Steam Proton "Only for AMD users", Nvidia users are discriminated

[Yazloz]

If you have got an Nvidia GPU, you need to know that the new versions of Steam Proton "are only available for AMD GPUs".

I want to know what we need to expect. Do we need to wait a new Nvidia Driver to solve this situation, or we need a new Steam Proton version to support Nvidia GPUs?

Trying to play Cyberpunk, Flight Simulator or Red Dead Redemption 2 is frustrating. You will have a crash every 20 minutes or less.

Nvidia players will leave Linux if Steam Proton doesn't work on Nvidia GPUs.

My last Steam Proton version that works is 5.0.10, that was released a lot of months ago.

[Yazloz]

x_wing původně napsal:

Yazloz původně napsal:

"why Proton is not good for Nvidia?"
Try to use 5.13 with Nvidia 460.32.3 drivers on Cyberpunk and you will undestand why Proton is not for Nvidia users.

I understand that is not a Valve problem, the problem is on Nvidia, but the reality is that Proton doesn't work well with Nvidia GPUs on their last Proton versions.

I played well with 5.0.10 Proton Version, but with 5.13 I feel marginated, the problems increase and after wait 2 months, the situation is the same.

What do you want me to say? Do you want me to say that Proton works fine? Ok, but I don't think that this is the reality.

If you understand the one that is in fault is Nvidia, then you will agree that this topic title is completely misleading. So, I suggest you to go in to Nvidia forums and search for a thread where you can ask them to add support for the required features that Proton needs (you can get the details of the missing feature here: https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2020/12/cyberpunk-2077-working-on-linux-for-amd-gpus-proton)

Believe me, the problem you're facing is from a margination issue. Margination is when a dev only test their games with one GPU brand and then you the others GPU brand users have to wait for a workaround at driver level because the tested driver doesn't follow the specification of the graphic API (yeah, that's normally the problem that Mesa users have with native games only tested with Nvidia).

Hi,

Thanks for the info. When I wrote this post, I said this:
"I want to know what we need to expect. Do we need to wait a new Nvidia Driver to solve this situation, or we need a new Steam Proton version to support Nvidia GPUs?"
because I didn't know if the problem was in Steam Proton or in Nvidia Drivers.

Now, I know that the main problem is on Nvidia Drivers but there are additional problems. Deivi said that the problem is in Steam Runtime too. But it seems like a somewhat different problem.

After that info, the only way to fix that is to wait another Nvidia Driver.

Thank you, if the problem persists, I will think if change or not my current Nvidia GPU for an AMD GPU.

[Marlock]

About the Steam Runtimes issue... IMHO it seems likely that using game launch parameters can help choose the correct gpu for running vulkan... outside Steam Runtimes the solution would be this:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Vulkan#Selecting_vulkan_driver

In some cases multiple vulkan driver are installed (for example RADV and AMDVLK). You can choose your preferred driver by setting the environment variable VK_ICD_FILENAMES. Running steam with the radv driver is done by

VK_ICD_FILENAMES=/usr/share/vulkan/icd.d/radeon_icd.i686.json:/usr/share/vulkan/icd.d/radeon_icd.x86_64.json steam

To avoid crashes with 32bit games it is possible to assigning the 32bit variant and the 64Bit variant to the environment variable.

The paths may need to point to the correct vulkan libs inside the Steam Runtimes bundle, or your distro's libs... that will take some extra digging, but maybe this gets that issue fixed.


The other problem, with poor DX12 interpretation on Nvidia GPUs, can only be solved by waiting for updates to Nvidia drivers and Proton...

...or, depending on the game, by finding out what parameter can be passed to it so that it uses something else (DX9/10/11, Vulkan or OpenGL), which hopefully is better implemented. Some games have a fallback method, some don't, some do it automatically if the main method isn't detected as available, some need to be run with an explicit parameter.

