Would you recommend Nvidia Optimus ?

martvefun · 2012-12-02 16:12:28

I hope I am on the right section. What I ask is more a subjective advice than a question. Sorry in advance if it's not the place...

Hello,

I am planning to buy a new laptop (essentially Linux usage) and see some interesting ultrabook. For example, I'm interested by the Asus S56CM. However I see it uses the Nvidia technology Optimus. I see several other laptops using it.

I know this technology was at first really badly supported, Nvidia providing no good driver (and we all remember the love of Linus for the company...). I know the project Bumblebee works on the support of Optimus but I don't know where it is arrived.

Can we say the support is stable enough for an everyday usage ? How about on Archlinux ? I don't mind using the command line sometimes but prefer keeping a simple configuration and avoid having to recompile the drivers at each update.

Finally, without trolling, would you recommend to buy a laptop with Optimus or trying to find something else ?

Thank you

Last edited by martvefun (2012-12-04 10:33:40)

Arogers10 · 2012-12-02 17:00:18

I have a Samsung QX-410 that also uses the Nvidia Optimus technology. Optimus is still not greatly supported and I have never liked bumblebee but that's just my personal opinion. It's always been a pain to set up and whenever I try to use it with a game my frame-rates fall dramatically to where they are not playable. My laptop has the Intel core i5 processor with integrated graphics, however, which is more than enough for me and my daily tasks. I can't use my nvidia card but my laptop runs Gnome with ease and even applications like Google Earth and games run well. I also exclusively dual-screen between my 15in laptop and 23in HD monitor and it all works fine. I recommend getting the Asus, it should work great to start and there is word that Nvidia is working on an official driver for the Optimus setup which is something to look forward to down the line.

Last edited by Arogers10 (2012-12-02 17:03:15)

Nanthiel · 2012-12-02 17:33:23

Hello!

First of all I own an ASUS laptop with an Optimus card.

I haven't heard about Nvidia planning to support it on Linux? Last I heard they said, officially, that it was impossible with X11. Maybe they're aiming at Wayland?

Anyway, about Bumblebee: after certain kernel updates you have to at least reinstall bbswitch, which is the module that turns the card off when it's not in use. If you don't use bbswitch, the computer's battery will last about 2 hours less and it will produce significantly more heat (about 20 °C for me). I don't update the drivers often, only when they stop working. But then I just run "aura -Ayu" and reinstall bbswitch. After that, things usually work normally.

If I was buying again, I would look for something else honestly. At least a laptop where you can disable the Optimus card in the BIOS (I can't on mine), for the cases where setting up bbswitch doesn't work and you don't want to work on an oven.

Arogers10 · 2012-12-02 17:43:33

Nanthiel wrote:

Hello!
I haven't heard about Nvidia planning to support it on Linux? Last I heard they said, officially, that it was impossible with X11. Maybe they're aiming at Wayland?

Not a lot to go off of but gives me some hope. A later article said they'd managed to set it up with xorg but it ended up crashing. So I think it's in the works.

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=n … px=MTE3MzY

martvefun · 2012-12-02 23:28:24

Thank you for your comments. My daily usage shouldn't require a high work for the graphical card but being able to play a game from time to time is still enjoyable.

I found this more recent phoronix article. It seems that there is still some problems to get what nvidia developers need in the kernel. So I think that as long as this licence matter is not resolved, we won't see official optimus release (or they will have to find a workaround). Let's hope it won't take too much time. In the meantime, it means I would have to use Bumblebee.

So I guess, without further news, Optimus is still not an advantage for Linux but not a deal breaker.

donniezazen · 2012-12-03 20:31:17

Optimus works fine with Linux. Bumblebee can't automatically switch graphic card yet. You have to initiate it manually.

I wouldn't recommend anyone to buy Optimus laptop for Linux. It's not worth it. You will have to keep maintaining it as mentioned above to install bbswitch. Latest kernel has bugs. I can't use 3.6.x and nvidia-bumblebee works on linux>=3.6 and linux<3.7 ,so, you will end up messing up with kernels and stuff. Battery life will be poor and your system will heat a lot. If you plan to use your laptop for gaming then definitely get it. I don't use it at all.

anonymous_user · 2012-12-03 21:41:09

FWIW, if you want NVIDIA graphics and don't mind a non-ultrabook, System76 does have some nice laptops.

WonderWoofy · 2012-12-04 06:55:42

I just find that messing with nividia or ati is just not worth it if you have the choice, and you don't play super crazy games. The new Intel integrated graphics are much better these days. Still certainly not to the same level f performance as discrete graphics on windows... though neither is discrete graphics on linux.

