Why do scientists and engineers need GPU’s today?

Recently, a paradigm shift in computer architecture has offered computational science the prospect of a vast increase in capability at relatively little cost. The tremendous computational power of graphics processors (GPU) provides a great opportunity for those willing to rethink algorithms and rewrite existing simulation codes. In this introduction, we give a brief survey of GPU computing, and its potential capabilities, intended for the general scientific and engineering audience. We will also review some challenges facing the users in adapting the large toolbox of scientific computing to these changes in computer architecture, and what the community can expect in the near future.