Q: How does one get better graphics in a VM?

[SteveFury]

My system
Single boot Leap 15.6
KDE Plasma 5.27.11
Kernel 6.4.0
Graphics X11

8 Core i7-7700 @ 4.2ghz
31.3 gb Ram
NVIDIA GeForce GXT 1080

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OpenSuse is what I use as my Linux distro.
It’s exclusive to all my PCs except one.
Almost all my apps, save a scant few are native Linux.
The few Win programs I use operate in Wine, and Steam games via Proton.
I do a lot of design in 3D.
Blender is a great option but I am resistant to learn a new graphics program, been using a Win-based professional package for 23 years.

The problem
My 3D software producer’s support said it will never run in Linux back in 2014.
That statement, of course was based on the available compatibility tools from 2014.

What I’ve recently tried:

1. My 3D program will not license using WINE. Period. The vender is likely correct. The license will never work that way.

2. Virtual machine
   a. Virtualbox: the program does license and it works… but its graphics is not good enough to run my program. The 3d “perspective” view doesn’t work properly. Those white squares aren’t supposed to be there.
   I set the graphics memory for that VM from 128 to 256 mb and it improves but still not usable. I use 3D acceleration and it gets worse.

b. KVM: I read that it has better graphics capability than Virtual Box so I spent all day (about 10 hours) researching and installing Win 10 using qemu/KVM virtual machine. I install my 3D package there and yes it does license correctly but the graphic problems are exactly the same as Virtual Box set to 256 mb.

I am currently required to run 2 PCs when using my graphics program. One Win 10 exclusively for my 3D program and my other PCs running OpenSuse.

Yes, I can dual boot OpenSuse/Win 10 but I just simply want OpenSuse as my OS and run my graphics program within it.
I also don’t want my OS “phoning home” as Win 10 does. I have its network adapter disabled.

Is trying to get my 3D package to run in OpenSuse hopeless (even in a VM)?
I’ve been using OpenSuse for a long time but still not super-techy.
I get lost with a lot of less-used acronyms and commands.
I only learned about KVM yesterday.
*Any suggestion is very, very appreciated. Thank you. *

[malcolmlewis]

@SteveFury Install another graphics card at look at using gpu passthrough to the virtual machine.

[Jniko]

@SteveFury If you need 3d acceleration then no matter what virtual GPU you use almost the same result you will have.

If you are going to use KVM use Virtio GPU with the correct drivers, but still no big improvement as it is limited to 2d.

One solution is as @malcolmlewis said use a GPU and passthrough it on the VM for native performance, or you can try the Vmware Workstation virtual GPU, if again have any improvements…

Regards.