feat(host,web): multi-GPU selection — GPU inventory + preference API, web-console GPU card

- new crate::gpu (compiled on all platforms so the OpenAPI doc stays
  platform-independent): DXGI / sysfs GPU inventory with reboot-stable ids
  (PCI vendor:device + occurrence — LUIDs are per-boot), persisted auto/manual
  preference (<config>/gpu-settings.json, atomic temp+rename with in-memory
  rollback), one selection with precedence console preference >
  PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_ADAPTER > max VRAM and graceful fallback when the preferred
  GPU is absent, plus a live "in use" record (RAII session guard wrapped around
  every encoder open_video returns)
- fix: windows_gpu_vendor derived the encoder backend from DXGI adapter 0
  instead of the selected render adapter — on a hybrid box (e.g. Intel iGPU at
  index 0 + NVIDIA dGPU) the backend could disagree with the GPU the capture
  ring / IddCx render pin sit on. The NVENC 4:4:4 probe now also runs on the
  selected adapter (was: OS default), the codec/4:4:4 probe caches are keyed
  per selected GPU (were process-lifetime OnceLocks), and an explicit
  PUNKTFUNK_ENCODER conflicting with the selected GPU's vendor warns up front
- mgmt API: GET /api/v1/gpus (inventory + mode + preferred + next-session
  selection with reason + in-use GPU/backend/session-count) and
  PUT /api/v1/gpus/preference (validates mode/gpu_id before writing);
  openapi.json regenerated; the vdisplay render pin now also engages for a
  console preference (not just the env pin)
- web console: GPU card on the Host page — list with vendor + VRAM,
  Automatic / Prefer controls, Preferred / Next session / "In use · backend"
  badges, missing-preferred-GPU warning and env-pin note; en + de messages
- Linux: a matched manual preference picks the VAAPI render node and the
  NVENC-vs-VAAPI auto choice; auto mode is exactly the previous behavior

Validated live on the hybrid laptop (RTX 3500 Ada + Intel Arc Pro, which
enumerates twice — the occurrence ids disambiguate): enumerate, prefer,
bad-id 400, restart persistence, auto-restore keeping the stored pick.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

CLAUDE.md

@@ -107,12 +107,22 @@ Low-latency desktop/game streaming stack, Linux-first, with a shared Rust protoc
   session for secure-desktop (UAC/lock-screen) capture (`windows/service.rs`), bundles the
   pf-vdisplay driver + the FFmpeg DLLs (+ VB-CABLE for the virtual mic), and is published by
   `windows-host.yml`. **Encoder is GPU-aware** (`encode.rs` `open_video` + `windows_resolved_backend`):
-  `PUNKTFUNK_ENCODER=auto` (the host.env default) detects the DXGI adapter vendor → **NVENC** (NVIDIA,
+  `PUNKTFUNK_ENCODER=auto` (the host.env default) reads the **selected render adapter's** vendor →
-  direct SDK, `encode/windows/nvenc.rs`), **AMF** (AMD) / **QSV** (Intel) via libavcodec
+  **NVENC** (NVIDIA, direct SDK, `encode/windows/nvenc.rs`), **AMF** (AMD) / **QSV** (Intel) via libavcodec
   (`encode/windows/ffmpeg_win.rs`, the Windows analogue of the Linux VAAPI backend — `WinVendor{Amf,Qsv}`,
   system-memory NV12/P010 readback default + opt-in zero-copy D3D11 behind `PUNKTFUNK_ZEROCOPY` with a
   system fallback), or software H.264 (`encode/sw.rs`, GPU-less). GameStream codec advertisement is
-  probed per-GPU on AMF/QSV (`windows_codec_support` → `serverinfo`, AV1 gated). **HDR (10-bit)**: WGC
+  probed per-GPU on AMF/QSV (`windows_codec_support` → `serverinfo`, AV1 gated; cached per selected
+  GPU). **Multi-GPU is first-class** (`gpu.rs`): GPU inventory + a persisted auto/manual preference
+  (`<config>/gpu-settings.json`, stored by stable PCI identity — LUIDs are per-boot) exposed over
+  `GET /api/v1/gpus` + `PUT /api/v1/gpus/preference` and a web-console GPU card (Host page: list,
+  Automatic/Prefer, "In use · backend" badge). One selection — precedence **console preference >
+  `PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_ADAPTER` > max VRAM**, graceful fallback when the preferred GPU is absent —
+  feeds `win_adapter::resolve_render_adapter_luid` (capture ring + IddCx render pin), the encoder
+  vendor auto-detect (previously DXGI adapter 0 — wrong on hybrid boxes like NVIDIA dGPU + Intel
+  Arc iGPU), and the NVENC 4:4:4 probe; a preference change applies to the next session. On Linux a
+  matched manual preference picks the VAAPI render node / NVENC-vs-VAAPI auto choice (auto mode
+  unchanged). *Implemented + unit-tested; not yet on-glass validated on the hybrid box.* **HDR (10-bit)**: WGC
   captures the HDR desktop as FP16/Rgb10a2 (DDA FP16 for the secure desktop), the encoder forces HEVC
   Main10 + BT.2020 PQ (NVENC ABGR10/P010; AMF/QSV P010 + a swscale Rgb10a2→P010 fallback), the client
   auto-detects PQ from the HEVC VUI — gated by `PUNKTFUNK_10BIT` + client `VIDEO_CAP_10BIT`; **Windows
@@ -356,7 +366,7 @@ crates/punktfunk-host/
   encode/linux/{mod,vaapi}.rs · encode/windows/{nvenc,ffmpeg_win}.rs · encode/sw.rs   per-GPU encoders (NVENC/CUDA · VAAPI · AMF/QSV) + GPU-less openh264
   capture/{linux/,windows/{dxgi,idd_push}}.rs · audio/{linux/,windows/wasapi_*}.rs
   windows/{service,install,interactive}.rs   SCM service + in-binary driver/web install
-  capture.rs · encode.rs · audio.rs · spike.rs · punktfunk1.rs · mgmt.rs · native_pairing.rs · stats_recorder.rs · library.rs
+  capture.rs · encode.rs · audio.rs · gpu.rs · spike.rs · punktfunk1.rs · mgmt.rs · native_pairing.rs · stats_recorder.rs · library.rs
 clients/probe/    punktfunk/1 reference/probe client (headless test/measurement tool)
 clients/linux/    native Linux client (GTK4/libadwaita · FFmpeg · PipeWire · SDL3)
 clients/windows/  native Windows client (WinUI 3 via windows-reactor · D3D11 · WASAPI · SDL3)
@@ -364,7 +374,7 @@ clients/apple/    native macOS/iOS/tvOS client (Swift · VideoToolbox · GameCon
 clients/android/  native Android client (Kotlin app + native/ Rust JNI core over punktfunk-core)
 clients/decky/    Steam Deck Decky plugin
 packaging/windows/drivers/{pf-vdisplay,pf-dualsense,pf-xusb}/   in-house UMDF drivers (built from source in CI)
-web/                          TanStack web console over the mgmt API (status · devices · pairing · performance graphs)
+web/                          TanStack web console over the mgmt API (status · devices · pairing · GPU selection · performance graphs)
 packaging/                    apt(deb) · RPM/COPR · Arch/sysext · Flatpak · Bazzite bootc · Windows host installer (per-dir READMEs)
 tools/{loss-harness,latency-probe}/     measurement (plan §10)
 scripts/                  60-punktfunk.rules · punktfunk-host.service · host.env.example · headless/

api/openapi.json

@@ -138,6 +138,100 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "/api/v1/gpus": {
+      "get": {
+        "tags": [
+          "gpu"
+        ],
+        "summary": "GPU inventory and selection",
+        "description": "Lists the host's hardware GPUs, the persisted auto/manual preference, the GPU the next session\nwill use (and why), and the GPU live sessions encode on right now.",
+        "operationId": "listGpus",
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "GPU inventory + selection state",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/GpuState"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "401": {
+            "description": "Missing or invalid bearer token",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ApiError"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    "/api/v1/gpus/preference": {
+      "put": {
+        "tags": [
+          "gpu"
+        ],
+        "summary": "Set the GPU preference",
+        "description": "`auto` restores automatic selection (`PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_ADAPTER` pin, else max dedicated VRAM);\n`manual` pins capture + encode to the given GPU. Persisted across restarts; applies to the\n**next** session (a running session keeps its GPU). If the preferred GPU is absent at session\nstart the host falls back to automatic selection rather than failing.",
+        "operationId": "setGpuPreference",
+        "requestBody": {
+          "content": {
+            "application/json": {
+              "schema": {
+                "$ref": "#/components/schemas/SetGpuPreference"
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "required": true
+        },
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "Preference stored; the new selection state",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/GpuState"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "400": {
+            "description": "Unknown mode, or `gpu_id` missing / not a listed GPU",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ApiError"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "401": {
+            "description": "Missing or invalid bearer token",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ApiError"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          },
+          "500": {
+            "description": "Preference could not be persisted",
+            "content": {
+              "application/json": {
+                "schema": {
+                  "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ApiError"
+                }
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    },
     "/api/v1/health": {
       "get": {
         "tags": [
@@ -1373,6 +1467,40 @@
   },
   "components": {
     "schemas": {
+      "ApiActiveGpu": {
+        "type": "object",
+        "description": "The GPU live sessions are encoding on right now.",
+        "required": [
+          "id",
+          "name",
+          "vendor",
+          "backend",
+          "sessions"
+        ],
+        "properties": {
+          "backend": {
+            "type": "string",
+            "description": "The encode backend in use (`nvenc` | `amf` | `qsv` | `vaapi` | `software`)."
+          },
+          "id": {
+            "type": "string",
+            "description": "Stable id matching an entry of `gpus` (empty for the CPU/software encoder)."
+          },
+          "name": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "sessions": {
+            "type": "integer",
+            "format": "int32",
+            "description": "Number of live encode sessions on it.",
+            "minimum": 0
+          },
+          "vendor": {
+            "type": "string",
+            "description": "`nvidia` | `amd` | `intel` | `other`."
+          }
+        }
+      },
       "ApiCodec": {
         "type": "string",
         "description": "Video codec identifier.",
@@ -1394,6 +1522,64 @@
           }
         }
       },
+      "ApiGpu": {
+        "type": "object",
+        "description": "One hardware GPU on the host (software/WARP adapters are never listed).",
+        "required": [
+          "id",
+          "name",
+          "vendor",
+          "vram_mb"
+        ],
+        "properties": {
+          "id": {
+            "type": "string",
+            "description": "Stable identifier (`vendorid-deviceid-occurrence`, hex PCI ids) — pass to `setGpuPreference`.\nStable across reboots and driver updates, unlike an adapter index or LUID.",
+            "example": "10de-2c05-0"
+          },
+          "name": {
+            "type": "string",
+            "description": "Adapter/marketing name.",
+            "example": "NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti"
+          },
+          "vendor": {
+            "type": "string",
+            "description": "`nvidia` | `amd` | `intel` | `other`."
+          },
+          "vram_mb": {
+            "type": "integer",
+            "format": "int64",
+            "description": "Dedicated VRAM in MiB (0 where the platform doesn't expose it).",
+            "minimum": 0
+          }
+        }
+      },
+      "ApiSelectedGpu": {
+        "type": "object",
+        "description": "The GPU the **next** session's pipeline will be created on, and why. (A preference change\napplies to the next session; a running session keeps the GPU it opened on.)",
+        "required": [
+          "id",
+          "name",
+          "vendor",
+          "source"
+        ],
+        "properties": {
+          "id": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "name": {
+            "type": "string"
+          },
+          "source": {
+            "type": "string",
+            "description": "Why this GPU was selected: `preference` (the manual choice), `env`\n(`PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_ADAPTER`), `auto` (max dedicated VRAM / platform default), or\n`preference_missing` (a manual choice is set but that GPU is absent — auto-selected\ninstead so the host keeps streaming)."
+          },
+          "vendor": {
+            "type": "string",
+            "description": "`nvidia` | `amd` | `intel` | `other`."
+          }
+        }
+      },
       "ApprovePending": {
         "type": "object",
         "description": "Approve-pending-device request body. Send `{}` to keep the device's own name.",
@@ -1671,6 +1857,75 @@
           }
         }
       },
+      "GpuState": {
+        "type": "object",
+        "description": "Full GPU-selection state for the console: inventory, the persisted preference, what the next\nsession will use, and what is in use right now.",
+        "required": [
+          "gpus",
+          "mode",
+          "preferred_available"
+        ],
+        "properties": {
+          "active": {
+            "oneOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              },
+              {
+                "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ApiActiveGpu",
+                "description": "The GPU live sessions use right now (absent while nothing is streaming)."
+              }
+            ]
+          },
+          "env_override": {
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ],
+            "description": "`PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_ADAPTER` (the host.env pin), when set — it applies while `mode` is\n`auto`; a manual preference overrides it."
+          },
+          "gpus": {
+            "type": "array",
+            "items": {
+              "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ApiGpu"
+            },
+            "description": "The host's hardware GPUs."
+          },
+          "mode": {
+            "type": "string",
+            "description": "`auto` or `manual`."
+          },
+          "preferred_available": {
+            "type": "boolean",
+            "description": "Whether the preferred GPU is currently present."
+          },
+          "preferred_id": {
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ],
+            "description": "The manually preferred GPU's stable id, when one is stored (kept while `mode` is `auto` so\na console can offer returning to it). May reference a GPU that is currently absent."
+          },
+          "preferred_name": {
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ],
+            "description": "The stored name of the preferred GPU (a usable label even when it is absent)."
+          },
+          "selected": {
+            "oneOf": [
+              {
+                "type": "null"
+              },
+              {
+                "$ref": "#/components/schemas/ApiSelectedGpu",
+                "description": "The GPU the next session will use."
+              }
+            ]
+          }
+        }
+      },
       "Health": {
         "type": "object",
         "description": "Liveness + version probe.",
@@ -2047,6 +2302,28 @@
           }
         }
       },
+      "SetGpuPreference": {
+        "type": "object",
+        "description": "Request body for `setGpuPreference`.",
+        "required": [
+          "mode"
+        ],
+        "properties": {
+          "gpu_id": {
+            "type": [
+              "string",
+              "null"
+            ],
+            "description": "Required when `mode` is `manual`: the stable `id` of a currently listed GPU\n(see `listGpus`).",
+            "example": "10de-2c05-0"
+          },
+          "mode": {
+            "type": "string",
+            "description": "`auto` (env pin, else max dedicated VRAM — the default) or `manual`.",
+            "example": "manual"
+          }
+        }
+      },
       "StageTiming": {
         "type": "object",
         "description": "One pipeline stage's latency in an aggregation window (microseconds).",
@@ -2267,6 +2544,10 @@
       "name": "host",
       "description": "Host identity, capabilities, and liveness"
     },
+    {
+      "name": "gpu",
+      "description": "GPU inventory and selection: list the host's GPUs, choose automatic or a preferred GPU, see the one in use"
+    },
     {
       "name": "clients",
       "description": "Paired Moonlight client management"

