GPU Test

How to Use This Test

1. Wait for the page to load -- your GPU vendor and renderer information will be detected automatically via WebGL.
2. Review the GPU Vendor and GPU Renderer fields to confirm your graphics card is recognized correctly.
3. Check the WebGL support status to verify your browser can run hardware-accelerated 3D graphics.

What This Test Checks

This GPU detection test queries the WebGL API to retrieve hardware information about your graphics card directly from the browser.

• GPU vendor identification (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, Apple, etc.)
• GPU renderer name showing the specific graphics card model
• WebGL support status confirming hardware-accelerated rendering capability
• Whether your browser exposes or masks GPU information for privacy

Troubleshooting

If you're having issues detecting your GPU:

• Try using Google Chrome, which typically provides the most detailed GPU information via WebGL.
• Check that hardware acceleration is enabled in your browser settings.
• If the GPU shows as "Masked," your browser's privacy settings are hiding the details -- check your browser flags or extensions.
• Update your GPU drivers to ensure full WebGL compatibility and accurate detection.

Force Dedicated GPU on Laptops

On laptops with both an integrated and a dedicated GPU (Intel/AMD iGPU + NVIDIA RTX, or Apple M-series with no such split), the browser usually picks the integrated one to save power. This test will then report the wrong GPU.

Windows 10 / Windows 11

1. Open Settings → System → Display → Graphics.
2. Click your browser in the list (or add it via Browse).
3. Choose Options → High performance, save, and restart the browser.
4. Reload this page — the renderer field should now show your NVIDIA or AMD card.

macOS

Apple Silicon Macs have a single unified GPU, so this doesn't apply. On older Intel Macs with dual GPUs, install gfxCardStatus to toggle, or disable System Settings → Battery → Automatic graphics switching.

Linux (NVIDIA Optimus)

1. Install nvidia-prime (Ubuntu/Debian) or the distro equivalent.
2. Launch the browser with prime-run chromium or set __NV_PRIME_RENDER_OFFLOAD=1 __GLX_VENDOR_LIBRARY_NAME=nvidia in the env.
3. Verify with glxinfo | grep "OpenGL renderer".

Reading the Renderer String

The renderer string is messy but decodable once you know the format:

• ANGLE (NVIDIA, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Direct3D11 vs_5_0 ps_5_0, D3D11) — ANGLE is Chrome's translation layer wrapping your native GPU. The middle part (NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070) is what you care about.
• Apple M2 Pro — Apple Silicon integrated GPU.
• Mesa Intel(R) UHD Graphics 620 — Linux with Intel's Iris/Mesa driver on an integrated GPU.
• AMD Radeon(TM) Graphics without a specific model — usually an integrated Ryzen iGPU. The distinct RX 7800 XT etc. appear with discrete cards.

If the renderer reads SwiftShader, Google SwiftShader, or llvmpipe, your browser is using a software renderer — hardware acceleration is disabled or the GPU driver failed to initialize.

Fixing a Masked or Unknown Renderer

Firefox

1. Open about:config and accept the warning.
2. Set privacy.resistFingerprinting to false (or accept that unmasking is impossible while fingerprint resistance is on).
3. Reload this page.

Brave

Brave hides renderer info by default. Lower shields (click the lion icon in the address bar) or disable Prevent sites from fingerprinting me based on my language preferences under Settings → Shields. Reload.

Safari

Safari on macOS 14+ and iOS 17+ masks the renderer string under Advanced Tracking Protection. There is no supported way to unmask it while ATP is active.

Why the GPU Matters Beyond Detection

WebGL support and renderer info give you a quick capability snapshot, but your GPU also drives:

• Browser smoothness: without GPU acceleration, even scrolling becomes CPU-bound. Check chrome://gpu (Chrome/Edge) for the full hardware-acceleration status table.
• Monitor refresh rate: outputting 144 Hz or 240 Hz needs a GPU that can push those frames. Confirm with the refresh rate test.
• HDR and 10-bit color: only the GPU plus monitor plus cable combined determine true color depth. If the screen test shows banding, the GPU is often outputting 8-bit when you expected 10.
• Battery drain on laptops: running Chrome on a dedicated GPU when you only need email halves battery life. Tune per-app graphics settings above.

See Also

For the full hardware picture, pair this GPU check with the system test (CPU, RAM, screen resolution) and the refresh rate test to confirm your GPU is actually driving your monitor at its rated rate.

Frequently Asked Questions