I've been able to use HDR just fine on Windows, but after switching to Linux, my system doesn't recognize that my 7900XTX can do HDR. No matter what I try—with different desktop environments and games—it's like HDR isn't even an option anymore. Is this something to do with the Linux kernel or drivers not supporting HDR properly? Or could it be something else, like using a TV instead of a monitor? I was using Cachy but also tried Mint, both with the Cinnamon desktop environment.
4 Answers
To enable HDR, you'll definitely need a compatible desktop environment that supports it. KDE and GNOME on Wayland should do the trick. You might also need to tweak some launch options for your games in Steam to ensure HDR kicks in properly.
Just a heads-up: HDR is only supported on Wayland, and it works best with the right hardware setup. If you can swap to DisplayPort instead of HDMI, you might see a significant improvement in HDR performance.
Cinnamon operates on X11, which unfortunately doesn't support HDR. You might have better luck switching to a Wayland-based desktop environment like KDE or GNOME. They have HDR support when running on Wayland, which might solve your issue!
That's right! And keep in mind that while AMD drivers are included in the Linux kernel, not everything you think of as a driver—like Mesa—is part of the kernel. It's more fragmented in Linux, so ensure your graphics settings are configured correctly.
I have the same graphics card and noticed HDR works seamlessly on Fedora, but I didn't catch it on other distros. It's worth trying a different distro if you want that HDR experience back!
Yeah, running Steam with specific flags like -steamos3 could also help, but be aware you might lose out on the overlay feature. Just keep experimenting with your settings!