Executive Summary
This report analyzes the physical and architectural designs of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) from NVIDIA, AMD, Apple, and Intel. By deliberately excluding software advantages, we assess the fundamental hardware “upper hand.” Four distinct design philosophies emerge. NVIDIA pursues peak performance with large, specialized monolithic and multi-chip module (MCM) designs using the most advanced packaging. AMD champions a disaggregated chiplet architecture, optimizing for cost and scalability by mixing process nodes. Apple’s System-on-a-Chip (SoC) design, centered on its revolutionary Unified Memory Architecture (UMA), prioritizes unparalleled power efficiency and system integration. Intel’s re-entry into the discrete market features a highly modular and scalable architecture for maximum flexibility. Our core finding is that no single vendor holds a universal advantage; their hardware superiority is domain-specific. NVIDIA leads in raw compute for High-Performance Computing (HPC) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Apple dominates in power-efficient, latency-sensitive workloads. AMD holds a significant advantage in manufacturing cost-effectiveness and product flexibility. The future of GPU design is converging on heterogeneous, multi-chip integration, a trend validated by the strategic NVIDIA-Intel alliance.
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