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Login screen + Preferences: GPU selector (force iGPU / choose a specific graphics card) #277

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opened 2026-10-04 01:20:20 +00:00 by sky_line · 2 comments

sky_line commented

2026-10-04 01:20:20 +00:00

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Let users pick which GPU Slipstream uses, from the login screen, without editing debug settings or launching with environment variables. Use cases:

force the integrated GPU (battery life, or a broken or noisy dGPU);
force the discrete GPU on laptops where Windows or Optimus hands us the iGPU;
choose between two discrete cards;
work around a misbehaving driver.

UI

Login screen: a small "Graphics card" dropdown, e.g. next to the grid selector or under a gear/advanced section. Also in Preferences > Graphics (> Hardware or Advanced).
Entries list every Vulkan physical device that meets our requirements (Vulkan 1.3 + required features), with name, type (discrete / integrated / virtual / CPU), VRAM and driver version, plus "Automatic (recommended)".
Unsupported devices are shown greyed out with the reason (e.g. "needs Vulkan 1.3", "missing descriptor indexing"), so users understand why their iGPU isn't selectable.

Behaviour

Setting: RenderVKDeviceSelect (string). Store a stable identifier: deviceUUID from VkPhysicalDeviceIDProperties, falling back to vendorID:deviceID plus index. Not just an index, because the enumeration order can change.
Automatic: today's selection logic (prefer discrete, most VRAM, RT-capable).
If the saved device is missing (unplugged eGPU, driver change), fall back to Automatic and tell the user with a notification. Follow the auto-settings rule: say what changed and why; don't silently switch.
Applying:
- Changing the GPU needs the Vulkan device re-created. Simplest and safe: on the login screen, apply by restarting the renderer before login, or restart the viewer with a clear prompt ("Slipstream will restart to switch to ").
- Live switching mid-session is out of scope unless device re-creation is already robust (pipeline cache, all GPU resources). Note it as a stretch.
On change:
- Re-run the GPU-tier / recommended-settings logic for the new card. It already exists for GPU changes, with the DisplaySetToRecommendedGPUChange notice.
- Re-apply the VRAM-based defaults, e.g. the texture compression default (≤16 GB → High quality).
The pipeline cache is per device: key it by device UUID + driver version, and make sure switching doesn't load the wrong cache (vk_pipecache already validates the header; verify).

Platform notes

Linux:
- Multiple Vulkan ICDs (NVIDIA + Mesa) enumerate together. MESA_VK_DEVICE_SELECT and DRI_PRIME exist as env overrides; our selector should work without them.
- On hybrid laptops, presenting from the dGPU to an iGPU-driven display is handled by PRIME; check that the swapchain still presents on all paths (or document the limits).
Windows:
- The OS GPU preference (Settings > Display > Graphics) can override us. Explain this in the tooltip.
- NVIDIA Optimus / AMD switchable graphics may hide the dGPU unless the app requests high performance.
Logging: log the full device list at startup (it may already be logged) and which one was chosen and why. That helps bug reports.

Test

A laptop with iGPU + dGPU: pick each one and verify it really renders on the chosen device (nvidia-smi / radeontop / intel_gpu_top).
Unplug the chosen eGPU, or rename a device: falls back to Automatic with a notice.
A desktop with two dGPUs.
An iGPU below the minimum spec shows as greyed out with the reason.

