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>So what is the bare minimum? To use the GPU, I need a graphics API. Vulkan is the one that is most widely supported so that is a natural choice Vulkan can't p

by suby 5y ago

>So what is the bare minimum? To use the GPU, I need a graphics API. Vulkan is the one that is most widely supported so that is a natural choice Vulkan can't possibly be the most widely supported graphics API can it? I have to imagine that targeting older hardware is better with OpenGL because it's been around forever, but I don't actually know and a quick google search doesn't turn up much.

AussieWog93 5y ago
You're right. I did some graphics work in my last job. OpenGL2 is supported by just about every device made in the last 15 years, on every major operating system, including software OpenGL in VMs. Vulkan is not officially supported on OSX (although there is an unofficial port that is quite good, from what I understand) and only runs on modern hardware.
- badsectoracula 5y ago
  And by "modern" we really mean released the last few years. For example it doesn't run on my 2013 laptop (has a 660M GPU, Nvidia supports Vulkan only from 7xx series) or my (late) 2016 GPD Win (technically there is Vulkan 1.0 support under Linux but not under Windows and AFAIK even the Linux driver has issues).
- ninepoints 5y ago
  > Vulkan is not officially supported on OSX And neither is OpenGL
  - Wowfunhappy 5y ago
    Deprecated, not unsupported. And, like, Apple ported OpenGL to Apple Silicon macs. I suspect it's going to stick around, it's just never, ever going to get updated.
    - ninepoints 5y ago
      You're kidding. The OpenGL implementation/support of Mac is pretty nonexistent/poor.
      - Wowfunhappy 5y ago
        It’s OpenGL 3.3. It works as well as OpenGL 3.3 does anywhere else. It’s an old version, but it certainly exists, and it’s what many/most Mac games still use because it’s cross platform.
- bsder 5y ago
  The MoltenVK guys originally got their start creating a commercial offering of OpenGL on top of Metal so that you could skip the Apple OpenGL system. Yeah, that's how crap Apple support for OpenGL is.
pjmlp 5y ago
It isn't, it is also not available on game consoles (Swift supports it, but also has GL 4.6 and NVN), or any Android device lower than 10. Even with 10 or later, if not using Google or Samsung flagship devices, you will bump into driver issues.
nly 5y ago
There are lots of Windows machines around with subpar or buggy OpenGL implementations. I used to develop a Qt/QML app for Windows it was impractical to leave hardware acceleration enabled. In then end, using Mesa/llvmpipe everywhere was just more reliable.

by suby 5y ago

AussieWog93 5y ago

You're right. I did some graphics work in my last job. OpenGL2 is supported by just about every device made in the last 15 years, on every major operating system, including software OpenGL in VMs. Vulkan is not officially supported on OSX (although there is an unofficial port that is quite good, from what I understand) and only runs on modern hardware.

badsectoracula 5y ago
And by "modern" we really mean released the last few years. For example it doesn't run on my 2013 laptop (has a 660M GPU, Nvidia supports Vulkan only from 7xx series) or my (late) 2016 GPD Win (technically there is Vulkan 1.0 support under Linux but not under Windows and AFAIK even the Linux driver has issues).
ninepoints 5y ago
> Vulkan is not officially supported on OSX And neither is OpenGL
- Wowfunhappy 5y ago
  Deprecated, not unsupported. And, like, Apple ported OpenGL to Apple Silicon macs. I suspect it's going to stick around, it's just never, ever going to get updated.
  - ninepoints 5y ago
    You're kidding. The OpenGL implementation/support of Mac is pretty nonexistent/poor.
    - Wowfunhappy 5y ago
      It’s OpenGL 3.3. It works as well as OpenGL 3.3 does anywhere else. It’s an old version, but it certainly exists, and it’s what many/most Mac games still use because it’s cross platform.
bsder 5y ago
The MoltenVK guys originally got their start creating a commercial offering of OpenGL on top of Metal so that you could skip the Apple OpenGL system. Yeah, that's how crap Apple support for OpenGL is.

pjmlp 5y ago

It isn't, it is also not available on game consoles (Swift supports it, but also has GL 4.6 and NVN), or any Android device lower than 10. Even with 10 or later, if not using Google or Samsung flagship devices, you will bump into driver issues.

nly 5y ago

There are lots of Windows machines around with subpar or buggy OpenGL implementations. I used to develop a Qt/QML app for Windows it was impractical to leave hardware acceleration enabled. In then end, using Mesa/llvmpipe everywhere was just more reliable.