crates/punktfunk-host/src/capture/windows/idd_push.rs

@@ -1020,11 +1020,9 @@ pub fn spawn_observer(target: WinCaptureTarget, preferred: Option<(u32, u32, u32
     });
 }
 
-/// The discrete render GPU LUID (where NVENC runs), falling back to the monitor's `OsAdapterLuid`.
+/// The selected render GPU LUID (where the encoder runs), falling back to the monitor's `OsAdapterLuid`.
 fn resolve_render_adapter_luid_or(fallback_packed: i64) -> LUID {
-    // SAFETY: `resolve_render_adapter_luid` is an `unsafe fn` (it enumerates DXGI adapters) that takes no
+    if let Some(l) = crate::win_adapter::resolve_render_adapter_luid() {
-    // arguments and returns an owned `Option<LUID>`, borrowing nothing.
-    if let Some(l) = unsafe { crate::win_adapter::resolve_render_adapter_luid() } {
         return l;
     }
     LUID {

crates/punktfunk-host/src/encode.rs

@@ -259,6 +259,127 @@ pub fn open_video(
     cuda: bool,
     bit_depth: u8,
     chroma: ChromaFormat,
+) -> Result<Box<dyn Encoder>> {
+    let inner = open_video_backend(
+        codec,
+        format,
+        width,
+        height,
+        fps,
+        bitrate_bps,
+        cuda,
+        bit_depth,
+        chroma,
+    )?;
+    // Record what this session encodes on (the mgmt API's "currently used GPU"): the backend label
+    // mirrors the dispatch `open_video_backend` just took, the GPU identity is the same selection
+    // the capturer was created on ([`crate::gpu::selected_gpu`]). Dropping the returned encoder
+    // ends the record, so the live count is correct by construction.
+    let backend = resolved_backend_label(cuda);
+    let gpu = if backend == "software" {
+        crate::gpu::ActiveGpu {
+            id: String::new(),
+            name: "CPU (openh264)".into(),
+            vendor_id: 0,
+            backend,
+        }
+    } else {
+        match crate::gpu::selected_gpu() {
+            Some(sel) => crate::gpu::ActiveGpu {
+                id: sel.info.id,
+                name: sel.info.name,
+                vendor_id: sel.info.vendor_id,
+                backend,
+            },
+            None => crate::gpu::ActiveGpu {
+                id: String::new(),
+                name: "GPU".into(),
+                vendor_id: 0,
+                backend,
+            },
+        }
+    };
+    Ok(Box::new(TrackedEncoder {
+        inner,
+        _session: crate::gpu::session_begin(gpu),
+    }))
+}
+
+/// The display label of the backend [`open_video_backend`] resolves — kept in lockstep with its
+/// dispatch (`windows_resolved_backend` on Windows; the `PUNKTFUNK_ENCODER`/auto match on Linux).
+#[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+fn resolved_backend_label(_cuda: bool) -> &'static str {
+    match windows_resolved_backend() {
+        WindowsBackend::Nvenc => "nvenc",
+        WindowsBackend::Amf => "amf",
+        WindowsBackend::Qsv => "qsv",
+        WindowsBackend::Software => "software",
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+fn resolved_backend_label(cuda: bool) -> &'static str {
+    match crate::config::config().encoder_pref.as_str() {
+        "nvenc" | "nvidia" | "cuda" => "nvenc",
+        "vaapi" | "amd" | "intel" => "vaapi",
+        "software" | "sw" | "openh264" => "software",
+        _ => {
+            if cuda || !linux_auto_is_vaapi() {
+                "nvenc"
+            } else {
+                "vaapi"
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(not(any(target_os = "linux", target_os = "windows")))]
+fn resolved_backend_label(_cuda: bool) -> &'static str {
+    "none"
+}
+
+/// Ties the [`crate::gpu`] live-session record to the encoder's lifetime; pure delegation
+/// otherwise.
+struct TrackedEncoder {
+    inner: Box<dyn Encoder>,
+    _session: crate::gpu::ActiveSession,
+}
+
+impl Encoder for TrackedEncoder {
+    fn submit(&mut self, frame: &CapturedFrame) -> Result<()> {
+        self.inner.submit(frame)
+    }
+    fn caps(&self) -> EncoderCaps {
+        self.inner.caps()
+    }
+    fn request_keyframe(&mut self) {
+        self.inner.request_keyframe()
+    }
+    fn set_hdr_meta(&mut self, meta: Option<punktfunk_core::quic::HdrMeta>) {
+        self.inner.set_hdr_meta(meta)
+    }
+    fn invalidate_ref_frames(&mut self, first_frame: i64, last_frame: i64) -> bool {
+        self.inner.invalidate_ref_frames(first_frame, last_frame)
+    }
+    fn poll(&mut self) -> Result<Option<EncodedFrame>> {
+        self.inner.poll()
+    }
+    fn flush(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
+        self.inner.flush()
+    }
+}
+
+#[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
+fn open_video_backend(
+    codec: Codec,
+    format: PixelFormat,
+    width: u32,
+    height: u32,
+    fps: u32,
+    bitrate_bps: u64,
+    cuda: bool,
+    bit_depth: u8,
+    chroma: ChromaFormat,
 ) -> Result<Box<dyn Encoder>> {
     validate_dimensions(codec, width, height)?;
     // Refresh/fps must be positive and sane: fps feeds the encoder time_base (`Rational(1, fps)`)
@@ -330,9 +451,10 @@ pub fn open_video(
                     .map(|e| Box::new(e) as Box<dyn Encoder>)
             }
             "auto" | "" => {
-                // A CUDA frame can ONLY be consumed by NVENC, and a box with the NVIDIA device
+                // A CUDA frame can ONLY be consumed by NVENC. Otherwise the shared auto decision
-                // nodes always prefers it. Everything else (AMD/Intel) takes the VAAPI path.
+                // (manual web-console GPU preference, else the NVIDIA-presence probe) picks the
-                if cuda || nvidia_present() {
+                // backend — see `linux_auto_is_vaapi`.
+                if cuda || !linux_auto_is_vaapi() {
                     open_nvenc_probed(
                         codec,
                         format,
@@ -357,8 +479,30 @@ pub fn open_video(
     {
         let _ = cuda; // always false on Windows (no Cuda payload)
                       // NVIDIA → NVENC (direct SDK), AMD → AMF, Intel → QSV (both libavcodec), else → software
-                      // H.264. `auto` (the default) resolves from the DXGI adapter vendor.
+                      // H.264. `auto` (the default) resolves from the selected render adapter's vendor.
-        match windows_resolved_backend() {
+        let backend = windows_resolved_backend();
+        // With `auto` the backend is derived from the selected GPU, so this can only fire when an
+        // explicit PUNKTFUNK_ENCODER contradicts the GPU the pipeline sits on (e.g. `nvenc` forced
+        // while the web-console preference pins the Intel iGPU) — the open below will then fail on
+        // a wrong-vendor device; say why up front instead of leaving an opaque encoder error.
+        if let Some(sel) = crate::gpu::selected_gpu() {
+            let mismatched = match backend {
+                WindowsBackend::Nvenc => sel.info.vendor_id != crate::gpu::VENDOR_NVIDIA,
+                WindowsBackend::Amf => sel.info.vendor_id != crate::gpu::VENDOR_AMD,
+                WindowsBackend::Qsv => sel.info.vendor_id != crate::gpu::VENDOR_INTEL,
+                WindowsBackend::Software => false,
+            };
+            if mismatched {
+                tracing::warn!(
+                    adapter = sel.info.name,
+                    ?backend,
+                    "encoder backend does not match the selected GPU's vendor (explicit \
+                     PUNKTFUNK_ENCODER conflicting with the GPU preference?) — the encoder \
+                     open will likely fail on this device"
+                );
+            }
+        }
+        match backend {
             WindowsBackend::Nvenc => {
                 // Hardware path: NVENC over D3D11. The DXGI capturer switches to its zero-copy
                 // FramePayload::D3d11 output under the same env var so capture + encode share textures.
@@ -422,8 +566,8 @@ pub fn open_video(
                     "the Windows software encoder supports H.264 only; client negotiated {codec:?} \
                      (build a GPU backend: --features nvenc or amf-qsv, or request H264)"
                 );
-                let _ = bit_depth; // the software H.264 path is 8-bit only
+                let _ = (bit_depth, chroma); // the software H.264 path is 8-bit 4:2:0 only
-                                   // Software H.264 realistically caps far below the negotiated hardware rates.
+                                             // Software H.264 realistically caps far below the negotiated hardware rates.
                 const SW_BITRATE_CEIL: u64 = 100_000_000;
                 sw::OpenH264Encoder::open(
                     format,
@@ -518,6 +662,22 @@ fn nvidia_present() -> bool {
     std::path::Path::new("/dev/nvidiactl").exists() || std::path::Path::new("/dev/nvidia0").exists()
 }
 
+/// The `auto` Linux backend decision, shared by [`open_video`] and [`linux_zero_copy_is_vaapi`]:
+/// a manual web-console GPU preference (when that GPU is present — [`crate::gpu::manual_selection`])
+/// picks its vendor's backend — AMD/Intel → VAAPI on that GPU's render node, NVIDIA → NVENC (still
+/// requiring the proprietary driver's device nodes; a nouveau NVIDIA GPU can't NVENC) — otherwise
+/// today's NVIDIA-presence probe, unchanged.
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+fn linux_auto_is_vaapi() -> bool {
+    if let Some(g) = crate::gpu::manual_selection() {
+        if g.vendor_id == crate::gpu::VENDOR_NVIDIA {
+            return !nvidia_present();
+        }
+        return true;
+    }
+    !nvidia_present()
+}
+
 /// True if the Linux GPU encode backend resolves to VAAPI (AMD/Intel) rather than NVENC — mirrors
 /// [`open_video`]'s dispatch so the capturer can choose the matching zero-copy path (raw dmabuf
 /// passthrough for VAAPI vs the EGL→CUDA import for NVENC).
@@ -526,7 +686,7 @@ pub fn linux_zero_copy_is_vaapi() -> bool {
     match crate::config::config().encoder_pref.as_str() {
         "nvenc" | "nvidia" | "cuda" => false,
         "vaapi" | "amd" | "intel" => true,
-        _ => !nvidia_present(),
+        _ => linux_auto_is_vaapi(),
     }
 }
 
