[SOLVED] Will a GPU speed up youtube/videos?

Mar 17, 2019
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If my computer can't quite handle web browsing, and I can't upgrade the CPU (its the fastest for the socket), and I'm maxed out on RAM, will adding a GPU make displaying websites, jpegs and videos any faster? Maybe the card can free up CPU resources needed for all the javascript? Assume I'm using a 4K monitor, and not gaming.

This is where it gets more complicated... I'm planning for like 6 years from now when my new i9-9900k with integrated graphics is becoming slow. I need to factor a possible GPU into buying the power supply and liquid-cooling requirements.

I also love the TOR browser, and I heard somewhere that GPUs are really good at crypto. For that matter, could a GPU assist software-based AES SSD encryption? Really noob question, I know.

Is there any reason to buy a graphics card in the future when my rig is bogged down by tons of javascript, even though I'm not a gamer, but use a huge monitor?
 
Solution
Well, going on a limb and assuming you ARE using a GPU that has OGL2.x support and DX9c+, any browser that has "Hardware Acceleration" support should off-load some tasks to it. Keep in mind that "off-loading" does not mean "make it go faster". If you have a really slow GPU, it may actually hinder the rendering of pages and other content.

Have a read on the Chrome side of things: https://www.lifewire.com/hardware-acceleration-in-chrome-4125122

Also, I don't know of any Browser engine that off-loads JS processing to the GPU, as it's a scripting language that really doesn't fit there.

As for your crypto question. Yes and No. For all cryptographic duties, the CPU is used unless it's a GPU-specific usage from specialized software...
Even if you're looking at 6 years down the road, we're going to need to know what you're currently working with. List your full system's specs like so:
CPU:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:

If we're supposed to go by hypothetical/random specs, then possibilities are either endless or highly limited. In reality, we can look towards your current specs and then plan ahead accordingly.
 
To clarify, I'm planning on buying the following:
i9-9900k, water-cooled, no OC
Asus WS Z390 Pro
2x8GB 3200MHz
SATA SSD
Slackware Linux, TOR/Firefox

I need to know if the integrated graphics would be adequate in 6 years, and if not, would a GPU help. Just basic web surfing, with lots of crypto (HTTPS, TLS, AES software full-drive-encryption).
 
You can still do that stuff on a ten-year-old integrated GPU.

If, for some odd reason, developments in the field mean that an integrated GPU isn't adequate for very basic stuff in six years, then you should buy a very cheap GPU in six years, not today.
 
Well, going on a limb and assuming you ARE using a GPU that has OGL2.x support and DX9c+, any browser that has "Hardware Acceleration" support should off-load some tasks to it. Keep in mind that "off-loading" does not mean "make it go faster". If you have a really slow GPU, it may actually hinder the rendering of pages and other content.

Have a read on the Chrome side of things: https://www.lifewire.com/hardware-acceleration-in-chrome-4125122

Also, I don't know of any Browser engine that off-loads JS processing to the GPU, as it's a scripting language that really doesn't fit there.

As for your crypto question. Yes and No. For all cryptographic duties, the CPU is used unless it's a GPU-specific usage from specialized software. Yes, GPUs are better at general purpose crypto duties, but for specific AES encryption supported for hard drives and on-the-fly encryption (think HTTPS, SSH, etc), most modern CPUs have dedicated hardware paths ("mini-CPUs") for such tasks that require software support for their usage.

If you just want a PC that can display web-pages in a responsive manner, install ad-block. Most pages behave like fat dogs otherwise and they can really do a number on the CPU/GPU as they load a ton of garbage and use a lot of bandwidth.

Cheers!
 
Solution