AMD Catalyst vs. X.Org Radeon Driver 2D Performance

[DoDoENT]

I would bet that their test numbers would go down significantly if a compositor were enabled, although it's entirely possible that they've improved their compositing since then.]

~ C.

That's exactly what I wanted to ask. If I use fglrx with compiz it's slow, but without compiz it's quite usable. With radeon driver I got a lot better 2D experience and good multi-monitor support (very useful on laptops), but unfortunately I have to use fglrx because of the PowerPlay and at almost two times more FPS in 3D games (with fglrx scorched3D works perfectly, with radeon it's almost unplayable).

My card is Mobility Radeon X1600 (R500).

As soon as radeon driver gets PowerPlay support and better 3D support, I will rather use radeon driver than fglrx.

[tmpdir]

Interesting article, was a good read. Hoping for a sequel with more reallife applications to see how combinations of these aspects perform.

After reading my share of ati related driver development I can't surpress the feeling this test only shows that the prop. driver is aimed toward 3d accelaration to get the 2d acceleration up-and-running. untill then the 2d performance of catalyst is not wat it must be... just a brainfart from my side

[PuckPoltergeist]

Can't say I'm really surprised. On one hand, fglrx has massive amounts of code. There's spots in our EXA where we have just said, "this could be accelerated, but not without a lot of spaghetti." fglrx is spaghetti.

On the other hand, fglrx has some known weaknesses. The pixmap test is the classic example, although there were a few others that pleasantly surprised me. Their handling of things when a compositor is enabled also sucks; I would bet that their test numbers would go down significantly if a compositor were enabled, although it's entirely possible that they've improved their compositing since then.]

Can't confirm this with 9.2 Beta and a HD3650 (AGP):

under KDE4
wihtout desktop effetct:

GtkPerf 0.40 - Starting testing: Sun Jan 18 21:45:04 2009

GtkDrawingArea - Pixbufs - time: 1,40
---
Total time: 1,41


with desktop effects enabled:
GtkPerf 0.40 - Starting testing: Sun Jan 18 21:45:13 2009

GtkDrawingArea - Pixbufs - time: 0,12
---
Total time: 0,12

[WSmart]

...or run the Phoronix Test Suite yourself to see how your system stacks up.

What's the Phoronix Test Suite command? Is there a suite name?

Thanks!

[Yfrwlf]

What's the Phoronix Test Suite command? Is there a suite name?

Thanks!

One way to find out is to look at the properties of the package using the command line or the Synaptic package manager and look at the files it installed. Look for the binaries it put in /usr/bin. Another way is to start typing phoronix and just hit tab twice several times =D

Of course, eventually making a GUI interface and menu icon for the PTS would be really great. Maybe that's coming in version 2?

[Michael]

phoronix-test-suite batch-benchmark gtkperf jxrendermark renderbench

Should cover it when running version 1.6.

[mile]

That's exactly what I wanted to ask. If I use fglrx with compiz it's slow, but without compiz it's quite usable. With radeon driver I got a lot better 2D experience and good multi-monitor support (very useful on laptops), but unfortunately I have to use fglrx because of the PowerPlay and at almost two times more FPS in 3D games (with fglrx scorched3D works perfectly, with radeon it's almost unplayable).

My card is Mobility Radeon X1600 (R500).

As soon as radeon driver gets PowerPlay support and better 3D support, I will rather use radeon driver than fglrx.

I am using powerplay with radeon driver on my mobility x1600 for a few months now and it is working great..you need few patches from this brantch I think

http://cgit.freedesktop.org/~agd5f/x...=agd-powerplay

[oibaf]

To reiterate, each driver was left in its stock configuration with no extra xorg.conf options being set or AMDPCSDB options being assigned.

So both are using XXA? It would have be nice to test also EXA, since XXA is incomplete (i.e. no Render accell) on R300 and newer cards - at least on the "free" driver.

[RealNC]

What? The test was done without EXA for the radeon driver? Is this a joke?

[BlackStar]

I *think* Radeon uses EXA by default or, at least, Ubuntu enables EXA without user intervention.