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Nvidia hardware "just works" for a lot of ARM-based systems. ARM has been a big priority for Nvidia since the start, and their Linux drivers are plug-and-play o

Nvidia hardware "just works" for a lot of ARM-based systems. ARM has been a big priority for Nvidia since the start, and their Linux drivers are plug-and-play on multiple arches and OSes. Prior to that, their hardware was in PDAs and laptops from pre-2010 using Nvidia-designed ARM SOCs. What else would you really put in one of these systems? Intel's cards are very fresh and probably won't focus on ARM for quite some time. AMD's hardware and user sentiment is great, but their drivers are flaky enough already on x86. > Steam Deck needs to do neither as its 720p. So was the Nintendo Switch, and it sold like gangbusters.

geerlingguy 3y ago
Yeah, sadly AMD seems to not be making much investment into the Arm ecosystem, whereas Nvidia's proprietary drivers have been built for and tested on multiple Arm systems (likely due to Nvidia building their own Arm silicon for years now). There aren't many changes required to get some amount of AMD GPU support going in Linux on modern Arm systems, but I'd still consider support 'experimental' there.
- Fnoord 3y ago
  I was about to comment this fellow Jeff Geerling ran these PCIe GPUs on RPis but then I figured you're that fellow. I think there's also some ARM Mac machines running on AMD GPUs. Though default models use Apple's stuff. Btw, very interesting comments my comment sparked, thanks!
  - smoldesu 3y ago
    > I think there's also some ARM Mac machines running on AMD GPUs. I don't believe any non-Intel Macs, including the new Mac Pro, support external GPUs: https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/06/05/apple-silicon-mac-pro-does-not-support-pci-e-radeon-video-cards https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/06/05/apple-silicon-mac...
    - Fnoord 3y ago
      With macOS? Mac Pro I don't know, but its actually the Intel Macs which eGPU which are supported (with older macOS versions) and not Apple Silicon Macs [1] [1] https://egpu.io/forums/mac-setup/definitive-macos-thunderbolt-egfx-compatibility-registry-faq/ https://egpu.io/forums/mac-setup/definitive-macos-thunderbol...
BHSPitMonkey 3y ago
Nintendo has always been able to overcome computational power constraints by focusing on game design (both through leading the industry with their first-party work and by fostering a third-party ecosystem where those qualities are also valued). For Valve, the main asset is the PC gaming ecosystem; Being able to run popular titles from that arena is table stakes.
- smoldesu 3y ago
  The reason I made the comparison is because the parent said Nvidia GPUs are "only better bang for buck for AI/ML [...] and for 4k." The existence of a popular, cheap, high-performance 720p console SOC manufactured by Nvidia sorta proves otherwise. Nintendo's capability of turning shit (PowerPC) into relative gold (GC/Wii/WiiU) is impressive, but besides the point.

geerlingguy 3y ago

Yeah, sadly AMD seems to not be making much investment into the Arm ecosystem, whereas Nvidia's proprietary drivers have been built for and tested on multiple Arm systems (likely due to Nvidia building their own Arm silicon for years now). There aren't many changes required to get some amount of AMD GPU support going in Linux on modern Arm systems, but I'd still consider support 'experimental' there.

Fnoord 3y ago
I was about to comment this fellow Jeff Geerling ran these PCIe GPUs on RPis but then I figured you're that fellow. I think there's also some ARM Mac machines running on AMD GPUs. Though default models use Apple's stuff. Btw, very interesting comments my comment sparked, thanks!
- smoldesu 3y ago
  > I think there's also some ARM Mac machines running on AMD GPUs. I don't believe any non-Intel Macs, including the new Mac Pro, support external GPUs: https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/06/05/apple-silicon-mac-pro-does-not-support-pci-e-radeon-video-cards https://appleinsider.com/articles/23/06/05/apple-silicon-mac...
  - Fnoord 3y ago
    With macOS? Mac Pro I don't know, but its actually the Intel Macs which eGPU which are supported (with older macOS versions) and not Apple Silicon Macs [1] [1] https://egpu.io/forums/mac-setup/definitive-macos-thunderbolt-egfx-compatibility-registry-faq/ https://egpu.io/forums/mac-setup/definitive-macos-thunderbol...

BHSPitMonkey 3y ago

Nintendo has always been able to overcome computational power constraints by focusing on game design (both through leading the industry with their first-party work and by fostering a third-party ecosystem where those qualities are also valued). For Valve, the main asset is the PC gaming ecosystem; Being able to run popular titles from that arena is table stakes.

smoldesu 3y ago
The reason I made the comparison is because the parent said Nvidia GPUs are "only better bang for buck for AI/ML [...] and for 4k." The existence of a popular, cheap, high-performance 720p console SOC manufactured by Nvidia sorta proves otherwise. Nintendo's capability of turning shit (PowerPC) into relative gold (GC/Wii/WiiU) is impressive, but besides the point.