There are proton parameters to disable DX10, disable DX11, use WineD3D instead of DXVK for DX9/10/11, disable multithreading optimizations like Esync / Fsync...
https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Proton/blob/proton_5.0/README.md#runtime-config-options

...but for now it seems it is not so easy for DX12... I have made a quick search and came up empty for how to disable it on Wine

ps: the reason I have some hope this may help, because most DX12 games still carry some alternative method, due to it not being available on Win7, and due to it being comparatively buggy and quirky as mentioned quite a few times by game devs.

[mr.raider2]

AbedsBrother původně napsal:

Yazloz původně napsal:

"There are many cases where Nvidiausers have a clear advantage"
What cases, DLSS ? Stability ?

Depends on the game. An Nvidia gpu frequently has an fps advantage in Linux, even if the Radeon card is even with the Nvidia gpu in Windows. The margin isn't usually large fwiw.

Yazloz původně napsal:

Have AMD GPUs got a lot of problems wiith MESA Drivers?

Mesa drivers work great for me (Manjaro KDE)

Yazloz původně napsal:

I haven't got an AMD GPU, I want to know if AMD GPU works better on LInux or if it has got a lot of stability problems and crashes.

I have a 5700XT. Performance is generally rock-solid. The main problem with Radeon on Linux is the lack of any decent GUI-based over-clocking / undervolting software. (If you don't mind using the console / terminal to overclock, then it's fine.)

Did you try radeon profile

https://github.com/marazmista/radeon-profile

[Marlock]

AbedsBrother původně napsal:

I have a 5700XT. Performance is generally rock-solid. The main problem with Radeon on Linux is the lack of any decent GUI-based over-clocking / undervolting software. (If you don't mind using the console / terminal to overclock, then it's fine.)

Here is a thread you'll like:

GUI tools for monitoring and managing clock/voltage/temp/fans on Linux
https://steamcommunity.com/app/221410/discussions/0/1777136225015918222/

[Anon_Ex_Machina]

For nVidia Users.
*
* Have you upgraded to nVidia-460-Driver?
* Do you install it properly?
*
* If not , then youll have to manually change the Vulkan Shader Cache Location and manually upgrade the Cache from 128mb to the new default of 1024mb!!
*
The README. at the bottom of the page on the link below is the Official nVidia Driver Installation Manual.
*
If you choose to read it and apply what is explained in the nVidia README.
You will have a MASSIVE! performance and functionality upgrade. MASSIVE!
*
* These MASSIVE!! upgrades require NO Overclocking...the option is there of course.
Example:
* If your System isnt PURE UEFI-BIOS with SecureBoot and CSM off permanantly you will have performance loss and instability.
*
* Is xHCI Handover setting correct? It causes issues.
*
* PCI Update and FWUPD need to be run every 6 months.
*lm-sensors and ACPI support installed and run.
* BUT Lm-sensors can interfere with Laptops especially ASUS.
*
* If CPU CPAT Support and 64Bit DMA Buffer Support isnt enabled you will have terrible performance.
*
* Have you set 64Bit Bars Addressing Support?
*
**** Your MAD 32Gig Gaming rig will only be using 4G!. at 32bit! Legacy ROM!!!
* The User has to allow the nvidia card to run upto Spec. Its all it the manual.
#
*Issues again if IOMMU is wrong. nVidia doesnt support SWIOTL.
* If the nVidia driver is symlinked to MESA?? Again another performance hit.
And theres so much more... Check out the nVidia README.
*
* Is VDPAU set to the nvidia recommended optimal value?
*
*More? Do you own a Geforce GTX and want an RTX?
In most cases they are the same chip. The RTX DRivers have more features enable.
* Just get Linux to read the GTX as an RTX.
As for Red Dead redemption II and Cyberpunk support for nVidia.???
They"re not supported by PROTON at all. That said plenty are playing hassle free.
* How? Theyve unlocked the nVidia Potential as per the Official nVidia Manual.
* The CyberPunk "VK_valve_Mutable...." issue for nVidia. Is an issue if you unlock the memory addressing and fix the buffer. The AMD RAv driver had a memory extention added ages ago. CD/Projekt used a specification that was supposed to be dropped is the issue.

And when your System is finally configured correctly and optimised. You may want to check this out... But its pointless if you dont fix everything else first.
*
keylase.nvidia-patch.github
Anyway... learn the README and spread the word.