Maxt3r · 2012-12-04 07:12:01

Is HDMI Out supported yet ?

martvefun · 2012-12-04 08:35:39

@anonymous_user actually it is more the other way around. If you tell me I won't be able, for example, to play Skyrim in wine but have a 8h battery life while working, I won't mind that much. I would love to support a Linux manufacturer but haven't found any producing nice ultrabook at affordable prices. Maybe I'll go for a Lenovo or a Dell that is in the Ubuntu certified hardware list (better than nothing).

@donniezazen when you disable the second graphical card, you don't have the kernel, battery and heat problems ? Only when you activate the second card ? But of course it's a bit a waste of resources not to use it...

Last edited by martvefun (2012-12-04 10:34:30)

IsSuE · 2012-12-04 10:07:53

I am in the same spot as OP.
Is it possible to deactivate the nvidia card in the BIOS and only use the intel card? What I plan on doing is having windows on a second partition and use the nvidia card there, and the intel one in Linux

jakobcreutzfeldt · 2012-12-04 10:25:19

martvefun wrote:

Thank you for your comments. My daily usage shouldn't require a high work for the graphical card but being able to play a game from time to time is still enjoyable.

Newer Intel graphics should suit you just fine then. I have no problem playing 99% of the Humble Bundle games with Intel HD 3000 graphics, even games like Amnesia: The Dark Descent.

Gusar · 2012-12-04 11:45:52

IsSuE wrote:

Is it possible to deactivate the nvidia card in the BIOS and only use the intel card?

What BIOS options are available depends on the specific machine. But regardless of what's in the BIOS, you can deactivate the Nvidia card in Linux using bbswitch. So what you want is very much possible. Just make sure bbswitch deactivates the Nvidia card at boot, and then configure the rest of the system for Intel.

Lekensteyn · 2012-12-04 17:45:14

As a CS student, I sometimes need better OpenGL support (4.0). Unfortunately, the Nvidia blob is still necessary for this. This means that if I buy a new laptop, I still need more than just the GPU. The idea of switchable graphics is nice (saving power when you are surfing the web, getting performance when running simulations/playing demanding games), but the current implementation is not complete. I think switchable graphics are the future. It is a pain at the moment, but is an evolving feature.

When possible, buy a laptop that allows you to select the video card in BIOS. If not, all Nvidia Optimus laptops seem to work with Bumblebee. I am not so sure about AMD PowerXpress and related AMD technologies, that still does not work with Bumblebee and vgaswitcheroo does not work for some of those models either.

If you have do not have intentions to run fancy OpenGL programs or image processing software, save the money and energy and go for an Integrated Intel graphics solution. Otherwise, Nvidia is still a good choice for their hardware, but their support for open-source Linux suck (which means that official Optimus support with their drivers is a long way to go).

dif · 2012-12-05 19:31:54

I have asus N55VM with optimus. It works fine with bumblebee and bbswitch. With powerdown or laptop-mode.service you can extend your battery working time. So yes, you can configure everything. However...
If I had a second chance, I would rather spend the extra money on the i7 processor (I have i5), and not on nvidia.
The latest intel cards are good enough for me, and maintaing bumblebee and bbswitch up-to-date can be difficult.
To sum it up, don't buy it.

anonymous_user · 2012-12-05 19:42:54

BTW why would you want an i7 instead of i5? Do you do lots of heavy processing on your laptop?

Arch Linux

#1 2012-12-02 16:12:28

Would you recommend Nvidia Optimus ?

#2 2012-12-02 17:00:18

Re: Would you recommend Nvidia Optimus ?

#3 2012-12-02 17:33:23

Re: Would you recommend Nvidia Optimus ?

#4 2012-12-02 17:43:33

Re: Would you recommend Nvidia Optimus ?

#5 2012-12-02 23:28:24

Re: Would you recommend Nvidia Optimus ?

#6 2012-12-03 20:31:17

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#7 2012-12-03 21:41:09

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#8 2012-12-04 06:55:42

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#9 2012-12-04 07:12:01

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#10 2012-12-04 08:35:39

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#11 2012-12-04 10:07:53

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#12 2012-12-04 10:25:19

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#13 2012-12-04 11:45:52

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#14 2012-12-04 17:45:14

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#15 2012-12-05 19:31:54

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#16 2012-12-05 19:42:54

Re: Would you recommend Nvidia Optimus ?

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