Computer Hardware Terms, Glossary and Dictionary

A vector processor, or array processor, is a CPU design that is able to run mathematical operations on multiple data elements simultaneously. This is in contrast to a scalar processor which handles one element at a time. The vast majority of CPUs are scalar (or close to it). Vector processors were common in the scientific computing area, where they formed the basis of most supercomputers through the 1980s and into the 1990s. Today almost all commodity CPU designs include some vector processing instructions, typically known as SIMD. Video game consoles and consumer computer-graphics hardware in particular rely heavily on vector processors in their architecture.

Related Terms

Vector Processor