diff --git a/openpilot/sunnypilot/models/default_model.py b/openpilot/sunnypilot/models/default_model.py
index ad4e8b6532..3883b4b23f 100755
--- a/openpilot/sunnypilot/models/default_model.py
+++ b/openpilot/sunnypilot/models/default_model.py
@@ -4,8 +4,14 @@ import hashlib
 
 from openpilot.common.basedir import BASEDIR
 from openpilot.sunnypilot import get_file_hash
+from openpilot.selfdrive.modeld.helpers import usbgpu_present
 from openpilot.sunnypilot.models.model_name import DEFAULT_MODEL, DEFAULT_BIG_MODEL
 
+
+def get_default_model() -> str:
+  return DEFAULT_BIG_MODEL if usbgpu_present() else DEFAULT_MODEL
+
+
 DEFAULT_MODEL_NAME_PATH = os.path.join(BASEDIR, "openpilot", "sunnypilot", "models", "model_name.py")
 MODEL_HASH_PATH = os.path.join(BASEDIR, "openpilot", "sunnypilot", "models", "tests", "model_hash")
 SUPERCOMBO_ONNX_PATH = os.path.join(BASEDIR, "openpilot", "selfdrive", "modeld", "models", "driving_supercombo.onnx")
diff --git a/openpilot/sunnypilot/sunnylink/athena/sunnylinkd.py b/openpilot/sunnypilot/sunnylink/athena/sunnylinkd.py
index ac168db7d8..c0534a76bf 100755
--- a/openpilot/sunnypilot/sunnylink/athena/sunnylinkd.py
+++ b/openpilot/sunnypilot/sunnylink/athena/sunnylinkd.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ from websocket import (ABNF, WebSocket, WebSocketException, WebSocketTimeoutExce
                        create_connection, WebSocketConnectionClosedException)
 
 import openpilot.cereal.messaging as messaging
-from openpilot.sunnypilot.models.default_model import DEFAULT_MODEL
+from openpilot.sunnypilot.models.default_model import get_default_model
 from openpilot.sunnypilot.selfdrive.car.sync_sunnylink_params import update_car_list_param
 from openpilot.sunnypilot.sunnylink.api import SunnylinkApi
 from openpilot.sunnypilot.sunnylink.utils import sunnylink_need_register, sunnylink_ready, get_param_as_byte, save_param_from_base64_encoded_string
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ def getParamsMetadata() -> str:
     schema = generate_schema()
     schema["capabilities"] = generate_capabilities()
     schema["capability_labels"] = CAPABILITY_LABELS
-    schema["default_model"] = DEFAULT_MODEL
+    schema["default_model"] = get_default_model()
     raw = json.dumps(schema, separators=(",", ":")).encode("utf-8")
     return base64.b64encode(gzip.compress(raw)).decode("utf-8")
   except Exception: