Essential hardware for performing graphics-intensive tasks includes a powerful graphics processing unit (GPU), which is designed to manage and accelerate the rendering of images, animations, and videos. High-performance CPUs also play a crucial role, alongside adequate RAM to ensure smooth multitasking and processing. Additionally, a fast storage device, such as an SSD, can significantly improve load times and overall system performance. Together, these hardware components enable a system to handle complex graphical computations required for applications like 3D rendering, gaming, and video editing.