mpv-player / mpv-player/mpv

RFC: Prefer integrated GPUs over discrete GPUs by default?

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vo:gpu:vulkan
Dominant language
C
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Description

Currently, mpv's ra_vk picks the physical device based on the following priority list:

    static const struct m_opt_choice_alternatives types[] = {
        {"discrete",   VK_PHYSICAL_DEVICE_TYPE_DISCRETE_GPU},
        {"integrated", VK_PHYSICAL_DEVICE_TYPE_INTEGRATED_GPU},
        {"virtual",    VK_PHYSICAL_DEVICE_TYPE_VIRTUAL_GPU},
        {"software",   VK_PHYSICAL_DEVICE_TYPE_CPU},
        {"unknown",    VK_PHYSICAL_DEVICE_TYPE_OTHER},
        {0}
    };

It was suggested that perhaps integrated GPUs should be above discrete GPUs by default, so that users of dual-GPU systems (typically laptops?) would use the more power-friendly integrated by default. This might be more in line with what's expected of a media player. I was personally thinking that we'd always want to use the fastest GPU so users can use the highest quality settings.

I'm not sure what users expect the default to be here. Opinions?

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First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start at mpv's ra_vk physical-device selection and review the current priority list shown in the issue. Read the discussion to determine whether integrated or discrete GPUs should be preferred by default; the work is complete only after the default policy is agreed and its behavior is defined.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
c
Domain
computer-graphics
Issue type
Feature
Difficulty
5/5
Estimated time
Over a week
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Needs clarification
Newbie friendliness
25/100

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