Editing Laptop (section)

===Graphics processing unit (GPU)===
On most laptops, the GPU is integrated into the CPU to conserve power and space. This was introduced by Intel with the [[Intel Core|Core i-series]] of mobile processors in 2010, followed by similar [[AMD APU]] processors in January 2011.

Higher-end laptops intended for gaming or professional 3D work tend to come with dedicated graphics processors on the motherboard or as an internal [[Mobile PCI Express Module|expansion card]]. Since 2011, these almost always involve switchable graphics so that when there is no demand for the higher performance dedicated graphics processor, the more power-efficient ''integrated'' graphics processor will be used. [[Nvidia Optimus]] and [[AMD Hybrid Graphics]] are examples of this sort of system of switchable graphics. Before that, lower-end machines tended to use graphics processors integrated into the [[chipset#Computers|system chipset]], while higher-end machines had a separate graphics processor. 

In the past, laptops ''lacking'' a ''separate'' graphics processor were limited in their utility for gaming and professional applications involving [[3D computer graphics|3D]] graphics, but the capabilities of CPU-integrated graphics have converged with the low-end of dedicated graphics processors since the mid-2010s. For laptops possessing limited onboard graphics capability but sufficient I/O throughput, an [[Graphics processing unit#External GPU (eGPU)|external GPU (eGPU)]] can provide additional graphics power at the cost of physical space and portability.

Traditionally, the system [[RAM]] on laptops (as well as on desktop computers) was physically separate from the graphics memory used by the GPU. Apple's [[Apple silicon#M series|M series]] [[System on a chip|SoC]]s feature a unified pool of memory for both the system and the GPU; this approach can produce substantial efficiency gains for some applications, while potentially limiting peak graphics performance for others.