diff --git a/chgnet/model/dynamics.py b/chgnet/model/dynamics.py
index 98273b86..801cdbe8 100644
--- a/chgnet/model/dynamics.py
+++ b/chgnet/model/dynamics.py
@@ -3,13 +3,11 @@
 import contextlib
 import inspect
 import io
-import os
 import pickle
 import sys
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Literal
 
 import numpy as np
-import torch
 from ase import Atoms, units
 from ase.calculators.calculator import Calculator, all_changes, all_properties
 from ase.md.npt import NPT
@@ -28,7 +26,7 @@
 from pymatgen.io.ase import AseAtomsAdaptor
 
 from chgnet.model.model import CHGNet
-from chgnet.utils import cuda_devices_sorted_by_free_mem
+from chgnet.utils import determine_device
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from ase.io import Trajectory
@@ -58,6 +56,7 @@ def __init__(
         self,
         model: CHGNet | None = None,
         use_device: str | None = None,
+        check_cuda_mem: bool = True,
         stress_weight: float | None = 1 / 160.21766208,
         on_isolated_atoms: Literal["ignore", "warn", "error"] = "warn",
         **kwargs,
@@ -72,6 +71,8 @@ def __init__(
                 either "cpu", "cuda", or "mps". If not specified, the default device is
                 automatically selected based on the available options.
                 Default = None
+            check_cuda_mem (bool): Whether to use cuda with most available memory
+                Default = True
             stress_weight (float): the conversion factor to convert GPa to eV/A^3.
                 Default = 1/160.21
             on_isolated_atoms ('ignore' | 'warn' | 'error'): how to handle Structures
@@ -82,13 +83,8 @@ def __init__(
         super().__init__(**kwargs)
 
         # Determine the device to use
-        use_device = use_device or os.getenv("CHGNET_DEVICE")
-        if use_device in ("mps", None) and torch.backends.mps.is_available():
-            self.device = "mps"
-        else:
-            self.device = use_device or ("cuda" if torch.cuda.is_available() else "cpu")
-            if self.device == "cuda":
-                self.device = f"cuda:{cuda_devices_sorted_by_free_mem()[-1]}"
+        device = determine_device(use_device=use_device, check_cuda_mem=check_cuda_mem)
+        self.device = device
 
         # Move the model to the specified device
         self.model = (model or CHGNet.load(verbose=False)).to(self.device)
diff --git a/chgnet/model/model.py b/chgnet/model/model.py
index 0b76612b..c3fde070 100644
--- a/chgnet/model/model.py
+++ b/chgnet/model/model.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
     GraphAttentionReadOut,
     GraphPooling,
 )
-from chgnet.utils import cuda_devices_sorted_by_free_mem
+from chgnet.utils import determine_device
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from chgnet import PredTask
@@ -673,6 +673,7 @@ def load(
         cls,
         model_name="0.3.0",
         use_device: str | None = None,
+        check_cuda_mem: bool = True,
         verbose: bool = True,
     ) -> CHGNet:
         """Load pretrained CHGNet model.
@@ -684,6 +685,8 @@ def load(
                 either "cpu", "cuda", or "mps". If not specified, the default device is
                 automatically selected based on the available options.
                 Default = None
+            check_cuda_mem (bool): Whether to use cuda with most available memory
+                Default = True
             verbose (bool): whether to print model device information
                 Default = True
         Raises:
@@ -707,13 +710,7 @@ def load(
         )
 
         # Determine the device to use
-        use_device = use_device or os.getenv("CHGNET_DEVICE")
-        if use_device in ("mps", None) and torch.backends.mps.is_available():
-            device = "mps"
-        else:
-            device = use_device or ("cuda" if torch.cuda.is_available() else "cpu")
-            if device == "cuda":
-                device = f"cuda:{cuda_devices_sorted_by_free_mem()[-1]}"
+        device = determine_device(use_device=use_device, check_cuda_mem=check_cuda_mem)
 
         # Move the model to the specified device
         model = model.to(device)
diff --git a/chgnet/utils/__init__.py b/chgnet/utils/__init__.py
index f1de9229..d208d29b 100644
--- a/chgnet/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/chgnet/utils/__init__.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from chgnet.utils.common_utils import (
     AverageMeter,
     cuda_devices_sorted_by_free_mem,
+    determine_device,
     mae,
     mkdir,
     read_json,
diff --git a/chgnet/utils/common_utils.py b/chgnet/utils/common_utils.py
index dd05ac29..b30655ee 100644
--- a/chgnet/utils/common_utils.py
+++ b/chgnet/utils/common_utils.py
@@ -8,6 +8,30 @@
 from torch import Tensor
 
 
+def determine_device(
+    use_device: str | None = None,
+    check_cuda_mem: bool = True,
+):
+    """Determine the device to use for torch model.
+
+    Args:
+        use_device (str): User specify device name
+        check_cuda_mem (bool): Whether to return cuda with most available memory
+
+    Returns:
+        device (str): device name to be passed to model.to(device)
+    """
+    use_device = use_device or os.getenv("CHGNET_DEVICE")
+    if use_device in ("mps", None) and torch.backends.mps.is_available():
+        device = "mps"
+    else:
+        device = use_device or ("cuda" if torch.cuda.is_available() else "cpu")
+        if device == "cuda" and check_cuda_mem:
+            device = f"cuda:{cuda_devices_sorted_by_free_mem()[-1]}"
+
+    return device
+
+
 def cuda_devices_sorted_by_free_mem() -> list[int]:
     """List available CUDA devices sorted by increasing available memory.