diff --git a/common/ref_device.h b/common/ref_device.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..23b2b0ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/ref_device.h
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+/*
+ref_device.h - common structures for retrieving GPU information for
+refs, menu and engine
+Copyright (C) 2021 a1batross
+
+This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+(at your option) any later version.
+
+This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+GNU General Public License for more details.
+*/
+#ifndef REF_DEVICE_H
+#define REF_DEVICE_H
+
+// modeled after Vulkan and currently useful only for it
+typedef enum ref_device_type_e
+{
+	REF_DEVICE_TYPE_OTHER = 0,
+	REF_DEVICE_TYPE_INTERGRATED_GPU,
+	REF_DEVICE_TYPE_DISCRETE_GPU,
+	REF_DEVICE_TYPE_VIRTUAL_GPU,
+	REF_DEVICE_TYPE_CPU,
+	REF_DEVICE_TYPE_LAST,
+} ref_device_type_t;
+
+#define REF_DEVICE_NAME_SIZE 256
+
+// only add new fields to the end of the struct!!!
+typedef struct ref_device_s {
+	int	vendorID;
+	int	deviceID;
+	ref_device_type_t	deviceType;
+	char	deviceName[REF_DEVICE_NAME_SIZE];
+} ref_device_t;
+
+#endif /* REF_DEVICE_H */