@@ -571,56 +731,63 @@ pub fn vaapi_codec_support() -> CodecSupport {
 /// so it must be probed, never assumed). Non-HEVC codecs are always `false`.
 #[cfg(any(target_os = "linux", target_os = "windows"))]
 pub fn can_encode_444(codec: Codec) -> bool {
-    use std::sync::OnceLock;
+    use std::collections::HashMap;
+    use std::sync::{Mutex, OnceLock};
     if codec != Codec::H265 {
         return false;
     }
-    static CACHE: OnceLock<bool> = OnceLock::new();
+    // Cached per selected GPU (was a process-lifetime OnceLock): a web-console preference change
-    *CACHE.get_or_init(|| {
+    // re-probes on the newly selected adapter before the next Welcome.
-        let supported = {
+    static CACHE: OnceLock<Mutex<HashMap<String, bool>>> = OnceLock::new();
-            #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+    let key = crate::gpu::selection_key();
-            {
+    let cache = CACHE.get_or_init(|| Mutex::new(HashMap::new()));
-                // Mirror open_video's backend dispatch: VAAPI (AMD/Intel) vs NVENC (NVIDIA).
+    if let Some(v) = cache.lock().unwrap().get(&key) {
-                if linux_zero_copy_is_vaapi() {
+        return *v;
-                    vaapi::probe_can_encode_444(codec)
+    }
-                } else {
+    let supported = {
-                    linux::probe_can_encode_444(codec)
+        #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
-                }
+        {
+            // Mirror open_video's backend dispatch: VAAPI (AMD/Intel) vs NVENC (NVIDIA).
+            if linux_zero_copy_is_vaapi() {
+                vaapi::probe_can_encode_444(codec)
+            } else {
+                linux::probe_can_encode_444(codec)
             }
-            #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+        }
-            {
+        #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
-                match windows_resolved_backend() {
+        {
-                    WindowsBackend::Nvenc => {
+            match windows_resolved_backend() {
-                        #[cfg(feature = "nvenc")]
+                WindowsBackend::Nvenc => {
-                        {
+                    #[cfg(feature = "nvenc")]
-                            nvenc::probe_can_encode_444(codec)
+                    {
-                        }
+                        nvenc::probe_can_encode_444(codec)
-                        #[cfg(not(feature = "nvenc"))]
-                        {
-                            false
-                        }
                     }
-                    WindowsBackend::Amf | WindowsBackend::Qsv => {
+                    #[cfg(not(feature = "nvenc"))]
-                        #[cfg(feature = "amf-qsv")]
+                    {
-                        {
+                        false
-                            let vendor = match windows_resolved_backend() {
-                                WindowsBackend::Qsv => ffmpeg_win::WinVendor::Qsv,
-                                _ => ffmpeg_win::WinVendor::Amf,
-                            };
-                            ffmpeg_win::probe_can_encode_444(vendor, codec)
-                        }
-                        #[cfg(not(feature = "amf-qsv"))]
-                        {
-                            false
-                        }
                     }
-                    WindowsBackend::Software => false,
                 }
+                WindowsBackend::Amf | WindowsBackend::Qsv => {
+                    #[cfg(feature = "amf-qsv")]
+                    {
+                        let vendor = match windows_resolved_backend() {
+                            WindowsBackend::Qsv => ffmpeg_win::WinVendor::Qsv,
+                            _ => ffmpeg_win::WinVendor::Amf,
+                        };
+                        ffmpeg_win::probe_can_encode_444(vendor, codec)
+                    }
+                    #[cfg(not(feature = "amf-qsv"))]
+                    {
+                        false
+                    }
+                }
+                WindowsBackend::Software => false,
             }
-        };
+        }
-        tracing::info!(supported, "HEVC 4:4:4 encode capability probed");
+    };
-        supported
+    tracing::info!(supported, "HEVC 4:4:4 encode capability probed");
-    })
+    cache.lock().unwrap().insert(key, supported);
+    supported
 }
 
 /// Non-Linux/Windows (the macOS dev/test build of the host — synthetic-source loopback only):
@@ -632,7 +799,9 @@ pub fn can_encode_444(_codec: Codec) -> bool {
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Windows backend selection (the analogue of the Linux nvidia_present / linux_zero_copy_is_vaapi
-// logic). NVIDIA → NVENC, AMD → AMF, Intel → QSV; `auto` (default) reads the DXGI adapter vendor.
+// logic). NVIDIA → NVENC, AMD → AMF, Intel → QSV; `auto` (default) reads the vendor of the
+// SELECTED render adapter (crate::gpu — web-console preference / env pin / max VRAM), so the
+// backend always matches the GPU the capture ring and virtual display sit on.
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
@@ -652,8 +821,9 @@ enum GpuVendor {
     Intel,
 }
 
-/// Resolve the active Windows encode backend from `PUNKTFUNK_ENCODER` (`auto` → the DXGI adapter
+/// Resolve the active Windows encode backend from `PUNKTFUNK_ENCODER` (`auto` → the selected
-/// vendor). Shared by [`open_video`] and the GameStream codec advertisement so both agree.
+/// render adapter's vendor). Shared by [`open_video`] and the GameStream codec advertisement so
+/// both agree.
 #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
 pub(crate) fn windows_resolved_backend() -> WindowsBackend {
     // Resolved ONCE in HostConfig (Goal-1) — was re-read from PUNKTFUNK_ENCODER on every call.
@@ -683,72 +853,66 @@ pub fn windows_backend_is_ffmpeg() -> bool {
         )
 }
 
-/// Detect the host GPU vendor from the first hardware DXGI adapter (Windows has no `/dev/nvidia*`
+/// Detect the encode-GPU vendor from the **selected render adapter** ([`crate::gpu::selected_gpu`]:
-/// probe). Cached. NVIDIA=0x10DE, AMD=0x1002, Intel=0x8086; the software/WARP adapter is skipped.
+/// web-console preference > `PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_ADAPTER` > max VRAM) — the same adapter the capture
+/// ring and the IddCx render pin sit on, so the encoder backend can never disagree with where the
+/// captured frames live. The old first-DXGI-adapter scan did exactly that on hybrid boxes: adapter
+/// 0 is often the iGPU (e.g. Intel Arc) while capture/encode pin the dGPU — resolving QSV for a
+/// pipeline whose textures sit on the NVIDIA card. Uncached: selection is preference-dependent and
+/// only consulted at session setup / serverinfo time, never per-frame. Falls back to the first
+/// known-vendor adapter when the selected one is an unknown vendor.
 #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
 fn windows_gpu_vendor() -> Option<GpuVendor> {
-    use std::sync::OnceLock;
+    fn by_id(vendor_id: u32) -> Option<GpuVendor> {
-    use windows::Win32::Graphics::Dxgi::{
+        match vendor_id {
-        CreateDXGIFactory1, IDXGIFactory1, DXGI_ADAPTER_FLAG_SOFTWARE,
+            crate::gpu::VENDOR_NVIDIA => Some(GpuVendor::Nvidia),
-    };
+            crate::gpu::VENDOR_AMD => Some(GpuVendor::Amd),
-    static CACHE: OnceLock<Option<GpuVendor>> = OnceLock::new();
+            crate::gpu::VENDOR_INTEL => Some(GpuVendor::Intel),
-    // SAFETY: `CreateDXGIFactory1` returns a fresh owned `IDXGIFactory1` COM object (refcounted by the
+            _ => None,
-    // windows-rs wrapper, Released when the local drops); `.ok()?` bails on failure so `factory` is a
-    // valid interface before any use. `EnumAdapters1(i)` hands back the i-th adapter as an owned
-    // `IDXGIAdapter1` (or an error past the last adapter, which ends the loop). `GetDesc1()` returns the
-    // `DXGI_ADAPTER_DESC1` by value (no out-pointer), so reading `desc.Flags`/`desc.VendorId` is plain
-    // field access. Every call only touches COM objects this closure owns; the `OnceLock` runs the
-    // closure once (no data race) and all interfaces are Released as the locals drop. No raw pointer is
-    // dereferenced and nothing is aliased.
-    *CACHE.get_or_init(|| unsafe {
-        let factory: IDXGIFactory1 = CreateDXGIFactory1().ok()?;
-        let mut i = 0u32;
-        while let Ok(adapter) = factory.EnumAdapters1(i) {
-            i += 1;
-            // windows-rs 0.62: GetDesc1 returns the desc by value (no out-param).
-            let Ok(desc) = adapter.GetDesc1() else {
-                continue;
-            };
-            if (desc.Flags & DXGI_ADAPTER_FLAG_SOFTWARE.0 as u32) != 0 {
-                continue; // skip the Microsoft Basic Render / WARP adapter
-            }
-            match desc.VendorId {
-                0x10DE => return Some(GpuVendor::Nvidia),
-                0x1002 => return Some(GpuVendor::Amd),
-                0x8086 => return Some(GpuVendor::Intel),
-                _ => continue,
-            }
         }
-        None
+    }
+    let sel = crate::gpu::selected_gpu()?;
+    by_id(sel.info.vendor_id).or_else(|| {
+        crate::gpu::enumerate()
+            .iter()
+            .find_map(|g| by_id(g.vendor_id))
     })
 }
 
-/// Probe the active Windows AMF/QSV backend for its encodable codecs (cached; opens a tiny encoder
+/// Probe the active Windows AMF/QSV backend for its encodable codecs (opens a tiny encoder per
-/// per codec, once). Mirrors [`vaapi_codec_support`]; called only when [`windows_backend_is_ffmpeg`]
+/// codec; cached **per (backend, selected GPU)** — a web-console preference change re-probes on the
-/// is true. AV1 is narrow (AMD RDNA3+, Intel Arc/Xe2+), so it must be probed, not assumed.
+/// newly selected adapter instead of serving the old GPU's answer for the process lifetime).
+/// Mirrors [`vaapi_codec_support`]; called only when [`windows_backend_is_ffmpeg`] is true. AV1 is
+/// narrow (AMD RDNA3+, Intel Arc/Xe2+), so it must be probed, not assumed.
 #[cfg(all(target_os = "windows", feature = "amf-qsv"))]
 pub fn windows_codec_support() -> CodecSupport {
-    use std::sync::OnceLock;
+    use std::collections::HashMap;
-    static CACHE: OnceLock<CodecSupport> = OnceLock::new();
+    use std::sync::{Mutex, OnceLock};
-    *CACHE.get_or_init(|| {
+    static CACHE: OnceLock<Mutex<HashMap<String, CodecSupport>>> = OnceLock::new();
-        let vendor = match windows_resolved_backend() {
+    let vendor = match windows_resolved_backend() {
-            WindowsBackend::Qsv => ffmpeg_win::WinVendor::Qsv,
+        WindowsBackend::Qsv => ffmpeg_win::WinVendor::Qsv,
-            _ => ffmpeg_win::WinVendor::Amf,
+        _ => ffmpeg_win::WinVendor::Amf,
-        };
+    };
-        let caps = CodecSupport {
+    let key = format!("{vendor:?}:{}", crate::gpu::selection_key());
-            h264: ffmpeg_win::probe_can_encode(vendor, Codec::H264),
+    let cache = CACHE.get_or_init(|| Mutex::new(HashMap::new()));
-            h265: ffmpeg_win::probe_can_encode(vendor, Codec::H265),
+    if let Some(c) = cache.lock().unwrap().get(&key) {
-            av1: ffmpeg_win::probe_can_encode(vendor, Codec::Av1),
+        return *c;
-        };
+    }
-        tracing::info!(
+    let caps = CodecSupport {
-            backend = ?vendor,
+        h264: ffmpeg_win::probe_can_encode(vendor, Codec::H264),
-            h264 = caps.h264,
+        h265: ffmpeg_win::probe_can_encode(vendor, Codec::H265),
-            h265 = caps.h265,
+        av1: ffmpeg_win::probe_can_encode(vendor, Codec::Av1),
-            av1 = caps.av1,
+    };
-            "Windows AMF/QSV encode capabilities probed"
+    tracing::info!(
-        );
+        backend = ?vendor,
-        caps
+        h264 = caps.h264,
-    })
+        h265 = caps.h265,
+        av1 = caps.av1,
+        "Windows AMF/QSV encode capabilities probed"
+    );
+    // A concurrent first call may double-probe; both arrive at the same answer, last insert wins.
+    cache.lock().unwrap().insert(key, caps);
+    caps
 }
 
