How to check what graphics card you have

Setting up a new workstation often feels like a breeze until you realize the network monitoring software isn’t running as smoothly as it should. You might find yourself wondering if the computer is actually using that powerful dedicated card you paid for, or if it’s just coasting on the basic built-in graphics. It’s a common hurdle whether you’re managing a single high-end PC or a whole fleet of office laptops.

Getting a clear picture of what’s happening under the hood is the first step to troubleshooting performance lags or driver glitches. In this blog, we will break down the different types of graphics hardware and show you exactly how to identify active GPUs across Windows, Linux, and macOS.

The three main GPU types

Graphics cards, or GPUs, are critical components that handle rendering and computational tasks beyond the CPU. They come in three main forms:

1. Integrated GPUs (iGPUs): These are built directly into the CPU package to handle everyday display tasks while sharing the system’s main DDR RAM. Their primary purpose is to provide efficient graphical output, though their performance is often reflected through standard OS telemetry rather than specialized hardware sensors.
2. Discrete GPUs (dGPUs): These function as independent hardware units with their own dedicated VRAM for high-performance rendering. Their purpose is to manage heavy computational workloads and provide granular hardware telemetry, such as precise temperature and power consumption data.
3. Externally attached GPUs (eGPUs): These desktop-class cards connect via a Thunderbolt port to provide a modular performance boost to portable devices. They serve to bridge the gap between mobility and power, relying on the system bus to provide real-time telemetry and status updates to the operating system.

Take note: Even if a GPU is physically installed, it may not appear in the OS due to BIOS settings, virtualization, or power management. This is why hardware visibility is often mediated by power policies or necessary firmware updates to ensure the system bus communicates correctly with the OS.

How to identify installed and active graphics cards on Windows

Windows exposes GPU details through graphical interfaces and command-line utilities, each revealing different aspects such as hardware presence, driver status and update readiness, and real-time usage. The methods below outline the exact steps to accurately identify both integrated and discrete GPUs.

Method 1: Device Manager

Device Manager is the primary tool for identifying all GPUs installed on the system.

Steps:

1. Search “Device Manager” in the search bar and click ”open”

2. Expand Display adapters

3. Review the listed devices (e.g., Intel UHD Graphics, NVIDIA RTX 3060)

Each listed adapter represents an installed GPU. A down arrow indicates the device is disabled, while a warning icon signals driver or hardware issues. This method confirms there is GPU hardware but not that it’s actually being used.

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Method 2: Windows 11 graphics settings

Windows 11 allows you to verify there’s a working GPU by checking if a specific app is using it. This confirms which GPU Windows uses for specific workloads.

Steps:

1. Go to Settings > System > Display

2. Scroll down and click on Graphics

3. Select an app and open Options. (e.g., Camera) and assign the preferred GPU

Method 3: Task manager

Task Manager shows which GPU is actively being used and how workloads are distributed.

Steps:

1. Search “Task Manager” in the search bar and click “open”

2. Select the Performance tab and choose GPU 0, GPU 1, etc., from the left pane

Here, Windows displays VRAM usage, GPU engine activity, and active processes. According to Microsoft, this approach is especially useful on hybrid graphics systems where Windows dynamically switches between GPUs based on workload.

Method 4: PowerShell

PowerShell provides a scriptable and precise view of detected GPUs. This method is ideal for automation, inventory, and remote diagnostics

Steps:

1. Search “PowerShell” in the search bar and click “run as administrator”

2. Run: Get-CimInstance Win32_VideoController

3. Review output for GPU name, driver version, memory, and status

When you’re managing more than a few computers, checking GPU details one device at a time quickly becomes unrealistic. Atera’s RMM platform makes this easier by letting you run PowerShell commands remotely across multiple devices.

Instead of logging into each workstation, you can collect graphics card details such as the detected adapter, driver version, and device status in one place. This approach is especially useful for remote teams, hardware audits, or troubleshooting performance issues without disrupting end users. By using remote deployment, you still rely on native Windows reporting, but at a much larger and more manageable scale.

