What type of device specializes in handling 3-D graphics and image processing?

The device that specializes in handling 3-D graphics and image processing is the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The primary function of a GPU is to accelerate the rendering of images, animations, and video, particularly for applications that require complex graphics calculations, such as video games, 3D modeling software, and graphic design programs.

GPUs have a parallel processing architecture that enables them to handle multiple operations simultaneously, making them particularly effective for tasks requiring heavy graphic computations. This is in contrast to CPUs (Central Processing Units), which are designed for general-purpose processing and are optimized for sequential processing tasks. While RAM (Random Access Memory) serves as temporary storage for data that the CPU or GPU uses while performing tasks, and SSDs (Solid State Drives) are storage devices that provide fast retrieval of data, neither of these fulfills the specialized role of processing graphics. Therefore, the GPU is the definitive device for managing 3-D graphics and image processing efficiently.