eli5 Why does GPU heats and use fan to cooldown while processing 8k video on PC and there is no single fan in a TV and still process 8k/4k videos?

Question

In short, why does the the TV doesn’t need a fan to cooldown and PC requires one while dealing with high definition videos?

In: 1359

Answer 1

You’re confusing rendering vs playback/streaming

Rendering is using intensive graphical computations to create digital products like finished/edited videos, photos, etc. Another example is gaming. Rendering typically requires a lot of power and a beefy GPU Chip scaling with detail and depth (more complex math = more power intake and heat output)

Playback/streaming is already taking a rendered product and displaying it for consumption. This still takes a graphical processing unit to manage smart TV and some proprietary color/pixel management features of your TV.

To actually answer your question:

TVs actually do generate a good amount of heat in the form of the light (nits) that it outputs. Some are better than others but you typically dont need fans on a Tv because you are in a larger room (more passive thermal capacity where your AC can cool the room if it gets too hot and larger surface area unlike a computer)