diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 6551da10e4..baaaa58ae8 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/bramvdbogaerde/go-scp v1.4.0
 	github.com/chewxy/math32 v1.10.1
 	github.com/cogentcore/reisen v0.0.0-20240814194831-4d884b6e7666
-	github.com/cogentcore/webgpu v0.0.0-20250117020559-3809548f4891
+	github.com/cogentcore/webgpu v0.0.0-20250118183535-3dd1436165cf
 	github.com/cogentcore/yaegi v0.0.0-20240724064145-e32a03faad56
 	github.com/coreos/go-oidc/v3 v3.10.0
 	github.com/ericchiang/css v1.3.0
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 1bdb06ad1e..8c4c3db4b1 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ github.com/chewxy/math32 v1.10.1 h1:LFpeY0SLJXeaiej/eIp2L40VYfscTvKh/FSEZ68uMkU=
 github.com/chewxy/math32 v1.10.1/go.mod h1:dOB2rcuFrCn6UHrze36WSLVPKtzPMRAQvBvUwkSsLqs=
 github.com/cogentcore/reisen v0.0.0-20240814194831-4d884b6e7666 h1:gmXMw/Xcva/2V5qRO920q4am1odNE0xFEGBzG7y7cus=
 github.com/cogentcore/reisen v0.0.0-20240814194831-4d884b6e7666/go.mod h1:HoDh/nWYrLffGjfVxUmbJHb0yZvcV3TwrN73WurddNs=
-github.com/cogentcore/webgpu v0.0.0-20250117020559-3809548f4891 h1:cIwWHCSlztHgtm6YSrKuRJqeLVtski0jXttMa1j4TLc=
-github.com/cogentcore/webgpu v0.0.0-20250117020559-3809548f4891/go.mod h1:ciqaxChrmRRMU1SnI5OE12Cn3QWvOKO+e5nSy+N9S1o=
+github.com/cogentcore/webgpu v0.0.0-20250118183535-3dd1436165cf h1:efac1kg29kwhSLyMd9EjwHbNX8jJpiRG5Dm2QIb56YQ=
+github.com/cogentcore/webgpu v0.0.0-20250118183535-3dd1436165cf/go.mod h1:ciqaxChrmRRMU1SnI5OE12Cn3QWvOKO+e5nSy+N9S1o=
 github.com/cogentcore/yaegi v0.0.0-20240724064145-e32a03faad56 h1:Fz1uHiFCHnijFcMXzn36KLamcx5q4pxoR5rKCrcXIcQ=
 github.com/cogentcore/yaegi v0.0.0-20240724064145-e32a03faad56/go.mod h1:+MGpZ0srBmeJ7aaOLTdVss8WLolt0/y/plVHLpxgd3A=
 github.com/coreos/etcd v3.3.10+incompatible/go.mod h1:uF7uidLiAD3TWHmW31ZFd/JWoc32PjwdhPthX9715RE=
diff --git a/gpu/gpu.go b/gpu/gpu.go
index 39c9862b80..27bef9df28 100644
--- a/gpu/gpu.go
+++ b/gpu/gpu.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
+	"cogentcore.org/core/base/errors"
 	"cogentcore.org/core/base/reflectx"
 	"github.com/cogentcore/webgpu/wgpu"
 )
@@ -109,34 +110,50 @@ type GPU struct {
 
 // NewGPU returns a new GPU, configured and ready to use.
 // If only doing compute, use [NewComputeGPU].
-// The surface is used to select an appropriate adapter, and
-// is recommended but not essential.
+// The surface can be used to select an appropriate adapter, and
+// is recommended but not essential. Returns nil and logs an error
+// if the current platform is not supported by WebGPU.
 func NewGPU(sf *wgpu.Surface) *GPU {
 	gp := &GPU{}
-	gp.init(sf)
-	return gp
+	if errors.Log(gp.init(sf)) == nil {
+		return gp
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // NewComputeGPU returns a new GPU, configured and ready to use,
 // for purely compute use, which causes it to listen to
 // use the GPU_COMPUTE_DEVICE variable for which GPU device to use.
+// Returns nil and logs an error if the current platform
+// is not supported by WebGPU.
 func NewComputeGPU() *GPU {
 	gp := &GPU{}
 	gp.ComputeOnly = true
-	gp.init(nil)
-	return gp
+	if errors.Log(gp.init(nil)) == nil {
+		return gp
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // init configures the GPU
 func (gp *GPU) init(sf *wgpu.Surface) error {
 	inst := Instance()
+	if inst == nil {
+		return errors.New("WebGPU is not supported on this machine: could not create an instance")
+	}
 	gpIndex := 0
 	if gp.ComputeOnly {
 		gpus := inst.EnumerateAdapters(nil)
+		if len(gpus) == 0 {
+			return errors.New("WebGPU is not supported on this machine: no adapters available")
+		}
 		gpIndex = gp.SelectComputeGPU(gpus)
 		gp.GPU = gpus[gpIndex]
 	} else {
 		gpus := inst.EnumerateAdapters(nil)
+		if len(gpus) == 0 {
+			return errors.New("WebGPU is not supported on this machine: no adapters available")
+		}
 		gpIndex = gp.SelectGraphicsGPU(gpus)
 		gp.GPU = gpus[gpIndex]
 		// note: below is a more standard way of doing it, but until we fix the issues
diff --git a/system/driver/web/drawer.go b/system/driver/web/drawer.go
index 147a1ae593..700d221c51 100644
--- a/system/driver/web/drawer.go
+++ b/system/driver/web/drawer.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ package web
 import (
 	"image"
 	"image/draw"
-	"strings"
 	"syscall/js"
 
 	"cogentcore.org/core/gpu"
@@ -41,15 +40,11 @@ func (dw *Drawer) AsGPUDrawer() *gpudraw.Drawer {
 // InitDrawer sets the [Drawer] to a WebGPU-based drawer if the browser
 // supports WebGPU and a backup 2D image drawer otherwise.
 func (a *App) InitDrawer() {
-	// TODO(wgpu): various mobile and Linux browsers do not fully support WebGPU yet.
-	isMobile := a.SystemPlatform().IsMobile() || a.SystemPlatform() == system.Linux
-	// TODO(wgpu): Firefox currently does not support WebGPU in release builds.
-	isFirefox := strings.Contains(js.Global().Get("navigator").Get("userAgent").String(), "Firefox")
-	if isMobile || isFirefox || !js.Global().Get("navigator").Get("gpu").Truthy() {
+	gp := gpu.NewGPU(nil)
+	if gp == nil {
 		a.Draw.context2D = js.Global().Get("document").Call("querySelector", "canvas").Call("getContext", "2d")
 		return
 	}
-	gp := gpu.NewGPU(nil)
 	surf := gpu.Instance().CreateSurface(nil)
 	sf := gpu.NewSurface(gp, surf, a.Scrn.PixelSize, 1, gpu.UndefinedType)
 	a.Draw.wgpu = gpudraw.NewDrawer(gp, sf)