Need to know what graphics card (GPU) your laptop has, to check game requirements or update drivers? Here are four quick ways.
In this article
1. Task Manager (fastest)
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
- Click Performance.
- Look for GPU 0 and, on laptops with a dedicated card, GPU 1. The name (e.g. “Intel Arc Graphics” or “NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop GPU”) appears at the top right. You’ll also see dedicated GPU memory (VRAM), driver version and temperature.
2. Device Manager
Right-click Start → Device Manager → expand Display adapters. Every GPU in the laptop is listed. If you see “Microsoft Basic Display Adapter”, the graphics driver isn’t installed. Get it from your laptop maker or Intel/AMD/NVIDIA.
3. Settings
Settings → System → Display → Advanced display shows which GPU is driving each screen.
4. DirectX Diagnostic Tool (most detail)
Press Win + R, type dxdiag, press Enter, and open the Display tabs. Click Save All Information to create a text file you can share with tech support.
On a Mac
Apple menu → About This Mac shows the chip (e.g. “Apple M5”). The GPU is built into the chip. For core counts, open System Information → Graphics/Displays.
Integrated vs dedicated: why you see two GPUs
Many laptops have two:
- Integrated GPU (Intel Arc/Iris/UHD, AMD Radeon) is built into the processor and power-efficient. It handles everyday tasks.
- Dedicated GPU (NVIDIA GeForce RTX, AMD Radeon RX) is much more powerful, used for games and creative apps.
Windows switches between them automatically (NVIDIA Optimus / AMD SmartShift). To force a game onto the dedicated GPU, go to Settings → System → Display → Graphics, select the app, and choose High performance.
Is my GPU good enough?
Compare your GPU with a game’s “minimum” and “recommended” requirements. As a rough guide for laptops in 2026: integrated graphics handle esports and older games at low settings, an RTX 4050/5050 handles 1080p at medium–high, and an RTX 5060/5070 and above handles modern games at 1080p high or 1440p. Note that a laptop GPU can perform very differently depending on its power limit (TGP). See our gaming laptop guide for an explanation.
Updating your graphics driver
- NVIDIA: the NVIDIA app (nvidia.com)
- AMD: AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition
- Intel: Intel Driver & Support Assistant
- Or your laptop maker’s support app, which sometimes has laptop-specific versions.
Need your model or serial number too? See how to find your laptop model, serial number and specs.