 // Goal-1 stage 6: GPU/CPU encoders confined to `encode/windows/` (NVENC, AMF/QSV ffmpeg, software) and

crates/punktfunk-host/src/encode/linux/vaapi.rs

@@ -50,10 +50,13 @@ const fn fourcc(a: u8, b: u8, c: u8, d: u8) -> u32 {
     (a as u32) | ((b as u32) << 8) | ((c as u32) << 16) | ((d as u32) << 24)
 }
 
-/// The render node a VAAPI/DRM device should open. `PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_NODE` pins it on a multi-GPU
+/// The render node a VAAPI/DRM device should open, from [`crate::gpu::linux_render_node`]: a
-/// box; the default is correct on a single-GPU host.
+/// matched web-console GPU preference pins it, else `PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_NODE`, else the single-GPU
+/// default.
 fn render_node() -> CString {
-    let p = std::env::var("PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_NODE").unwrap_or_else(|_| "/dev/dri/renderD128".into());
+    let p = crate::gpu::linux_render_node()
+        .to_string_lossy()
+        .into_owned();
     CString::new(p).unwrap_or_else(|_| CString::new("/dev/dri/renderD128").unwrap())
 }
 

crates/punktfunk-host/src/encode/windows/ffmpeg_win.rs

@@ -254,6 +254,11 @@ pub fn probe_can_encode_444(_vendor: WinVendor, _codec: Codec) -> bool {
 }
 
 pub fn probe_can_encode(vendor: WinVendor, codec: Codec) -> bool {
+    // Deliberately NOT pinned to the selected render adapter (unlike `nvenc::probe_can_encode_444`):
+    // the system-input probe passes no hwdevice, and the AMF/QSV runtimes only ever bind their own
+    // vendor's silicon — on a mixed-vendor box the probe lands on the right GPU by construction.
+    // Only a two-same-vendor-GPU box could probe the wrong card (accepted; results are cached per
+    // selected GPU in `windows_codec_support`, so a fix here slots in without churn).
     if ffmpeg::init().is_err() {
         return false;
     }

crates/punktfunk-host/src/encode/windows/nvenc.rs

@@ -958,34 +958,59 @@ impl Drop for NvencD3d11Encoder {
 /// so the host advertises the chroma it can really encode (honest downgrade to 4:2:0 on a card without it).
 pub fn probe_can_encode_444(codec: Codec) -> bool {
     use windows::Win32::Foundation::HMODULE;
-    use windows::Win32::Graphics::Direct3D::{D3D_DRIVER_TYPE_HARDWARE, D3D_FEATURE_LEVEL_11_0};
+    use windows::Win32::Graphics::Direct3D::{
+        D3D_DRIVER_TYPE_HARDWARE, D3D_DRIVER_TYPE_UNKNOWN, D3D_FEATURE_LEVEL_11_0,
+    };
     use windows::Win32::Graphics::Direct3D11::{
         D3D11CreateDevice, D3D11_CREATE_DEVICE_BGRA_SUPPORT, D3D11_SDK_VERSION,
     };
+    use windows::Win32::Graphics::Dxgi::{CreateDXGIFactory1, IDXGIAdapter1, IDXGIFactory4};
     if codec != Codec::H265 {
         return false;
     }
-    // SAFETY: a self-contained probe owning every handle it creates. `D3D11CreateDevice` (HARDWARE
+    // SAFETY: a self-contained probe owning every handle it creates. `CreateDXGIFactory1`/
-    // driver, NULL adapter) fills `device` or returns Err (→ false). `open_encode_session_ex` opens an
+    // `EnumAdapterByLuid` return owned COM objects or err (→ default-adapter fallback).
-    // NVENC session against that device's raw pointer (valid while `device` is held) or errors (→ false,
+    // `D3D11CreateDevice` (explicit adapter + UNKNOWN driver type, or NULL adapter + HARDWARE)
-    // tearing nothing down). `get_encode_caps` reads one scalar cap into `val` via the loaded API table.
+    // fills `device` or returns Err (→ false). `open_encode_session_ex` opens an NVENC session
-    // `destroy_encoder` frees the session exactly once; `device`/its context drop with the COM wrappers.
+    // against that device's raw pointer (valid while `device` is held) or errors (→ false, tearing
-    // No handle escapes this call and nothing runs concurrently.
+    // nothing down). `get_encode_caps` reads one scalar cap into `val` via the loaded API table.
+    // `destroy_encoder` frees the session exactly once; `device`/its context drop with the COM
+    // wrappers. No handle escapes this call and nothing runs concurrently.
     unsafe {
+        // Probe on the SELECTED render adapter — the GPU the session will actually encode on
+        // (web-console preference / PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_ADAPTER / max VRAM). The OS default adapter
+        // (NULL) can be the *other* GPU on a hybrid box, answering for hardware we won't use.
+        let adapter: Option<IDXGIAdapter1> = crate::win_adapter::resolve_render_adapter_luid()
+            .and_then(|luid| {
+                let factory: IDXGIFactory4 = CreateDXGIFactory1().ok()?;
+                factory.EnumAdapterByLuid(luid).ok()
+            });
         let mut device: Option<ID3D11Device> = None;
-        if D3D11CreateDevice(
+        let created = match &adapter {
-            None,
+            Some(a) => D3D11CreateDevice(
-            D3D_DRIVER_TYPE_HARDWARE,
+                a,
-            HMODULE::default(),
+                D3D_DRIVER_TYPE_UNKNOWN,
-            D3D11_CREATE_DEVICE_BGRA_SUPPORT,
+                HMODULE::default(),
-            Some(&[D3D_FEATURE_LEVEL_11_0]),
+                D3D11_CREATE_DEVICE_BGRA_SUPPORT,
-            D3D11_SDK_VERSION,
+                Some(&[D3D_FEATURE_LEVEL_11_0]),
-            Some(&mut device),
+                D3D11_SDK_VERSION,
-            None,
+                Some(&mut device),
-            None,
+                None,
-        )
+                None,
-        .is_err()
+            ),
-        {
+            None => D3D11CreateDevice(
+                None,
+                D3D_DRIVER_TYPE_HARDWARE,
+                HMODULE::default(),
+                D3D11_CREATE_DEVICE_BGRA_SUPPORT,
+                Some(&[D3D_FEATURE_LEVEL_11_0]),
+                D3D11_SDK_VERSION,
+                Some(&mut device),
+                None,
+                None,
+            ),
+        };
+        if created.is_err() {
             return false;
         }
         let Some(device) = device else { return false };

