The recently released KDE Plasma 6.1 desktop environment brings significant improvements for users with older Intel integrated graphics. The KWin composer has been enhanced to provide a much better user experience, especially for those using very old Intel integrated graphics. The key improvement contributing to better graphics performance is the addition of triple dynamic buffer support.
According to the lead developer of KWin, Xaver, the new features in Plasma 6.1, particularly triple dynamic buffer support, have greatly improved the graphics performance on older hardware. This enhancement is only activated when KWin predicts that rendering will take longer than one refresh cycle and aims to minimize latency. Even on older Intel laptops with high-resolution screens, users have reported a significant improvement in performance, with KWin now running at a smooth 60fps compared to the previous choppy 30-40fps.
In addition to benefiting older or slower processors, the triple buffering feature also proves beneficial for systems with multiple GPUs. Xaver tested the feature on a laptop with both integrated Intel and dedicated NVIDIA GPUs, noting that triple buffering helped improve performance when using an external display connected to the NVIDIA GPU. Despite some performance limitations due to driver issues, the system now achieves around 100-120fps, providing a much smoother experience.
Overall, the improvements in KDE Plasma 6.1 have made a notable difference for users with older hardware, delivering better graphics performance and smoother operation. Those interested in learning more about these enhancements can visit Xaver’s blog for in-depth details on the improvements made to KWin and the overall KDE Plasma experience on older graphics hardware.
Article Source
https://www.phoronix.com/news/KDE-Plasma-6.1-Intel-iGPU
