Do you need a graphics card and what does it actually do?

A GPU (graphics card) is a specialized processor that handles all graphics and video. Most computers have integrated graphics built into the processor, which is fine for everyday tasks. You only need a dedicated graphics card if you game, edit videos, or do 3D work.

A GPU is like a specialized brain for graphics. It does one job extremely well instead of doing everything the general processor does. Integrated graphics (built into your processor) work fine for email, web browsing, and documents. Dedicated graphics cards are much faster for gaming, video editing, and 3D modeling. Gaming is the biggest reason people need dedicated graphics. It's the only consumer task that demands it.