graphics engine

graphics engine

[′graf·iks ¦en·jən]

(computer science)

A specialized processor that carries out graphics processing independently of the main central processing unit. Also known as graphics processor.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

graphics engine

(1) Hardware that performs graphics processing tasks independently of the computer's CPU. Today's graphics engine is known as a graphics processing unit (GPU). See GPU, graphics accelerator and graphics coprocessor.

(2) Programming interfaces (APIs) that accept commands from an application and the OS to build images and text that are directed to the graphics driver and hardware. The Mac's Quartz and Windows' GDI and DirectX are examples. See Quartz, GDI and DirectX.

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