crates/punktfunk-host/src/gpu.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,757 @@
+//! GPU inventory + operator GPU preference for multi-GPU hosts (web-console GPU selection).
+//!
+//! Three concerns, one module:
+//! - **Enumeration** ([`enumerate`]): the machine's hardware GPUs — DXGI adapters on Windows
+//!   (WARP/Basic-Render filtered out), `/dev/dri/renderD*` + sysfs PCI ids on Linux, empty
+//!   elsewhere. Compiled on every platform so the management endpoints (and the checked-in
+//!   OpenAPI document) are identical everywhere.
+//! - **Preference** ([`prefs`]): the operator's persisted auto/manual choice
+//!   (`<config>/gpu-settings.json`, written by the mgmt API). A manual preference is stored by
+//!   *stable identity* — PCI vendor:device + occurrence + name — NOT by LUID (Windows LUIDs are
+//!   reassigned every boot) or adapter index (enumeration order can change across driver updates).
+//! - **Selection** ([`selected_gpu`] / [`pick`]): the one place that turns (inventory, preference,
+//!   `PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_ADAPTER`) into the render/encode GPU. Precedence: **manual preference >
+//!   env substring > auto (max dedicated VRAM)**, with graceful fall-through — a preferred GPU
+//!   that vanished (unplugged eGPU, disabled iGPU) logs a warning and auto-selects so the host
+//!   keeps streaming, and the mgmt API surfaces the fallback instead of hiding it.
+//!
+//! A preference change applies to the **next session**: selection is read at capture/encode setup
+//! (`win_adapter::resolve_render_adapter_luid`, the encoder-backend dispatch, the codec probes), a
+//! running session keeps the device it opened on. [`session_begin`]/[`active`] record which GPU a
+//! live session actually encodes on, for the console's "in use" display.
+
+use anyhow::Result;
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+use std::sync::{Mutex, OnceLock};
+
+/// PCI vendor ids of the GPU vendors the encode backends know (NVENC / AMF / QSV, VAAPI on Linux).
+pub(crate) const VENDOR_NVIDIA: u32 = 0x10DE;
+pub(crate) const VENDOR_AMD: u32 = 0x1002;
+pub(crate) const VENDOR_INTEL: u32 = 0x8086;
+
+/// Platform handle of an enumerated GPU — how the pipeline actually addresses it. Not part of the
+/// stable identity (Windows LUIDs are per-boot; a render node can renumber across kernel updates).
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub(crate) struct GpuHandle {
+    /// DXGI `AdapterLuid` of this adapter (this boot only).
+    #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+    pub luid_low: u32,
+    #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+    pub luid_high: i32,
+    /// DRM render node (`/dev/dri/renderD*`) of this GPU.
+    #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+    pub render_node: Option<PathBuf>,
+}
+
+/// One hardware GPU as enumerated on this host.
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+pub(crate) struct GpuInfo {
+    /// Stable identifier for the API/UI: `"{vendor:04x}-{device:04x}-{occurrence}"`. Occurrence
+    /// disambiguates identical cards (two of the same model) by enumeration order among their
+    /// twins — the best available tiebreaker (PCI order), imperfect but honest.
+    pub id: String,
+    /// Adapter description (Windows) / synthesized vendor label + node (Linux).
+    pub name: String,
+    pub vendor_id: u32,
+    pub device_id: u32,
+    /// Index among enumerated GPUs with the same (vendor_id, device_id).
+    pub occurrence: u32,
+    /// Dedicated VRAM in bytes (0 where the platform doesn't expose it — non-amdgpu Linux sysfs).
+    pub vram_bytes: u64,
+    pub handle: GpuHandle,
+}
+
+/// Lowercase vendor tag for the API (`nvidia` / `amd` / `intel` / `other`).
+pub(crate) fn vendor_tag(vendor_id: u32) -> &'static str {
+    match vendor_id {
+        VENDOR_NVIDIA => "nvidia",
+        VENDOR_AMD => "amd",
+        VENDOR_INTEL => "intel",
+        _ => "other",
+    }
+}
+
+impl GpuInfo {
+    /// Lowercase vendor tag for the API (`nvidia` / `amd` / `intel` / `other`).
+    pub fn vendor_tag(&self) -> &'static str {
+        vendor_tag(self.vendor_id)
+    }
+
+    /// The DXGI LUID this adapter had at enumeration time.
+    #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+    pub fn luid(&self) -> windows::Win32::Foundation::LUID {
+        windows::Win32::Foundation::LUID {
+            LowPart: self.handle.luid_low,
+            HighPart: self.handle.luid_high,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Assign the stable `id` + `occurrence` fields after enumeration (occurrence = index among
+/// same-(vendor,device) twins, in enumeration order).
+fn assign_ids(gpus: &mut [GpuInfo]) {
+    for i in 0..gpus.len() {
+        let occ = gpus[..i]
+            .iter()
+            .filter(|g| g.vendor_id == gpus[i].vendor_id && g.device_id == gpus[i].device_id)
+            .count() as u32;
+        gpus[i].occurrence = occ;
+        gpus[i].id = format!(
+            "{:04x}-{:04x}-{}",
+            gpus[i].vendor_id, gpus[i].device_id, occ
+        );
+    }
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Enumeration
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/// Enumerate this host's hardware GPUs. Windows: DXGI adapters minus WARP/Basic-Render (the same
+/// filter `win_adapter` always applied). Linux: `/dev/dri/renderD*` with PCI ids from sysfs.
+/// Other platforms (the macOS dev/test host build): empty — the endpoints still exist, they just
+/// report no GPUs.
+#[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+pub(crate) fn enumerate() -> Vec<GpuInfo> {
+    use windows::Win32::Graphics::Dxgi::{
+        CreateDXGIFactory1, IDXGIFactory1, DXGI_ADAPTER_FLAG_SOFTWARE,
+    };
+    let mut out = Vec::new();
+    // SAFETY: `CreateDXGIFactory1` returns an owned COM factory (Released when the local drops) or
+    // errs (→ empty inventory). `EnumAdapters1(i)` yields owned `IDXGIAdapter1`s until it errors
+    // past the last adapter; `GetDesc1()` returns the descriptor by value. Only locals are touched,
+    // nothing escapes, no raw pointer is dereferenced.
+    unsafe {
+        let Ok(factory) = CreateDXGIFactory1::<IDXGIFactory1>() else {
+            return out;
+        };
+        let mut i = 0u32;
+        while let Ok(adapter) = factory.EnumAdapters1(i) {
+            i += 1;
+            let Ok(d) = adapter.GetDesc1() else { continue };
+            if (d.Flags & DXGI_ADAPTER_FLAG_SOFTWARE.0 as u32) != 0 {
+                continue; // Microsoft Basic Render / WARP
+            }
+            let name = String::from_utf16_lossy(&d.Description)
+                .trim_end_matches('\u{0}')
+                .to_string();
+            let lname = name.to_ascii_lowercase();
+            if lname.contains("basic render") || lname.contains("warp") {
+                continue;
+            }
+            out.push(GpuInfo {
+                id: String::new(),
+                name,
+                vendor_id: d.VendorId,
+                device_id: d.DeviceId,
+                occurrence: 0,
+                vram_bytes: d.DedicatedVideoMemory as u64,
+                handle: GpuHandle {
+                    luid_low: d.AdapterLuid.LowPart,
+                    luid_high: d.AdapterLuid.HighPart,
+                },
+            });
+        }
+    }
+    assign_ids(&mut out);
+    out
+}
+
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+pub(crate) fn enumerate() -> Vec<GpuInfo> {
+    let mut nodes: Vec<String> = std::fs::read_dir("/dev/dri")
+        .map(|rd| {
+            rd.filter_map(|e| e.ok())
+                .map(|e| e.file_name().to_string_lossy().into_owned())
+                .filter(|n| n.starts_with("renderD"))
+                .collect()
+        })
+        .unwrap_or_default();
+    nodes.sort();
+    let mut out = Vec::new();
+    for node in nodes {
+        let sys = format!("/sys/class/drm/{node}/device");
+        let read_hex = |f: &str| -> u32 {
+            std::fs::read_to_string(format!("{sys}/{f}"))
+                .ok()
+                .and_then(|s| u32::from_str_radix(s.trim().trim_start_matches("0x"), 16).ok())
+                .unwrap_or(0)
+        };
+        let vendor_id = read_hex("vendor");
+        let device_id = read_hex("device");
+        // Only amdgpu exposes a VRAM total in sysfs; 0 elsewhere (display-only — Linux auto
+        // selection is NVIDIA-presence + render node, not VRAM).
+        let vram_bytes = std::fs::read_to_string(format!("{sys}/mem_info_vram_total"))
+            .ok()
+            .and_then(|s| s.trim().parse::<u64>().ok())
+            .unwrap_or(0);
+        let vendor_label = match vendor_id {
+            VENDOR_NVIDIA => "NVIDIA".to_string(),
+            VENDOR_AMD => "AMD".to_string(),
+            VENDOR_INTEL => "Intel".to_string(),
+            other => format!("GPU 0x{other:04x}"),
+        };
+        out.push(GpuInfo {
+            id: String::new(),
+            name: format!("{vendor_label} GPU ({node})"),
+            vendor_id,
+            device_id,
+            occurrence: 0,
+            vram_bytes,
+            handle: GpuHandle {
+                render_node: Some(PathBuf::from(format!("/dev/dri/{node}"))),
+            },
+        });
+    }
+    assign_ids(&mut out);
+    out
+}
+
+#[cfg(not(any(target_os = "windows", target_os = "linux")))]
+pub(crate) fn enumerate() -> Vec<GpuInfo> {
+    Vec::new()
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Persisted preference
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/// Operator GPU-selection mode: `Auto` (env substring, else max VRAM — today's behavior) or
+/// `Manual` (an explicit GPU chosen in the web console).
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Default, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "snake_case")]
+pub(crate) enum GpuMode {
+    #[default]
+    Auto,
+    Manual,
+}
+
+/// Stable identity of the manually preferred GPU (see [`GpuInfo::id`] for why not LUID/index).
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+pub(crate) struct PreferredGpu {
+    pub vendor_id: u32,
+    pub device_id: u32,
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub occurrence: u32,
+    /// Adapter name at the time of selection — the last-resort matcher and the label the API
+    /// shows when the preferred GPU is currently absent.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub name: String,
+}
+
+/// The persisted GPU preference (`<config>/gpu-settings.json`).
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+pub(crate) struct GpuPreference {
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub mode: GpuMode,
+    /// `Some` when `mode == Manual` (kept when switching back to Auto so the console can offer
+    /// "return to your previous manual pick").
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub gpu: Option<PreferredGpu>,
+}
+
+/// The preference store: in-memory current value + its JSON file. Mirrors `native_pairing`'s
+/// persistence discipline (private dir, secret-file temp write + atomic rename, in-memory
+/// rollback if the disk write fails).
+pub(crate) struct GpuPrefStore {
+    path: PathBuf,
+    cur: Mutex<GpuPreference>,
+}
+
+impl GpuPrefStore {
+    /// Load the store from `path` (missing/corrupt file ⇒ default Auto, with a warning for the
+    /// corrupt case — never fail host startup over a settings file).
+    pub fn load_from(path: PathBuf) -> Self {
+        let cur = match std::fs::read(&path) {
+            Ok(bytes) => match serde_json::from_slice::<GpuPreference>(&bytes) {
+                Ok(p) => p,
+                Err(e) => {
+                    tracing::warn!(path = %path.display(), "gpu-settings.json unreadable — using Auto: {e}");
+                    GpuPreference::default()
+                }
+            },
+            Err(_) => GpuPreference::default(),
+        };
+        GpuPrefStore {
+            path,
+            cur: Mutex::new(cur),
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn get(&self) -> GpuPreference {
+        self.cur.lock().unwrap().clone()
+    }
+
+    /// Persist + apply a new preference. The in-memory value only changes if the disk write
+    /// succeeds, so a full disk can't leave memory and file disagreeing.
+    pub fn set(&self, pref: GpuPreference) -> Result<()> {
+        if let Some(dir) = self.path.parent() {
+            crate::gamestream::create_private_dir(dir)?;
+        }
+        let tmp = self.path.with_extension("json.tmp");
+        crate::gamestream::write_secret_file(&tmp, &serde_json::to_vec_pretty(&pref)?)?;
+        std::fs::rename(&tmp, &self.path)?;
+        *self.cur.lock().unwrap() = pref;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
+/// The process-wide preference store (config-dir file), loaded once on first access — the same
+/// global-accessor shape as [`crate::config::config`], because selection happens deep inside
+/// capture/encode setup where no app state is threaded.
+pub(crate) fn prefs() -> &'static GpuPrefStore {
+    static STORE: OnceLock<GpuPrefStore> = OnceLock::new();
+    STORE.get_or_init(|| {
+        GpuPrefStore::load_from(crate::gamestream::config_dir().join("gpu-settings.json"))
+    })
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Selection
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/// Why a GPU was selected — surfaced by the mgmt API so the console can explain the decision.
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub(crate) enum PickSource {
+    /// The operator's manual preference matched a present GPU.
+    Preference,
+    /// `PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_ADAPTER` substring matched.
+    Env,
+    /// Auto: max dedicated VRAM (Windows) / platform default (Linux display).
+    Auto,
+    /// A manual preference is set but that GPU is absent — fell back to auto so the host keeps
+    /// streaming (logged; the console shows the fallback).
+    PreferenceMissing,
+}
+
+impl PickSource {
+    pub fn tag(self) -> &'static str {
+        match self {
+            PickSource::Preference => "preference",
+            PickSource::Env => "env",
+            PickSource::Auto => "auto",
+            PickSource::PreferenceMissing => "preference_missing",
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// A resolved selection: the GPU the next session's pipeline will be created on, and why.
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+pub(crate) struct SelectedGpu {
+    pub info: GpuInfo,
+    pub source: PickSource,
+}
+
+/// Find the manually preferred GPU in the inventory. Match order: exact stable identity
+/// (vendor, device, occurrence) → same model (vendor, device; a twin renumbered) → exact name
+/// (ids changed across a driver/firmware quirk but the marketing name survived).
+pub(crate) fn find_preferred(gpus: &[GpuInfo], want: &PreferredGpu) -> Option<usize> {
+    gpus.iter()
+        .position(|g| {
+            g.vendor_id == want.vendor_id
+                && g.device_id == want.device_id
+                && g.occurrence == want.occurrence
+        })
+        .or_else(|| {
+            gpus.iter()
+                .position(|g| g.vendor_id == want.vendor_id && g.device_id == want.device_id)
+        })
+        .or_else(|| {
+            if want.name.is_empty() {
+                return None;
+            }
+            gpus.iter().position(|g| g.name == want.name)
+        })
+}
+
+/// Pure selection over an inventory: **manual preference > env substring > max VRAM**. Returns
+/// the index into `gpus` plus the reason. `None` only when `gpus` is empty. A set-but-unmatched
+/// env substring falls through to max-VRAM (same outcome as env unset — deliberately more robust
+/// than the old `resolve_render_adapter_luid`, which returned *no* adapter on a stale substring).
+pub(crate) fn pick(
+    gpus: &[GpuInfo],
+    pref: &GpuPreference,
+    env_substr: Option<&str>,
+) -> Option<(usize, PickSource)> {
+    let mut preference_missing = false;
+    if pref.mode == GpuMode::Manual {
+        if let Some(want) = &pref.gpu {
+            match find_preferred(gpus, want) {
+                Some(i) => return Some((i, PickSource::Preference)),
+                None => preference_missing = true,
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    if let Some(sub) = env_substr.filter(|s| !s.is_empty()) {
+        let sub = sub.to_ascii_lowercase();
+        if let Some(i) = gpus
+            .iter()
+            .position(|g| g.name.to_ascii_lowercase().contains(&sub))
+        {
+            return Some((i, PickSource::Env));
+        }
+    }
+    let i = gpus
+        .iter()
+        .enumerate()
+        .max_by_key(|(_, g)| g.vram_bytes)
+        .map(|(i, _)| i)?;
+    Some((
+        i,
+        if preference_missing {
+            PickSource::PreferenceMissing
+        } else {
+            PickSource::Auto
+        },
+    ))
+}
+
+/// The GPU the next session will run on. Windows: the full precedence over the DXGI inventory —
+/// this is what `win_adapter::resolve_render_adapter_luid` (capture ring + IddCx render pin) and
+/// the encoder-vendor dispatch both consume, so capture, encode, and the advertisement agree by
+/// construction. Pure query — callers log (this runs per serverinfo poll).
+#[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+pub(crate) fn selected_gpu() -> Option<SelectedGpu> {
+    let gpus = enumerate();
+    let pref = prefs().get();
+    let env = crate::config::config()
+        .render_adapter
+        .clone()
+        .filter(|s| !s.is_empty());
+    let (i, source) = pick(&gpus, &pref, env.as_deref())?;
+    Some(SelectedGpu {
+        info: gpus.into_iter().nth(i)?,
+        source,
+    })
+}
+
+/// The GPU the next session will run on (Linux). Mirrors the encode dispatch for display: a
+/// matched manual preference wins; otherwise NVIDIA-presence → the NVIDIA GPU, else the GPU that
+/// owns the VAAPI render node. (The *authoritative* Linux switches stay in `encode::open_video` /
+/// [`linux_render_node`] — this is the console's view of them.)
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+pub(crate) fn selected_gpu() -> Option<SelectedGpu> {
+    let gpus = enumerate();
+    let pref = prefs().get();
+    let mut preference_missing = false;
+    if pref.mode == GpuMode::Manual {
+        if let Some(want) = &pref.gpu {
+            match find_preferred(&gpus, want) {
+                Some(i) => {
+                    return Some(SelectedGpu {
+                        info: gpus.into_iter().nth(i)?,
+                        source: PickSource::Preference,
+                    })
+                }
+                None => preference_missing = true,
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    let source = if preference_missing {
+        PickSource::PreferenceMissing
+    } else {
+        PickSource::Auto
+    };
+    if linux_nvidia_present() {
+        if let Some(i) = gpus.iter().position(|g| g.vendor_id == VENDOR_NVIDIA) {
+            return Some(SelectedGpu {
+                info: gpus.into_iter().nth(i)?,
+                source,
+            });
+        }
+    }
+    let node = linux_render_node();
+    let i = gpus
+        .iter()
+        .position(|g| g.handle.render_node.as_deref() == Some(node.as_path()))
+        .unwrap_or(0);
+    Some(SelectedGpu {
+        info: gpus.into_iter().nth(i)?,
+        source,
+    })
+}
+
+#[cfg(not(any(target_os = "windows", target_os = "linux")))]
+pub(crate) fn selected_gpu() -> Option<SelectedGpu> {
+    None
+}
+
+/// The manually preferred GPU, only when `mode == Manual` **and** it is currently present.
+/// The Linux encode dispatch consults this (auto mode keeps today's NVIDIA-presence behavior
+/// exactly).
+pub(crate) fn manual_selection() -> Option<GpuInfo> {
+    let pref = prefs().get();
+    if pref.mode != GpuMode::Manual {
+        return None;
+    }
+    let want = pref.gpu?;
+    let gpus = enumerate();
+    let i = find_preferred(&gpus, &want)?;
+    gpus.into_iter().nth(i)
+}
+
+/// The VAAPI/DRM render node for this host: matched manual preference > `PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_NODE`
+/// (a deliberate live env read — see `config.rs` module docs) > `/dev/dri/renderD128`.
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+pub(crate) fn linux_render_node() -> PathBuf {
+    if let Some(g) = manual_selection() {
+        if let Some(node) = g.handle.render_node {
+            return node;
+        }
+    }
+    std::env::var("PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_NODE")
+        .ok()
+        .filter(|s| !s.is_empty())
+        .map(PathBuf::from)
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| PathBuf::from("/dev/dri/renderD128"))
+}
+
+/// NVIDIA-presence probe (same device-node check as `encode::nvidia_present` — duplicated two
+/// lines rather than widening that private fn's visibility).
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+fn linux_nvidia_present() -> bool {
+    std::path::Path::new("/dev/nvidiactl").exists() || std::path::Path::new("/dev/nvidia0").exists()
+}
+
+/// A cache key that changes whenever the *selection* changes (preference edits included), for the
+/// per-GPU probe caches (`can_encode_444`, `windows_codec_support`) that were process-lifetime
+/// `OnceLock`s back when selection was env-only.
+pub(crate) fn selection_key() -> String {
+    match selected_gpu() {
+        Some(sel) => {
+            #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]
+            {
+                format!(
+                    "{}:{:08x}{:08x}",
+                    sel.info.id, sel.info.handle.luid_high as u32, sel.info.handle.luid_low
+                )
+            }
+            #[cfg(not(target_os = "windows"))]
+            {
+                sel.info.id
+            }
+        }
+        None => String::new(),
+    }
+}
+
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Live "in use" record
+// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+/// What a live session encodes on — the console's "currently used GPU".
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+pub(crate) struct ActiveGpu {
+    /// Stable id of the GPU ([`GpuInfo::id`]; empty for the CPU/software path) so a UI can match
+    /// it against the inventory.
+    pub id: String,
+    pub name: String,
+    pub vendor_id: u32,
+    /// The encode backend the session opened (`nvenc` / `amf` / `qsv` / `vaapi` / `software`).
+    pub backend: &'static str,
+}
+
+struct ActiveState {
+    gpu: ActiveGpu,
+    sessions: u32,
+}
+
+static ACTIVE: Mutex<Option<ActiveState>> = Mutex::new(None);
+
+/// RAII marker for one live encode session; dropping it decrements the session count. Held by the
+/// encoder wrapper `open_video` returns, so the count is correct by construction (every successful
+/// open is paired with a drop).
+pub(crate) struct ActiveSession(());
+
+impl Drop for ActiveSession {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        let mut st = ACTIVE.lock().unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_inner());
+        if let Some(st) = st.as_mut() {
+            st.sessions = st.sessions.saturating_sub(1);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Record a session opening on `gpu`. Concurrent sessions share one GPU (the Windows pipeline is
+/// single-GPU by construction; Linux sessions share the selection), so the latest record wins and
+/// a counter tracks liveness.
+pub(crate) fn session_begin(gpu: ActiveGpu) -> ActiveSession {
+    let mut st = ACTIVE.lock().unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_inner());
+    let sessions = st.as_ref().map(|s| s.sessions).unwrap_or(0) + 1;
+    *st = Some(ActiveState { gpu, sessions });
+    ActiveSession(())
+}
+
+/// The GPU live sessions encode on + how many sessions hold it. `Some` with `sessions == 0` means
+/// "last used, idle now" — the mgmt API distinguishes the two.
+pub(crate) fn active() -> Option<(ActiveGpu, u32)> {
+    ACTIVE
+        .lock()
+        .unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_inner())
+        .as_ref()
+        .map(|s| (s.gpu.clone(), s.sessions))
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    fn gpu(vendor: u32, device: u32, name: &str, vram_gb: u64) -> GpuInfo {
+        GpuInfo {
+            id: String::new(),
+            name: name.into(),
+            vendor_id: vendor,
+            device_id: device,
+            occurrence: 0,
+            vram_bytes: vram_gb * 1024 * 1024 * 1024,
+            handle: GpuHandle::default(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// The dev-box shape: NVIDIA dGPU + Intel Arc iGPU.
+    fn hybrid() -> Vec<GpuInfo> {
+        let mut v = vec![
+            gpu(VENDOR_INTEL, 0x7d55, "Intel(R) Arc(TM) Graphics", 0),
+            gpu(VENDOR_NVIDIA, 0x2c05, "NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti", 16),
+        ];
+        assign_ids(&mut v);
+        v
+    }
+
+    fn manual(vendor: u32, device: u32, occurrence: u32, name: &str) -> GpuPreference {
+        GpuPreference {
+            mode: GpuMode::Manual,
+            gpu: Some(PreferredGpu {
+                vendor_id: vendor,
+                device_id: device,
+                occurrence,
+                name: name.into(),
+            }),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn auto_picks_max_vram() {
+        let (i, src) = pick(&hybrid(), &GpuPreference::default(), None).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(i, 1);
+        assert_eq!(src, PickSource::Auto);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn manual_preference_beats_env_and_vram() {
+        let pref = manual(VENDOR_INTEL, 0x7d55, 0, "Intel(R) Arc(TM) Graphics");
+        let (i, src) = pick(&hybrid(), &pref, Some("nvidia")).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(i, 0);
+        assert_eq!(src, PickSource::Preference);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn env_substring_beats_vram_and_is_case_insensitive() {
+        let mut gpus = vec![
+            gpu(VENDOR_NVIDIA, 0x2c05, "NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti", 16),
+            gpu(VENDOR_INTEL, 0x7d55, "Intel(R) Arc(TM) Graphics", 0),
+        ];
+        assign_ids(&mut gpus);
+        let (i, src) = pick(&gpus, &GpuPreference::default(), Some("ARC")).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(i, 1);
+        assert_eq!(src, PickSource::Env);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn unmatched_env_falls_back_to_max_vram() {
+        let (i, src) = pick(&hybrid(), &GpuPreference::default(), Some("radeon")).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(i, 1);
+        assert_eq!(src, PickSource::Auto);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn missing_preferred_gpu_falls_back_and_says_so() {
+        let pref = manual(VENDOR_AMD, 0x744c, 0, "AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX");
+        let (i, src) = pick(&hybrid(), &pref, None).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(i, 1); // max VRAM
+        assert_eq!(src, PickSource::PreferenceMissing);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn preferred_matches_same_model_when_occurrence_gone() {
+        // Stored occurrence 1 (was the second of two twins); only one twin remains.
+        let mut gpus = vec![
+            gpu(VENDOR_INTEL, 0x7d55, "Intel(R) Arc(TM) Graphics", 0),
+            gpu(VENDOR_NVIDIA, 0x2c05, "NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti", 16),
+        ];
+        assign_ids(&mut gpus);
+        let pref = manual(VENDOR_NVIDIA, 0x2c05, 1, "NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti");
+        let (i, src) = pick(&gpus, &pref, None).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(i, 1);
+        assert_eq!(src, PickSource::Preference);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn preferred_matches_by_name_when_ids_changed() {
+        let pref = manual(VENDOR_NVIDIA, 0xffff, 0, "Intel(R) Arc(TM) Graphics");
+        let (i, src) = pick(&hybrid(), &pref, None).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(i, 0);
+        assert_eq!(src, PickSource::Preference);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn empty_inventory_selects_nothing() {
+        assert!(pick(&[], &GpuPreference::default(), Some("nvidia")).is_none());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn ids_disambiguate_twins() {
+        let mut gpus = vec![
+            gpu(VENDOR_NVIDIA, 0x2c05, "NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti", 16),
+            gpu(VENDOR_NVIDIA, 0x2c05, "NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti", 16),
+        ];
+        assign_ids(&mut gpus);
+        assert_eq!(gpus[0].id, "10de-2c05-0");
+        assert_eq!(gpus[1].id, "10de-2c05-1");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn store_round_trips_and_survives_corruption() {
+        let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let path = dir.path().join("gpu-settings.json");
+        let store = GpuPrefStore::load_from(path.clone());
+        assert_eq!(store.get(), GpuPreference::default());
+        let pref = manual(VENDOR_INTEL, 0x7d55, 0, "Intel(R) Arc(TM) Graphics");
+        store.set(pref.clone()).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(store.get(), pref);
+        // A fresh load sees the persisted value…
+        assert_eq!(GpuPrefStore::load_from(path.clone()).get(), pref);
+        // …and a corrupt file degrades to Auto instead of failing startup.
+        std::fs::write(&path, b"{ not json").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            GpuPrefStore::load_from(path).get(),
+            GpuPreference::default()
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn session_counter_tracks_begin_and_drop() {
+        // Serialize against other tests via the ACTIVE mutex being process-global: this is the
+        // only test touching it.
+        let a = session_begin(ActiveGpu {
+            id: "10de-2c05-0".into(),
+            name: "GPU A".into(),
+            vendor_id: VENDOR_NVIDIA,
+            backend: "nvenc",
+        });
+        let (gpu0, n0) = active().unwrap();
+        assert_eq!((gpu0.name.as_str(), n0), ("GPU A", 1));
+        let b = session_begin(ActiveGpu {
+            id: "10de-2c05-0".into(),
+            name: "GPU A".into(),
+            vendor_id: VENDOR_NVIDIA,
+            backend: "nvenc",
+        });
+        assert_eq!(active().unwrap().1, 2);
+        drop(a);
+        assert_eq!(active().unwrap().1, 1);
+        drop(b);
+        assert_eq!(active().unwrap().1, 0); // idle, last-used retained
+    }
+}

