diff --git a/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_device.py b/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_device.py
index ab31b014e..7451f1ddc 100644
--- a/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_device.py
+++ b/cuda_core/cuda/core/experimental/_device.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 from cuda.core.experimental._utils.cuda_utils import (
     ComputeCapability,
     CUDAError,
+    _check_driver_error,
     driver,
     handle_return,
     precondition,
@@ -930,6 +931,10 @@ def multicast_supported(self) -> bool:
         return bool(self._get_cached_attribute(driver.CUdevice_attribute.CU_DEVICE_ATTRIBUTE_MULTICAST_SUPPORTED))
 
 
+_SUCCESS = driver.CUresult.CUDA_SUCCESS
+_INVALID_CTX = driver.CUresult.CUDA_ERROR_INVALID_CONTEXT
+
+
 class Device:
     """Represent a GPU and act as an entry point for cuda.core features.
 
@@ -959,7 +964,7 @@ class Device:
 
     __slots__ = ("_id", "_mr", "_has_inited", "_properties")
 
-    def __new__(cls, device_id=None):
+    def __new__(cls, device_id: Optional[int] = None):
         global _is_cuInit
         if _is_cuInit is False:
             with _lock:
@@ -968,18 +973,24 @@ def __new__(cls, device_id=None):
 
         # important: creating a Device instance does not initialize the GPU!
         if device_id is None:
-            device_id = handle_return(runtime.cudaGetDevice())
-            assert_type(device_id, int)
-        else:
-            total = handle_return(runtime.cudaGetDeviceCount())
-            assert_type(device_id, int)
-            if not (0 <= device_id < total):
-                raise ValueError(f"device_id must be within [0, {total}), got {device_id}")
+            err, dev = driver.cuCtxGetDevice()
+            if err == _SUCCESS:
+                device_id = int(dev)
+            elif err == _INVALID_CTX:
+                ctx = handle_return(driver.cuCtxGetCurrent())
+                assert int(ctx) == 0
+                device_id = 0  # cudart behavior
+            else:
+                _check_driver_error(err)
+        elif device_id < 0:
+            raise ValueError(f"device_id must be >= 0, got {device_id}")
 
         # ensure Device is singleton
-        if not hasattr(_tls, "devices"):
-            total = handle_return(runtime.cudaGetDeviceCount())
-            _tls.devices = []
+        try:
+            devices = _tls.devices
+        except AttributeError:
+            total = handle_return(driver.cuDeviceGetCount())
+            devices = _tls.devices = []
             for dev_id in range(total):
                 dev = super().__new__(cls)
                 dev._id = dev_id
@@ -987,7 +998,9 @@ def __new__(cls, device_id=None):
                 # use the SynchronousMemoryResource which does not use memory pools.
                 if (
                     handle_return(
-                        runtime.cudaDeviceGetAttribute(runtime.cudaDeviceAttr.cudaDevAttrMemoryPoolsSupported, 0)
+                        driver.cuDeviceGetAttribute(
+                            driver.CUdevice_attribute.CU_DEVICE_ATTRIBUTE_MEMORY_POOLS_SUPPORTED, dev_id
+                        )
                     )
                 ) == 1:
                     dev._mr = _DefaultAsyncMempool(dev_id)
@@ -996,9 +1009,12 @@ def __new__(cls, device_id=None):
 
                 dev._has_inited = False
                 dev._properties = None
-                _tls.devices.append(dev)
+                devices.append(dev)
 
-        return _tls.devices[device_id]
+        try:
+            return devices[device_id]
+        except IndexError:
+            raise ValueError(f"device_id must be within [0, {len(devices)}), got {device_id}") from None
 
     def _check_context_initialized(self, *args, **kwargs):
         if not self._has_inited:
diff --git a/cuda_core/docs/source/release/0.3.0-notes.rst b/cuda_core/docs/source/release/0.3.0-notes.rst
index 0f8cc77ae..4580cc1ec 100644
--- a/cuda_core/docs/source/release/0.3.0-notes.rst
+++ b/cuda_core/docs/source/release/0.3.0-notes.rst
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ New features
 
 - :class:`Kernel` adds :attr:`Kernel.num_arguments` and :attr:`Kernel.arguments_info` for introspection of kernel arguments. (#612)
 - Add pythonic access to kernel occupancy calculation functions via :attr:`Kernel.occupancy`. (#648)
-- Support launching cooperative kernels by setting :property:`LaunchConfig.cooperative_launch` to `True`.
+- Support launching cooperative kernels by setting :attr:`LaunchConfig.cooperative_launch` to `True`.
 - A name can be assigned to :class:`ObjectCode` instances generated by both :class:`Program` and :class:`Linker` through their respective
   options.
 
@@ -34,5 +34,6 @@ New examples
 Fixes and enhancements
 ----------------------
 
-- An :class:`Event` can now be used to look up its corresponding device and context using the ``.device`` and ``.context`` attributes respectively.
+- Look-up of the :attr:`Event.device` and :attr:`Event.context` (the device and CUDA context where an event was created from) is now possible.
 - The :func:`launch` function's handling of fp16 scalars was incorrect and is fixed.
+- The :class:`Device` constructor is made faster.