[temps]

So MOST OF PROTON still works fine for NVIDIA users on Linux, right? It's just the latest most recent version of Proton that's causing problems for NVIDIA cards?

So if I want to go to Linux with my RTX 3070, I just use a slightly older version of Proton to play games and I should have no problems, right?

[NRG-R9T]

While this topic is very old, I often compare the AAA-titles I play on ProtonDB.com and I often see that AMD cards work more often and with less tweaks than Nvidia (RDR2, Forza Horizon 4, Horizon Zero Dawn etc.).

I might be biased by AMD`s open source driver approach or my favorite titles, so it`s just my personal reflection. But logically even Phoronix.com usually measures Radeon RX cards better performing overall in raw FPS than GeForce`s counterparts compared to benchmarks in windows.

Also, Drivers get constantly improved and features added in amdgpu and the open source project mesa, so you could still use your card well even in years after AMD/Nvidia drop driver support. Nvidia drops it earliy: see Kepler. The open source driver of Nvidia Nouveau is much less developed compared to Mesa - so when Nvida drops the driver support, you have to stay on old drivers and old kernels too. While with AMD or Intel, you still can use the latest drivers for any old Hardware as long as the community claims it important enough to keep.

the linux train does not stop for passengers (probably fare dodgers) like nvidia.

[Der tüddelige Fußgänger]

As Linux Torvalds said himself

♥♥♥♥ you Nvidia

Thanks god i bought an AMD card

[temps]

It kinda makes sense that Valve would prioritize work on solving AMD GPU issues with Proton because:
1) most Linux users in general use AMD GPUs...
2) The Steam Deck runs on AMD , not NVIDIA

You can call it "discrimination" if they want, but Valve has no obligation to devote equal development resources to the NVIDIA experience on Proton as they do to the AMD experience on Proton.

[jason]

Topic is old and was nonsense from the start. Proton works fine with Nvidia. There may be a few cases where a game runs better or worse if at all on one or the other, but that is nothing new and not exclusive to Proton or even Linux in general.

[Der tüddelige Fußgänger]

temps původně napsal:

It kinda makes sense that Valve would prioritize work on solving AMD GPU issues with Proton because:
1) most Linux users in general use AMD GPUs...
2) The Steam Deck runs on AMD , not NVIDIA

You can call it "discrimination" if they want, but Valve has no obligation to devote equal development resources to the NVIDIA experience on Proton as they do to the AMD experience on Proton.

And everyone who seriously wants to get into linux or is already using Linux here and there probably also buys amd cards because, at least i hope, it's common knowledge that the mesa drivers are more solid that a rock.

You could delete the entire kernel and the mesa drivers would still be up and running

[Marlock]

to be fair there are still a couple things the Nvidia driver is better at... but that list is getting very short very fast, and the list of things that are similar or better on the opensource amd driver is getting bigger and bigger

[KrazyOne]

Nvidia side of things result of lack there of Vulkan Support on older model GPUs. As result OpenGL is used in most case which can in some cases be a bad performance experience.

[temps]

Felix původně napsal:

temps původně napsal:

It kinda makes sense that Valve would prioritize work on solving AMD GPU issues with Proton because:
1) most Linux users in general use AMD GPUs...
2) The Steam Deck runs on AMD , not NVIDIA

You can call it "discrimination" if they want, but Valve has no obligation to devote equal development resources to the NVIDIA experience on Proton as they do to the AMD experience on Proton.

And everyone who seriously wants to get into linux or is already using Linux here and there probably also buys amd cards because, at least i hope, it's common knowledge that the mesa drivers are more solid that a rock.

You could delete the entire kernel and the mesa drivers would still be up and running

The unfortunate thing is there are people like me who are late to the Linux party. Did not know I wanted to go to Linux until after I bought my RTX card.

[Zyro]

temps původně napsal:

The unfortunate thing is there are people like me who are late to the Linux party. Did not know I wanted to go to Linux until after I bought my RTX card.

I bought an Nvidia card when I was already on Linux only. All fine with it in my book.