Ubuntu Is Deprecating fglrx (Catalyst) In 16.04 LTS

[Nille_kungen]

"However, currently the open-source Radeon Linux graphics stack only supports OpenGL 4.1 " - like a brand new Macbook

This is an old article and it's not the current situation.
R600 supports OpenGL 4.5 and RadeonSI supports OpenGL 4.6
https://mesamatrix.net/ click driver details to see supported extensions.

[lacek]

"However, currently the open-source Radeon Linux graphics stack only supports OpenGL 4.1 " - like a brand new Macbook

[Wauxhall]

It is just a simple config opton in make xconfig. I use kernels from kernel.org and I tune them way I like. I have overclocked this wait timer too from 250Hz to 300Hz and everthing works fine with Amd A8-7600. I have set cpu core freq scaling to fixed perfromance in the linux configuration, A8-7600 overclocks from 3.1Ghz to 3.8Ghz under load automatically. I also use BIOS to control the cpu and fans too.

I just signed up this forum for the AMD a8 7600 3100 3800 mhz thing.
The problem is this cpu can automatically goes itself to 3700 mhz, while under linux it's capped 3100 mhz.
can you simply teach me how to get over the 3100 mhz linux cap?

[drSeehas]

Well the hybrid stack is for GCN 1.0 no? ...

The hybrid stack will be for all GCN versions. ATM Southern Islands is missing.

[BEZZiiE]

Yes, you should be able to use amdgpu but not immediately.

BTW when you say "amdgpu" are you talking about the open source stack or the hybrid stack ? The answer is similar for both but I'm assuming we'll want to prioritize hybrid stack for SI.

Well the hybrid stack is for GCN 1.0 no? or does it really matter I'd assume performance is around equal..

[bridgman]

Yes, you should be able to use amdgpu but not immediately.

BTW when you say "amdgpu" are you talking about the open source stack or the hybrid stack ? The answer is similar for both but I'm assuming we'll want to prioritize hybrid stack for SI.

[BEZZiiE]

So with Ubuntu 16.04 out now will my 7870Ghz be able to use AMDGPU or is the compatibility miles away from being functional? do i just use an older distro/kernel... there is no real definitive answer.

[vkrastev]

In the open source world you have several options for an application, for example freecad. We designed our house with open office draw.

Don't make me laugh. I have freecad installed on my system, I have libreoffice draw too. They are both nice and I use them whenever they can do the job, but they are just what they are. Freecad is a (heavily) under development parametric CAD software, which is still very limited compared to commercial CADs such as SolidWorks. Draw is just a sketch module. A CAE software is something completely different and, in this specific case, there is nothing in the open source world even barely comparable to ANSA for the stuff I do with it. But this was not the question, the question was if I have some currently (or nearly so) available alternative to the soon-to-be-dropped fglrx and the answer was and still is NO.

[vkrastev]

Have you tested the radeon driver lately? I have tested all three amd drivers with my Kaveri apu and in Tomb Raider 2013 benchmark I have same average fps with all three drivers. Amdgpu and radeon draws gaming more beautifully than crimson. With crimson there is a problem painting reflections in the benchmark, you will have black areas in Laras face and arms.

Actually, not. I don't use my laptop for gaming, the reason I am currently on fglrx is that I need the AMD card working with some CAD/CAE opengl-based application under Linux. Open source drivers have proven to be unstable in that sense, both on the Intel and AMD side. Some examples with the ANSA CAE software: on Ubuntu 14.04.2+Utopic HWE (3.16 kernel, mesa 10.3.2) the Intel drivers worked but with some graphical artifacts, the AMD card wasn't supported at all; when I upgraded to 14.04.3+Vivid HWE (3.19 kernel, mesa 10.5.9) the Intel part stopped working (software crashes at loading), the AMD card "worked" with DRI2 offloading but performance was terrible and usually the system used to hang (hard reboot required) after a few minutes of usage. When I finally found a working and stable configuration (with fglrx) I just stopped searching for alternatives, until this 16.04 fglrx dropping thing came out. I am sure that kernel 4.4.6 and mesa 11.1.2 (the current 16.04 stock option) should probably perform better on radeon compared to my previous experiences (though I haven't found much "success stories" on the web for Intel-AMD hybrid graphics configurations comparable to mine), but I absolutely don't want to make tests and experiments, I want a stable and working system.

[vkrastev]

Oland is Southern Islands, so there is currently no support from AMDGPU.

Exactly