Arch Linux

kamahl

Member

Registered: 2007-09-16

Posts: 60

Which graphic card?

I am about to acquire a new desktop pc - and here comes the obligatory question:
which graphic card should I choose to be Linux-friendly and 64bit-friendly? I don't need an ultra-powerful one, but at least to make kwin4 or tremulous work on it without problems.
I gathered the following informations (correct me please if I'm wrong):
* Intel - makes cards mostly for notebooks though they provide foss drivers, the cards aren't much efficient, so it sucks.
* nVidia - great performance both hw and drivers, but closed-source and no hope to have good-performance foss drivers in close future and I mistrust such software, so it sucks.
* ATI - good performance, but many problems with drivers, usually only old cards works well. But AMD have released their specification - are there any guess when usable 3D drivers will be created? But now, all in all, it sucks.

My 'hottest' favorite is actually nVidia, but I'd appreciate any advice. Which do you have best experience with or you'd recommend me most?

kensai

Member

From: Puerto Rico

Registered: 2005-06-03

Posts: 2,484

Website

Re: Which graphic card?

* nVidia - great performance both hw and drivers, but closed-source and no hope to have good-performance foss drivers in close future and I mistrust such software, so it sucks.

nVIDIA is the way to go for me. I don't care about proprietary software, I don't use Windows because it is a horrible OS, not because it is proprietary.

Last edited by kensai (2008-06-07 17:30:08)

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wuischke

Member

From: Suisse Romande

Registered: 2007-01-06

Posts: 630

Re: Which graphic card?

First of all: I don't use proprietary drivers, except when my operating system's kernel is closed anyway.

I personally recommend you to go with an ATI card. They are cheap, very power efficient (if you only play the likes of tremolous, a low-end passivly cooled card will be enough for you) and provide the fastest solution with oss drivers. (Disclaimer: This only applies to my mobility X700 on my old notebook, my brothers HD3870 is currently 2D only with free drivers on his Ubuntu install). Initial 3D support has been imported recently and I expect fast progress, so that would be my choice.

Stythys

Member

From: SF Bay Area

Registered: 2008-05-18

Posts: 878

Website

Re: Which graphic card?

lol nvidia cards work much better on linux than ATI. I mean you can still get ATI to work, it's just there's a higher chance that you'll run into trouble. Who cares if the drivers are closed-source...your just buying a graphics card. Get your money's worth =P

nvidia 9800GX2 ftw

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Shadowmeph

Member

From: West Coast Canada

Registered: 2008-05-19

Posts: 208

Re: Which graphic card?

I own a HD3870 and I definately would recommend it for Ubuntu Linux but Not for Arch I have been screwing around with my card since I first installed( about 1 week ago) Arch and it still isn't working correctly

nexus7

Member

From: brain dump

Registered: 2006-12-06

Posts: 285

Re: Which graphic card?

I also prefer nvidia to ati. But if you don't like proprietary drivers you may check the free driver-PKGs first: xf86-video-nv or xf86-video-ati.

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lucke

Member

From: Poland

Registered: 2004-11-30

Posts: 4,018

Re: Which graphic card?

Hah, I wanted to get Radeon HD3870, but finally decided on GF 9600GT, in big part due to a better driver support, at least as of now.

http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=49390

kamahl

Member

Registered: 2007-09-16

Posts: 60

Re: Which graphic card?

Than you for you replies. I think I'm going to acquire an nVidia card :-)

you may check the free driver-PKGs first: xf86-video-nv or xf86-video-ati.

Yeah, but I thought that those drivers didn't support 3D accel. Or do they?

nexus7

Member

From: brain dump

Registered: 2006-12-06

Posts: 285

Re: Which graphic card?

Well, you said

I don't need an ultra-powerful one, but at least to make kwin4 or tremulous work on it without problems.

(what do you mean with tremulous work then)?
I'm not sure about 3D accel with free the nv-driver but try

Option      "AccelMethod"   "xaa"

like for the free xf86-video-intel.

Last edited by nexus7 (2008-06-07 20:33:15)

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we are Arch.
you will be assimilated!
resistance is futile!

Stythys

Member

From: SF Bay Area

Registered: 2008-05-18

Posts: 878

Website

Re: Which graphic card?

I don't need an ultra-powerful one, but at least to make kwin4 or tremulous work on it without problems.

games like trem can really run on anything. I have an old pc with some integrated crap intel put in there, and it runs fine =P

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"Once you go Arch, you must remain there for life or else Allan will track you down and break you."
-- Bregol