Are low profile GPUs better than laptop GPUs or are they same thing?
I'm overwhelmed by the different types of GPUs. Recently I came to know that laptops have different GPUs that have lower power consumption and are smaller in size.
But no matter how much I tried to find, I couldn't find a photo of any GTX 1050 or 1080 or RTX GPU for laptop. All I could find photos were like this:
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I'm not really sure what kind of GPUs are used in laptops. Especially in terms of how they look and what weight and size they have.
Then I came to know about some low profile GPUs. They use less power. A quick Google search for low profile GPU shows something like this:
And some are even smaller with one fan like:
Now I'm wondering if low profile GPUs are actually the GPUs used in laptops - I'm not really sure. Because I can't find any reference about this. Which lead me to ask this question.
But I can't find a photo or article about the (mainly physical) differences between desktop GPUs and laptop GPUs (and differences between laptop GPUs and low profile GPUs in case they are also different things).
I've researched and found that desktop GPUs in most cases perform better in gaming than laptop GPUs in the same series, given similar specifications. For example, an i5 (8th generation) desktop with a 1650 GPU gives better FPS in most games than an i5 laptop with a 1650 GPU.
So, are there any differences between low profile GPUs and laptop GPUs? If yes, for the same GPU (e.g. GTX 1080 or 1050 or 1660) series, which one is supposed to give better performance?
Pictures about "Are low profile GPUs better than laptop GPUs or are they same thing?"
Are laptop GPUs the same as desktop GPUs?
The main difference is in the clock speed, where the laptop GTX 1080 comes in just under the desktop version. While performance isn't completely on par with desktop versions, you shouldn't see anything more than about a 5-10% difference.What is the difference between a low profile GPU and a normal GPU?
The primary difference between standard profile and low profile cards is in their height. Standard profile cards can be up to 4.2 inches tall. Low profile cards are limited to a maximum height of 2.536 inches.Are low profile GPUs worse?
Low profile graphics cards usually have worse performance than their full height counterparts. This is due to the fact that they are usually not clocked as high and have not as good cooling. Since they do not have as good cooling, clocks speeds are lower and thermal throttling can occur.Should I get a low profile GPU?
If you're only building it for full HD content consumption, any budget low profile GPU will do the job. Last but not least, you can compromise some portability for good performance. This is why, rather than opt for a laptop, you can build a small PC that you can carry with you.Desktop vs. Laptop GPUs Explained
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Mikhail Nilov, cottonbro, Andrea Piacquadio, cottonbro