Introduction

When comparing CPUs, we often use clock speed
(GHz)
as a performance measure. However, for GPUs, the comparison is different as their performance depends on other metrics like
TFLOPs (Teraflops).

What Are GPU Shaders?

GPU Shaders are sets of commands sent to the GPU to process all pixels on the screen simultaneously.
For example, to color a specific pixel, the location of the pixel and the required color are sent as commands,
and this process is called a Shader.

What Are TFLOPs?

TFLOPs measure the computational power of a GPU to handle complex calculations involving billions of decimal operations.
For instance, a GPU with 1 TFLOPs can process one trillion (1,000 billion) decimal calculations per second.

Manufacturers like AMD calculate TFLOPs by multiplying the number of GPU Shaders by the GPU clock speed, then multiplying by 2.
Finally, the result is divided by one million to get the value in teraflops.

Do TFLOPs Matter in Gaming?

The answer depends on the GPU’s generation and architecture:

• Yes: When comparing GPUs from the same generation or architecture, like PS4 and Xbox One.
• No: When comparing GPUs from different generations or architectures, where other factors like memory type,
  manufacturing size, and GPU-CPU compatibility play a significant role.

For example, AMD VEGA64 has 12.6 TFLOPs, while NVIDIA GTX 1080 has only 9. However, GTX 1080 outperforms VEGA64 in gaming due to architectural differences.

Conclusion

TFLOPs are a useful tool for comparing GPUs within the same generation or architecture.
Beyond that, the comparison becomes less accurate, relying on factors like memory type and manufacturing size.