I’m experiencing performance issues due to bad VRAM utilization in Doom Eternal.
The VRAM is barely used, instead it seems that most stuff that should be in VRAM actually go into System RAM, which results in bad performance.
Getting very low FPS, even in this simple scene. Look at the VRAM/RAM usages. VRAM is only at 2.6 GiB. Considering that graphics settings are on ultra, the VRAM usage should be higher. Instead the system RAM is filled up very much, it should be lower in this game.
This issue happens on Archlinux. I tested other Linux distributions (Fedora & Kubuntu), Doom Eternal correctly fills up VRAM there.
Example on Kubuntu:
As you can see, compared to Arch, VRAM usage is much higher here on 9.2 GiB, which seems more realistic for ultra settings.
As of now, I have no idea what exactly the deciding difference is here between Arch and Kubuntu. Both use the same driver and Proton version.
I tested native Steam and flatpak Steam, there is no difference.
Also tested on only a window manager (i3) to rule out the desktop environment as a possible causer, but getting the same bad performance on i3.
I am not sure how much we can help with this, since NVIDIA neither has influence on the Game Engine here nor on the Steam port to Linux, so it would be difficult to determine how these different usage scenarios for VRAM come about.
Hopefully someone in the community has some insights.
And of course it does not hurt to check out the GeForce forums, there might also be others with similar observations.
I understand, however Nvidia does have influence on the driver. I reported the problem in this forum because this may potentially be a bug in the nvidia graphics driver. This was already once the case in the past (back in 2020).
Here you can find the old reports, example:
Not 100% sure, but it might be that the old driver bug came back.
Sure, just tested and it fixes the problem.
VRAM is now filling up, FPS are much higher.
Can you explain what exactly this does and what your idea behind it was?
I’m wondering as “kek” seems more like a fun replacement for an actual valid value there.
Nvidia driver often ( they fix them then it regresses again) has problems with applying app profiles when value in there is nvidia, which is by default is the passed value.
Of course regressions will happen but isn’t that same regression happening again and again ( at least that env var leading to such an effect implies it is the same issue ) a bit funny and a bit characteristic at this point? :)
I hope you guys solve that again and i kinda understand when it comes to Linux , gaming part is not exactly a priority but sum of the topics/bug reports in this Linux section of your forum tells this story:
Either all users here are doing just weird things to mess up their systems so NV driver breaks or your QA people just has simply magical , invulnerable systems that works flawlessly.
Because usual way of things here is; someone reports a bug with clear instructions and logs, other people with same issue chimes in, then an NV QA person drops in and says “sorry but i can’t repro” nearly every single time while 10+ people can repro it, some time passes and usually same NV QA person chimes in " i can repro it now, filed xxyyzz bug ticket" , after a few more months passed they say “fix will be in the new driver release” , a few more months later issue gets fixed ( hopefully ).
It is mind boggling how getting a fix usually takes 6+ months at best
It is mind boggling how NV QA has invulnerable systems that everything works right for them but no one else
It is mind boggling how after some months passes they can magically repro the issue and file an internal bug
It is just like they either didn’t try at all at first but just for the sake of communication they wrote they at least tried or they have too much workload and has to priotirize some of the more Linux pro workstation issues so that is a polite way of saying “sorry we are busy but we will look into it”.
Of course my assumptions about that is only valid in case they do not have a invulnerable system that is really immune to nearly everything gaming related :)
If there is such a thing; please put up a stickied thread in the forum that explains people what is the way for getting such immune systems so people themselves and distros themselves can follow that as a guide to avoid issues.
