I’m about to build my first PC after using a laptop and I’m considering switching to Linux. I’m wondering which graphics card I should go for: AMD or NVIDIA? I’ve heard that NVIDIA can have driver issues on Linux—is that true? How do these cards perform in gaming on Linux compared to Windows? Do they have the same raw GPU power, or is there an advantage for one over the other? Also, what’s the deal with Intel’s GPUs? I saw their B580 card was a good option for the price, but how do their current generation GPUs stack up?
3 Answers
Welcome to the world of PC building! AMD graphics cards are fantastic on Linux; their drivers are open-source and included right in the kernel, so they just work without much hassle—aside from potential issues with the new 9000 series. NVIDIA’s there too; they work on Linux but can have a performance drop compared to Windows, and the closed-source drivers can be frustrating for some. As for Intel, they offer decent support as well since their drivers are open-source too, but they might still have some hiccups. I really like what Intel is doing with their Clear Linux distro, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag in terms of gaming performance.
Just a heads-up: If you’re hoping for FSR 4 support on Linux, you might need to wait a bit since it’s not available yet. AMD drivers typically benefit from being part of the kernel, but that can slow down support for newer features. On the flip side, NVIDIA is quick to release their drivers for features like DLSS on Linux, even if they aren’t open-source. So, it’s kind of a mixed bag, and you might want to do some benchmarks and research before deciding!
Thanks for the heads up; that’s good to know! I was not aware of that at all.
When it comes to NVIDIA vs AMD, I personally lean towards AMD. I’ve had an NVIDIA card without any major issues, but many folks report problems with NVIDIA on Linux. Generally, AMD’s drivers work better on Linux, while NVIDIA might have some setbacks. Plus, there’s a lot of anti-consumer sentiment surrounding NVIDIA lately, which makes AMD more appealing to many users.
Totally agree! If you want to avoid driving yourself crazy with driver updates and tinkering, AMD is the way to go. NVIDIA can be cool, especially with features like DLSS, but it’s a hassle for Linux users.
Honestly, NVIDIA doesn’t just kinda suck; they really do. They’re pretty anti-consumer unless you’re looking at their AI cards. It’s frustrating how they hoard VRAM for their mainline cards and then release tons for their AI models. But hey, thanks for sharing the info!
That’s interesting! What kind of issues are popping up with the 9000 series, though? I’m seriously thinking about AMD since I’m just tired of NVIDIA’s practices.