Intel GMA 4-Series Support On Linux

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Intel GMA 4-Series Support On Linux

Committed this afternoon to the xf86-video-intel driver development branch at FreeDesktop.org is support for Intel's GMA 4-Series Chipsets. The 4-Series IGPs (namely the Intel X4500) are brand new and is designed to be three times faster than the current Intel GMA X3100...

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

[ethana2]

If that gets rolled out quick enough I don't have to give nvidia my money for that much power with the laptop I'm thinking of getting!

Hurry intel! Your drivers are absolutely amazing, but I need more than the X3100...

[Louise]

With all the work there is being done on 3D these days, it is hard to keep track of what hardware is 3D accelerated out-of-the-box when you install a new version of your favorite distribution.

Would it be possible to develop a small Gnome/KDE applet that tells the user if you have 3D acceleration?

And if, where should I submit such an idea?

[Zhick]

Originally Posted by Louise

With all the work there is being done on 3D these days, it is hard to keep track of what hardware is 3D accelerated out-of-the-box when you install a new version of your favorite distribution.

Would it be possible to develop a small Gnome/KDE applet that tells the user if you have 3D acceleration?

And if, where should I submit such an idea?

What's so hard about running 'glxgears'?

[Louise]

Originally Posted by Zhick

What's so hard about running 'glxgears'?

Nothing, but it would just be much more "professional" if Gnome/KDE or firstboot told weather 3D acceleration was available or not.

I think it would be a really nice feature

[JulFX]

i realy hope that this X4500 Chipsets will be the first that support vaapi. According to the specs, it can do a very god job for offloading the cpu and improve the quality of vc1 and h264/avc streams.

[Huenengrab]

Originally Posted by Louise

Nothing, but it would just be much more "professional" if Gnome/KDE or firstboot told weather 3D acceleration was available or not.

I think it would be a really nice feature

It'll seem a bit weird, if your distribution needs to tell you, that you're capable of using accelerated 3D, as if it was a miracle.

A better option would be to include a simple "glxinfo | grep "direct rendering"" and display "Direct Rendering: Yes|No" in the system monitor of GNOME/KDE.

[Louise]

Originally Posted by Huenengrab

It'll seem a bit weird, if your distribution needs to tell you, that you're capable of using accelerated 3D, as if it was a miracle.

A better option would be to include a simple "glxinfo | grep "direct rendering"" and display "Direct Rendering: Yes|No" in the system monitor of GNOME/KDE.

That was exactly what I was looking for =)

Upon the first boot something should do your command, and tell the user that you have 2D and 3D acceleration or that you need to download third party drivers to get 2D and 3D acceleration.

[Panix]

What does '3 times faster' than the Intel X3100 chips mean? What level would that be?

I'm asking because I'm wondering if I should hold off buying a laptop and wait for this new generation Montevina and the Intel X4500 graphics. I have just discovered that Nvidia has a major heating problem with their chips (namely, 8400M and 8600M) which is offered in Dell XPS and many HP systems. Those are two laptop companies I was looking into and if the Nvidia video chips in there are problems, I need to look at either Intel X3100 or video chips with ATI in them.

Should I wait? How much will the new generation of laptops cost? If I wait a month, will there be a new type of thin/light laptop similar to the Dell XPS M1330 but with the Centrino 2 Montevina cpu and X4500 graphics?

[ethana2]

If it's feasible for you, I'd definitely recommend going with intel or amd for your next gpu, due to the whole FOSS drivers/specs thing for one, and yes-- I have had problems with my geforce 8400m gs. I applied a bios update, and it's been stable since, but I haven't stress tested it yet-- I should do that soon. Good old nexuiz

Also, If I recall correctly, the X4500 is /already/ brilliantly supported under Ubuntu Intrepid and such.
I hope centrino 2 isn't expensive just because it's new, I'd certainly go with it-- intel is amazing with all their drivers, none of this broadcom wireless or creative sound garbage.