Why is Photoshop using CPU instead of GPU?

Adobe Photoshop is a versatile image editing software that is used by professionals and enthusiasts alike. The program is capable of performing a wide range of tasks, from basic editing to complex compositing. However, Photoshop has traditionally relied on the CPU for its processing power, rather than the GPU.

There are a few reasons for this.

• Historical: Photoshop was originally developed in the early 1990s, when GPUs were not as powerful as they are today. As a result, the developers of Photoshop focused on optimizing the program for the CPU.
• Processing requirements: Many of the tasks that Photoshop performs are fundamentally CPU-intensive. For example, tasks such as image editing and file loading require the manipulation of large amounts of data, which is more efficiently handled by the CPU.
• Software development: Optimizing Photoshop for the GPU would require significant effort and resources. This is because the GPU architecture is different from the CPU architecture, and it would require developers to rewrite much of the program’s code.

However, there are some signs that Photoshop may be starting to use the GPU more in the future.

• New features: Adobe has been adding new features to Photoshop that take advantage of the GPU. For example, the Quick Selection tool uses the GPU to accelerate the selection process.
• Hardware acceleration: Adobe is starting to use hardware acceleration to offload some of Photoshop’s processing tasks to the GPU. This can help to improve performance, particularly on high-end computers.

Overall, it is likely that Photoshop will continue to use a combination of CPU and GPU processing in the future. The CPU will still be responsible for many of the program’s fundamental tasks, while the GPU will be used to accelerate certain operations. This approach will likely strike a balance between performance and compatibility.