Proton games run hot on amdgpu [Radeon R9 290X] - tips?

[Cray]

Several titles run significantly hotter (94C) than they did on windows. I expect a certain performance drop, but not to this extent. Wondering if there's a setting or tweak I've missed, all tips welcome.

This goes for many titles, like Generation Zero, Witcher 2 and 3, Skyrim AE, Dying Light, etc. The games perform well, but it feels like the GPU is facing max load at all times, temps reaching ceiling even with all fans on max rpm. Doesn't go for all titles, but typical "console port" directx games all seem to do this.

Tried with various kernels, TKG, stock and liqorice, running with multiple proton versions from 3 to 9, experimental, and GE. All the same for all games.

The only thing I haven't tried yet is changing the gpu driver version, which I'm leaving as a last resort because it's a hassle and a half given AMD's lacking debian support, and my experience with non-repo driver installs over the years has been less than pleasant.

So I'm wondering if there's a setting, kernel parameter, env var, or something I should be using that I missed. I know that years ago, Radeon R9 290X and other hawaii cards had suboptimal linux drivers, but I thought this was fixed.

Or perhaps it's a matter of kernel and driver version, and someone else using this gpu series can confirm it helps to upgrade?


Typical launch environment:

WINEFSYNC=1 RADV_PERFTEST=gpl DXVK_FRAME_RATE=60 gamemoderun %command%

- Compositing suspended during play.
- Single monitor @ 60Hz
- True fullscreen enabled for all games.
- No heavy background processes.

GPU: AMD Radeon R9 290X
CPU: intel i5-2500 3.3Ghz quad
VRAM: 4GB
SYSRAM: 16GB + 16GB swap
Xorg
driver: amdgpu 23.0.0-1
kernel: 6.8.* tkg
OS: Devuan Daedalus (ie. basically debian 12/bookworm)
Desktop: KDE
Vulkan 1.3.211
Mesa 22.3.6

relevant kernel parameters:

radeon.cik_support=0 amdgpu.cik_support=1
radeon.si_support=0 amdgpu.si_support=1

[Thiesen]

Dusty fan??? Airflow inside the chassis?

[Cray]

Originally posted by Thiesen:

Dusty fan??? Airflow inside the chassis?

Unfortunately doesn't seem like it. Gave the whole thing a thorough blast with a compressor through and through, even tactically opened a few extra chassis ports to maximize the flow, but it's still coming down to severe loads apparently.

[Kepos]

Checking GPU and CPU temp ongoing with my sensor monitor right in my panel.
Had some similar issues with my RX 6800 XT Taichi under heavy weight in first place, but found out, that it profits from additional case ventilation directly blowing on my GPU from the side.
Result was arround 15-20 degrees less and never again reached 90° again. Sometimes it is the low air flow in your computer case, eventually if it's an older model. Just an idea.

[Ratconned]

is it specific to amd? Star wars battlefront 2004 does the same for me with nvidia so I just stopped playing it for now.

[Cray]

Originally posted by Ratconned:

is it specific to amd? Star wars battlefront 2004 does the same for me with nvidia so I juat stopped playing it for now.

Probably not amd specific, I just listed the GPU in title in case it's especially noticable with these older GPUs. Vulkan support on these is technically experimental, so could be something with the older cards and amdgpu.

[Cray]

Originally posted by Kepos:

Checking GPU and CPU temp ongoing with my sensor monitor right in my panel.
Had some similar issues with my RX 6800 XT Taichi under heavy weight in first place, but found out, that it profits from additional case ventilation directly blowing on my GPU from the side.
Result was arround 15-20 degrees less and never again reached 90° again. Sometimes it is the low air flow in your computer case, eventually if it's an older model. Just an idea.

I did manage to dislodge a dust bunny that'd found its way into the gpu fins, that helped a few degrees on some games. Running the case fans on full blast also helps, and the side panel fan right next to the GPU seems to drop a degree all on its own. These didn't keep the heavy contenders from reaching 94C however.

Noticed that in all the hot runners, GPU utilization is almost constantly at 100%, even though the graphics displayed aren't particularly complex per se.

A seemingly recurring theme is lighting - in Dead Island and Skyrim AE it appears to run very hot when there's light rays in the FOV. Eg. in Dead Island, walking out of a room where the sun is shining through the window blinds drops the GPU usage massively and temps go way down.

[r.linder]

A significant difference in operating temperatures for the same games but on a different operating system can easily be chalked down to something to do with the OS, kernel, drivers, etc. and basically anything that is present in the system as is but not in Windows, quickest way to tell is to try running a completely different distro to see if anything changes

There's only so much you can do though, the 290X is over 11 years old at this point and runs hot due to it being capable of drawing over 300 watts, the RX 570 offers roughly the same or more performance but draws up to half as much power depending on the model, and the RX 6600 draws as little as a third of the power of the 290X but offers over double the performance, so regardless I would consider a GPU upgrade and retiring that old beast for another purpose, you can get used RX 570s for 50 bucks (US$) or less, and you can usually find 6600s for 100 or less

If you can't afford to change the hardware then your only option is to try different things with drivers, kernel, another OS, etc. and if you use everything the same (drivers, kernel) but use a different distro and don't get the issues then it's likely something with the specific distro you're running that's the problem

[Kepos]

Originally posted by r.linder:

A significant difference in operating temperatures for the same games but on a different operating system can easily be chalked down to something to do with the OS, kernel, drivers, etc. and basically anything that is present in the system as is but not in Windows, quickest way to tell is to try running a completely different distro to see if anything changes

Very good conclusion. Running some kernel enhancements on Garuda Linux, what might be the source for faster switching time and therefore higher temperature values on the outcome. Drivers are curated from the distributor as it is structured on any Arch based distribution. Lately installing some extra vents solved it for my computer case.

[r.linder]

Originally posted by Kepos:

Originally posted by r.linder:

A significant difference in operating temperatures for the same games but on a different operating system can easily be chalked down to something to do with the OS, kernel, drivers, etc. and basically anything that is present in the system as is but not in Windows, quickest way to tell is to try running a completely different distro to see if anything changes

Very good conclusion. Running some kernel enhancements on Garuda Linux, what might be the source for faster switching time and therefore higher temperature values on the outcome. Drivers are curated from the distributor as it is structured on any Arch based distribution. Lately installing some extra vents solved it for my computer case.

I daily drive CachyOS, with all of the optimizations in the OS and kernel, it's easy to see how it can bring higher temperatures because the hardware isn't behind held back as much by software. Thankfully my case ventilation and cooler is enough.