crates/punktfunk-host/src/main.rs

@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ mod dmabuf_fence;
 mod drm_sync;
 mod encode;
 mod gamestream;
+mod gpu;
 mod hdr;
 mod inject;
 #[cfg(target_os = "windows")]

crates/punktfunk-host/src/mgmt.rs

@@ -153,6 +153,8 @@ fn api_router_parts() -> (Router<Arc<MgmtState>>, utoipa::openapi::OpenApi) {
                 .routes(routes!(get_health))
                 .routes(routes!(get_host_info))
                 .routes(routes!(list_compositors))
+                .routes(routes!(list_gpus))
+                .routes(routes!(set_gpu_preference))
                 .routes(routes!(get_status))
                 .routes(routes!(list_paired_clients))
                 .routes(routes!(unpair_client))
@@ -204,6 +206,7 @@ pub fn openapi_json() -> String {
     modifiers(&SecurityAddon),
     tags(
         (name = "host", description = "Host identity, capabilities, and liveness"),
+        (name = "gpu", description = "GPU inventory and selection: list the host's GPUs, choose automatic or a preferred GPU, see the one in use"),
         (name = "clients", description = "Paired Moonlight client management"),
         (name = "pairing", description = "Pairing PIN delivery (the out-of-band half of the GameStream pairing handshake)"),
         (name = "native", description = "Native punktfunk/1 pairing: arm a window, display the host PIN, manage paired devices"),
@@ -670,6 +673,238 @@ async fn list_compositors() -> Json<Vec<AvailableCompositor>> {
     )
 }
 
