ELI5- Why are Graphics cards getting so big & power hungry when other electronics are getting smaller and use less power?

Question

In the past we put graphics cards in a PC now we put a PC in a space heater

In: 14

Answer 1

They’re reaching the limits of how small individual transistors can be with current methods.

Once you can’t go smaller and denser, more compute power means bigger chips and or more of them

Which ups the power needed

Which ups the cooling needed

All of which means more space needed