GPU requirements
The load-time hardware checks, in the order they run, and what each failure means.
At load, every operator runs the same checks in order and stops at the first
failure — the Status readout names it. Work down the same list.
No CUDA device
TouchDesigner isn't running on the NVIDIA GPU. On laptops, force it: NVIDIA Control Panel → Manage 3D Settings → Program Settings → TouchDesigner → High-performance NVIDIA processor.
CUDA version — compute capability below 7.5
The GPU predates Turing (GTX 10-series or older). No setting fixes this — see the support matrix in Requirements.
GPU unsupported — RT cores missing (Photon only)
GTX 16-series has CUDA 7.5 but no RT cores: Matter and Aura run, the Photons refuse. This is the one row where plugins diverge.
Out of memory at first cook
The checks passed; the scene doesn't fit. Drop the internal resolution preset, or close Chrome — its GPU process routinely holds 1–2 GB.
FAQ
Almost always Optimus: the laptop is cooking TouchDesigner on the iGPU.
The No CUDA device step above fixes it. Verify with the Info DAT —
gpu_name should say NVIDIA, not Intel/AMD.
Not yet — the operator cooks on TouchDesigner's active adapter. Multi-GPU affinity is on the roadmap.
Shared system memory counts toward nothing: the 6 GB floor means dedicated VRAM. A 4 GB dedicated + 8 GB shared laptop fails the check honestly.