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Home / Glossary / GPU
Glossary · Device

GPU

Graphics Processing Unit

In plain language

A processor built to draw images and do many small calculations at once, used in graphics, video and AI.

The metaphor

Like a crew of a thousand painters each colouring one square, while a single artist paints the whole picture alone.

Going deeper

How it works

  • Handles screen drawing, video editing and 3D design.
  • Is also used for AI and number-heavy work.
  • Most office computers use a basic one built into the main chip.
  • Heavy design and video apps benefit from a stronger one.
In practice
  • A design studio buys workstations with stronger graphics.
  • A video editor speeds up export with a dedicated card.
  • A quote lists a graphics card for a CAD workstation.

A question owners ask

Does my office need one?

Only for design, video, 3D or AI work. Standard office tasks do well without.

Related terms
BIOSBasic Input/Output SystemCCTVClosed-circuit TelevisionCSUChannel Service UnitEndpointESNElectronic Serial NumberFirmwareFPGAField Programmable Gate ArrayGPSGlobal Positioning System

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