I have a Dell XPS 15 9500 which has hybrid intel and nvidia graphics. Do I pick the Standard or Nvidia install when the ISO boots up?
Most likely either will work.
I would pick nvidia.
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So I chose the Nvidia at ISO boot and it installed okay.
I need to find out more about how you switch between the different modes. Below is what I see in inxi for graphics:
Graphics:
Device-1: Intel CometLake-H GT2 [UHD Graphics] driver: i915 v: kernel
Device-2: NVIDIA TU117M [GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Mobile] driver: nvidia
v: 545.29.06
Device-3: Realtek Integrated_Webcam_HD driver: uvcvideo type: USB
Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.9 driver: X: loaded: modesetting,nvidia
dri: iris gpu: i915 resolution: 1920x1200~60Hz
API: EGL v: 1.5 drivers: iris,nvidia,swrast
platforms: gbm,x11,surfaceless,device
API: OpenGL v: 4.6.0 compat-v: 4.5 vendor: intel mesa v: 23.2.1-arch1.2
renderer: Mesa Intel UHD Graphics (CML GT2)
API: Vulkan v: 1.3.269 drivers: nvidia surfaces: xcb,xlib
You can use the command prime-run
So, for example, prime-run konsole would use the nvidia card to render the terminal. Perhaps not the best example but you get the idea.
What I find is that nvidia-settings when installed allows changing from Adaptive to a performance mode or leave in auto. This is similar to what Linux Mint 21.2 has but while both EOS and LM only do this in X11 and not Wayland, LM makes it easier to use. For example, I can use the program menu and right click on a video game and select run with Nvidia GFX. That will improve 3D gfx over the default Intel GFX.
There are a bunch of GUI tools available as well.
They all have limitations and downsides though. There are envy control front-ends for both Gnome and KDE for example. There is optimus-manager and optimus-manager-qt which are X11 only.
At the end of the day, Linux support for hybrid graphics just isn’t very good across the board so there will always be trade-off.
This is mostly an academic exercise anyway. I don’t really do any gaming on any PC that would require Nvidia level of performance. The PC came with Hybrid graphic and that I guess is okay on Windows 11, but I don’t use that except for 1 hour a year to run TurboTax to prepare my taxes. If I could find Linux way to do that, then I’d format that W11 SSD.
You could use a Windows VM for that instead of having to dual-boot. Tax preparation shouldn’t be very resource intensive so a VM should work well.
Wouldn’t I need a Windows 11 license to create the VM where I was going to run TurboTax? I haven’t dealt with Windows VM since XP days.
Windows will run without a key with some minor inconveniences. Things like not being able to customize certain elements of the taskbar. In a VM for limited use I don’t think those things would be a major issue.
Just a quick note: as far as I know, this option only allows you to select power mode for the Nvidia GPU, and has nothing to do with Optimus technology (i.e. switching graphics).
I think you are correct on that. I would need a lot more playing to get this working correctly on EOS. I did figure out that on LM21.2 and LMDE 6 when you install nvidia-driver you get the ability to launch from the program menu by right clicking the program and select use Dedicated GPU. I tested that on a couple of programs I use that have a way to display what GFX it’s using and when I launch normal they show the Intel GFX, but launching with the dedicated GPU show Nvidia gfx.
Of course on a 10th Gen Core i7 all you notice between Intel and Nvidia on these programs is the fan speeding up and the battery going down on Nvidia
Thanks you for this information. It took me awhile, but I finally got W11 running on a VM under KVM/qmeu with libvirt-manager. I could not connect it to my LAN, which is one of the limitations I’m guessing, but I used Google drive to copy over my last year’s tax information and the .exe of my tax software and it all work.
Thanks again, I’m one step closer to pulling the original NVME SSD that has Windows on it and storing it as a keepsake.
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