The model that slows down
A student trains a small picture-sorting model on a laptop. After ten minutes the fan roars and each step takes longer. The keys feel hot.
Two parts matter here: the graphics chip that does the sums, and the cooling. By the end you will know why the work slowed down.
Key words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| GPU | graphics processing unit: a chip made for drawing pictures fast |
| Integrated | built into the same chip or board as something else |
| Dedicated | a separate part with its own memory |
| Heat sink | a metal block with fins that draws heat away |
| Fan | a spinning blade that moves air |
| Throttling | a chip slowing itself down to stay cool |
| Radiator | a panel with fins where hot liquid gives off its heat |
| CPU | the main processor of a computer |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can say what a GPU is for and compare air cooling with liquid cooling.
Starter
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3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
A GPU does many small sums at once
A picture on screen is millions of tiny dots. Every dot needs a small sum. A GPU has hundreds or thousands of small cores that do these sums together. A CPU has a few strong cores that do big and varied jobs.
GPUs are used for games, video editing, 3D design and training AI. Training a model is millions of small sums, so a GPU suits it well.
Integrated and dedicated GPUs
| Feature | Integrated GPU | Dedicated GPU |
|---|---|---|
| Where it is | Inside the CPU chip | A separate card or chip |
| Memory | Shares the main memory | Has its own fast memory |
| Power and heat | Low | High |
| Cost | Included | Extra |
| Good for | Office work, video, web | Games, 3D design, training a model |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
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3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.