU.

What does APU run? ›

The auxiliary power unit (APU) is a small gas turbine engine mounted in the tail cone of an aircraft to provide autonomous electrical and mechanical power for the following: Starting power for the main engines. Pneumatic power for cabin air conditioning systems. Shaft power for other pneumatic and hydraulic systems.

How much does an APU unit cost? ›

APUs run anywhere from $8,500 to $13,000 including installation. Also, make sure that the size of the actual APU fits within your truck's frame.

How does APU work on semi-trucks? ›

In general, there are two basic APU types. A diesel APU will have a small diesel engine mounted on the frame rail of the truck, typically behind the fuel tank and in front of the first axle. This engine will run off the truck's fuel supply and power a compressor, alternator, or generator.

What does a processing unit do? ›

A central processing unit (CPU) is a hardware component that's the core computational unit in a server. Servers and other smart devices convert data into digital signals and perform mathematical operations on them. The CPU is the primary component that processes the signals and makes computing possible.

What is the main purpose of an APU? ›

An Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) is a small jet engine located typically in the tail section of an aircraft, which provides electrical and pneumatic power when the main engines are not running. In some cases, the APU is located in an engine nacelle or in the wheel well.

What is the APU unit? ›

An Auxiliary Power Unit or APU allows an aircraft to operate autonomously without reliance on ground support equipment such as a ground power unit, an external air-conditioning unit or a high pressure air start cart.

What is APU good for? ›

APUs are beneficial for space-efficient computing, particularly in laptops and small form-factor systems. They offer a good balance of processing power and graphics capabilities, making them suitable for general computing, multimedia tasks, and light gaming without the need for a discrete graphics card.

What is an APUs? ›

noun. ˈā-pəs. astronomy. : a faint constellation visible near the south celestial pole that is represented by the figure of a bird of paradise. Unfortunately, Apus is a latter-day construct, conjured by Dutch navigators around the turn of the 17th century and not imagined (or even seen) by ancient Greek herders.

What is an APU processor? ›

An APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) is a type of processor that combines both a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) onto a single chip. A CPU, on the other hand, is a standalone processor that is responsible for performing most of the computations and data processing in a computer.

How does APU work on a computer? ›

APU stands for Accelerated Processing Unit. It refers to a kind of processor that combines a CPU and GPU into a single package. A CPU, or central processing unit, handles all of the logical and arithmetic operations that take place as you use your computer. The GPU, on the other hand, handles graphical operations.

Which is better APU or GPU? ›

Despite this, an APU doesn't give the same performance as a dedicated CPU and GPU. Instead, a dedicated CPU and GPU are best viewed as a step up from APUs. This makes APUs an affordable upgrade for those looking to update their PCs.

What is the APU of Ryzen? ›

Much like the previous Ryzen series APUs, such as the Zen 3-based Ryzen 7 5700G, Ryzen 5 5600G, and Ryzen 3 5300G, AMD's Zen 4 series of APUs offers the performance and power efficiency benefits of a monolithic, mobile-first die while remaining competitive in the entry-level desktop space.

Is an APU just integrated graphics? ›

An APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) is AMD's brand name for their integrated graphics processor included in select AMD processors. Like a GPU, this processor is designed for handling graphics processing solely better than just a CPU can achieve.

What is the best APU processor? ›

AMD Ryzen 7 8700G

When it comes to APUs, no one could challenge the Ryzen 7 8700G, and that is why it has the top spot on our list. Team Red has made significant advancements compared to the 5000 series APUs, particularly moving away from the Vega integrated GPU.

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