How to Check GPU Model and Driver Status on Ubuntu

You can quickly check GPU model on a Hong Kong hosting server by running the command lspci | grep VGA in the terminal. To see the driver status, use lspci -k | grep VGA -A3. Knowing your GPU model and driver status helps you troubleshoot problems and improve your computer’s graphics performance.

Tip: Keeping your drivers up to date ensures your system runs smoothly and games or apps perform better.

This guide will help you find this information easily without confusing technical terms.

Key Takeaways

• Use the command lspci | grep VGA in the terminal to quickly check your GPU model.

• Run lspci -k | grep VGA -A3 to find out which driver your GPU is using.

• Keep your drivers updated for better performance and to avoid graphics issues.

• For a graphical method, check your GPU model in Ubuntu’s System Settings under the About section.

• If your GPU is not detected, try reseating it, updating your system, or checking driver installation.

Check GPU Model and Driver Status with Terminal

You can use the terminal to quickly find out what graphics card you have and which driver your system uses. This method works well if you want fast results or need to troubleshoot problems. Below, you will learn how to Check GPU Model and driver status using different commands.

Using lspci to Check GPU Model

The lspci command lists all PCI devices in your computer, including your graphics card. To Check GPU Model, follow these steps:

1. Open the Terminal. You can press Ctrl + Alt + T.

2. Type the following command and press Enter:

   lspci | grep -E "VGA|3D"
   

3. Look for lines that mention “VGA” or “3D controller.” These lines show your GPU model.

For example, you might see:

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation UHD Graphics 630
01:00.0 3D controller: NVIDIA Corporation GA106 [GeForce RTX 3060]

This output tells you the GPU model and the company that made it. The first line shows an Intel integrated GPU. The second line shows an NVIDIA dedicated GPU.

Note: Sometimes, dedicated GPUs like Nvidia cards may not appear if the driver is not installed or if there are hardware issues. If you do not see your GPU, try other methods below.

Common Results Table

Using lspci -k to Check Driver Status

You can also Check GPU Model and see which driver is in use with the lspci -k command. This command shows extra details about each device.

1. In the Terminal, type:

   lspci -k | grep -E "VGA|3D" -A3
   

2. Find the section for your GPU. Look for lines that say “Kernel driver in use” and “Kernel modules.”

Example output:

01:00.0 3D controller: NVIDIA Corporation GA106 [GeForce RTX 3060]
    Kernel driver in use: nvidia
    Kernel modules: nvidiafb, nouveau, nvidia_drm, nvidia

• “Kernel driver in use” tells you which driver your system uses for the GPU.

• “Kernel modules” lists all possible drivers for that device.

If you see “nouveau” or “nvidia,” your system uses an open-source or official NVIDIA driver.

Tip: If you do not see a driver listed, your GPU may not work properly. Try installing or updating your drivers.

Using lshw for Detailed GPU and Driver Info

The lshw command gives you a detailed look at your hardware, including your graphics card and driver.

1. Run this command in the Terminal:

   sudo lshw -c display
   

2. Enter your password if asked.

3. Read the output. Look for “product” (the GPU model), “vendor” (the company), and “configuration” (the driver).

Sample output:

*-display
   description: VGA compatible controller
   product: GA106 [GeForce RTX 3060]
   vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
   configuration: driver=nvidia latency=0

This method helps you Check GPU Model and see exactly which driver is active.

Note: If you have more than one GPU, you will see multiple sections.

Using nvidia-smi for NVIDIA GPUs

If you use an NVIDIA GPU, the nvidia-smi command gives you detailed information about your graphics card and driver.

1. Open the Terminal and type:

   nvidia-smi
   

2. Press Enter. You will see a table with your GPU name, driver version, and other details.

Example output:

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| NVIDIA-SMI 580.126.09    Driver Version: 580.126.09    CUDA Version: 13.0   |
|-------------------------------+----------------------+----------------------+
| GPU  Name        Persistence-M| Bus-Id        Disp.A | Volatile Uncorr. ECC |
| 0  NVIDIA B200   On           | 00000000:65:00.0 Off |                    0 |
+-------------------------------+----------------------+----------------------+

• “Driver Version” shows which NVIDIA driver you use.

• “GPU Name” tells you the exact model.

