A graphics processing unit (Graphical Processing Unit, GPU) is a specialized chip responsible for processing graphics in a computer or game console. In everyday speech, the whole graphics card is often called the GPU, although technically the GPU is only its computing core.

The main feature of a GPU is that it is designed to simultaneously perform a large number of similar parallel operations. It is precisely this architecture that made graphics cards in demand for mining: computing hashes in networks based on the Proof-of-Work algorithm parallelizes well, and a GPU handles such a task much faster than an ordinary central processor.

The role of the GPU in the evolution of mining

In the early stage of cryptocurrency development, graphics cards were the main mining tool. Over time, specialized ASIC devices appeared for some algorithms, surpassing GPUs in efficiency and gradually pushing them out of mining a number of coins. Nevertheless, graphics cards remain relevant for ASIC-resistant algorithms, as well as thanks to their versatility.

• high parallelism of computation;
• versatility — suitable not only for mining but also for games and calculations;
• flexibility in choosing which coins to mine.