I'm on the hunt for an affordable, non-gaming GPU for my workstation, which will be running Linux. My main tasks will involve writing code and having online meetings, so nothing too intensive. I'm looking for a single slot card since I'll be fitting it in a Formd T1 case with a large CPU cooler. I'm considering a few options:
1. Radeon Pro W6400
2. Radeon Pro W7500
3. PNY Nvidia RTX A400
4. Intel Arc Pro A40/A50/A60
Does anyone have experience with these GPUs? Which one would you recommend for handling around 8-10 720p or 1080p video streams during meetings, along with encoding my own 1080p video stream?
4 Answers
If you’re running Linux, I'd steer clear of Nvidia GPUs. They have a history of being tricky with drivers on Linux. For your needs, maybe look at AMD or Intel options instead.
I've heard good things about Intel ARC models for decoding and transcoding. A single slot ARC A310 could work well for your setup, especially since you need to manage multiple video streams.
If you're using one of the latest AM5 CPUs, just double-check the specs. I’ve heard the integrated GPUs can struggle with multiple streams, so that might be something to consider if you're planning to decode 8-10 video streams simultaneously. It's a pretty heavy workload!
Right? I need to ensure the GPU can handle that because I’ll definitely be pushing it during those conference calls.
Honestly, you might be fine with integrated graphics for your needs. If you really want a dedicated GPU, just go for the cheapest option out there. Special workstation GPUs might not be necessary since you won't be using the extra features. Plus, a single slot GPU typically costs more, and for basic tasks, a dual-slot card could save you some cash.
But dual-slot cards might not fit my Noctua L12S-x77 cooler.
I heard Nvidia's moving towards open-source drivers though. Any updates on that?