The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is a specialized processor designed to accelerate rendering of images and videos. It handles complex calculations for tasks such as rendering images, simulations, and running machine learning models. GPUs are highly parallelized, which allows them to handle many tasks simultaneously, making them ideal for processing graphics and large datasets.

Key Features of a GPU

• Clock Speed: Similar to CPUs, GPU clock speed measures how fast the processor can execute instructions, usually measured in MHz or GHz. However, the GPU’s clock speed is typically lower than that of CPUs, as the GPU is designed to handle tasks in parallel.
• CUDA Cores (NVIDIA) / Stream Processors (AMD): These are the parallel processing units of a GPU. More cores allow the GPU to perform many calculations at once, which is ideal for tasks like rendering, simulations, and deep learning.
• Memory (VRAM): VRAM (Video Random Access Memory) is dedicated memory used by the GPU to store textures, frames, and other data necessary for rendering. Larger amounts of VRAM allow for better performance in high-resolution gaming and professional rendering.
• Bus Width: The bus width refers to how much data can be transferred at once between the GPU and its memory. A wider bus allows for faster data access, improving overall performance, especially in high-demand applications like gaming and video editing.
• Thermal Design Power (TDP): Similar to CPUs, TDP measures the heat output of the GPU under load. GPUs with higher TDP require better cooling solutions, especially when used for demanding tasks like gaming or machine learning.
• Ray Tracing: Ray tracing is a rendering technique that simulates how light interacts with objects in a virtual environment. Modern GPUs (especially those from NVIDIA RTX series) support real-time ray tracing for more realistic lighting and shadows in games and simulations.