+/// One hardware GPU on the host (software/WARP adapters are never listed).
+#[derive(Serialize, ToSchema)]
+struct ApiGpu {
+    /// Stable identifier (`vendorid-deviceid-occurrence`, hex PCI ids) — pass to `setGpuPreference`.
+    /// Stable across reboots and driver updates, unlike an adapter index or LUID.
+    #[schema(example = "10de-2c05-0")]
+    id: String,
+    /// Adapter/marketing name.
+    #[schema(example = "NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti")]
+    name: String,
+    /// `nvidia` | `amd` | `intel` | `other`.
+    vendor: String,
+    /// Dedicated VRAM in MiB (0 where the platform doesn't expose it).
+    vram_mb: u64,
+}
+
+/// The GPU the **next** session's pipeline will be created on, and why. (A preference change
+/// applies to the next session; a running session keeps the GPU it opened on.)
+#[derive(Serialize, ToSchema)]
+struct ApiSelectedGpu {
+    id: String,
+    name: String,
+    /// `nvidia` | `amd` | `intel` | `other`.
+    vendor: String,
+    /// Why this GPU was selected: `preference` (the manual choice), `env`
+    /// (`PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_ADAPTER`), `auto` (max dedicated VRAM / platform default), or
+    /// `preference_missing` (a manual choice is set but that GPU is absent — auto-selected
+    /// instead so the host keeps streaming).
+    source: String,
+}
+
+/// The GPU live sessions are encoding on right now.
+#[derive(Serialize, ToSchema)]
+struct ApiActiveGpu {
+    /// Stable id matching an entry of `gpus` (empty for the CPU/software encoder).
+    id: String,
+    name: String,
+    /// `nvidia` | `amd` | `intel` | `other`.
+    vendor: String,
+    /// The encode backend in use (`nvenc` | `amf` | `qsv` | `vaapi` | `software`).
+    backend: String,
+    /// Number of live encode sessions on it.
+    sessions: u32,
+}
+
+/// Full GPU-selection state for the console: inventory, the persisted preference, what the next
+/// session will use, and what is in use right now.
+#[derive(Serialize, ToSchema)]
+struct GpuState {
+    /// The host's hardware GPUs.
+    gpus: Vec<ApiGpu>,
+    /// `auto` or `manual`.
+    mode: String,
+    /// The manually preferred GPU's stable id, when one is stored (kept while `mode` is `auto` so
+    /// a console can offer returning to it). May reference a GPU that is currently absent.
+    preferred_id: Option<String>,
+    /// The stored name of the preferred GPU (a usable label even when it is absent).
+    preferred_name: Option<String>,
+    /// Whether the preferred GPU is currently present.
+    preferred_available: bool,
+    /// `PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_ADAPTER` (the host.env pin), when set — it applies while `mode` is
+    /// `auto`; a manual preference overrides it.
+    env_override: Option<String>,
+    /// The GPU the next session will use.
+    selected: Option<ApiSelectedGpu>,
+    /// The GPU live sessions use right now (absent while nothing is streaming).
+    active: Option<ApiActiveGpu>,
+}
+
+/// Request body for `setGpuPreference`.
+#[derive(Deserialize, ToSchema)]
+struct SetGpuPreference {
+    /// `auto` (env pin, else max dedicated VRAM — the default) or `manual`.
+    #[schema(example = "manual")]
+    mode: String,
+    /// Required when `mode` is `manual`: the stable `id` of a currently listed GPU
+    /// (see `listGpus`).
+    #[schema(example = "10de-2c05-0")]
+    gpu_id: Option<String>,
+}
+
+/// Build the [`GpuState`] snapshot (shared by the GET and the PUT's response).
+fn gpu_state() -> GpuState {
+    let gpus = crate::gpu::enumerate();
+    let pref = crate::gpu::prefs().get();
+    let (preferred_id, preferred_name, preferred_available) = match &pref.gpu {
+        Some(want) => {
+            let found = crate::gpu::find_preferred(&gpus, want);
+            let id = match found {
+                // Canonical: the present GPU's id (identity may have matched loosely).
+                Some(i) => gpus[i].id.clone(),
+                None => format!(
+                    "{:04x}-{:04x}-{}",
+                    want.vendor_id, want.device_id, want.occurrence
+                ),
+            };
+            let name = match found {
+                Some(i) => gpus[i].name.clone(),
+                None => want.name.clone(),
+            };
+            (Some(id), Some(name), found.is_some())
+        }
+        None => (None, None, false),
+    };
+    let selected = crate::gpu::selected_gpu().map(|sel| ApiSelectedGpu {
+        vendor: sel.info.vendor_tag().into(),
+        id: sel.info.id,
+        name: sel.info.name,
+        source: sel.source.tag().into(),
+    });
+    let active = crate::gpu::active().and_then(|(g, sessions)| {
+        (sessions > 0).then(|| ApiActiveGpu {
+            vendor: crate::gpu::vendor_tag(g.vendor_id).into(),
+            id: g.id,
+            name: g.name,
+            backend: g.backend.into(),
+            sessions,
+        })
+    });
+    GpuState {
+        gpus: gpus
+            .into_iter()
+            .map(|g| ApiGpu {
+                vendor: g.vendor_tag().into(),
+                vram_mb: g.vram_bytes / (1024 * 1024),
+                id: g.id,
+                name: g.name,
+            })
+            .collect(),
+        mode: match pref.mode {
+            crate::gpu::GpuMode::Auto => "auto".into(),
+            crate::gpu::GpuMode::Manual => "manual".into(),
+        },
+        preferred_id,
+        preferred_name,
+        preferred_available,
+        env_override: crate::config::config()
+            .render_adapter
+            .clone()
+            .filter(|s| !s.is_empty()),
+        selected,
+        active,
+    }
+}
+
+/// GPU inventory and selection
+///
+/// Lists the host's hardware GPUs, the persisted auto/manual preference, the GPU the next session
+/// will use (and why), and the GPU live sessions encode on right now.
+#[utoipa::path(
+    get,
+    path = "/gpus",
+    tag = "gpu",
+    operation_id = "listGpus",
+    responses(
+        (status = OK, description = "GPU inventory + selection state", body = GpuState),
+        (status = UNAUTHORIZED, description = "Missing or invalid bearer token", body = ApiError),
+    )
+)]
+async fn list_gpus() -> Json<GpuState> {
+    Json(gpu_state())
+}
+
+/// Set the GPU preference
+///
+/// `auto` restores automatic selection (`PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_ADAPTER` pin, else max dedicated VRAM);
+/// `manual` pins capture + encode to the given GPU. Persisted across restarts; applies to the
+/// **next** session (a running session keeps its GPU). If the preferred GPU is absent at session
+/// start the host falls back to automatic selection rather than failing.
+#[utoipa::path(
+    put,
+    path = "/gpus/preference",
+    tag = "gpu",
+    operation_id = "setGpuPreference",
+    request_body = SetGpuPreference,
+    responses(
+        (status = OK, description = "Preference stored; the new selection state", body = GpuState),
+        (status = BAD_REQUEST, description = "Unknown mode, or `gpu_id` missing / not a listed GPU", body = ApiError),
+        (status = INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR, description = "Preference could not be persisted", body = ApiError),
+        (status = UNAUTHORIZED, description = "Missing or invalid bearer token", body = ApiError),
+    )
+)]
+async fn set_gpu_preference(ApiJson(req): ApiJson<SetGpuPreference>) -> Response {
+    let pref = match req.mode.to_ascii_lowercase().as_str() {
+        "auto" => {
+            // Keep the stored manual pick so the console can offer switching back to it.
+            let mut p = crate::gpu::prefs().get();
+            p.mode = crate::gpu::GpuMode::Auto;
+            p
+        }
+        "manual" => {
+            let Some(id) = req
+                .gpu_id
+                .as_deref()
+                .map(str::trim)
+                .filter(|s| !s.is_empty())
+            else {
+                return api_error(StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST, "mode `manual` requires `gpu_id`");
+            };
+            let Some(g) = crate::gpu::enumerate().into_iter().find(|g| g.id == id) else {
+                return api_error(
+                    StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST,
+                    "gpu_id does not match a present GPU (see GET /gpus)",
+                );
+            };
+            crate::gpu::GpuPreference {
+                mode: crate::gpu::GpuMode::Manual,
+                gpu: Some(crate::gpu::PreferredGpu {
+                    vendor_id: g.vendor_id,
+                    device_id: g.device_id,
+                    occurrence: g.occurrence,
+                    name: g.name,
+                }),
+            }
+        }
+        other => {
+            return api_error(
+                StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST,
+                &format!("unknown mode {other:?} — use `auto` or `manual`"),
+            )
+        }
+    };
+    if let Err(e) = crate::gpu::prefs().set(pref) {
+        return api_error(
+            StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR,
+            &format!("persist GPU preference: {e:#}"),
+        );
+    }
+    tracing::info!(mode = %req.mode, gpu_id = ?req.gpu_id, "management API: GPU preference updated");
+    Json(gpu_state()).into_response()
+}
+
 /// Live host status
 #[utoipa::path(
     get,
@@ -2221,4 +2456,57 @@ mod tests {
         .await;
         assert_eq!(s, StatusCode::SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE);
     }
+
+    fn put_json(path: &str, body: serde_json::Value) -> axum::http::Request<Body> {
+        axum::http::Request::put(path)
+            .header(axum::http::header::CONTENT_TYPE, "application/json")
+            .body(Body::from(body.to_string()))
+            .unwrap()
+    }
+
+    /// The GPU endpoints: the inventory GET always answers (an empty list on a GPU-less box —
+    /// the schema is platform-independent), and the preference PUT validates mode + gpu_id
+    /// BEFORE touching the persisted store, so a bad request can never write.
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn gpu_endpoints_list_and_validate() {
+        let app = test_app(test_state(), None);
+
+        let (s, b) = send(&app, get_req("/api/v1/gpus")).await;
+        assert_eq!(s, StatusCode::OK);
+        assert!(b["gpus"].is_array());
+        assert!(b["mode"].is_string());
+
+        // Unknown mode → 400.
+        let (s, _) = send(
+            &app,
+            put_json(
+                "/api/v1/gpus/preference",
+                serde_json::json!({"mode": "fastest"}),
+            ),
+        )
+        .await;
+        assert_eq!(s, StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST);
+
+        // `manual` without a gpu_id → 400.
+        let (s, _) = send(
+            &app,
+            put_json(
+                "/api/v1/gpus/preference",
+                serde_json::json!({"mode": "manual"}),
+            ),
+        )
+        .await;
+        assert_eq!(s, StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST);
+
+        // `manual` with an id that is not a present GPU → 400 (the console only offers listed ids).
+        let (s, _) = send(
+            &app,
+            put_json(
+                "/api/v1/gpus/preference",
+                serde_json::json!({"mode": "manual", "gpu_id": "ffff-ffff-9"}),
+            ),
+        )
+        .await;
+        assert_eq!(s, StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST);
+    }
 }

crates/punktfunk-host/src/vdisplay/windows/manager.rs

@@ -672,15 +672,14 @@ fn idd_push_mode() -> bool {
 /// on a hybrid box). `None` = let the IDD use its natural adapter (Apollo parity — avoids the cross-GPU
 /// ACCESS_LOST storm SudoVDA hit when pinned).
 fn resolve_render_pin() -> Option<LUID> {
-    if crate::config::config().render_adapter.is_some() {
+    // A web-console manual GPU preference pins exactly like PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_ADAPTER: the whole
-        // SAFETY: `resolve_render_adapter_luid` is `unsafe` only for its DXGI factory FFI; it takes no
+    // pipeline (driver render device, capture ring, encoder) must sit on the chosen adapter.
-        // arguments and returns an `Option<LUID>` by value, so there is no input/borrow to keep valid.
+    let manual_pref = crate::gpu::prefs().get().mode == crate::gpu::GpuMode::Manual;
-        unsafe { crate::win_adapter::resolve_render_adapter_luid() }
+    if crate::config::config().render_adapter.is_some() || manual_pref {
+        crate::win_adapter::resolve_render_adapter_luid()
     } else if crate::config::config().idd_push {
         tracing::info!("IDD push: pinning the discrete render GPU (SET_RENDER_ADAPTER)");
-        // SAFETY: as above — `resolve_render_adapter_luid` takes no arguments and returns an
+        crate::win_adapter::resolve_render_adapter_luid()
-        // `Option<LUID>` by value; the `unsafe` covers only its DXGI factory enumeration FFI.
-        unsafe { crate::win_adapter::resolve_render_adapter_luid() }
     } else {
         tracing::info!(
             "SET_RENDER_ADAPTER skipped (Apollo-parity: no render pin; set PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_ADAPTER=<name> to force one)"

crates/punktfunk-host/src/windows/win_adapter.rs

@@ -5,58 +5,35 @@
 //! (IDD-push) and the pf-vdisplay backend depend on it as a *peer* instead of reaching into the SudoVDA
 //! module — breaking that circular reach-in, which let the SudoVDA backend be dropped without losing this
 //! helper (audit §9 / Goal 2 — done). This is the plan's `windows/adapter.rs`.
+//!
+//! The selection logic itself now lives in [`crate::gpu`] (shared with the mgmt API's GPU
+//! endpoints): **operator preference (web console) > `PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_ADAPTER` substring > max
+//! `DedicatedVideoMemory`**, WARP/Basic-Render always excluded. This wrapper is the LUID-shaped
+//! view of it, plus the per-decision logging (call sites are per-session, never per-frame).
 
