New ubuntu build -

grizzed

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 24, 2006
Messages
171
I'm putting together a new desktop system and I'm going to try to make the switch to linux for my day to day machine. I'll start with ubuntu as it would appear to the the most 'stupid user' ready.

I'm wondering if there would be any real linux reason to go with a certain kind of hardware?
I'll be using steam and doing plenty of gaming (steam and prob wine) is there better OpenGL driver support in one flavor or another?

AMD/ATI vs NVIDIA?
AMD vs INTEL?
 
Intel/Nvidia generally have the best graphics driver support for Linux. I wouldn't look anywhere else.
 
AMD works great with OSS driver.

If you are looking for cheap hardware & have MC nearby, they have a 5600k dual core APU with motherboard for $60 + tax.

Here is what to consider:

Ubuntu 12.04
amd driver (fglrx) works fine.
oss driver works fine, but has weak 3d support

Ubuntu 12.10
amd driver (fglrx) works fine with Radeon HD5000/6000/7000. Below HD5000 you must use oss driver with weak 3d support since fglrx doesn't support 12.10 xorg server version.
oss driver works fine, but has weak 3d support

Ubuntu 12.04/12.10
nouveau -> haven't tested, but should work ok with weak 3d support.
nvidia native driver - Has steam issues with my 7800GT and won't run some cames (tf2 for example). Nvidia has admitted the bug but they won't fix due to age of hardware

Multimonitor (both drivers -- last I checked).
Nvidia -> works well with up to 2 monitors for pre gtx6xx cards, and supposedly gtx6xx+ cards can support > 2. I haven't tried it.
AMD -> works fine with nx + 2 monitors where nx = number of displayport + up to 2 dvi/vga/hdmi connections. I've done 6 monitors with a 6800 card in ubuntu no problem. T
 
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AMD works great with OSS driver.

If you are looking for cheap hardware & have MC nearby, they have a 5600k dual core APU with motherboard for $60 + tax.

Depends on the GPU...It took 6 months after the B&M release of the HD6000 Radeons for their to be any GUI driver support whatsoever from either amdcccle or the OSS driver.
 
Depends on the GPU...It took 6 months after the B&M release of the HD6000 Radeons for their to be any GUI driver support whatsoever from either amdcccle or the OSS driver.

True, but that isn't amd specific.

On that note, I forgot: AFAIK the radeon 7xxx Open source radeon driver is a work in progress. The binary driver from AMD should work fine.

If you plan to go with the open source driver, get a Radeon 6k or below.
 
thanks for the input - best thing I found :
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTI5NjU
AMD Catalyst proprietary graphics driver is mostly a crap wreck for Wine gaming

I ran across come benchmarks yesterday that showed much more consistency for NVIDIA proprietary drivers. Wasn't even close.
So in spite of my experiences with my last couple nvidia cards I'll be going with that.

As for the CPU I'm looking at a SFF so I'll probably compare board features.
 
AMD's drivers have improved drastically over the last 2-3 years. It's at a point where there is no difference between AMD's cards and nVidia's if you're not gaming. I remember installing Ubuntu on my desktop 3 years ago and the 5750 I had would stutter in video and sometimes produce black lines. AMD and nVidia cards work fine now for your average computing stuff, though. As far as non-gaming is concerned, they're pretty much indistinguishable today.

If you are gaming then they both suck when compared to their Windows performance. nVidia does better here.

Either way the gaming driver situation is one that should improve significantly over the coming months as we inch closer towards the Steam box release and other companies (Blizzard, EA) start releasing Linux compatible titles. If I were gaming I wouldn't be looking at Linux yet other than to beta test the current status of Steam and the Linux titles.
 
I like NVIDIA myself but I admit there's a lot of differences of opinions.

I recommend 12.04 w/ the latest updates. Things have really been going off the rails lately IMO so I dunno so much about 12.10 and 13.04.
 
I have Mint 14 with KDE on my system. My system specs are as follows:

Intel Celeron G540, 4GB Crucial RAM (2 x 2GB), Radeon HD-7750. I'll eventually throw in an SSD to make it super fast.

