Intel OpenGL Performance: OS X vs. Windows vs. Linux

Finally, we are onto the Xonotic results, which is easily one of the most visually impressive multi-platform open-source OpenGL games. With Xonotic at 1280 x 1024 and low quality settings, OS X 10.8 on the Core i5 Mac Mini was about 16% faster than Linux, but Windows 7 came out even further ahead. Windows 7 Pro for the game with the laxed settings was 21% faster than the latest Linux code.

When running Xonotic at 1920 x 1200 and maintaining the low quality settings, we see the Intel Linux graphics driver has definitely matured performance wise recently. However, OS X 10.8 and Windows 7 were both 30% faster than the latest Intel Linux graphics driver code or 62% faster than what's found currently in Ubuntu 12.04 LTS.

Now running Xonotic with high quality settings, at 1280 x 1024 the Linux performance came slightly ahead of OS X 10.8 when using the Ubuntu 12.10 packages and then the Git driver. However, Windows 7 Pro in the same configuration was 39% faster than the latest Intel Mesa driver.