ati linux drivers any good?

[xSauronx]

the ati drivers have had enough problems in windows, but has anyone here used them in linux? ill probably be getting an ati card for xmas but dual boot XP/linux on my rig and was just curious as to how good they were

 

[xcript]

They still leave rather alot to be desired performance wise, but they work (installation is simple, they're relatively stable, etc).

There was a request over at Rage3D for linux driver beta testers recently which is certainly a good sign.

NVidia's linux drivers are currently still /far/ more developed though (it wouldn't surprise me if a Ti4200 outperformed an R9800 under linux ATM).

Oh well, hopefully we'll be seeing some more progress soon.

 

[StuckMojo]

heh...same thought was on my mind, after looking at the HL2 numbers.

i run linux exclusively now, but i'll by tossing XP on a spare drive to play HL2. prolly gonna buy a new card too, cus my gf3 ti-200 ain't gonna cut it i don't think. however, i won't be going back to windows, so if i get an ATI, it damn well better work in linux, and good too.

the nvidia linux drivers are great. so good in fact that i probably won't chance an ATI, even if HL2 runs slow.

 

[rjain]

xcript: which drivers are you talking about? ATI's or the DRI project's?

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: StuckMojo

the nvidia linux drivers are great. so good in fact that i probably won't chance an ATI, even if HL2 runs slow.

i dunno

im starting to use linux more and more, but i want hl2 and i want it to play properly. i think ill more likely get something like a 9600 pro and do most of my gaming in windows and use linux for most else. if hl2 leaves me time for much else....

 

[xcript]

Originally posted by: rjain
xcript: which drivers are you talking about? ATI's or the DRI project's?

ATI's. I found the performance reasonable under the DRM, but without the S3 texture compression extensions.. yeah, not particularly useful unfortunately.

Unless all you're going to be playing is TuxRacer and Armagetron.

 

[civad]

I dont know about the newer cards/drivers, but I can tell you from my experience that the newest cards are not supported by Linux (i.e there is no suitable driver @ XFree86). It might be worthwhile to do a little research before buying a card.
Moreover, if you are planning to buy a card around XMas, then you have no problem. Today's top-of-the-line cards will already be oudated

 

[xcript]

Originally posted by: civad
I dont know about the newer cards/drivers, but I can tell you from my experience that the newest cards are not supported by Linux (i.e there is no suitable driver @ XFree86).

Actually, they are generally supported fairly quickly due to ATI having to support the FireGL variants of newer cards. It is then (from my understanding) a simple matter for ATI to add support for the consumer boards.

Click Me

 

[civad]

Sigh!
Half-sleepy statement from me... should've added that my 'experience' was from events that ocurred 2-3 yrs. ago

Edit: Just spent a while reading about ATI and Linux. Great to know that ATI actually recognizes that Linux exists