Arc A750 and Linux Gaming

[ayon]

Description

I use Linux for my daily usage but a few days ago I tried to install Counter-Strike 2 through Steam, and the experience was really bad. I was using the default graphics settings, which is high, and it crashes after every 10 minutes of playing the game. The frame rate stays between 90-100, and the game was not smooth at all.

So, I thought maybe I need graphics drivers to run the game smoothly. But the thing is I had all the open-source drivers installed already on my system; some of them are mesa, intel media driver, libva-intel-driver, vulkan-intel, xorg-server, and xorg-init. I also tried with Proton, but it makes everything worse. One thing I would like to mention is that, a year ago people were getting like ~400 fps. Now, if we compare this with Windows, there is no comparison. Windows beats Linux in gaming every way possible, not specifically on this graphics card but many others too. However, the difference in performance with Intel Arc graphics cards is too high.

Not only that, but many Linux-native games also perform badly. Another thing I would like to mention, not sure if it is relevant to the topic, MangoHud, a software similar to MSI Afterburner that helps us track the performance of hardware, does not show the VRAM usage while gaming. And, I was unable to find any other way to track my VRAM usage with any other software.

Specifications

• System(s): NixOS, ArchLinux, and Kubuntu
• DE: Plasma (Wayland and X11)
• WM: kwin
• Kernel: 6.6.71
• CPU: 13th Gen Intel i5-13400F (16) @ 4.600GHz
• GPU: Intel DG2 [Arc A750]
• Memory: 16 GB

[ayon]

Hey never mind, I thought they were not needed anymore. I made them publicly available again.
Links: Wayland and X11 

The pictures you have shared are not visible to me. However, I used the default settings (e.g. low, medium and high) with no other changes.

I think, I can install Ubuntu again to give more information about this.

[Ernesto_C_Intel1]

Hi @ayon,

Thank you for quickly responding to my previous message. I've re-uploaded the photos and I'm currently reviewing the settings you've configured on the videos. 

Allow me enough time to follow the steps you've taken from the videos. 

Regards, 

Ernesto C. 

Intel Customer Support Engineer

[ayon]

Hello,

I installed Ubuntu. Then I installed steam both cannonical/snapd package and .deb package. Because, I felt like the snapd packages are not enough. I also used the latest versions for mangohud and go goverlay to get the stats while playing the game. I also followed the intel's driver installation guide for ubuntu 20.10 and installed them. I also recorded the screen while I was in game.

These are the links for those youtube videos.
Links: .deb and snapd 

I hope it helps a little bit. By the way, in the guide of that driver installation, it was not really newbie friendly I would say. And, the reason of mangohud not working in snapd package is because snapd is sanboxed. And, I believe most newbies will install the snapd package instead of the .deb or any other packages.

Edit: I tried the game inside the xorg session of ubuntu's gnome. I was facing the similar issues I faced in arch linux. At first I was using obs-studio to record the screen but whenever I enter the game, the screen turns blank. So I used a ffmpeg to record the screen. And the thing I found is that, screen recording in xorg consumes too much cpu if I want it to be 1080 @ 60. So, the performance drops significantly because of the higher cpu usage. Then I tried recording on 1080 @ 30 and it worked almost fine. Here's video clip from youtube.

[Ernesto_C_Intel1]

Hi @ayon, 

Thank you for providing additional insights on the troubleshooting you did. No worries, I'll provide an update as soon as possible. 

Regards, 

Ernesto C. 

Intel Customer Support Engineer

[ayon]

Hello,

I made a mistake in my past replies. Specifically with the screen record of my gameplay videos. I used to record in such environment where no other player was moving or playing and no real players. Which is why the FPS stayed always high and the game barely crashed. Now that I started playing a little bit more in multiplayer (competitive) mode I faced some of the issues that are unbearable and maybe it can trigger someone to break their desktop.

When I play on default settings i.e. High, the game is unplayable and not only it freezes the game but also the whole system. Then, I had to force shut the system down and when I reboot it takes me to Kernel Panic Mode which I don't know anything about. Then I force shut it down again which solves the problem and starts the system normally. The default medium settings also does the same but less often. Same goes for the low, it also crashes but in a rare case.

I have tried to record the screen but the footage I take gets corrupted and not watchable. This is the picture I took with my phone hopefully it helps, https://ibb.co.com/qFDmW3Sw 

Another thing i can mention is that, the GPU usage was 99-100% most of the time. And I don't know what was the temperature but it was really high and it felt like the graphics card is going to explode. Which is not really a Linux problem because it was in Windows too. And, I have the Limited Edition of Intel Arc A750 which do not really have a good air cooling.