 use windows::Win32::Foundation::LUID;
 
-/// Pick the discrete render GPU LUID: the adapter with the most `DedicatedVideoMemory`, skipping
+/// Pick the render GPU LUID the pipeline is created on: the IDD-push capturer's shared-texture
-/// WARP / Basic-Render and the SudoVDA software adapter (≈0 VRAM). `PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_ADAPTER=<substring>`
+/// ring, the IddCx SET_RENDER_ADAPTER pin, and (via the captured frame's device) NVENC/AMF/QSV all
-/// forces a match by Description (Apollo's `adapter_name`). Used by the IDD direct-push capturer (to
+/// follow this one decision — see [`crate::gpu::selected_gpu`] for the precedence. A configured
-/// create its shared textures on the same discrete GPU it pins, where NVENC runs) and SET_RENDER_ADAPTER.
+/// preference that doesn't match a present GPU falls back to auto selection (with a warning)
-///
+/// rather than returning `None`, so a stale preference never stops the host from streaming.
-/// # Safety
+pub(crate) fn resolve_render_adapter_luid() -> Option<LUID> {
-/// Creates + enumerates a DXGI factory; the COM calls run in the caller's apartment (the existing callers
+    match crate::gpu::selected_gpu() {
-/// already satisfy this).
+        Some(sel) => {
-pub(crate) unsafe fn resolve_render_adapter_luid() -> Option<LUID> {
-    use windows::Win32::Graphics::Dxgi::{CreateDXGIFactory1, IDXGIFactory1};
-    let want = crate::config::config()
-        .render_adapter
-        .clone()
-        .filter(|s| !s.is_empty());
-    let factory: IDXGIFactory1 = CreateDXGIFactory1().ok()?;
-    let mut best: Option<(LUID, u64, String)> = None;
-    let mut i = 0u32;
-    while let Ok(a) = factory.EnumAdapters1(i) {
-        i += 1;
-        let Ok(d) = a.GetDesc1() else { continue };
-        let name = String::from_utf16_lossy(&d.Description);
-        let name = name.trim_end_matches('\u{0}').to_string();
-        let lname = name.to_ascii_lowercase();
-        if lname.contains("basic render") || lname.contains("warp") {
-            continue; // never pin to the software rasterizer
-        }
-        if let Some(w) = &want {
-            if lname.contains(&w.to_ascii_lowercase()) {
-                tracing::info!(
-                    adapter = name,
-                    "render adapter chosen by PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_ADAPTER"
-                );
-                return Some(d.AdapterLuid);
-            }
-            continue;
-        }
-        let vram = d.DedicatedVideoMemory as u64; // SudoVDA software adapter ≈ 0 → loses to the dGPU
-        if best.as_ref().is_none_or(|(_, v, _)| vram > *v) {
-            best = Some((d.AdapterLuid, vram, name));
-        }
-    }
-    match best {
-        Some((luid, vram, name)) => {
             tracing::info!(
-                adapter = name,
+                adapter = sel.info.name,
-                vram_mb = vram / (1024 * 1024),
+                vram_mb = sel.info.vram_bytes / (1024 * 1024),
-                "render adapter chosen (max VRAM)"
+                source = sel.source.tag(),
+                "render adapter selected"
             );
-            Some(luid)
+            if sel.source == crate::gpu::PickSource::PreferenceMissing {
+                tracing::warn!(
+                    "the preferred GPU is not present — auto-selected the adapter above \
+                     (fix or clear the preference in the web console)"
+                );
+            }
+            Some(sel.info.luid())
         }
         None => {
             tracing::warn!("no suitable render adapter found for SET_RENDER_ADAPTER");

web/messages/de.json

@@ -37,6 +37,16 @@
 	"compositor_available": "Verfügbar",
 	"compositor_unavailable": "Nicht verfügbar",
 	"compositor_default": "Standard",
+	"host_gpus": "GPUs",
+	"host_gpus_help": "Die GPU, auf der der Host aufnimmt und encodiert. Automatisch wählt die beste GPU; eine bevorzugte GPU bindet Aufnahme + Encoding an sie. Eine Änderung gilt ab der nächsten Sitzung.",
+	"gpu_automatic": "Automatisch",
+	"gpu_prefer": "Bevorzugen",
+	"gpu_preferred": "Bevorzugt",
+	"gpu_in_use": "In Benutzung · {backend}",
+	"gpu_next_session": "Nächste Sitzung",
+	"gpu_none": "Keine GPUs erkannt.",
+	"gpu_missing_warning": "Die bevorzugte GPU „{name}“ ist nicht vorhanden — stattdessen wird automatisch gewählt.",
+	"gpu_env_note": "PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_ADAPTER={value} bindet die GPU im Automatikmodus.",
 	"clients_title": "Gekoppelte Geräte",
 	"clients_empty": "Noch keine gekoppelten Geräte.",
 	"clients_name": "Name",

web/messages/en.json

@@ -37,6 +37,16 @@
 	"compositor_available": "Available",
 	"compositor_unavailable": "Unavailable",
 	"compositor_default": "Default",
+	"host_gpus": "GPUs",
+	"host_gpus_help": "The GPU the host captures and encodes on. Automatic picks the best GPU; preferring one pins capture + encode to it. A change applies to the next session.",
+	"gpu_automatic": "Automatic",
+	"gpu_prefer": "Prefer",
+	"gpu_preferred": "Preferred",
+	"gpu_in_use": "In use · {backend}",
+	"gpu_next_session": "Next session",
+	"gpu_none": "No GPUs detected.",
+	"gpu_missing_warning": "The preferred GPU “{name}” is not present — automatic selection is used instead.",
+	"gpu_env_note": "PUNKTFUNK_RENDER_ADAPTER={value} pins the GPU while in automatic mode.",
 	"clients_title": "Paired clients",
 	"clients_empty": "No paired clients yet.",
 	"clients_name": "Name",

web/src/sections/Host/GpuCard.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+import { useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
+import { Button } from "@unom/ui/button";
+import type { FC } from "react";
+import {
+	getListGpusQueryKey,
+	useListGpus,
+	useSetGpuPreference,
+} from "@/api/gen/gpu/gpu";
+import type { GpuState } from "@/api/gen/model";
+import { QueryState } from "@/components/query-state";
+import { Badge } from "@/components/ui/badge";
+import { Card, CardContent, CardHeader, CardTitle } from "@/components/ui/card";
+import type { Loadable } from "@/lib/query";
+import { m } from "@/paraglide/messages";
+
+/**
+ * Container: the host's GPU inventory + selection. Polls (a stream starting/stopping moves the
+ * "In use" badge; an eGPU can appear) and applies auto/preferred choices via the mgmt API. A
+ * preference applies to the NEXT session — the help text says so.
+ */
+export const GpuSection: FC = () => {
+	const qc = useQueryClient();
+	const gpus = useListGpus({ query: { refetchInterval: 5_000 } });
+	const setPref = useSetGpuPreference();
+
+	const apply = (mode: "auto" | "manual", gpuId?: string) =>
+		setPref.mutate(
+			{ data: { mode, gpu_id: gpuId ?? null } },
+			{
+				onSuccess: () =>
+					qc.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: getListGpusQueryKey() }),
+			},
+		);
+
+	return <GpuCard state={gpus} onApply={apply} busy={setPref.isPending} />;
+};
+
+const fmtVram = (mb: number) =>
+	mb >= 1024 ? `${Math.round(mb / 1024)} GiB` : `${mb} MiB`;
+
+/**
+ * GPU list in the compositors-card style: per-GPU badges for the manual pick ("Preferred"), what
+ * the next session will use ("Next session"), and what live sessions encode on right now
+ * ("In use · NVENC"), plus an Automatic/Prefer control pair.
+ */
+export const GpuCard: FC<{
+	state: Loadable<GpuState>;
+	onApply: (mode: "auto" | "manual", gpuId?: string) => void;
+	busy: boolean;
+}> = ({ state, onApply, busy }) => {
+	const s = state.data;
+	return (
+		<Card>
+			<CardHeader>
+				<CardTitle className="flex items-center justify-between gap-4">
+					<span>{m.host_gpus()}</span>
+					{s && s.gpus.length > 0 && (
+						<Button
+							size="sm"
+							variant={s.mode === "auto" ? "default" : "outline"}
+							disabled={busy || s.mode === "auto"}
+							onClick={() => onApply("auto")}
+						>
+							{m.gpu_automatic()}
+						</Button>
+					)}
+				</CardTitle>
+			</CardHeader>
+			<CardContent className="space-y-4">
+				<p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">{m.host_gpus_help()}</p>
+				<QueryState
+					isLoading={state.isLoading}
+					error={state.error}
+					refetch={state.refetch}
+				>
+					{s &&
+						(s.gpus.length === 0 ? (
+							<p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">{m.gpu_none()}</p>
+						) : (
+							<ul className="divide-y rounded-md border">
+								{s.gpus.map((g) => {
+									const isActive = s.active?.id === g.id;
+									const isSelected = s.selected?.id === g.id;
+									const isPreferred =
+										s.mode === "manual" && s.preferred_id === g.id;
+									return (
+										<li
+											key={g.id}
+											className="flex items-center justify-between gap-4 px-4 py-3"
+										>
+											<div className="min-w-0">
+												<div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2">
+													<span className="font-medium">{g.name}</span>
+													{isPreferred && (
+														<Badge variant="secondary">
+															{m.gpu_preferred()}
+														</Badge>
+													)}
+													{isActive && s.active ? (
+														<Badge variant="success">
+															{m.gpu_in_use({
+																backend: s.active.backend.toUpperCase(),
+															})}
+														</Badge>
+													) : (
+														isSelected && (
+															<Badge variant="default">
+																{m.gpu_next_session()}
+															</Badge>
+														)
+													)}
+												</div>
+												<code className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+													{g.vendor}
+													{g.vram_mb > 0 ? ` · ${fmtVram(g.vram_mb)}` : ""}
+													{` · ${g.id}`}
+												</code>
+											</div>
+											<Button
+												size="sm"
+												variant="outline"
+												disabled={busy || isPreferred}
+												onClick={() => onApply("manual", g.id)}
+											>
+												{m.gpu_prefer()}
+											</Button>
+										</li>
+									);
+								})}
+							</ul>
+						))}
+					{s?.selected?.source === "preference_missing" && (
+						<p className="text-sm text-amber-600 dark:text-amber-500">
+							{m.gpu_missing_warning({ name: s.preferred_name ?? "?" })}
+						</p>
+					)}
+					{s?.env_override && s.mode === "auto" && (
+						<p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+							{m.gpu_env_note({ value: s.env_override })}
+						</p>
+					)}
+				</QueryState>
+			</CardContent>
+		</Card>
+	);
+};

web/src/sections/Host/index.tsx

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import type { FC } from "react";
 import { useGetHostInfo, useListCompositors } from "@/api/gen/host/host";
 import { useLocale } from "@/lib/i18n";
+import { GpuSection } from "./GpuCard";
 import { HostView } from "./view";
 
 export const SectionHost: FC = () => {
@@ -8,5 +9,7 @@ export const SectionHost: FC = () => {
 	const host = useGetHostInfo();
 	const compositors = useListCompositors();
 
-	return <HostView host={host} compositors={compositors} />;
+	return (
+		<HostView host={host} compositors={compositors} gpu={<GpuSection />} />
+	);
 };

web/src/sections/Host/view.tsx

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import Section from "@unom/ui/section";
-import type { FC } from "react";
+import type { FC, ReactNode } from "react";
 import type { AvailableCompositor } from "@/api/gen/model/availableCompositor";
 import type { HostInfo } from "@/api/gen/model/hostInfo";
 import { QueryState } from "@/components/query-state";
@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@ import { m } from "@/paraglide/messages";
 export const HostView: FC<{
 	host: Loadable<HostInfo>;
 	compositors: Loadable<AvailableCompositor[]>;
-}> = ({ host, compositors }) => {
+	/** The GPU inventory/selection card (a self-contained container — see `GpuCard.tsx`). */
+	gpu?: ReactNode;
+}> = ({ host, compositors, gpu }) => {
 	const h = host.data;
 	return (
 		<Section maxWidth={false}>
@@ -77,6 +79,8 @@ export const HostView: FC<{
 					)}
 				</QueryState>
 
+				{gpu}
+
 				<Card>
 					<CardHeader>
 						<CardTitle>{m.host_compositors()}</CardTitle>