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Major Performance Improvement Discovered For Intel's GPU Linux Driver
An anonymous reader writes: LunarG, on contract with Valve Software, discovered a critical shortcoming with the open-source Intel Linux graphics driver that was handicapping the performance. A special bit wasn't being set by the Linux driver but was by the Windows driver, which when enabled is increasing the Linux performance in many games by now ~20%+, which should allow for a much more competitive showing between Intel OpenGL performance on Windows vs. Linux. However, the patch setting this bit isn't public yet as apparently it's breaking video acceleration in certain cases.
Because my distro is the best.
SJW's don't eliminate discrimination. They just expropriate it for themselves.
It's the Benchmark Bit!
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I notice TFA has almost no detail beyond what TFS says. Yeah, so they found this bit that apparently has no side effects to anything else but magically boosts performance by 20%? I'll admit I haven't written a graphics card driver since back in the VESA2 days, but I can't even conceive of what function such a bit could have, without having some down side... Something like (and I don't mean this literally) disabling vsync but accepting tearing.
you've flipped the EVIL bit!
That's probably why it wasn't being set then.
Would this help with nethack?
Someone found the Turbo Button from my old 386. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T...
...and you won't believe how easy it is!
C'mon editors, it's like you missed the entire social media headline writing class.
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
Removing flush() from code boosts DBMS performance by 40% but that patch wasn't yet accepted as in rare cases it makes data disappear after power failures.
So, it works 20% better... until it crashes.
And... we all know most of the Linux user base would want to give up random crashes for 20% better performance, right?
I use intel graphics on my laptop for gaming.
The 4400 is pretty good for playing something while waiting around at the airport or in the hotel.
For real gaming I have my PC at home.
People are quick to yell "games" as if the entire desktop hasn't been 3D-accelerated for a decade.
In many cases if a chip can be done 30% faster, not only is the user happy with the visuals, but that silicon can enter low-power mode more quickly. A laptop user might get a few more minutes' battery life with this bit on and the world might burn a few less tons of coal for all of the systems.
My God, it's Full of Source!
OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
It sure doesn't scan well...
Your comment is misleading. Just because a performance boost causes stability issues (whilst still under development!) doesn't mean those issues can't be ironed out. If the bit works on Windows, most likely it will work on Linux too after the devs make the right adjustments. The fact that it wasn't set was a mistake, not a design decision.
People are quick to yell "games" as if the entire desktop hasn't been 3D-accelerated for a decade.
Well of course, this is Linux we're talking about. They're not going to pass up an opportunity to pretend as if one of Linux's major shortcomings doesn't actually exist.
One weird bit, benchmarks hate it
Yeah, yeah keep reaching for that low hanging fruit, beating that dead horse.
It's the best GNU distribution.
Real Gamers have nothing (positive) to say, and let everyone know it.
Real Gamers waste Real Money on Fake Crap.
Real Gamers would not be Really Missed if their entire subculture of masturbatory fantasies vanished tomorrow.
Leigh Alexander is that you ?
The secret bit Intel doesn't want you to know about!
with this new bit switch my BeOS can now perform multimedia tasks with the power of a uber computer.
by TheSpoom (715771) Uncaring Linux user here. I have nothing to add to this but please continue. *munches popcorn*
> People are quick to yell "games" as if the entire desktop hasn't been 3D-accelerated for a decade.
Except you don't need a good gaming card in order to deal with that crap. The cheapest trailing edge AMD/nvidia stuff that's likely to be not supported in the next driver release is more than fast enough for "desktop 3D acceleration".
A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
Some of us are using those GPUs for actual work - like serious scientific computation. Anyone know anything about how this bit switch would affect CUDA?
mark
Real gamers often do their gaming on a desktop, and have an Ultrabook for portability. Said gamers might not want or need the bulk of a gaming notebook 99% of the time, but might still appreciate the ability of an Intel iGPU to handle basic game rendering on the rare occasion when they want to keep themselves busy while on the go.
I'm a gamer, and I do all my gaming on a relatively high-end desktop. I've got a Macbook Air, because I only have a desire to fire up a game on my notebook a handful of times a year. But at the same time, I appreciate that I can run Civ V or Civ: BE on said notebook when it's called to do so.
"How A Mom Found A Secret Bit That Improves Her Video Driver Performance By Twenty Percent! Intel Hates Her!"
I flipped this bit, and you won't believe what happened next!
Hey, Windows users, there is no such thing as "forward" slash, there is only slash and backslash.
Oooh, that's a good one.
Man, I hate these headlines. I now reflexively ignore stories which are captioned this way - basically anything which doesn't describe the article content, no matter how many boobs, muscles, butts, or cute/sad animals are in the photo caption. No, I take that back - *especially* if there are boobs, muscles, butts, or cute/sad animals are in the photo caption.
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
But _is_ set in the Windows driver? No sense in that.
I hadn't the slightest objection to his spending his time planning massacres for the bourgeoisie... (P.G. Wodehouse)
I beg to differ. Low-end nVidias can't handle 1080p composited desktops. The amount of bandwidth being burned by storing all the windows' contents into textures is considerable, and they just lack the bandwidth necessary for smooth operation. Just try an oldish GF 8200.
Windows developers HATE this man!
Developer discovers this one "weird" trick to boost driver performance.
dirty bit?
GeForce 8000 cards are nearing a decade old at this point. I'd be surprised if today's version of "Intel integrated graphics" didn't surpass it in the relevant benchmarks (Scoring high FPS in a high-polycount scene is not a relevant benchmark)
Because on windows people don't complain when the system crashes.
It's hurdly possible. Sorry.