Things that I have noticed:
1. AMD drivers aren't as bad as everyone says. My Radeon HD-7750 works just fine with the Catalyst 13.1 drivers on Mint.
2. The Celeron G540 with its Sandy Bridge arch is FAST for what it costs, and it runs very cool and is very power thrifty.
3. Linux is awesome. ;)
 
Intel/Nvidia generally have the best graphics driver support for Linux. I wouldn't look anywhere else.

I fully agree with this.
For gaming, GPU folding, or 3D imaging, NVIDIA is certainly the best and has the best driver support.

I do recommend using the ones from their website though and not the default repository drivers, they tend to be very old.
Intel is also very good, but unfortunately the hardware lacks the heavy-lifting capabilities of the higher-end GPUs from NVIDIA.

As for AMD, they hardware is great but their drivers on Linux are complete crap for anything beyond 2D work.
3D support and performance is awful, and I wouldn't even begin to game with them.

Data crunching can be done on AMD GPUs, but it takes a bit of work and know-how, and honestly, the results will be very similar to NVIDIA anyways.
The only reason to use AMD GPUs on Linux would be something that is application-specific, or brand loyalty.
 
Has steam issues with my 7800GT and won't run some cames (tf2 for example). Nvidia has admitted the bug but they won't fix due to age of hardware

I'm sorry, but that's not an issue.
A 7800GT is from 2005, that was almost eight years ago.

Thanks again for pointing this out as it is good to know, but honestly, even a lowly GT430 will run circles around a 7800GT, consume less power, will run cooler, and won't break the bank.
Seriously, NVIDIA shouldn't need to fix an issue with hardware that is nearly a decade old.

The hardware and GPU architecture have long ago since moved on, and there is no reason for them to put more R&D into a driver fix for a GPU that is multiple generations and architectures old, and far beyond end-of-life.

What I'm trying to say, is that the 7800GT is basically an antique at this point and it's in the "use at your own risk" territory.
If this is seriously a problem, then it's time to upgrade and move on! ;)
 
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AMD's drivers have improved drastically over the last 2-3 years. It's at a point where there is no difference between AMD's cards and nVidia's if you're not gaming.

Perhaps their drivers have improved, but there is most certainly a difference between AMD and NVIDIA GPUs in 3D performance on Linux.
AMD's 2D support is fine, but that's only for general usage, which at that point, just get a cheap APU and be done with it; no need for a dedicated GPU.

NVIDIA's Linux drivers are far superior in every aspect.
 
Perhaps their drivers have improved, but there is most certainly a difference between AMD and NVIDIA GPUs in 3D performance on Linux.
AMD's 2D support is fine, but that's only for general usage, which at that point, just get a cheap APU and be done with it; no need for a dedicated GPU.

NVIDIA's Linux drivers are far superior in every aspect.

Yeah, I was looking at Nvidia features versus AMD, and it's definitely superior in Nvidia camp. But my HD-7750 was just sitting there and I HAD to do something with it. :D I've been happy with my AMD experience with games on Linux so far. Asides from the annoying "Testing use only" overlay at the bottom (which has been fixed thanks to a generous [H]ard user).
 
Yeah, I was looking at Nvidia features versus AMD, and it's definitely superior in Nvidia camp. But my HD-7750 was just sitting there and I HAD to do something with it. :D I've been happy with my AMD experience with games on Linux so far. Asides from the annoying "Testing use only" overlay at the bottom (which has been fixed thanks to a generous [H]ard user).

That's good though.
If it works for you, then use it; no sense in letting good hardware go to waste!
 
That's good though.
If it works for you, then use it; no sense in letting good hardware go to waste!

Oh for sure. That's one of the beauties of having a Linux box. When I upgrade my hardware, I move the other stuff into Penguey (my Linux box's name). Currently, he's inherited my Intel H67 and my Radeon HD-7750. When I eventually upgrade the Windows CPU (probably looking at an i7 or i5 from Microcenter), I'll rotate and give him the i3 and sell the Celeron. Same for the GTX-560, which will be cool to try out on Linux. :D

If there's one gripe/complaint I have is that the Celeron G540 still sees some high CPU usage with 1080p Flash. Flash is hardware accelerated through Nvidia, but AMD? Nope. :mad:
But seriously, I came from a Pentium 4 on the Linux front, and this Sandy Celeron is worlds better.
 
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