Running X on Ubuntu 24.04 Solely with Integrated GPU

Introduction

Ubuntu 24.04 is a popular Linux distribution known for its user-friendly interface and wide range of applications. However, some users might face issues when running Ubuntu on systems with both integrated and discrete GPUs. In such cases, it is essential to configure Ubuntu to utilize the integrated GPU solely for better power efficiency and improved performance in certain workloads.

Understanding GPUs and Ubuntu

A Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is a specialized electronic circuit designed to rapidly manipulate and alter memory to accelerate the creation of images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display device. Ubuntu, like many other Linux distributions, supports a wide range of GPUs, including both integrated and discrete solutions.

Checking Your System's GPUs

Before configuring Ubuntu to use the integrated GPU solely, it is crucial to determine which GPUs are present on your system. You can use the following command to list the available GPUs and their capabilities:

xrandr --list providers

Example Output

Here's an example output of the command:

Providers: number : 2
 Provider 0: id: 0x59, SourceOutput, Sink Offload
   Capabilities: Output Sink, Source Output, Output Power Management, Source Output Power Management
   Outputs: 7
   Associated providers: 1
   Name: AMD Radeon
 

Configuring Ubuntu to Use Integrated GPU Solely

To configure Ubuntu to use the integrated GPU solely, follow these steps:

1. Install the nvidia-prime package:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install nvidia-prime

2. Disable the NVIDIA driver:

sudo prime-select nvidia

sudo prime-select list

The output should show that the NVIDIA driver is now disabled.

3. Install the Mesa drivers:

sudo apt install mesa-utils

4. Check the GPU usage:

glxinfo -B

The output should indicate that the integrated GPU is being used.

In this article, we covered the basics of GPUs, their integration with Ubuntu, and the steps required to configure Ubuntu 24.04 to use the integrated GPU solely. By following these steps, you can improve power efficiency and performance in certain workloads while avoiding potential issues related to dual GPU configurations.