AMD FireGL V8600: Linux vs. Windows

[phoronix]

Phoronix: AMD FireGL V8600: Linux vs. Windows

Since the introduction of AMD's new Linux OpenGL driver and their open-source strategy running in parallel, the past few months have been especially exciting for ATI Linux users and the Linux graphics scene in general. To many Linux users, ATI graphics have went from being a name synonymous with problems and poor 3D performance to being an open-source crown jewel that has set a precedence in the industry by releasing their GPU register documentation, but at the same time continuing to develop their high-performance proprietary driver for users interested in the best performance and enabling all of the bells and whistles on their graphics card.

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=12357

[Kano]

Win drivers which are worse than Linux drivers are really a good marketing instrument *g* I would like to know if this product can render pointsprites, but I don't think so with 8-4... So the real question is: what will happen with 8-5

[minuseins]

Ok... here is my problem:

With my next (standalone) system, I'm really considering to buy a graphics card of the professional series (FireGL or Quadro), but besides working with CAx applicatiosn, I also like to play a game from time to time.

Unfortunately there are only a few benchmarks available which don't stop their tests by just using SPECView. The question is WHY? You see a lot of benchmarks done with SPECView, including both cards - one from the consumer series, and one from the professional series. But you rarely see a FireGL or Quadro card tested for their performance on games. (ET/ET-QW/D3/Q4)

Lack of time? NDA? Why not run the typical series of OpenGL games on Linux to see how those cards perform? Currently I'm using an NW8440 and an T61p, both with the mobile versions of an FireGL or Quadro. In general I'd say the card perform very well (sometimes better), but it's more subject to my own point of view.

I'd be also interested in how those card perform in an SLI/Crossfire configuration. Any chance to see such tests on Phoronix? ;-)

Cheers,

-1

[Michael]

Ok... here is my problem:

With my next (standalone) system, I'm really considering to buy a graphics card of the professional series (FireGL or Quadro), but besides working with CAx applicatiosn, I also like to play a game from time to time.

Unfortunately there are only a few benchmarks available which don't stop their tests by just using SPECView. The question is WHY? You see a lot of benchmarks done with SPECView, including both cards - one from the consumer series, and one from the professional series. But you rarely see a FireGL or Quadro card tested for their performance on games. (ET/ET-QW/D3/Q4)

Lack of time? NDA? Why not run the typical series of OpenGL games on Linux to see how those cards perform? Currently I'm using an NW8440 and an T61p, both with the mobile versions of an FireGL or Quadro. In general I'd say the card perform very well (sometimes better), but it's more subject to my own point of view.

I'd be also interested in how those card perform in an SLI/Crossfire configuration. Any chance to see such tests on Phoronix? ;-)

Cheers,

-1

I can do some gaming tests on the V8600 within a week or two, once Catalyst 8.5 is out there...

[Kano]

Crossfire is not possible with Linux, only SLI.

[Thetargos]

Too bad that for the time being CrossFire is not supported, however, it looks as if AMD is working on bringing multi GPU support to Linux... I may have misunderstood what I read, though.

[minuseins]

I can do some gaming tests on the V8600 within a week or two, once Catalyst 8.5 is out there...

Thank you very much. I appreciate it, and looking forward to it.

It's really unfortunate that CrossFire(X), or it's equivalent for the FireGL Series, is not supported within Linux. It looks like my new system will haven an nVidia card after all.

Cheers,

-1

[Melcar]

Too bad that for the time being CrossFire is not supported, however, it looks as if AMD is working on bringing multi GPU support to Linux... I may have misunderstood what I read, though.

I really hope so. They seem to be going towards the multi GPU configuration for their flagship cards (HD3870X2, HD4870X2), so it would be a real shame if they were not supported properly in Linux.

[joshuapurcell]

Great review... makes me want one of these cards.

[Kano]

ATI is even unable to add the X2 PCI-IDs to the driver - they would work at least in single gpu mode - but not even that did they do. So officially they are completely unsupported right now.