Hello.
I am building a new computer, and i will install tumbleweed (with xfce probably). Before I buy the graphics card, I would like to know which vendors drivers are the easiest and most reliable to install and configure. I currently run leap 15.3 with an nvidia 980ti, and the experience with the proprietary drivers has not been enjoyable. I want my next computer to be much more reliable, as i will be making it my main workstation.
Which vendors drivers are the smoothest running on tumbleweed? and how do the vendor drivers affect performance?
Hi and welcome to the Forum
Hard to say, it all depends on what your wanting to do with your system? My preference is intel or amd as my needs are simple, I use nvidia as well but only for offload(secondary gpu) which in my use case works well. Each have there own quirks, at present on my setup with GNOME and primary gpu amd, no hdmi sound due to a bug with the screen blanking.
Perhaps some more details on what your use case is may help Forum users offer advice.
I’ve never had a problem when using Intel integrated graphics. When I upgraded to and AMD Ryzon platform, the model I was interested in did not have an integrated gpu, so I went with an AMD system (model selected to allow me to drive dual monitors:
In general, it works like this:[ol][li]The GPU is either AMD or Intel: a default installation automatically installs FOSS device and display drivers that work optimally without any effort on the part of the user. Updates as they become available are automatic and transparent.[/li][li]The GPU is NVidia: the installer will pause to notify of the “experimental” nature of a reverse-engineered display driver for NVidia GPUs it proposes to install, and ask whether to allow its installation. Whether this decades old display driver functionally remains experimental is a matter of diverse opinion.[list=A][]User’s answer is a yes: Default installation installs this “experimental” FOSS display driver, which works acceptably without any significant effort on the part of the user. Updates as they become available are semi-automatic and semi-transparent, being at times subject to permission again being given.[]User’s answer is no: Default installation proceeds without including the “experimental” FOSS display driver. X nevertheless works acceptably without any significant effort on the part of the user, using a display driver that works using a newer and different technology that supports also most AMD and Intel GPUs. Updates as they become available are automatic and transparent.[/ol][/li][li]The NVidia user is not content with FOSS drivers’ performance, or hasn’t even bothered to check it out, or they don’t even work because the GPU is too new, and so proceeds with the process of installing NVidia’s proprietary kernel and display drivers. A new kernel version is released some time later, which for some users doesn’t work, because newer NVidia drivers are required for the new kernel, and those users didn’t wait for them to become available before allowing the new kernel to be installed. Updates as they become available may or may not be automatic and/or transparent. Multiple routes to their installation exist.[/li][li]The PC or laptop includes more than one GPU. This configuration gets complicated, and out of scope for this response.[*]The single GPU is neither AMD, nor Intel, nor NVidia: Luckier users will have an experience much like most AMD and Intel users. For the rest, it’s again out of scope.[/list][/li]Implicit in the above, with the exception in #3, is that the GPU is not too new. It takes time, generally 6-12 months after introduction, for support for new GPU models to show up in FOSS (on the sooner side in TW).
I believe my question has been answered, but to answer this:
My workload is going to be 3 monitors and running 2 or 3 vms at most, and sometimes playing some games. I dont think this will be hard for the card im looking at, but I am a little concerned that the drivers will have some problem. Im probably worrying too much though, itll work just fine it seems. (it can’t be more of a pain than the proprietary nvidia drivers)
Hi
So I run three monitors on a RX550 which has four HDMI ports. I also have an Nvidia card Quadro T400 but it’s only used with applications, eg ffmpeg-4 for the econders/decoders some games eg minecraft via prime offload, this card also has three mini-dp outputs (can drive five monitors). I install the nvidia driver the hard way and have not had any issues for this use case, so you could use your old card in this setup.
This desktop is a second hand HP Z440 off ebay, I run multiple vms (kubernetes clusters mainly) so similar to what your looking for… even had a BIOS update in January, no windows required to install as these systems are linux friendly.
Hi
That is true, however you need to make sure the motherboard CPU/GPU/APU combination your purchasing has the required outputs/connectors… Likewise the older Intel M/B I have is similar with two DVI and one DP.
My most recent motherboard acquisitions:[list=1[[li]2021 Asus B560M-A: DisplayPort, HDMI, HDMI, USB-C
[/li][li]2020 ASRock FM2A88X Extreme6+: DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI, VGA
[/li][li]2018 Asus B250M-C/CSM: DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI, VGA
[/li][li]2017 Gigabyte GA-B250M-D3H: DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI, VGA
[/li][li]2015 MSI B85-G41 PC Mate: HDMI, DVI, VGA
[/li][*]2014 Asus A88X-Pro: DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI, VGA[/list]Since the MSI, when I shop, DP & HDMI are two of the first checkboxes I select before clicking the search button. I think in recent years most motherboards that have any graphics connectors have at least two. Three are easy to find. Four are not at all hard to find. Board price doesn’t seem to have much to do with the graphics connector count.
