diff --git a/anndata/experimental/pytorch/_annloader.py b/anndata/experimental/pytorch/_annloader.py
index de95264b9..3563f7191 100644
--- a/anndata/experimental/pytorch/_annloader.py
+++ b/anndata/experimental/pytorch/_annloader.py
@@ -57,14 +57,14 @@ def __len__(self):
 
 def default_converter(arr, device, pin_memory):
     if isinstance(arr, torch.Tensor):
-        if device != "cpu":
+        if device is not None:
             arr = arr.to(device)
         elif pin_memory:
             arr = arr.pin_memory()
     elif arr.dtype.name != "category" and np.issubdtype(arr.dtype, np.number):
         if issparse(arr):
             arr = arr.toarray()
-        if device != "cpu":
+        if device is not None:
             arr = torch.tensor(arr, device=device)
         else:
             arr = torch.tensor(arr)
diff --git a/docs/release-notes/0.10.4.md b/docs/release-notes/0.10.4.md
index 2a9760e6e..960016a2a 100644
--- a/docs/release-notes/0.10.4.md
+++ b/docs/release-notes/0.10.4.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 ### 0.10.4 {small}`the future`
 
+```{rubric} New features
+```
+* `AnnLoader` now accepts a `device` argument to specify the device to load the data to {pr}`1240` {user}`austinv11`
+
 ```{rubric} Bugfix
 ```
 * Only try to use `Categorical.map(na_action=…)` in actually supported Pandas ≥2.1 {pr}`1226` {user}`flying-sheep`
@@ -10,3 +14,7 @@
 
 ```{rubric} Performance
 ```
+
+```{rubric} Deprecations
+```
+* `AnnLoader(use_cuda=…)` is deprecated in favour of `AnnLoader(device=…)` {pr}`1240` {user}`austinv11