Editing Graphics card (section)

{{Short description|Expansion card which generates a feed of output images to a display device}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}[[File:AMD RX 6900XT .jpg|thumb|alt=An image of an AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT graphics card|A modern high-end consumer graphics card: A [[Radeon RX 6900 XT]] from [[AMD]]]]

A '''graphics card''' (also called a '''video card''', '''display card''', '''graphics accelerator''', '''graphics adapter''', '''VGA card/VGA''', '''video adapter''', '''display adapter''', or colloquially '''GPU''') is a [[computer]] [[expansion card]] that generates a feed of [[graphics]] output to a [[display device]] such as a [[computer monitor|monitor]]. Graphics cards are sometimes called ''discrete'' or ''dedicated'' graphics cards to emphasize their distinction to an [[graphics processing unit#Integrated graphics processing unit|integrated graphics processor]] on the [[motherboard]] or the [[central processing unit]] (CPU). A [[graphics processing unit]] (GPU) that performs the necessary computations is the main component in a graphics card, but the [[acronym]] "GPU" is sometimes also used to refer to the graphics card as a whole erroneously.<ref>[https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/docs/processors/what-is-a-gpu.html#:~:text=While%20the%20terms%20GPU%20and,board%20that%20incorporates%20the%20GPU. "What is a GPU?"] [[Intel]]. Retrieved 10 August 2023.</ref>

Most graphics cards are not limited to simple display output. The graphics processing unit can be used for additional processing, which reduces the load from the CPU.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.explainingcomputers.com/hardware.html|title=ExplainingComputers.com: Hardware|website=www.explainingcomputers.com|language=en|access-date=2017-12-11|archive-date=2017-12-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171217162538/http://www.explainingcomputers.com/hardware.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Additionally, computing platforms such as [[OpenCL]] and [[CUDA]] allow using graphics cards for [[general-purpose computing on graphics processing units|general-purpose computing]]. Applications of general-purpose computing on graphics cards include [[AI accelerator#Use of GPUs|AI training]], [[Mining (crypto-currency)|cryptocurrency mining]], and [[Molecular modeling on GPUs|molecular simulation]].<ref name="cprogramming.com">{{Cite web |title=OpenGL vs DirectX - Cprogramming.com |url=https://www.cprogramming.com/tutorial/openglvsdirectx.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171212084911/https://www.cprogramming.com/tutorial/openglvsdirectx.html |archive-date=2017-12-12 |access-date=2017-12-11 |website=www.cprogramming.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/ai-data-science/|title=Powering Change with Nvidia AI and Data Science|website=Nvidia|access-date=2020-11-10|archive-date=2020-11-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110195818/https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/ai-data-science/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="parrish20170710"/>

Usually, a ''graphics card'' comes in the form of a printed circuit board (expansion board) which is to be inserted into an expansion slot.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.pctechguide.com/graphics-cards/graphic-card-components|title=Graphic Card Components|date=2011-09-23|work=pctechguide.com|access-date=2017-12-11|language=en-US|archive-date=2017-12-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171212084952/https://www.pctechguide.com/graphics-cards/graphic-card-components|url-status=live}}</ref> Others may have dedicated enclosures, and they are connected to the computer via a [[docking station]] or a cable. These are known as external GPUs (eGPUs).

Graphics cards are often preferred over integrated graphics for increased performance. A more powerful graphics card will be able to render more [[Frame rate|frames per second]].