NVK is really impressive 6 months after release...

A1RM4X
30 Jul 202411:53

TLDRIn this video, the host revisits the NVK driver for Nvidia cards on Linux, six months after its initial release. The driver has shown significant performance improvements, with games like Valheim experiencing a 44% increase in FPS. While some games like Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege are still not playable, others like Valheim and BattleBlock Theater run surprisingly well. The host emphasizes the rapid evolution of open-source drivers and encourages viewers to subscribe for updates on future developments.

Takeaways

  • 🚀 NVK is an open-source driver for Nvidia cards on Linux that has seen significant performance improvements in the past 6 months.
  • 🎉 The NVK driver is now delivered out of the box with Mesa, making it easier for users to install and use without compiling from source.
  • 👶 The presenter became a father a month ago, which is why the follow-up video is slightly delayed.
  • 🔧 For Arch Linux users, the NVK driver can be installed via the 'vulkan-radeon' package, simplifying the process.
  • 🛠️ Users may need to recompile Mesa from git if they encounter issues with Wayland, using tools like 'mesag-git' for easier compilation.
  • 📈 In gaming performance, NVK has shown a 44% increase in FPS for the game 'Valheim', making it more viable for gaming on Linux.
  • 🎮 'Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege' was not playable with NVK previously but may see improvements in future driver updates.
  • 🏹 'Battlefield V' runs exceptionally well with NVK, achieving high FPS, which was a pleasant surprise for the presenter.
  • 🧩 'Valheim' running through Proton also showed impressive performance, maintaining high FPS on Wayland.
  • 📉 'V Rising' was playable but not optimal, with FPS around 60-70, indicating there's still room for improvement.
  • 🌌 'No Man's Sky' showed a significant reduction in visual artifacts and an increase in FPS, though still not fully playable.
  • 🔮 The presenter is optimistic about the future of NVK, anticipating even greater performance improvements in the coming months.

Q & A

  • What was the main purpose of the video?

    -The main purpose of the video was to follow up on the performance evolution of the NVK driver, an open-source driver for Nvidia cards on Linux, 6 months after its initial release.

  • How has the NVK driver's performance improved since its release 7 months ago?

    -The NVK driver's performance has significantly improved, with games like Valheim showing an increase from 90 FPS to 130 FPS, which is a 44% increase.

  • What does the NVK driver offer that was not available before its release?

    -The NVK driver offers the ability to run Nvidia cards with open-source drivers on Linux, which was considered a dream a couple of years ago and is now becoming a reality.

  • How has the availability of the NVK driver changed since the last test?

    -The NVK driver is now delivered out of the box with Mesa, meaning users no longer need to compile Mesa or go through extensive steps to install it.

  • What was the performance of Valheim on the NVK driver compared to the Nvidia proprietary driver?

    -While the performance of Valheim on the NVK driver has improved to 130 FPS, it is still under the performance of the Nvidia proprietary driver, which can reach around 380-400 FPS.

  • What issues were encountered with the NVK driver on Arch Linux?

    -The NVK driver initially did not work well with Wayland on Arch Linux. The solution was to recompile Mesa git, which improved performance significantly.

  • How did the game Tom Rider perform on the NVK driver?

    -Tom Rider was not playable on the NVK driver, with performance around 50 FPS at the end of the benchmark, which was not satisfactory.

  • What was the surprising performance of a game on the NVK driver?

    -The game Valheim, which is not a native game but runs through Proton, performed surprisingly well with the NVK driver, reaching around 600 FPS.

  • How did the performance of No Man's Sky improve with the NVK driver after the big update?

    -After the big update, No Man's Sky still felt like a PowerPoint in terms of performance, but the rendering was much better with no artifacts, showing a noticeable uplift compared to the initial release of the driver.

  • What is the general sentiment towards the future of the NVK driver?

    -The general sentiment is very positive and optimistic. The rapid evolution of the NVK driver in a short period is impressive, and there is anticipation for even better performance in the future.

  • What is the creator's call to action for viewers of the video?

    -The creator encourages viewers to like the video, subscribe to the channel, and consider supporting the channel financially through Patreon or YouTube memberships to help with visibility and growth.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Introduction to NVK Driver Performance on Linux

The video script begins with the host's introduction to the NVK driver, an open-source alternative for Nvidia graphics cards on Linux. Seven months prior, the driver was in its pre-release stage, and the host aimed to provide a follow-up on its performance improvements. The host mentions becoming a father, which delayed the video release. The script sets the context for discussing the NVK driver's evolution, especially in the realm of gaming, and notes the ease of installation with the latest Mesa release, which includes the driver out of the box. The host also provides a tutorial for installing the driver on Arch Linux and addresses potential issues with Wayland, suggesting recompiling Mesa git as a solution.

