Intel DG1 Graphics Card Nears Working State On Linux

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Intel DG1 Graphics Card Nears Working State On Linux

While these kernel patches aren't expected to land until the Linux 5.14 kernel cycle later in the summer, a set of 19 patches published on Monday morning begin allowing a test system to boot with the DG1 graphics card...

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Intel-DG1-Booting-Selftests

[skeevy420]

I know a lot of people have been riding the Hate On Intel bandwagon lately, and with 14nm+⁴³ with umpteen exploits I get it, but I'm genuinely excited about a 3rd competitor in the graphics card market. Having two blob-free GPU options to choose from will be pretty nice. What I worry about is this screwing AMD over even more than they already are. I look at all the Intel+Nvidia systems and AMD+Nvidia systems out there and I can't help but worry that they'll be replacing Nvidia GPUs with Intel.

I also think this'll force AMD to step up their Linux driver game even more. They won't be the only open player in town so something like Ray Tracing on Linux still not being available 4-5 months after launch just won't be acceptable for much longer. One group of people will go "Look at Intel. Their new card is released, it supports all the features we expect this generation, and the drivers were ready three months before launch" and other people won't be able to hide behind the ole Nvidia blob and shim shield when the AMD driver crowd be coming round the mountain when they come.

[schmidtbag]

I know a lot of people have been riding the Hate On Intel bandwagon lately, and with 14nm+⁴³ with umpteen exploits I get it, but I'm genuinely excited about a 3rd competitor in the graphics card market. Having two blob-free GPU options to choose from will be pretty nice. What I worry about is this screwing AMD over even more than they already are. I look at all the Intel+Nvidia systems and AMD+Nvidia systems out there and I can't help but worry that they'll be replacing Nvidia GPUs with Intel.

I also think this'll force AMD to step up their Linux driver game even more. They won't be the only open player in town so something like Ray Tracing on Linux still not being available 4-5 months after launch just won't be acceptable for much longer. One group of people will go "Look at Intel. Their new card is released, it supports all the features we expect this generation, and the drivers were ready three months before launch" and other people won't be able to hide behind the ole Nvidia blob and shim shield when the AMD driver crowd be coming round the mountain when they come.

I agree with all of this - people need to understand that Intel is gigantic and just because their CPU division has various problems with technology, progress, marketing, and pricing, that doesn't mean everything about them is like that. Many of their other products are reasonably priced and perform solidly. Intel has done a lot for open-source and Linux, and Mesa wouldn't be where it is without them.
Should they provide something that can play games at 4K@60FPS for a reasonable price, why not buy them?

As a Windows user, I'd think twice - Intel's GPU team on Windows is known to prematurely abandon outdated hardware. On Linux, we're still seeing updates going back to 2012 - that's reassuring.

[TemplarGR]

I have been a fan of AMD for many, many years, even when AMD wasn't as competitive, and i appreciate the open source drivers, but really, they are just not supporting the lower market segments on the desktop anymore. And they haven't for many years now. Not only in terms of performance, but in terms of TDP as well. Many of us actually care about both power consumption and noise. And we don't care so much about 4K and ultra settings. Not everyone is playing the latest AAA games at 4K ultra, some of us play indies and strategy games. And the budget/mainstream segment just isn't there anymore.

For that reason i hope Intel delivers the goods. For the first time in more than 13 years i am actually looking forward to buying an Intel product. Leaks suggest that Intel might release 128 EU and 256 EU versions. I would be happy just with a 128 EU card, if it is reasonably priced.

[MadeUpName]

I also think this'll force AMD to step up their Linux driver game even more.

I don't think any thing will get AMD to up their driver game. They have calculated the sweet spot of where they can do the least possible and get the most return. From a business stand point it makes sense. After all if they stopped producing Linux graphics drivers all together they would still sell all the GPUs they can produce. I think it will be a number of years before Intel is really a player but I look forward to seeing what they can bring.

