A Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is a specialized electronic circuit designed to accelerate the creation and rendering of images, videos, and animations. GPUs are found in most modern computers and mobile devices including laptops, tablets, gaming consoles, smartphones, etc. They are also used for scientific computing tasks such as machine learning algorithms or (AI) artificial intelligence applications.

The main purpose of GPU is to offload computationally intensive tasks from the CPU which allows it to focus on other important operations thus increasing overall system performance. This helps reduce power consumption while providing faster processing speeds than what would be possible with just a CPU alone.

Additionally, GPUs can provide better graphical fidelity when compared with traditional CPUs due to their ability to process more data at once resulting in smoother visuals and higher resolutions for games or 3D applications such as CAD software packages used by engineers or designers alike.

Finally, one of the biggest advantages that come along with using a GPU rather than solely relying on CPUs is its scalability. By adding additional cards users can increase their graphics performance without having any major hardware changes taking place allowing them greater flexibility when it comes time to upgrade their systems down the road.

Furthermore, this makes them ideal candidates for virtual reality setups where high-end graphics capabilities are needed, but not necessarily available through traditional means making them an invaluable tool within today’s ever-growing tech landscape.