A blue and white logo for a social media management tool called Socialionals.

Graphics processing unit

Share This
« Back to Glossary Index

The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is a dedicated electronic device engineered to swiftly modify and adjust memory to expedite the generation of images in a frame buffer for display device output. The GPU concept has undergone substantial evolution since its inception in the 1970s, starting with arcade system boards that incorporated specialized graphics circuits. Progressions such as the barrel shifter circuit and video shifter have enhanced graphics processing over the years. The 1980s marked the arrival of the first personal computer graphics display processor LSI chip, the NEC µPD7220, setting a precedent for the creation of high-performance video graphics cards. GPUs have played a pivotal role in the growth of video games, with platforms like the Namco Galaxian arcade system and Atari 8-bit computers employing specialized graphics hardware. In the present day, GPUs are a crucial element of contemporary computing, propelling forward strides in PC graphics, gaming, and beyond.

A graphics processing unit (GPU) is a specialized electronic circuit initially designed to accelerate computer graphics and image processing (either on a video card or embedded on motherboards, mobile phones, personal computers, workstations, and game consoles). After their initial design, GPUs were found to be useful for non-graphic calculations involving embarrassingly parallel problems due to their parallel structure. Other non-graphical uses include the training of neural networks and cryptocurrency mining.

Components of a GPU
« Back to Glossary Index
Keep up with updates
en_USEnglish