A Day Later, Hybrid Graphics On Linux Does More

[phoronix]

Phoronix: A Day Later, Hybrid Graphics On Linux Does More

Just yesterday morning we reported on hybrid graphics coming to Linux in a crude form, which allowed dual-GPU notebook systems to switch between the onboard GPUs via a kernel patch but what made it crude was that it wasn't seamless switching within the running X.Org Server (it won't be this way for some time) and it didn't actually turn off the other GPU when the other one was in use. In the past 24 hours, however, David Airlie has published three new versions of this Linux kernel patch. The second version of Airlie's "switcheroo" code as it's called brought support for powering up and powering down the GPUs...

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=Nzk0OQ

[BlackStar]

Now all we need is a way to do all this without Xorg going belly up. Hope the Xorg people can cook something up for the next+1 release.

[TechMage89]

Maybe this will finally give the Xorg folks the motivation they need to do GPU objects?

[TeoLinuX]

kudos++ to dave

[kernelOfTruth]

kudos++ to dave

++

great work, indeed !

[korpenkraxar]

Now all we need is a way to do all this without Xorg going belly up.

Are you saying this works, but not when using a desktop environment?

[rmartinez]

Hi, I would like to test this patch, but I have no idea how to start...
My computer (M51Ta) has this hybrid graphic card configuration:
01:05.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RS780M/RS780MN [Radeon HD 3200 Graphics]
02:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Mobility Radeon HD 3650
I downloaded the "0001-vga_switcheroo-initial-implementation-v4.patch"... But I don't know how to use it.
Thanks!

[droidhacker]

Are you saying this works, but not when using a desktop environment?

It means that you need to kill X to switch the GPU.

[laurencevde]

Killing X can be worked around with x2go or Nx. I don't know how performance'll be though.

[Apopas]

Great news!