diff --git a/mmengine/device/utils.py b/mmengine/device/utils.py
index a6575a42..5858857b 100644
--- a/mmengine/device/utils.py
+++ b/mmengine/device/utils.py
@@ -4,6 +4,17 @@ from typing import Optional
 
 import torch
 
+try:
+    import torch_npu  # noqa: F401
+
+    # Enable operator support for dynamic shape and
+    # binary operator support on the NPU.
+    npu_jit_compile = bool(os.getenv('NPUJITCompile', False))
+    torch.npu.set_compile_mode(jit_compile=npu_jit_compile)
+    IS_NPU_AVAILABLE = hasattr(torch, 'npu') and torch.npu.is_available()
+except Exception:
+    IS_NPU_AVAILABLE = False
+
 
 def get_max_cuda_memory(device: Optional[torch.device] = None) -> int:
     """Returns the maximum GPU memory occupied by tensors in megabytes (MB) for
@@ -35,16 +46,7 @@ def is_cuda_available() -> bool:
 
 def is_npu_available() -> bool:
     """Returns True if Ascend PyTorch and npu devices exist."""
-    try:
-        import torch_npu  # noqa: F401
-
-        # Enable operator support for dynamic shape and
-        # binary operator support on the NPU.
-        npu_jit_compile = bool(os.getenv('NPUJITCompile', False))
-        torch.npu.set_compile_mode(jit_compile=npu_jit_compile)
-    except Exception:
-        return False
-    return hasattr(torch, 'npu') and torch.npu.is_available()
+    return IS_NPU_AVAILABLE
 
 
 def is_mlu_available() -> bool:
@@ -60,19 +62,21 @@ def is_mps_available() -> bool:
     return hasattr(torch.backends, 'mps') and torch.backends.mps.is_available()
 
 
+DEVICE = 'cpu'
+if is_npu_available():
+    DEVICE = 'npu'
+elif is_cuda_available():
+    DEVICE = 'cuda'
+elif is_mlu_available():
+    DEVICE = 'mlu'
+elif is_mps_available():
+    DEVICE = 'mps'
+
+
 def get_device() -> str:
     """Returns the currently existing device type.
 
     Returns:
         str: cuda | npu | mlu | mps | cpu.
     """
-    if is_npu_available():
-        return 'npu'
-    elif is_cuda_available():
-        return 'cuda'
-    elif is_mlu_available():
-        return 'mlu'
-    elif is_mps_available():
-        return 'mps'
-    else:
-        return 'cpu'
+    return DEVICE