[zamadatix]

I have been a fan of AMD for many, many years, even when AMD wasn't as competitive, and i appreciate the open source drivers, but really, they are just not supporting the lower market segments on the desktop anymore. And they haven't for many years now. Not only in terms of performance, but in terms of TDP as well. Many of us actually care about both power consumption and noise. And we don't care so much about 4K and ultra settings. Not everyone is playing the latest AAA games at 4K ultra, some of us play indies and strategy games. And the budget/mainstream segment just isn't there anymore.

For that reason i hope Intel delivers the goods. For the first time in more than 13 years i am actually looking forward to buying an Intel product. Leaks suggest that Intel might release 128 EU and 256 EU versions. I would be happy just with a 128 EU card, if it is reasonably priced.

The low end segment got eaten by integrated offerings becoming competitive and outperforming external cards in terms of perf/watt for this type of use. It doesn't have anything to do with a particular company leaving a market rather a shift in what fulfills that market.

[pWe00Iri3e7Z9lHOX2Qx]

I know a lot of people have been riding the Hate On Intel bandwagon lately, and with 14nm+⁴³ with umpteen exploits I get it, but I'm genuinely excited about a 3rd competitor in the graphics card market. Having two blob-free GPU options to choose from will be pretty nice. What I worry about is this screwing AMD over even more than they already are. I look at all the Intel+Nvidia systems and AMD+Nvidia systems out there and I can't help but worry that they'll be replacing Nvidia GPUs with Intel.

I also think this'll force AMD to step up their Linux driver game even more. They won't be the only open player in town so something like Ray Tracing on Linux still not being available 4-5 months after launch just won't be acceptable for much longer. One group of people will go "Look at Intel. Their new card is released, it supports all the features we expect this generation, and the drivers were ready three months before launch" and other people won't be able to hide behind the ole Nvidia blob and shim shield when the AMD driver crowd be coming round the mountain when they come.

I would just add in the bit that they will be the only dGPU manufacturer with their own fabs. While 4K60 would be nice, I don't expect them to be competitive at the high end for quite a while. I'd be thrilled with a midrange 1080p card I could actually buy for a reasonable MSRP (e.g. <= $250 USD). Someone needs to offer a reprieve from the mining madness.

[TemplarGR]

The low end segment got eaten by integrated offerings becoming competitive and outperforming external cards in terms of perf/watt for this type of use. It doesn't have anything to do with a particular company leaving a market rather a shift in what fulfills that market.

This is simply not true. There are huge market segments that both Nvidia and AMD are simply refusing to service. Integrated offerings are up to now very underwhelming for anything above office-level of usage, and the lowest of the low-end gpus from recent architectures (and not simply Polaris cards left over from 2016) are very expensive (several hundred euros) AND with a huge TDP. The only company that might throw a bone to the mainstream audience is Nvidia with the upcoming 3050. AMD simply has no plans to service the segment in any way. Intel is our only hope for an opensource driver mainstream card.

And it is not just me. You can go around the internet and you will find plenty of people looking to upgrade but can't, not just because prices are overinflated as a whole, but also because they don't really want or need 1440p/4k raytracing (which is mostly a gimmick in practice) AAA gaming.

[M@GOid]

The low end segment got eaten by integrated offerings becoming competitive and outperforming external cards in terms of perf/watt for this type of use. It doesn't have anything to do with a particular company leaving a market rather a shift in what fulfills that market.

That is half true. The best integrated GPUs on modern CPUs can scratch a RX550, but no surpass it. Also, and more importantly, not everyone want to upgrade a entire system to get a nice iGPU. So low end discrete GPUs are still a thing, as Steam Hardware survey clearly shows the most used are in fact low end models.

[angrypie]

A card that doesn't work with AMD or even old Intel systems is not "competition." Maybe wait for DG2.

Calling "competition" a set 3 companies selling nearly the same shit for the same price (and increasing the barriers to drive out innovation and actual competition) is the funniest part of lolbertarian lore.