Performance comparison Linux vs. Windows

[basbas_k]

Hello all,

Can anyone compare the performance between the two platfroms? I'm on an AMD RX6600 + Ryzen 5700g and performance isn't so great. Benchmark is average 23ms/frame with Ultra settings, QHD, 4x MSAA. I was wondering if this would be similar in Windows.

I looked into the Linux mega thread over here but too difficult to find information within those 257 pages. So asking this separately..

[grognardgary]

There exist a linux page because you need to do a lot of tweaking to get it to work on Linux at all and the same used to be true of the new multicore computers regardless of OS but that may have been fixed in the new leaders DLC that came out early this year.

[Copernicus]

Actually, the world of Linux gaming has changed a lot in the last three or four years. The "Wine" mechanism that has been around for decades, used to run Windows software on Linux, has grown so stable and performant by now that there is literally no difference at all running most games between the two systems.

Valve, with the help of Codeweavers, has adapted their own version of Wine into the Steam subsystem called "Proton", which is bundled into each and every copy of Steam on Linux. Proton itself has come a long way, and many (if not most!) Windows games now work on it.

Long story short: if you set Civilization VI to use Proton, it just works. No tweaking. No messing around. If it works on your machine under Windows, it will work on your machine under Linux.

Now, if you're having performance problems with the game under Windows, you'll experience those exact same performance problems under Linux. There isn't much that can be done in software if the game doesn't like your hardware. :)

[Copernicus]

Originally posted by basbas_k:

I'm on an AMD RX6600 + Ryzen 5700g and performance isn't so great. Benchmark is average 23ms/frame with Ultra settings, QHD, 4x MSAA.

Ah, hang on. Those speeds sound about right if you are using the integrated Zen GPU onboard the 5700g, not the RX6600.

Can I ask what port your monitor is currently plugged into? Is it plugged directly into the RX6600 card, or one of the motherboard video ports?

[basbas_k]

Definitely to the RX6600. I believe the onboard chip is even disabled in BIOS.

[Copernicus]

Originally posted by basbas_k:

Definitely to the RX6600. I believe the onboard chip is even disabled in BIOS.

Very good. Ok, so my next question would be drivers / OS related -- are your drivers up to date? And what Linux distribution are you using? (The popular ones like Ubuntu and Fedora should have no problems, but some of the more eclectic distributions can make odd graphical choices.) (Also, are you running under Wayland or X? It shouldn't make a difference these days, but might be something to test.)

Also, what resolution are you using? Most GPUs can really fly with Civ VI at 1080p (my old GTX 1650 certainly does), and even if you're going 4K the RX6600 should be giving you better performance (at least 60 FPS). You might test out a lower resolution to see if you get a more appropriate speed (RX6600 should be well over 100 FPS at 1080p, probably closer to 150). Unusually slow speeds at higher resolution might indicate that there's a memory or bandwidth issue somewhere.

[Mosey]

On my lightweight Linux machine (integrated graphics on CPU) I get a solid 60fps on medium visual settings until late game. Beware of the native Linux version, it isn't stable and tends to crash to desktop. Instead, be sure to enable Proton in the Compatibility window before launch to run the windows executable. I estimate 30+% better fps on Linux over Windows. (dual-boot on same machine)

[basbas_k]

Originally posted by Copernicus:

Originally posted by basbas_k:

Definitely to the RX6600. I believe the onboard chip is even disabled in BIOS.

Very good. Ok, so my next question would be drivers / OS related -- are your drivers up to date? And what Linux distribution are you using? (The popular ones like Ubuntu and Fedora should have no problems, but some of the more eclectic distributions can make odd graphical choices.) (Also, are you running under Wayland or X? It shouldn't make a difference these days, but might be something to test.)

Also, what resolution are you using? Most GPUs can really fly with Civ VI at 1080p (my old GTX 1650 certainly does), and even if you're going 4K the RX6600 should be giving you better performance (at least 60 FPS). You might test out a lower resolution to see if you get a more appropriate speed (RX6600 should be well over 100 FPS at 1080p, probably closer to 150). Unusually slow speeds at higher resolution might indicate that there's a memory or bandwidth issue somewhere.

Thanks for the feedback. I wasn't aware RX6600 should manage 60fps even in 4K.

I run Ubuntu 22.04 in completely stock format and everything up-to-date. I don't tweak things, if it doesn't work I play another game. Monitor resolution is QHD.

I keep memory settings at Ultra. I found out that per performance settings I get these benchmark results,
- Medium = 17ms
- High = 22.5ms
- Ultra = 23ms

So keeping things at medium, I can play just fine and smooth. But maybe there is a bottleneck above medium. Anyway, I conclude that this Linux port doesn't run well. I'll take Mosey's advice and check if the Windows version with Proton runs better.

[basbas_k]

Wow, running with Proton made it 100% faster.

Same conditions with above,
- Medium = 7.7ms
- Ultra = 11.7ms

[Copernicus]

Originally posted by basbas_k:

Thanks for the feedback. I wasn't aware RX6600 should manage 60fps even in 4K.

Yes, even using Ubuntu you should be able to achieve that.

Originally posted by basbas_k:

I run Ubuntu 22.04 in completely stock format and everything up-to-date. I don't tweak things, if it doesn't work I play another game. Monitor resolution is QHD.

Try dropping down to 1080p (or even 720p), and take a look at the results. If there is an enormous improvement, then you've got a bandwidth problem somewhere in your system.

Originally posted by basbas_k:

Anyway, I conclude that this Linux port doesn't run well. I'll take Mosey's advice and check if the Windows version with Proton runs better.

Ok, two things: Mosey's advice is for low-end computers. Which your machine is not. Windows consumes an enormous amount of resources compared to Linux, so the fewer resources your computer has, the worse Windows will do.

Second, Windows doesn't use Proton, because it runs Windows software natively.

Still, it would be a good test to see just how well Civ Vi runs under Windows on your machine. If it does do well, you've probably got driver issues under Linux.

BTW, how much RAM does your machine have? (Hopefully more than 8 GB.)

[Copernicus]

Originally posted by basbas_k:

Wow, running with Proton made it 100% faster.

Same conditions with above,
- Medium = 7.7ms
- Ultra = 11.7ms

Oh! Sorry, I thought you meant running under Windows. :)

Yes, Proton is at this point far, far better than the old Aspyr port. Everyone should be using Proton on Linux at this point. (At least for Civ VI.)