Bug 496221

Summary:	Shift web browser, OBS and Plasma into weaker GPU while heavy apps are being executed
Product:	[Plasma] kwin	Reporter:	Fernando Marcelino Muniz <fernandommuniz>
Component:	general	Assignee:	KWin default assignee <kwin-bugs-null>
Status:	CONFIRMED ---
Severity:	wishlist	CC:	kde, nate, xaver.hugl
Priority:	NOR	Keywords:	efficiency-and-performance
Version First Reported In:	6.2.3
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	Arch Linux
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Fernando Marcelino Muniz 2024-11-13 15:33:37 UTC

When executing heavy apps (like Blender and games) in multi-GPU computers while having a web browser open, Plasma should force the web browser into only using the less powerful GPU.
It should benefit live streamers, because they play games while having their chats on their second monitor.

Perhaps OBS and Plasma should also be switched into the less powerful GPU.

I apologise if it already does that, or if there's a good reason why it doesn't.

Comment 1 Zamundaaa 2024-11-13 17:14:44 UTC

Unfortunately currently KWin doesn't have any influence over what GPU apps are using, and apps don't support switching between GPUs either. This is in progress with https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/wayland/wayland-protocols/-/merge_requests/268 though.

FWIW most likely moving apps to a different GPU will only have a negative performance impact, but I suppose it can't hurt to try it once we have the infrastucture for doing this kind of thing.

Comment 2 Fernando Marcelino Muniz 2024-11-13 17:26:57 UTC

(In reply to Zamundaaa from comment #1)
> Unfortunately currently KWin doesn't have any influence over what GPU apps
> are using, and apps don't support switching between GPUs either. This is in
> progress with
> https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/wayland/wayland-protocols/-/merge_requests/
> 268 though.
> 
> FWIW most likely moving apps to a different GPU will only have a negative
> performance impact, but I suppose it can't hurt to try it once we have the
> infrastucture for doing this kind of thing.

I think it's worth trying because this is similar to what modern gaming consoles do, if I understood correctly.