Real-time monitoring is, in the world of high-performance computing and GPU-intensive workloads, invariably indispensable. NVTOP (Nvidia TOP) is a nifty command line application that gives you a full report on the utilization of your NVIDIA Graphics card hardware statistics on Linux systems. As a gamer, data scientist, or AI researcher, it is important to monitor GPU performance to ensure that the system is running at peak efficiency and to identify any potential bottlenecks.
Instead of a static, traditional monitoring tool, NVTOP gives you an interactive display like htop for Linux, but for your NVIDIA-based GPUs. This will show users real-time information on GPU usage, memory usage, temperature, power draw, and active processes. The tool is especially valuable in multi-GPU systems or workloads that need detailed performance inspection.
We are going to cover the installation of NVTOP on the Linux operating environment, the solution for the NVTOP no GPU to monitor problem, and the use of NVTOP.
Installing NVTOP on Linux
Install NVTOP on Ubuntu
Thus, let’s install NVTOP on Ubuntu.
Step 1: Update the system packages
Make sure your package manager is up to date by running the command:
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sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
Step 2: Install Necessary Dependencies
Now, install the required dependencies before installing NVTOP:
sudo apt install cmake libncurses5-dev libncursesw5-dev git -y
Step 3: Install NVTOP
sudo apt install nvtop -y
Step 4: Verify Installation
To verify if NVTOP is functioning, execute the below command:
nvtop
If the installation was successful, you should see a GUI list of the most related GPU statistics in real-time.
How to Fix NVTOP No GPU to Monitor Problem
In case NVTOP does not see a GPU, use the following interventions:
Solution 1: Verifying NVIDIA Drivers
Make sure your system has the latest NVIDIA drivers:
nvidia-smi
If the command responds with an error, install the drivers:

sudo apt install nvidia-driver-535 -y # Replace 535 with the latest driver version
Solution 2: Make sure you have NVIDIA Toolkit installed
To enable CUDA support, install the NVIDIA CUDA toolkit:
sudo apt install nvidia-cuda-toolkit -y
Solution 3: Execute NVTOP with Higher Privileges
You may need superuser access to detect GPUs on some systems:
sudo nvtop
Monitoring System Performance with CyberPanel

CyberPanel is a powerful and easy-to-use web hosting control panel for managing a web hosting environment. NVTOP in CyberPanel While CyberPanel alone does not directly integrate with NVTOP, it provides an essential interface for managing system resources in high-performance computing scenarios.
Monitor Server Resource Utilization – keep track of CPU, RAM, and disk usage for optimum performance.
Optimizes Workloads – It balances the server loads perfectly, eliminating the deadlocks related to the GPU.
Enhances Web Hosting Performance – Raises the efficiency of applications like AI, ML models, and media streaming services depending on GPU acceleration.
FAQs About NVTOP
1. What is NVTOP used for?
NVTOP is a GPU monitoring tool on Linux similar in functionality to TOP that displays real-time stats of usage, temperature, power, and memory of those high-performance units.
2. Why does NVTOP show “No GPU to Monitor”?
This occurs typically because either there are no NVIDIA drivers installed or the system is unable to recognize the GPU. This can also be useful for running nvidia-smi for debugging.
3. Can NVTOP monitor AMD GPUs?
No, NVTOP is an NVIDIA-specific tool. You might also try ROCM tools or radeontop on AMD GPUs.
4. Does NVTOP support all Linux distributions?
NVTOP is supported on popular Linux distributions, including Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch Linux, and Debian. However, the installation methods may differ.
Final Thoughts!
To sum up, NVTOP is an essential tool for anyone using Linux on GPU heavy applications. Providing instantaneous data on memory consumption, GPU performance, and power usage, it is excellent for developers, AI researchers, and gamers alike.
Users can maximize their GPU efficiency by ensuring proper installation of NVIDIA drivers, keeping CUDA support recent, and utilizing tools like CyberPanel for overall system performance.
Want to take control of your Linux GPU performance? Install NVTOP today!