# Definitive guide to getting graphics working



## balanga (Mar 4, 2016)

After making quite a bit of progress getting x11/xorg running on my FreeBSD box, I'm at a stage where I'd like to exploit the hardware I'm using. I think the resolution is as good as it can get but it's very choppy and the graphics are not accelerated. After reading many guides I'm still not sure about how to set up graphics for optimal use. I'm looking for a guide which will explain exactly how to tell what graphics chip is installed and what the best driver is for that chip. The main problem is that  lots of people have said different things but there is no definitive document AFAICT. The handbook should be the definitive guide and there should be a section showing how to definitely identify the graphics card installed.


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## wblock@ (Mar 5, 2016)

Hmm, I guess it's always been assumed that people would know.  But that assumes that they bought a video card rather than having it included with a built system.

Please create a bug report about this, and email me or PM me about it.

For now, use `pciconf -lv | grep -B3 display`.


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## balanga (Mar 5, 2016)

Thanks for your support.

Just in case someone else is in the same boat....



```
pciconf -lv | grep -B3 display
vgapci0@pci0:0:2:0:   class=0x030000 card=0x30a317aa chip=0x04028086 rev=0x06 hdr=0x00
  vendor  = 'Intel Corporation'
  device  = 'Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller'
  class  = display
```


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## ANOKNUSA (Mar 5, 2016)

The intel driver is i915kms, but Intel 4th-gen ("Haswell") graphics aren't working in FreeBSD 10. There's supposedly sufficient support for them in the -CURRENT branch, hopefully being stable in time for the 11.0 release in a few months.


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## balanga (Mar 5, 2016)

I'm actually running 11.0 so maybe I can get my graphics working properly... What should I try installing?

BTW how am I supposed to know I'm using 'Haswell' graphics?


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## scottro (Mar 5, 2016)

As for support in 11, as far as I can tell, it's still not really considered stable.  As for how you know you're using Haswell, it mentions 4th Generation graphics in your output.  That being said, I'm not an expert on this--I have a Yoga 2 pro with a Haswell, and couldn't get the driver working with FreeBSD-11.
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/intelligent-systems/denlow/xeon-e3-1200-v3-c266-chipset.html


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## ANOKNUSA (Mar 5, 2016)

I guess just try loading the Intel driver I mentioned and see what happens.

"Haswell" is just Intel's codename for that generation of chips. You'll often see the chips referred to that way in online discussions ("Sandy Bridge," "Ivy Bridge," "Haswell," "Broadwell," etc.), since each generation includes dozens of model numbers that share characteristics. AMD has their own codenames for GPUs and CPUs.


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## protocelt (Mar 6, 2016)

balanga said:


> I'm actually running 11.0 so maybe I can get my graphics working properly... What should I try installing?
> 
> BTW how am I supposed to know I'm using 'Haswell' graphics?


If you are running 11-CURRENT, you'll want to stick to the mailing lists for support questions: Thread 40469. Intel Haswell graphics support in 11-CURRENT is still a work in progress, isn't guaranteed to work yet, and can break at any given time.


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