# What's the best video card for a FreeBSD desktop?



## Brandybuck (Feb 8, 2009)

I'm going shopping for a new system, what's the best video card for me? Here are my particulars:

I will be running KDE 4.2, and I want full desktop effects. There's no reason why Linux should get all the eyecandy and FreeBSD stuck with "legacy" desktops. I won't be running games though. This is a productivity system, not a toy. I am also picky about my picture quality. Brief flashies, tearing, and stuff like that annoys me.

I also require an Open Source video driver. So NVidia is out of the question. That leaves me with ATI and Intel. The Intel chipsets seem to be well supported, but are all integrated on motherboards. Will this cause a problem? Newer ATI cards look to be poorly supported, with most cards currently on store shelves to have no hardware acceleration.

I'm currently looking at two boards:

Intel GMA 4500 (integrated on motherboard)
Radeon X1550

Advice, recommendations, and comments appreciated. Thanks.


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## adamk (Feb 8, 2009)

I have FreeBSD running on two separate machines, one with a radeon x1950 and one with a radeon x1300.  I also have it running on a laptop with an intel i915.  I have no real problems with either.

Generally, I think the radeons (those that currently support 3D acceleration) are better supported than the intel GPUs at this point.  I've seen lots of people on #compiz-fusion saying that their older intel GPUs actually perform better than the latest GPU family (the 4500), and that's probably due to less driver optimization for the newer GPU at this point.

Just a warning...  Any ATI r500 GPUs will require a version of the ports tree since the Xorg 7.4 import which many people have had problems with (not me  personally, though).  And you will want to use -STABLE to get the necessary DRM support.

Adam


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## Brandybuck (Feb 8, 2009)

That's good to know. I usually don't run -STABLE, and would not have realized that support had been added. 

I'm looking at an Intel Q45 motherboard, which has the GMA X4500 integrated. I could at least try it, and if it doesn't work, scrounge the shops for an ATI R5xx.


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## vermaden (Feb 8, 2009)

I currently use Q35 for my dekstop and integrated 3100 Intel GMA works great, zero issues, the GMA 3100 is also included in G33 and G31.

I also have everything working in GM965 (GMA X3100) at my laptop, also zero issues.

I cannot speak about ATI cards because I havent used them with FreeBSD, also stay away from failVidia.

X4500 @ Q45/G45 is generally a great choice, but I dunno if FreeBSD supports it.


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## Brandybuck (Feb 8, 2009)

I think FreeBSD supports the Q45 boards. Looking at the sources, the em driver supports the LAN, and audio and video are supported in -STABLE. The only thing problematic I see is that the controller hub 82801J (ICH10) isn't supported until -STABLE either. Will this cause problems trying to install from RELEASE CDs?


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## graudeejs (Feb 8, 2009)

AdamK, once again thanks for your posts on Ati Video cards....
Today I will get one from a friend and try it....
I have equivalent video card, and if it all goes good, today i will become Radeon user


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## vermaden (Feb 8, 2009)

Brandybuck said:
			
		

> I think FreeBSD supports the Q45 boards. Looking at the sources, the em driver supports the LAN, and audio and video are supported in -STABLE.



Once upon a time I had Intel 965G motherboard (with GMA X3000), according to source FreeBSD support was there, but when I tried to use it it wasnt possible, it never worked really, I was forced to use VESA driver, or OpenSolaris with working drivers.

The thing that it is written in the sources gives about 0% guarantee that it will work, unless you get confirmation that it work assume that it doesnt work.

Also here is the current support state for mobile Intel GMA X4500 vresion:
http://forums.freebsd.org/showpost.php?p=12251&postcount=10


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## Brandybuck (Feb 8, 2009)

vermaden said:
			
		

> Also here is the current support state for mobile Intel GMA X4500 vresion:
> http://forums.freebsd.org/showpost.php?p=12251&postcount=10



It also says he got it working in the end.

But the GMA 4500 is integrated into the motherboard. I get it whether I want it or not. If it doesn't work them I put in a Radeon X1550. That's if I don't drop back down to a Q33.

This is always the danger of building your own system. Older hardware is rarely available, and the newer hardware is always bleeding edge. It could be worse, though. I could be buying a laptop!


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## vermaden (Feb 9, 2009)

Brandybuck said:
			
		

> It also says he got it working in the end.


He did not clarify if it was VESA or fully accelrated x11 with Intel driver, I asked him about that, maybe it really works, it would be nice.


```
But the GMA 4500 is integrated into the motherboard. I get it whether I want it or not. If it doesn't work them I put in a Radeon X1550. That's if I don't drop back down to a Q33.
```
Q35/Q33 are not too old generally, getting GMA 4500 is like a investition now, you will get support wfter some time.



			
				Brandybuck said:
			
		

> This is always the danger of building your own system. Older hardware is rarely available, and the newer hardware is always bleeding edge.


Have you tried ebay or something similar? I never had a problem finding older parts on services like that.



			
				Brandybuck said:
			
		

> It could be worse, though. I could be buying a laptop!


I can only tell you that everything works at mine Dell D630 with Intel X3100 graphics, both FreeBSD and OpenSolaris, without any issues.


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## Brandybuck (Feb 9, 2009)

vermaden said:
			
		

> Have you tried ebay or something similar? I never had a problem finding older parts on services like that.



My preference is to get all my parts from a single local supplier. That way I can grab everything Friday evening on the way home, then spend all weekend with my new toys. If I missed something I can go back to the store. On the off chance I need to return something, it's easier at a local shop, then trying to send it back through the mail.


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## Brandybuck (Feb 18, 2009)

I've finished building (and tuning) my new system. I got the DQ45CB board. I didn't have any major problems with it. The drives were initially recognized as UDMA33, but once I updated to -STABLE, they were seen as SATA300. I also had to tweak device hints for the HDA audio.

As for the video, I got a Radeon X1550. The video is very smooth and fast, and shows off KDE very well (much better than the proprietary Catalyst driver on my laptop). It's a slightly older board, so you can get them cheap. I added AccelMethod EXA to xorg.conf. One of these days I may take out the card, just to see how the onboard GMA 4500 behaves.


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## SPlissken (Feb 18, 2009)

Personnally , my laptop has GeForce 7600 inside and it works great with proprietary driver from nVidia. 3D is working great i can even play Warcraft III with wine


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## chrischimp (Feb 18, 2009)

Best is subjective.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think you'll get 3D acceleration with all the ATI cards. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radeon#FreeBSD


I've always had good luck with Nvidia. So that would be my choice.


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## adamk (Feb 18, 2009)

You can get 3D acceleration with all first through fifth generation radeon cards from ATI/AMD.  It's the same open source driver that's available for linux.  

And I, personally, wouldn't go anywhere near nvidia.

Adam


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