You can also list all connected NVIDIA GPUs with:

nvidia-smi -L

Tip: If you get an error, you may not have the NVIDIA driver installed. Try installing it from Ubuntu’s Software & Updates tool.

Using glxinfo for Graphics Driver Details

The glxinfo command helps you Check GPU Model and see if your system uses hardware acceleration.

1. First, install the mesa-utils package if you do not have it:

   sudo apt-get install mesa-utils
   

2. Run this command to see your graphics device:

   glxinfo | grep Device
   

3. To check the OpenGL renderer (which shows if your system uses your GPU or software), type:

   glxinfo | grep "OpenGL renderer"
   

4. If the output says “llvmpipe” or “Software Rasterizer,” your system does not use your GPU for graphics. You may need to install or update your driver.

Note: glxinfo works for both integrated and dedicated GPUs.

Quick Command List

• lspci | grep -E "VGA|3D" – Check GPU Model

• lspci -k | grep -E "VGA|3D" -A3 – Check driver status

• sudo lshw -c display – Detailed GPU and driver info

• nvidia-smi – NVIDIA GPU status and driver version

• glxinfo | grep Device – Graphics device info

By using these commands, you can Check GPU Model and driver status on almost any Ubuntu system. If one method does not show your GPU, try another command for more details.

Check GPU Model and Driver Status with GUI

You do not need to use the terminal to find out about your graphics card. Ubuntu offers several graphical tools that help you see your GPU model and driver status. These tools make it easy to get the information you need with just a few clicks.

System Settings Overview

Ubuntu’s System Settings gives you a quick way to see your graphics information. You can use this method if you prefer a simple, built-in option.

1. Open the main menu and select Settings.

2. Scroll down and click on About or Details (the name may change depending on your Ubuntu version).

3. Look for the Graphics section. Here, you will see the name of your GPU and sometimes the driver in use.

For example, you might see:

• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060/PCIe/SSE2

• Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 630

This section helps you quickly identify your GPU model. If you use GNOME, you can also run gnome-control-center from the app menu, then open System Info to find similar details.

Tip: If you use KDE, open Kinfocenter from your applications menu. Go to the Graphics section for detailed GPU and driver information.

Software & Updates Tool for Driver Info

Ubuntu includes a tool called Software & Updates that helps you manage and view your drivers. This tool is especially useful if you want to check which driver your system uses or if you want to switch drivers.

1. Open the main menu and search for Software & Updates.

2. Click on the Additional Drivers tab.

3. Wait a moment while Ubuntu checks your hardware. You will see a list of available drivers for your GPU.

4. The driver currently in use will have a dot next to it. You can also see other drivers you can install.

This tool works well for NVIDIA and AMD cards. You can easily switch between open-source and proprietary drivers here.

Note: If you do not see your GPU listed, make sure your system is up to date. Sometimes, you need to connect to the internet for the latest driver options.

Using Third-Party Apps (e.g., Hardinfo)

You can use third-party apps to get even more details about your graphics hardware. One popular app is Hardinfo. This tool gives you a full overview of your system, including your GPU and driver status.

To use Hardinfo:

1. Install Hardinfo by opening the terminal and typing:

   sudo apt install hardinfo
   

2. Open Hardinfo from your applications menu.

3. In the left sidebar, click on Devices and then PCI Devices.

4. Find your graphics card in the list. You will see the model and other technical details.

Some desktop environments, like KDE, offer their own tools. For example, Kinfocenter shows GPU and driver information in a user-friendly way.

Here is a quick table of GUI tools you can use to Check GPU Model and driver status in Ubuntu:

Tip: The NVIDIA Settings Application gives you extra details if you use an NVIDIA graphics card. You can find it in your applications menu after installing the NVIDIA driver.

Using these graphical tools, you can easily find out what GPU you have and which driver your system uses. This helps you keep your system running smoothly and troubleshoot any graphics issues.

Troubleshooting GPU and Driver Issues

No GPU Detected

Sometimes, your system does not detect your GPU. This problem can happen for several reasons. You might see a blank screen or only basic graphics. Here are some steps you can try:

• Check if your GPU appears in the output of lspci | grep VGA. If not, make sure the card is seated properly in your computer.

• Restart your computer. Sometimes, a simple reboot helps the system recognize new hardware.

