Question about Optimus on Linux

[Nowak]

Hey, so I've been mulling switching from Windows to Linux (again) for a while, but the biggest barrier (besides the obvious, games) is Nvidia Optimus support. I'm pretty interested in maintaining my laptop's long battery life.

 

So, what I want to know is is the situation with multi-GPU laptops better on Linux now, or is it the same it's always been? Like, is there automatic switching of graphics cards under Linux with the Nvidia driver yet or do people still need to use hacky workarounds?

[mockedarche]

So im currently switching over and as far as I know it doesnt work. You either set the nvidia driver to run or the Intel one. 

[Nowak]

Just now, Ohsnaps said:

So im currently switching over and as far as I know it doesnt work. You either set the nvidia driver to run or the Intel one. 

gee thanks nvidia

[mockedarche]

I love linux but you WONT get the same experience as on Windows.I'd rather know that I control my pc and I am not being spied on. Pro tip theres a tweak on linux that allows underclocking your cpu to save power. https://itsfoss.com/speed-up-ubuntu-1310/ its number 7 (it works on other distros but it can be very particular it doesnt like xfce that much). also idk if i would suggest any of the other "tweaks". Also when you install the nvidia driver you have to then open I think its called xserver or something and specify which gpu you want to use. I would personally suggest staying on the intel gpu unless you want to game. I also found that my battery like on linux was better than windows 10 (was just web browsing and watching youtube tho).

[Nowak]

1 minute ago, Ohsnaps said:

I love linux but you WONT get the same experience as on Windows.I'd rather know that I control my pc and I am not being spied on. Pro tip theres a tweak on linux that allows underclocking your cpu to save power. https://itsfoss.com/speed-up-ubuntu-1310/ its number 7 (it works on other distros but it can be very particular it doesnt like xfce that much). also idk if i would suggest any of the other "tweaks". Also when you install the nvidia driver you have to then open I think its called xserver or something and specify which gpu you want to use. I would personally suggest staying on the intel gpu unless you want to game. I also found that my battery like on linux was better than windows 10 (was just web browsing and watching youtube tho).

Alright, I'll keep this in mind if I do decide to go for Linux. Thanks!

[Ashleyyyy]

the last time i used Linux on a laptop that supported optimus you had to go into the nvidia control panel thing and set it to either intel or nvidia graphics and then log out and log back in to switch gpu's. 

 

the problem i had was i got loads of screen tearing when using the nvidia gpu with no way to fix it. i tried different compositors and everything and nothing worked. 

[wasab]

20 hours ago, NowakVulpix said:

Hey, so I've been mulling switching from Windows to Linux (again) for a while, but the biggest barrier (besides the obvious, games) is Nvidia Optimus support. I'm pretty interested in maintaining my laptop's long battery life.

 

So, what I want to know is is the situation with multi-GPU laptops better on Linux now, or is it the same it's always been? Like, is there automatic switching of graphics cards under Linux with the Nvidia driver yet or do people still need to use hacky workarounds?

Use bumblebeed. It is command line tool though and it doesn't automatically switch to delicates graphics on its own. You have to do it yourself. The benefit is that you won't have to log off and log back in to switch graphics on Linux. 

[wasab]

7 hours ago, firelighter487 said:

the last time i used Linux on a laptop that supported optimus you had to go into the nvidia control panel thing and set it to either intel or nvidia graphics and then log out and log back in to switch gpu's. 

 

the problem i had was i got loads of screen tearing when using the nvidia gpu with no way to fix it. i tried different compositors and everything and nothing worked. 

You don't have to if you use bumblebeed. That thing let's you use something like Intel HD for light graphics and then fire up Nvidia cards for heavy lifting. You still need to set the application to use delicates card tho. It doesn't automatically detect like on Windows. 

[vorticalbox]

On 31/07/2018 at 12:49 AM, Ohsnaps said:

So im currently switching over and as far as I know it doesnt work. You either set the nvidia driver to run or the Intel one. 

I am running a Thinkpad T520 that has the intel igpu and a Nvidia card at work.

enabling Optimus in the bios and using Linux mint 19 AKA ubuntu 18. Was enough to use both GPUs. I currently have a docker with 2 each screen attached one connects to the IGPU and the other the Nvidia card.

 

Though on windows you can attach 3 screens. two for the IGPU (laptop screen and one monitor) and two to the GPU I have yet to have the time to get it working on linux.