dGPU
Technology & Computing abbreviation · Computer Hardware
| Stands for | Discrete graphics processing unit |
|---|---|
| Categories | Technology & Computing |
dGPU stands for Discrete graphics processing unit, a computer hardware abbreviation.
Separate graphics processor with its own dedicated video memory, either on a plug-in graphics card or as a separate chip on a laptop's motherboard. It is needed for demanding games, 3D rendering and most AI work.
Example: Gaming laptops pair the iGPU with a dGPU and switch to it automatically when a game starts.
Usage notes
Also called dedicated graphics. Nvidia, AMD and Intel (with its Arc line, launched in 2022) are the main makers of consumer dGPUs. In laptops, a "MUX switch" lets the dGPU drive the display directly, bypassing the iGPU for higher frame rates. A dGPU can draw 100 to 600 watts at full load, far more than an iGPU.
Related abbreviations
More computer hardware abbreviations
- CPU – Central processing unit
- CUDA – Compute Unified Device Architecture
- DAS – Direct-attached storage
- DDR – Double data rate
- DDR4 – Double Data Rate 4
- DDR5 – Double Data Rate 5
- DIMM – Dual inline memory module
- DLSS – Deep Learning Super Sampling
- DMA – Direct memory access
- DP – DisplayPort
- dpi – Dots per inch
- DRAM – Dynamic random-access memory