diff --git a/bgfilter/segmentation.py b/bgfilter/segmentation.py
index 5792dcd..dc54240 100644
--- a/bgfilter/segmentation.py
+++ b/bgfilter/segmentation.py
@@ -37,13 +37,16 @@ class BiRefNetSegmenter:
             ) from exc
 
         self.torch = torch
+        self.device = self._resolve_device(settings.device)
+        # fp16 only pays off on CUDA; CPU lacks native fp16 kernels (~100x slower),
+        # so the dtype follows the device. The fp16 checkpoint upcasts on CPU.
+        self.dtype = torch.float16 if self.device.type == "cuda" else torch.float32
         self.model = AutoModelForImageSegmentation.from_pretrained(
             resolve_model_source(settings.model_name),
             trust_remote_code=True,
-            torch_dtype=torch.float16,  # checkpoint ships fp16; run it as-is, inputs cast to match
+            dtype=self.dtype,
         )
         self.model.eval()
-        self.device = self._resolve_device(settings.device)
         self.model.to(self.device)
 
         size = settings.input_size
@@ -65,7 +68,7 @@ class BiRefNetSegmenter:
     def mask(self, rgb: np.ndarray) -> np.ndarray:
         """Return a soft foreground mask, float32 0..1, at the input resolution."""
         image = Image.fromarray(rgb.astype(np.uint8), mode="RGB")
-        tensor = self.transform(image).unsqueeze(0).to(self.device, dtype=self.torch.float16)
+        tensor = self.transform(image).unsqueeze(0).to(self.device, dtype=self.dtype)
         with self.torch.inference_mode():
             pred = self.model(tensor)[-1].sigmoid()
         pred = pred[0, 0].detach().float().cpu().numpy()
diff --git a/bgfilter/vitmatte_infer.py b/bgfilter/vitmatte_infer.py
index 3d5f953..48a5004 100644
--- a/bgfilter/vitmatte_infer.py
+++ b/bgfilter/vitmatte_infer.py
@@ -19,10 +19,13 @@ class ViTMatteRunner:
             ) from exc
 
         self.torch = torch
+        self.device = self._resolve_device(settings.device)
+        # fp16 only pays off on CUDA (tensor cores); CPU has no native fp16 conv/gemm
+        # kernels and degrades ~100x, so the dtype follows the device, never a param.
+        self.dtype = torch.float16 if self.device.type == "cuda" else torch.float32
         source = resolve_model_source(settings.model_name)
         self.processor = VitMatteImageProcessor.from_pretrained(source)
-        self.model = VitMatteForImageMatting.from_pretrained(source, torch_dtype=torch.float16)
-        self.device = self._resolve_device(settings.device)
+        self.model = VitMatteForImageMatting.from_pretrained(source, dtype=self.dtype)
         self.model.to(self.device)
         self.model.eval()
 
@@ -38,7 +41,7 @@ class ViTMatteRunner:
         trimap_image = Image.fromarray(trimap.astype(np.uint8), mode="L")
         inputs = self.processor(images=image, trimaps=trimap_image, return_tensors="pt")
         inputs = {
-            key: value.to(self.device, dtype=self.torch.float16)
+            key: value.to(self.device, dtype=self.dtype)
             if value.is_floating_point()
             else value.to(self.device)
             for key, value in inputs.items()