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Re: Same Debian, different hardware = different OpenGL version?



On 2023-10-03 02:43 +0200, Anders Andersson wrote:

> I recently installed Debian stable on my old desktop and my trusty old
> Thinkpad X200, without messing with any driver settings. Both are
> running the default gnome desktop with the same kernel.
>
> I installed the terminal emulator 'kitty' from the main repository on
> both machines but it only works on my desktop.
>
> The relevant bug report for kitty
> (https://github.com/kovidgoyal/kitty/issues/2536) tells me that kitty
> requires OpenGL 3.3, and to check with "glxinfo | grep OpenGL
> version".
>
> On my desktop I get: OpenGL version string: 4.6 (Compatibility
> Profile) Mesa 22.3.6
> On my thinkpad: OpenGL version string: 2.1 Mesa 22.3.6
>
> Is there anything I can do about this using open source drivers?

The only option, already mentioned in the above bug report, is to use
the llvmpipe renderer by setting LIBGL_ALWAYS_SOFTWARE=1 which makes
kitty start at the cost of high CPU load and bad performance.

> I don't know enough about OpenGL, if it's a software issue or if it's
> simply that the old intel GPU in the Thinkpad X200 can not work with
> new OpenGL, while the AMD RX460 in my desktop can?

That's it, the GPU in your Thinkpad most likely only supports OpenGL
2.1.  Intel provides a table at [1], and while I could not find the
Thinkpad's GMA 4500M HD listed there, its age makes a maximum OpenGL
version of 2.1 plausible.

Cheers,
       Sven


1. https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005524/graphics.html


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