Arch Linux

kelloco2

Member

Registered: 2012-02-13

Posts: 133

Laptop for multiseat. What buy, what GPU?

Hello!
I'm going to buy a laptop. I want to use it for multiseat (have second monitor, keyboard and mice). I will need two graphics cards or only one videocard which has dual heads. So what solution will be better?:

- Only Intel (but has it dual heads?) ex. Intel Media Accelerator 3000 HD

- Hybrid: nVidia (ex gt540m) and Integrated Intel GPU with the Intel processor (but has gt540 dual heads or can it work simultaneously [intel's GPU and nVidia] ?)

- Older laptop with only nVidia (ex 8400mgs) (without integrated intel but has it dual heads?).

Generally - which cards have dual heads, what does it mean? Can laptop be used to multiseat?
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xorg_multiseat

Sorry, for my english. Regards

Troglodyte

Member

Registered: 2012-04-04

Posts: 14

Re: Laptop for multiseat. What buy, what GPU?

Hi,

The number of video out ports on a laptop is not dependent on the graphics card. However I've never heard of a laptop with two VGA or two HDMI ports. It's either one HDMI/VGA or one HDMI one VGA, so you would need an adapter.

Also I'm not sure whether the two outputs would be just clones of each other or if they are indipendent.

I'm sure it would be theoretically possible if you used a second external video card with your laptop. However I have no idea if there is driver support for external video cards under Arch.

kelloco2

Member

Registered: 2012-02-13

Posts: 133

Re: Laptop for multiseat. What buy, what GPU?

Hi!
I understand, but I'm going to use laptop's monitor as first monitor (second will be external by VGA). More and more i'm thinking about solution 'two cards'; nVidia && integrated Intel. If I will be able to do it I'll report here

Last edited by kelloco2 (2012-04-05 15:09:14)

Troglodyte

Member

Registered: 2012-04-04

Posts: 14

Re: Laptop for multiseat. What buy, what GPU?

Hi!
I understand, but I'm going to use laptop's monitor as first monitor (second will be external by VGA).

I thought you wanted to use two external monitors in addition to the laptops own monitor.

More and more i'm thinking about solution 'two cards'; nVidia && integrated Intel. If I will be able to do it I'll report here

Whats you speak of as "two cards" is actually known as "switchable graphics". What it means is that the PC uses the integrated graphics when running applications that don't require much performance and switches to the dedicated card when more performance is needed. The two cards do not run simultaneously. Laptops that use multiple dedicated GPUs at once us SLI or Crossfire technology.

What you are trying to acomplish should be possible with either integrated or dedicated graphics though. The difference is merely in performance.

jelly

Administrator

From: /dev/null

Registered: 2008-06-10

Posts: 716

Re: Laptop for multiseat. What buy, what GPU?

Do you want to use two monitors with your laptop OR  laptop monitor  + two monitors?

Since my laptop ( quadro FX570M ) supports HDMI + VGA output on two monitors fine, another solution would be to either buy dualhead2go or a docking station that has an video card supporting dualmonitors

---

dotfiles

cfr

Member

From: Cymru

Registered: 2011-11-27

Posts: 7,178

Re: Laptop for multiseat. What buy, what GPU?

Optimus seems to be a lot of hassle under Linux - I don't think it will solve anything but just create problems.

I've got integrated intel GPU and I can use VGA out as well as the laptop monitor. (Disconnecting is another story but I suspect that's KDE.)

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Hohoho

Member

Registered: 2007-06-23

Posts: 222

Re: Laptop for multiseat. What buy, what GPU?

Whatever you choose, stay away from Optimus, the Intel/NVidia hybrid solution. It's a pain in the ass to get to work, and it is only possible using ugly hacks and it's buggy and not supported officially.

kelloco2

Member

Registered: 2012-02-13

Posts: 133

Re: Laptop for multiseat. What buy, what GPU?

Hi!

Whats you speak of as "two cards" is actually known as "switchable graphics". What it means is that the PC uses the integrated graphics when running applications that don't require much performance and switches to the dedicated card when more performance is needed.

I know, i know

The two cards do not run simultaneously.

I founded "You can set up multiple monitors with xorg.conf. Set them to use the Intel card, but Bumblebee can still use the NVIDIA card. One example configuration is below for two identical screens with 1080p resolution and using the HDMI out."

Do you want to use two monitors with your laptop OR  laptop monitor  + two monitors?

laptop's monitor + one external monitor (via VGA)

(audio works seamlessly)

and not supported officially.

Maybe one day hybrid will be suported  (the kernel is still moving forward). Can Intel's GPU do multiseat?

Currently I'm looking for laptop with hybrid but with ability to disable one of cards in BIOS. Dell Q17r or Asus x73
(but i don't know is there a possibility in BIOS)

Last edited by kelloco2 (2012-04-09 08:30:48)

jaco

Member

From: Toulouse, France

Registered: 2011-03-17

Posts: 149

Re: Laptop for multiseat. What buy, what GPU?

My laptops are working this way : no need for two cards and, if you don't want gaming, a Intel GPU fits the bill...

I have a Thinkpad T250 with 2 cards (the integrated Intel and a Nvidia discrete card) : i have disabled the NVidia in the BIOS as i'm tired of its bad support and because the Intel is far enough for my needs.

Futhermore, the Intel gives more battery and the overal temperature is lower.

Last edited by jaco (2012-04-09 09:36:10)