GPU stands for Graphic Processing Unit or simply a video card. A hardware component for a computer to display images. However, in the crypto world it is an important means for mining. With a videocard it is possible to solve cryptographic calculations faster than with the CPU of the computer. Due to increasing sales figures, manufacturers such as ATI and NVIDIA saw the opportunity in 2014 to shift their focus partly from gaming to delivering specific video cards that improve crypto mining. Gamers were not happy with about this, as the video cards have become more expensive because of mining industry.
Source: 99bitcoins.com