05:03

🎮 Performance Review of NVK Driver in Gaming

The second paragraph delves into the performance testing of the NVK driver using various games. The host reports significant improvements in games like Valheim, where the frame rate increased from a maximum of 90 FPS to 130 FPS, marking a 44.4% increase. Other games like Tom Clancy's The Division 2 and Battlerite Remastered show varying degrees of performance, with the latter running exceptionally well at around 600 FPS. The host also mentions games like Valheim and V Rising, which, while playable, do not reach the performance levels of Nvidia's proprietary drivers. The script highlights the surprising performance uplift in games like No Man's Sky, where the driver's initial iteration had visual artifacts but has since improved to render the game more smoothly, albeit still not at playable frame rates.

10:04

🔮 Anticipating Future Improvements of NVK Driver

In the concluding paragraph, the host reflects on the progress made by the NVK driver in a short span of seven months, emphasizing the incredible evolution from a barely usable state to running some games at over 600 FPS. The host suggests that the current state of the driver is just the beginning and encourages viewers to look forward to further improvements in the coming months or years. The script ends with a call to action for viewers to like, subscribe, and support the channel for continued updates on the NVK driver's development and performance.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡NVK driver

The NVK driver refers to an open-source driver for Nvidia graphics cards on Linux. It's a significant development for the Linux community as it allows for better hardware compatibility and performance. In the video, the host discusses the impressive improvements in the NVK driver's performance over the past six months, highlighting its growing capability to compete with proprietary drivers.

💡Linux

Linux is an open-source operating system that is widely used for servers, desktops, and increasingly, for gaming. The video script mentions Linux in the context of testing the NVK driver and its compatibility with Nvidia graphics cards, emphasizing the importance of open-source drivers for enhancing the Linux gaming experience.

💡Open-source driver

An open-source driver is a type of software that allows hardware devices to communicate with an operating system, and its source code is available for anyone to view, modify, and distribute. The script discusses the NVK driver as an open-source alternative to proprietary Nvidia drivers, noting its rapid development and performance improvements.

💡Performance

In the context of the video, 'performance' refers to the efficiency and speed at which the NVK driver operates, particularly in running games on Linux. The host provides specific examples of performance improvements, such as increased FPS (frames per second) in games like Valheim, which is a key metric for gamers.

💡FPS (Frames Per Second)

FPS is a measure of how many individual frames are displayed per second in a video or game, which directly affects the smoothness of motion. The script uses FPS to quantify the performance of the NVK driver, with higher FPS indicating better performance and smoother gameplay.

💡Valheim

Valheim is a popular survival game that the host uses as a benchmark to test the NVK driver's performance. The script mentions a significant increase in FPS when running Valheim with the NVK driver compared to seven months prior, showcasing the driver's improvement.

💡Wayland

Wayland is a protocol for a compositor to talk to its clients, providing a modern alternative to the X Window System used in Linux. The video script mentions testing the NVK driver on Wayland, indicating that the driver's compatibility and performance are being evaluated in different desktop environments.

💡Mesa

Mesa is an open-source implementation of the OpenGL specification that provides a way to run 3D graphics on Linux. The script discusses Mesa as the package that now includes the NVK driver out of the box, simplifying the installation process for users.

💡Arch Linux

Arch Linux is a lightweight and flexible Linux distribution known for its i3wm tiling manager and rolling-release model. The script mentions Arch Linux as the operating system used for testing the NVK driver, and it provides specific instructions for installing the driver on this distribution.

💡Proton

Proton is a compatibility layer developed by Valve that allows Windows games to run on Linux. The script refers to Proton in the context of testing non-native Linux games with the NVK driver, highlighting the driver's ability to enhance the Linux gaming experience even for games not originally developed for the platform.

💡No Man's Sky

No Man's Sky is a space exploration game that the host uses to demonstrate the NVK driver's performance improvements. The script notes that while the game was previously unplayable with the driver due to rendering issues, it now runs with fewer artifacts and better performance, indicating progress in the driver's development.

Highlights

NVK driver performance on Linux has significantly improved in the past 6 months.

NVK is an open-source driver for Nvidia cards on Linux, which has seen substantial updates since its pre-release 7 months ago.

The author became a father a month ago, which delayed this follow-up video.

Mesa now delivers NVK drivers out of the box, making installation much easier.

On Arch Linux, NVK can be installed via the 'vulkan-radeon' package, simplifying the process.

NVK drivers initially had compatibility issues with Wayland, but these may be resolved with recompilation.

The author recommends using 'mesag-git' for recompiling Mesa for better driver performance.

The author emphasizes the importance of subscribing to stay updated with the latest driver performance.

Valheim's performance with NVK drivers has seen a 44.4% increase, reaching up to 130 FPS.

Tom Clancy's Riders Republic, previously unplayable, now shows promise with the updated NVK drivers.

BattleBlock, a game similar to Battlefield but with Minecraft-like elements, runs exceptionally well with NVK drivers.

Valve's Proton and Wayland combined with NVK drivers enable high FPS in non-native games like Conly at Val.

V Rising, while playable, still lags behind proprietary drivers in terms of FPS.

No Man's Sky shows a significant reduction in visual artifacts and an increase in FPS with the latest NVK drivers.

The author anticipates even greater improvements in NVK driver performance in the coming months.

The video concludes by encouraging viewers to subscribe for updates on future driver developments.