» Did you know you can paste in PowerShell ?

How to identify installed and active graphics cards on Linux systems

On Linux systems, graphics card information is typically retrieved using command-line tools rather than graphical menus. The exact information available depends on the Linux distribution, the graphics drivers installed, and whether the system uses the X11 or Wayland display server.

» Make sure you know how to restart graphics drivers in Windows 11

Method 1: PCI enumeration

This method is used to confirm which graphics cards are physically detected by the system.

Steps:

1. Open the Terminal application
2. Type the following command and press Enter: lspci | grep -i vga
3. Review the output displayed in the terminal window

Each listed entry represents an installed graphics card. This method confirms hardware detection but does not show whether the GPU is actively being used.

Method 2: Vendor-specific tools

To view live GPU usage and performance data, vendor-specific utilities are used. These tools only work when the correct vendor drivers (such as NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel graphics drivers) are installed.

Steps:

1. Open the Terminal application
2. Run the command that matches your GPU vendor:
   • NVIDIA systems: nvidia-smi
   • AMD systems using ROCm: rocm-smi
   • Intel integrated graphics: intel_gpu_top
3. Observe the real-time statistics displayed

This method is especially useful on servers and workstations where monitoring active workloads is required.

Method 3: Identifying the active rendering GPU

This method determines which GPU is currently responsible for rendering graphical applications.

Steps:

1. Open the Terminal application
2. Enter the following command and press Enter: glxinfo | grep "OpenGL renderer"
3. Read the reported OpenGL renderer string

On systems using X11, this output typically shows the exact GPU performing the rendering. On Wayland-based distributions, the result may be routed through XWayland or masked by the compositor, meaning the physical GPU is not always shown directly.

How to identify installed and active graphics cards on macOS

On macOS, graphics card information is accessed primarily through Apple’s built-in system interfaces rather than low-level command-line tools. Apple intentionally abstracts most real-time performance data, so macOS focuses more on hardware inventory and capability reporting than live GPU metrics.

Method 1: Using system information (Graphical interface)

This method is the most reliable way to identify installed graphics hardware on macOS.

Steps:

1. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen
2. Select About This Mac
3. Click More Info or System Report
4. In the System Information window, select Graphics/Displays under the Hardware section
5. Review the listed graphics devices

This method confirms hardware presence and compatibility but doesn’t show live usage or temperature data.

Method 2: Retrieving GPU details using Terminal

For more detailed and scriptable output, macOS provides a system profiling command.

Steps:

1. Open Terminal by searching for it using Spotlight (Command + Space)
2. Type the following command and press Enter: system_profiler SPDisplaysDataType
3. Review the displayed output

This command exposes additional information such as PCI identifiers, vendor IDs, Metal support level, and which GPU is currently active on systems that support automatic graphics switching. The output can also be exported for documentation or automation purposes.

Did you know? Endpoint management platforms allow us to identify graphics hardware across large environments without accessing each device individually. Tools such as Microsoft Intune and Atera’s RMM collect hardware data by running background scripts and system queries on a scheduled basis. This information is normalized and presented in a central dashboard, giving you a consistent view of GPU inventory across all managed endpoints.

From a single console, you can review the detected graphics adapter, associated driver version, and basic capability indicators for each device. This removes the need for manual checks through operating system interfaces or command-line tools.

Managing your hardware through Atera

Keeping track of graphics hardware doesn’t have to be a manual chore for every device on your network, especially in complex enterprise IT environments. By using Atera’s RMM platform, you can gain instant visibility into GPU specifications and driver versions across your entire fleet from one centralized dashboard. This automation ensures that you can spot outdated drivers or hardware bottlenecks before they impact user productivity.

Whether you are auditing for a hardware refresh or troubleshooting a specific performance lag, Atera simplifies the process by pulling real-time hardware telemetry automatically. Ultimately, having this data at your fingertips allows for a more proactive approach to IT management and system health.

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