[Ernesto_C_Intel1]

Hi @ayon,

Thank you for sharing your feedback while I'm investigating the issue. It appears that your graphics card is also experiencing overheating issues as well. 

1. Can you confirm what is the actual temperature that is being registered as overheating (> 90 C for most cards).
2. Are you able to confirm what are the fans RPM when the overheating occurs.
3. I'd like to clarify if any overclocking has been done with the Intel Arc?

Regards,

Ernesto C.

Intel Customer Support Engineer

[ayon]

The weather in my country is a bit hot. So, getting a little bit more temperature from my GPU is normal. Usually, people get around 65 degrees, which I saw on YouTube. But the people who reviewed and talked about Arc A750 from Bangladesh shared almost the same experience I did. It stays around 68–76 degrees if you are giving pressure to it.

1. On Linux, you cannot really measure the temperature for Arc GPUs, or maybe that's what I faced.

2. I wasn't able to. What I know is that, the fans in Limited Edition A750 graphics cards are slow.

3. I have never done overclocking on my CPU or GPU.

YouTube videos I recorded:

1. Crashing on Windows 11 => https://youtu.be/FoWPd65hgo0
2. Crashing on Ubuntu 24.10 => https://youtu.be/FoWPd65hgo0
3. Gameplay on Windows 11 => https://youtu.be/xUc_CtuBmvk 
4. Gameplay on Ubuntu 24.10 => https://youtu.be/8It73I4NiHE 

[Ernesto_C_Intel1]

Hi @ayon,

Thank you for your patience. In light of your recent post, I would like to clarify the following: 

1) I noticed that you sent both Linux and Windows tests results - I would like to confirm if the game crashes in both OS? 

2) In case that the game crashes in Windows, are you able to share crash logs? 

3) Does other games also crash in both Windows or Linux? 

Regards, 

Ernesto C. 

Intel Customer Support Engineer

[ayon]

1. Yeah, that's true, as you can see on the footage. But, I have to mention windows is far more stable, smooth and crashing is very rare.
2. I am currently using Ubuntu 25.04, probably no. But, let me know if I should hop on Windows 11 and share logs.
3. I don't really know, as I am only testing CS2 with the purpose of getting better driver support on Linux.

[Ernesto_C_Intel1 · Accepted solution]

Hi @ayon,

Intel is committed to providing driver updates for our supported platforms, including Ubuntu and Windows. I understand the importance of keeping your system running smoothly and efficiently, and our team is dedicated to ensuring that you have access to the latest updates and improvements.

I have conducted thorough testing and investigation on our end using two different systems, two different Arc A750 GPUs, and two different operating systems (Windows and Ubuntu). Both multiplayer and bot matches were tested, and I did not encounter any issues. This suggests that the issue you are experiencing may be specific to your system.

To further isolate and address the issue, we recommend testing on another PC. This will help us determine if the problem is indeed specific to your current setup. If you are open to this approach, we believe it is the next logical step in resolving the issue.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. We are here to assist you and ensure that your experience with Intel products is as seamless as possible.

Regards, 

Ernesto C.

Intel Customer Support Engineer

[Ernesto_C_Intel1]

Hi @ayon,

I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for the kudo you gave on my previous post. Your positive feedback is greatly appreciated and motivates us to continue delivering valuable insights and solutions.

Following up on our previous conversation, I would like to kindly ask if you could try my previous suggestion to test your Intel® Arc™ graphics card on another PC. This step can help me better Isolate if the issue is just with your graphics card or if other components are causing the issue. 

Please let me know if you need any assistance or further information to proceed with this test. We are here to support you every step of the way.

Thank you once again for your support and engagement.

Regards, 

Ernesto C. 

Intel Customer Support Engineer

[ayon]

Sadly, I currently do not have any other PC. But, I may test if there's available. And, I'm assuming this issue something related to my system specifically. As your tested results in several OS were good. Thanks for your assistance and willingness to help. I do not really need to get any performance out of my system, as I do not play any types of video games with it nor I do video editing. I just use it browse the internet and code. The intention behind this whole issue and conversation was to contribute to the community.

[Ernesto_C_Intel1]

Hi @ayon, 

Thank you for your enthusiasm and willingness to contribute to the Intel Community. We truly appreciate your engagement and are committed to assisting our customers on supported platforms and products.

Should you decide to further troubleshoot your system, please feel free to create a new thread or contact Intel Customer Support directly. We are here to help you investigate any issues you may encounter with your system.

As per your current request, we will proceed to close your case, and the thread will no longer be monitored.

Thank you once again for being a valued member of the Intel Community.

Regards, 

Ernesto C. 

Intel Customer Support Engineer