CPU or GPU? What’s the Difference?

A central processing unit (CPU) is responsible for the majority of processing power in your computer. Majority does not necessarily imply most important. The GPU is extremely important as well. It is what allows us to see everything on your screen as well as interact with it. A graphics processing unit is designed for a particular purpose. That purpose is to complete complicated mathematical equations in order to display the pictures and videos you see. GPU’s can execute these mathematical calculations extremely quick which is why better ones are used for things such as video games and certain crypto mining!

Are Integrated Graphics and Dedicated Graphics The Same Or Different?

Integrated graphics come pre installed in your device. If you have a standard laptop or phone that isn’t customizable then it most likely has an integrated graphics unit that is already apart of the motherboard or CPU. A dedicated graphics unit is just the opposite and what you would expect to find in higher end gaming pcs or laptops.

As you would expect the pre integrated graphics do not have as much memory and are significantly less powerfu. That being said they are cheaper and consume much less power. This is why you see exorbitant costs for things such as high end gaming pcs as well as “mining rigs.” If you are looking at anything that has a high demand for processing power then it will most likely require a dedicated graphics card, or at least you should consider getting one to improve performance. Think gaming, game development, or any sort of video editing!

So What Piece Of Hardware Handles Fortnite?

There is not one or the other that “decides” the performance as both are extremely important. The CPU Will be important for actually running the game as well as its usability for running around and experiencing the physics. The GPU will be in charge of the graphics. Both are of extreme importance obviously in each of their own ways. You cannot run a game without either. Still, you will find that fortnite is more dependant on your GPU in general.

It goes without saying the more impressive your specs the better experience you will have playing fortnite. That being said, you can get away with a dual or quad core cpu fine. Check the clock speed of your cpu. A higher clock speed will translate to a smoother experience when there is heavy action going on.

In Game Settings Changes And Their Effects

One way to test how dependent fortnite is on certain hardware is by messing with your in game settings. The graphics have certain parameters they are set at and if you change them you will see a difference in frame rates. Specifically changing them lower.

You will get a boost in frames per second this way but also will obviously lessen the quality of the visuals overall. If you have the hardware to support the higher settings then by all means, keep them set that way. This is just to show you how much demand the GPU has versus the CPU. If your hardware isn’t “professional” level and you don’t mind slightly “worse” graphics then you can improve performance this way. Some people are picky but really though, how bad are the graphics actually. I’d say technology has come a long way in the last couple of decades.

Heres a brief video on messing with the in game settings if you are interested!

Why The GPU Consumes More Power

Simply put, the creators of the game put a lot of work into making the game visually appealing. While it may just be another 21st century game to most, go ahead and make an extreme comparison between it (fortnite) and say, an old nintendo 64 game. Quite the difference! You’ve got bullets flying, grenades flashing and exploding, buildings being constructed as well as crumbling, grass moving, etc.

You can turn off or lower some settings such as view distance or shadows, which will in fact improve your fps. It depends on your preferences. In my opinion it is not a deal breaker to lower some of these settings if you don’t have the latest and greatest hardware. Some die hard gamers will fully disagree and say it takes away from the experience. To each his own.

To simplify the technicalities, the graphics of the game require quick and complex calculations that only a GPU can process. The CPU is about being efficient in running the game in this case, whereas the GPU is more about being powerful (have you ever seen the size of these bad boys? Some are ridiculous!)

What Are The System Requirements For Fortnite On Pc And Mac?

According to epic games, the following are the recommended and minimum requirements to run fortnite on your PC or Mac:

Recommended

Video Card: Nvidia GTX 960, AMD R9 280, or equivalent DX11 GPU
Video Memory: 2 GB VRAM

Processor: Core i5-7300U 3.5 GHz, AMD Ryzen 3 3300U, or equivalent

Memory: 8 GB RAM or higher

OS: Windows 10/11 64-bit

Minimum

Video Card: Intel HD 4000 on PC; AMD Radeon Vega 8
Processor: Core i3-3225 3.3 GHz
Memory: 8 GB RAM
OS: Windows 7/8/10/11 64-bit or Mac OS Mojave 10.14.6

It should be noted that fornite is no longer supporting nvidia cards on mac. They recommend you play on PC. If you’d like to know more then you can check out their page here on specifications as well as settings presets. Also, if you have gamed before it goes without saying, while the minimum requirements can in fact run the game you will probably not have a great experience. Especially considering the skill level of some people in your lobby combined with their probable better hardware and internet connection. Freakin lag man!

Conclusion

Fortnite definitely relies more on the GPU than the CPU. With the amount of development that went into the design of the game, it is obvious that processing power will be in demand due to the fast paced and dynamic natured required for the graphics, special effects, as well as basic lighting. The GPU specializes in rendering all of this. The games logic and physics which are handled by the CPU are simply less demanding as you can imagine. I hope you found this article helpful and hope you get a dub or two in your future!