Let users pick which GPU Slipstream uses, from the **login screen**, without editing debug settings or launching with environment variables. Use cases: - force the integrated GPU (battery life, or a broken or noisy dGPU); - force the discrete GPU on laptops where Windows or Optimus hands us the iGPU; - choose between two discrete cards; - work around a misbehaving driver. ## UI - Login screen: a small "Graphics card" dropdown, e.g. next to the grid selector or under a gear/advanced section. Also in Preferences > Graphics (> Hardware or Advanced). - Entries list every Vulkan physical device that meets our requirements (Vulkan 1.3 + required features), with name, type (discrete / integrated / virtual / CPU), VRAM and driver version, plus **"Automatic (recommended)"**. - Unsupported devices are shown greyed out with the reason (e.g. "needs Vulkan 1.3", "missing descriptor indexing"), so users understand why their iGPU isn't selectable. ## Behaviour - Setting: `RenderVKDeviceSelect` (string). Store a stable identifier: `deviceUUID` from `VkPhysicalDeviceIDProperties`, falling back to vendorID:deviceID plus index. Not just an index, because the enumeration order can change. - **Automatic:** today's selection logic (prefer discrete, most VRAM, RT-capable). - If the saved device is missing (unplugged eGPU, driver change), fall back to Automatic and tell the user with a notification. Follow the auto-settings rule: say what changed and why; don't silently switch. - **Applying:** - Changing the GPU needs the Vulkan device re-created. Simplest and safe: on the login screen, apply by restarting the renderer before login, or restart the viewer with a clear prompt ("Slipstream will restart to switch to <GPU>"). - Live switching mid-session is out of scope unless device re-creation is already robust (pipeline cache, all GPU resources). Note it as a stretch. - **On change:** - Re-run the GPU-tier / recommended-settings logic for the new card. It already exists for GPU changes, with the DisplaySetToRecommendedGPUChange notice. - Re-apply the VRAM-based defaults, e.g. the texture compression default (≤16 GB → High quality). - The pipeline cache is per device: key it by device UUID + driver version, and make sure switching doesn't load the wrong cache (vk_pipecache already validates the header; verify). ## Platform notes - **Linux:** - Multiple Vulkan ICDs (NVIDIA + Mesa) enumerate together. `MESA_VK_DEVICE_SELECT` and `DRI_PRIME` exist as env overrides; our selector should work without them. - On hybrid laptops, presenting from the dGPU to an iGPU-driven display is handled by PRIME; check that the swapchain still presents on all paths (or document the limits). - **Windows:** - The OS GPU preference (Settings > Display > Graphics) can override us. Explain this in the tooltip. - NVIDIA Optimus / AMD switchable graphics may hide the dGPU unless the app requests high performance. - **Logging:** log the full device list at startup (it may already be logged) and which one was chosen and why. That helps bug reports. ## Test - A laptop with iGPU + dGPU: pick each one and verify it really renders on the chosen device (nvidia-smi / radeontop / intel_gpu_top). - Unplug the chosen eGPU, or rename a device: falls back to Automatic with a notice. - A desktop with two dGPUs. - An iGPU below the minimum spec shows as greyed out with the reason.

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2026-10-04 01:20:20 +00:00

sky_line added this to the Slipstream project

2026-10-06 15:04:13 +00:00

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2026-10-10 05:15:32 +00:00

sky_line referenced this issue from a commit

2026-10-10 10:17:52 +00:00

#277: graphics card selector (setting + Preferences list), honoured at startup

sky_line referenced this issue from a commit

2026-10-10 10:58:11 +00:00

#277: graphics card combo as wide as the texture-memory combo above it

sky_line commented

2026-10-10 11:04:12 +00:00

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Shipped in 1.3.0 Beta 1 (commits d27e249f75 and 05a67e8122). There is a Graphics card list in Preferences > Graphics > Advanced (setting RenderVKDeviceSelect, default auto). It is honoured at startup, and if the saved card is missing or unsupported it falls back to Automatic with a notice. Still open: the login-screen version of the selector. Testing needs a two-GPU machine: pick each card and confirm rendering moves (nvidia-smi or intel_gpu_top).

Shipped in 1.3.0 Beta 1 (commits d27e249f75 and 05a67e8122). There is a Graphics card list in Preferences > Graphics > Advanced (setting RenderVKDeviceSelect, default auto). It is honoured at startup, and if the saved card is missing or unsupported it falls back to Automatic with a notice. Still open: the login-screen version of the selector. Testing needs a two-GPU machine: pick each card and confirm rendering moves (nvidia-smi or intel_gpu_top).

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2026-10-10 11:04:12 +00:00

sky_line commented

2026-10-18 22:26:33 +00:00

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Fixed in Slipstream 1.3.0 (stable): https://git.slipstreamviewer.org/sky_line/Slipstream/releases/tag/v1.3.0

If you still see this on 1.3.0, reply here and we'll reopen it.

Fixed in **Slipstream 1.3.0** (stable): https://git.slipstreamviewer.org/sky_line/Slipstream/releases/tag/v1.3.0 If you still see this on 1.3.0, reply here and we'll reopen it.

sky_line closed this issue

2026-10-18 22:26:34 +00:00

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