More Intel Graphics Work In Linux 5.12: Gen7 Improvements, Faster Suspend/Resume

[phoronix]

Phoronix: More Intel Graphics Work In Linux 5.12: Gen7 Improvements, Faster Suspend/Resume

New feature material for Linux 5.12 continues getting ready ahead of the merge window opening in February to formally kick off the cycle...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Intel-Linux-5.12-Graphics-GT-F

[skeevy420]

It'll be interesting for open source users if or when Intel releases a GPU comparable to an AMD or NVIDIA desktop/gaming GPU because their driver team always seems to be doing something and it'll be nice to have multiple open* hardware options.

*for the most part

[loganj]

i have a question not really related to this article
is it posible to use onboard hdmi/dvi/whatever same port for both igpu/apu and d-gpu so that you don't have to have two cables in the monitor?

[PCJohn]

is it posible to use onboard hdmi/dvi/whatever same port for both igpu/apu and d-gpu so that you don't have to have two cables in the monitor?

As far as I know, only Dell Precision laptops allows you to switch your hdmi/display port between Intel and Nvidia. You have to make the switch in BIOS. So, not anything run-time convenient. Desktop computers always have iGPU wired to motherboard connectors AFAIK, and dGPU has its own connectors on its graphics card.

[coder]

i have a question not really related to this article
is it posible to use onboard hdmi/dvi/whatever same port for both igpu/apu and d-gpu so that you don't have to have two cables in the monitor?

I dimly recall AMD supporting something like this, when using an AMD APU and dGPU. I could be mistaken, but you could investigate that if it matters to you.

Also, my work laoptop is a Dell with Nvidia graphics and I can confirm what PCJohn claims - they do enable pass-thru from the Nvidia GPU via Intel's iGPU.

Possibly related to that, this laptop has also experienced about one bluescreen per week (I have to run Windows 10 on it, as required by my employer). I'm sure it's not the only cause (if it even is one), due to the variety of fault codes I'm seeing. Anyway, this only reinforces my decision to avoid dGPUs, in the last personal laptop I purchased (a Lenovo that has run Ubuntu like a champ).

[PCJohn]

Also, my work laoptop is a Dell with Nvidia graphics and I can confirm what PCJohn claims - they do enable pass-thru from the Nvidia GPU via Intel's iGPU.

To further clarify for anyone reading us: There are two ways to do this "pass-thru" - in software and in hardware. Nvidia Optimus technology is a software solution. You run your application either on integrated Intel or discrete Nvidia. But only Intel is physically connected to the monitor. If the application is graphics intensive such as computer game, it might run on Nvidia. The final rendered image is copied over the bus to integrated Intel and it is shown on the connected monitor. The overhead of image copying is small. This is quite often used solution. It works well on Windows. On Linux, I heard about difficulties sometimes - not sure about it.

The hardware solution is present in Dell Precision and I did not heard about any other laptop implementing it. It has dedicated circuits that switch your HDMI/Display port between one or the other display card. The choice is made in BIOS.

[loganj]

thank you
edit: does it work on desktop? so far i found only articles related to laptops. i guess thats normal since thats where it suppose to be used.
edit2: yes it seems to work. i found some forum talking about it. reading there i actually remember linus tech making a video about nvidia card for mining without any output working wonderful with games passing the image to igpu. the fps lose was pretty low.