company blog about Is FPGA Better Than CPU?

Is FPGA Better Than CPU?

FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) and CPUs (Central Processing Units) have significant differences in features and application scenarios, so it is not possible to directly compare which one is better. Below is a detailed comparison of FPGAs and CPUs:

Architectural Differences:
1, FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a programmable logic device in which the configuration of the logic gates can be changed and thus programmed to perform various functions. This makes FPGAs highly flexible and customisable, especially for applications requiring high performance, low latency and low power consumption.
2, CPU (Central Processing Unit), on the other hand, is a processor designed to execute a specific set of instructions, and its structure includes parts such as a controller, a Cache and an ALU etc. The CPU has a limited parallel computing capability, as its computational units do not account for a large percentage of the overall structure.

Performance Characteristics:
1. the advantage of FPGAs (XC7K410T-L2FFG900I) is their instructionless, no-shared-memory-needed architecture, which results in high energy efficiency. the rate of FPGAs tends to be low, in the range of a few hundred megabytes, but through their parallel execution capability and dedicated circuit design, they can demonstrate higher energy efficiency and speed in specific operations. In some specific operations or data processing tasks, FPGAs can achieve faster processing speeds than CPUs through parallel execution and dedicated circuit design.
2. CPUs, on the other hand, excel at running complex software and operating systems, providing a high degree of flexibility and versatility. CPUs usually have a high mainframe frequency, which can reach several GHz, and are general-purpose processors that are capable of running operating systems and are very flexible. For application scenarios that require fast response and broad compatibility, CPUs are a better choice.

Programming And Ease Of Use:
1, FPGAs (AGFA008R16A2I2V) are relatively complex to program and may require specialised knowledge and tools to use effectively. This makes FPGAs potentially more expensive in terms of development cycles and costs.
2, CPUs, on the other hand, have a more mature programming ecosystem and easier-to-use development tools, enabling developers to develop and deploy applications more quickly.

Application Scenarios:
1, FPGA (5SGXEA4H1F35I2G) is particularly suitable for the need for high-performance, low-latency and large data volume processing dedicated computing scenarios, such as signal processing, image processing, big data processing.
2, CPU is more suitable for scenes that require a high degree of flexibility and versatility, such as running complex software, operating systems and so on.

Shenzhen Mingjiada Electronics Co., Ltd.（https://www.integrated-ic.com/）is a long-term supplier of FPGA chips and CPU chips, including but not limited to:
XC7K410T-L2FFG900I
XC7VX330T-2FFG1157I
XC7S50-1CSGA324Q
AGFA008R16A2I2V
AGFA012R24C3E3E
AGFA014R24B1E1V
AGFA027R25A2E4F
5SGXEA4H1F35I2G
5SGXEA4H3F35I3G
5SGXEA4H2F35I3G

In conclusion, FPGAs and CPUs each have their own unique advantages and applicable scenarios. When choosing which technology to use, comprehensive consideration needs to be made based on specific application needs, performance requirements, cost budget, and other factors. In some cases, FPGAs and CPUs can even be used in combination to give full play to their respective advantages and achieve a more efficient and flexible system design.