Arch Linux

descrip

Member

Registered: 2015-03-14

Posts: 9

Chromebook performance issues when using kernel 4.1

Hello! I'm on an Acer C720. Using linux-lts (3.14) I can get high frame rates when playing video games such as Team Fortress 2 (through Steam on Linux) and Hearthstone (through Wine), However, after some kernel updates (to 4.1), both of these games suffer very high frame rate losses. For example, I can usually expect 40 fps on Team Fortress 2, but with kernel 4.1, I'm getting only 10.

Is there some way to fix it? Or should I stay on earlier kernel versions?

LiFo2

Member

From: France

Registered: 2007-03-29

Posts: 25

Website

Re: Chromebook performance issues when using kernel 4.1

Hello,

I have the same issue on my very old desktop that I now use as a media center.
I updated from 3.19.3-3 to 4.2.3-1 and observed huge performance degradation on X display (jerky animations).
I downgraded for now and reported this bug: https://bugs.archlinux.org/index.php?do … k_id=46810
You may want to follow it and put some information in it in case the issue is the same.

Note that in my case, linux-tls (4.1.10) is working well, not sure if the issue comes for a later release of the kernel or a patch that is not in linux-tls.

Regards,
Colin

Last edited by LiFo2 (2015-10-20 18:38:55)

descrip

Member

Registered: 2015-03-14

Posts: 9

Re: Chromebook performance issues when using kernel 4.1

I'm sorry for necroing a post, but this issue has resurfaced for me again. Since making the post, I've stuck on Linux 3.18-lts, but, as more kernel versions are released, I'm experiencing more and more bugs that disappear when I switch to the newest version of the kernel.

I've also trawled through the Internet looking for another person with my problem -- so far, I haven't found another report of lowered performance when switching to Linux 4.x, but that may be my poor google-fu. LiFo2's post was related to BOINC and turned out to be fluid and not be related with the kernel at all. I'm also not convinced my problem is not directly due to the kernel -- from what I know, there wasn't much of a change going from 3.x to 4.x, just that Linus didn't want the numbers to grow too large. However, the FPS drop was caused solely from the kernel upgrade -- no other packages were changed.

Is there anyone else who's had a problem with lowered performance when switching from Linux 3 to Linux 4 on an Acer C720? I'm also lost as to how to solve this problem -- what would be the first step to take? Could someone point me to the right direction?

Last edited by descrip (2016-04-20 01:53:09)