The officially official Devuan Forum!

chomwitt

Member

Registered: 2019-09-24

Posts: 142  

Nouveua vs Nvidia benchmarks on GM206

context : devuan packages / nvidia-driver @
               devuan wiki / nvidia gpus @
               devuan forum / Installation > How to install nvidia drivers in daedalus? @
               debian wiki / NvidiaGraphicsDrivers @
               wikipedia / List of Nvidia graphics processing units @
               nouveau / codenames @
               debian package tracker / glmark2 @

After installing nvidia driver in Daedalus i took the chance to perform a couple of benchmarks
to see how libre nouveau performs relative to propriatery nvidia gpu drivers.

I use two benchmarks : glmark2 and unigine's Valley 2013 .(Superposition 2017 wasnt executing with nouveau)

$ inxi -G
Graphics:  Device-1: NVIDIA GM206 [GeForce GTX 960]

Unigine Valley Benchmark 1.0

System
Platform:     Linux 6.1.0-33-amd64 x86_64
CPU model:     Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4790 CPU @ 3.60GHz (3597MHz) x8
GPU model:     NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 PCI Express 535.216.01 (4096MB) x1
Settings
Render:     OpenGL
Mode:     1440x900 fullscreen
Preset     Custom
Quality     High'

FPS:     99.8
Score:     4176
Min FPS:     43.3
Max FPS: 167.8

FPS:     10.8
Score:     452
Min FPS:     7.5
Max FPS:     16.5

glmark2 Score: 842
glmark2 Score: 17719

Something else that i would like to benchmark is the time it takes dekstop process to open their window.
It seem to me in nouveau the window took more time to appear.

ps : I align here with a mainstream mentality that focus on certain aspects of a software use. But from another
libre distro community perspective thinking in terms of community workflow integration , security , not to mention
of course the ability to study and alter the code the nouveau would be a better choice. Of course i cant help to
wonder why some libre projects like X server , nouveau seem so sterile in terms of forks in contrast with other
areas like window management. I would make a first guess that the more closer you get to the hardware the
less flexible a programmers becomes.

Last edited by chomwitt (2025-04-21 15:09:48)

---

Devuan(Chimaera)(Daedalus)  DS+WM: XorgX11server+StumpVM

Altoid

Member

Registered: 2017-05-07

Posts: 1,683  

Re: Nouveua vs Nvidia benchmarks on GM206

Hello:

... benchmarks to see how libre nouveau performs relative to propriatery nvidia ...

As you have seen, the difference in perfomance is huge.

And there is basically one main motive for this being so.

Best,

A.

Last edited by Altoid (2025-04-21 17:17:28)