• Update your system using sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade. This command installs the latest updates and can fix detection problems.

• If you use a desktop, try reseating the GPU or checking the power cables.

Tip: Many users report problems with dual display setups, especially when using NVIDIA drivers. The open-source nouveau driver often fails to support dual displays on newer GPUs. Installing the recommended NVIDIA driver usually resolves these detection issues.

Driver Not Installed or Outdated

If your graphics look slow or you cannot use certain features, your driver might be missing or outdated. You can check your driver status with lspci -k | grep -E "VGA|3D" -A3. If you do not see a driver listed, install the latest one using the Software & Updates tool under the Additional Drivers tab. Always choose the recommended driver for your GPU.

• For NVIDIA cards, the proprietary driver works better than the open-source one.

• For AMD and Intel, Ubuntu usually installs the best driver automatically.

Driver Installation Errors

You might see error messages during driver installation. Here are some common errors and how to fix them:

Note: Always reboot after making changes to drivers or kernel modules.

Display Issues After Driver Update

After updating your driver, you might see screen flickering, missing displays, or low resolution. To fix these problems:

• Open the Software & Updates tool and switch to a different driver if available.

• Try reverting to a previous driver version if the new one causes problems.

• For dual display issues, use the NVIDIA driver instead of the open-source nouveau driver. This change often restores full display support.

• If you cannot log in or see a black screen, press Ctrl + Alt + F3 to open a terminal and troubleshoot from there.

Tip: Keeping your drivers up to date and using the recommended version helps prevent most display problems.

Quick-Reference Commands Table

When you want to check your GPU model or driver status on Ubuntu, you can use a few simple commands. This table gives you a quick way to find the right command for your needs. Each command helps you get clear information about your graphics hardware.

GPU Model Commands

You can use these commands to find out which GPU your system uses. Each command shows different details, so you can pick the one that works best for you.

Tip: Use inxi -Gx for a quick summary if you want both GPU and driver info in one place.

Driver Status Commands

These commands help you check which driver your system uses and if your GPU works as expected. You can also see which processes use your GPU.

• The output from glxinfo tells you which GPU is active by showing the vendor and renderer.

• nvidia-smi gives you real-time stats for NVIDIA GPUs, including which processes use the card.

• ubuntu-drivers devices helps you find and install the correct driver for your hardware.

Note: If you see “llvmpipe” or “Software Rasterizer” in your output, your system uses software rendering instead of your GPU. You may need to install or update your graphics driver.

With these commands, you can quickly check your GPU model and driver status. This helps you solve problems and keep your system running smoothly.

You have several ways to check your GPU model and driver status on Ubuntu.

• Use lspci | grep VGA in the terminal for a quick GPU check.

• Run nvidia-smi -L if you have an NVIDIA card.

• Open System Settings, search for “System Info,” or view details under the User menu for a graphical method.

If you face issues, try the troubleshooting tips. For more help, explore Ubuntu forums or ask questions below. Your feedback helps improve this guide!

FAQ

How do you know if your GPU driver is working?

You can check with lspci -k | grep -E "VGA|3D" -A3. If you see a driver listed under “Kernel driver in use,” your GPU driver works. No driver means you need to install or update it.

What should you do if Ubuntu does not detect your GPU?

• Restart your computer.

• Update your system.

• Check if the GPU appears in lspci | grep VGA.

• Reseat the GPU if you use a desktop.

If problems continue, try another driver or seek help on Ubuntu forums.

Can you use both integrated and dedicated GPUs on Ubuntu?

Yes, many laptops use both. Ubuntu often switches between them automatically. You can check which GPU is active with glxinfo | grep "OpenGL renderer". Some systems let you choose the GPU in BIOS or with special tools.

How do you switch GPU drivers in Ubuntu?

1. Open Software & Updates.

2. Go to the Additional Drivers tab.

3. Select the driver you want.

4. Click Apply Changes.

5. Restart your computer.

This method works for NVIDIA and AMD cards.

Why does your system use “llvmpipe” instead of your GPU?

Your system uses “llvmpipe” when it cannot use your GPU driver. This usually means the driver is missing or not working. Install or update your GPU driver to fix this. You can check with glxinfo | grep "OpenGL renderer".