Accelerated processing unit

An accelerated processing unit (APU, also advanced processing unit) is a computer's main processing unit that includes additional processing capability designed to accelerate one or more types of computations outside of a central processing unit (CPU). This may include a graphics processing unit (GPU) used for general-purpose computing (GPGPU), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or similar specialized processing system.

Variations on the usage of this term include a variation in which the APU is described as a processing device which integrates a CPU and an OpenCL compatible GPU on the same die, thus improving data transfer rates between these components while reducing power consumption by upwards of 50% with current technology over traditional architecture. APUs can also include video processing and other application-specific accelerators. Examples include AMD Accelerated Processing Unit, Cell, Intel HD Graphics, and NVIDIA's Project Denver.

See also

• Computer graphics
• CPU design
• Microprocessor
• System on a chip

External links

• APU Fusion, AMD 
• Accelerated processing unit (news), UK: New electronics