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CUDA Cores in Video Cards

Speed up graphics-intensive processes with Compute Unified Device Architecture

By Christine McKee Christine McKee Writer Brevard College Christine McKee is a former Lifewire writer covering PC video gaming gear and technology. She's also written for other top news sites. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on September 26, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Accessories & Hardware Cards The Quick Guide to Webcams Keyboards & Mice Monitors HDD & SSD Printers & Scanners Raspberry Pi Developed by Nvidia for graphics processing units (GPUs), Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA) is a technology platform that accelerates GPU computation processes. Nvidia CUDA cores are parallel or separate processing units within the GPU, with more cores generally equating to better performance. Nvidia With CUDA, researchers and software developers can send C, C++, and Fortran code to the GPU without using assembly code. This streamlining takes advantage of parallel computing in which thousands of tasks, or threads, are executed simultaneously.

What Are CUDA Cores

Nvidia CUDA cores are parallel processors similar to a processor in a computer, which may be a dual or quad-core processor. Nvidia GPUs, however, can have several thousand cores. When shopping for an Nvidia video card, you may see a reference to the number of CUDA cores contained in a card. Cores are responsible for various tasks related to the speed and power of the GPU. Since CUDA cores are responsible for dealing with the data that moves through a GPU, cores often handle video game graphics in situations where characters and scenery are loading. CUDA cores are similar to the AMD Stream Processors; these are just named differently. However, you cannot equate a 300 CUDA Nvidia GPU with a 300 Stream Processor AMD GPU. Applications can be built to take advantage of the increased performance offered by CUDA cores. You can see a list of these applications on the Nvidia GPU Applications page.

Choosing a Video Card With CUDA

A higher number of CUDA cores typically means the video card provides faster performance overall. But the number of CUDA cores is only one of several factors to consider when choosing a video card. Nvidia offers a range of cards featuring as few as eight CUDA cores to as many as 5,760 CUDA cores in the GeForce GTX TITAN Z. Graphics cards that have Tesla, Fermi, Kepler, Maxwell, or Pascal architecture support CUDA. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Using Graphics Cards for More Than Just 3D Graphics How to Overclock a GPU for Epic Gaming NVIDIA GeForce Video Card Drivers v517.48 (2022-09-27) What Is a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)? AMD Radeon Video Card Drivers v22.20 (October 21, 2022) What Is a CPU? (Central Processing Unit) What Is a Video Card? How to Install a Graphics Card Chrome Not Playing Video? How to Fix The 8 Best Gaming Laptops of 2022 How to Buy a Graphics Card Latest Windows 10 Drivers (October 21, 2022) How to Check Computer Specs What to Look For in a Gaming PC iPhone 13 vs. iPhone 13 Pro: Which Phone is Right for You? How to Find Out What Graphics Card You Have on a Windows 11 Computer Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies