October 8th, 2024

Use an External GPU on Raspberry Pi 5 for 4K Gaming

Jeff Geerling demonstrates using an external GPU with Raspberry Pi 5 for 4K gaming, recommending the RX 460 for its compatibility, while noting configuration challenges and ongoing driver issues.

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Use an External GPU on Raspberry Pi 5 for 4K Gaming

Jeff Geerling explores the use of an external GPU with the Raspberry Pi 5 for 4K gaming, following a demonstration at Maker Faire Hanover. He details the hardware setup required, including an external graphics card stand, a HAT for PCIe connection, and a power supply to support the GPU. Geerling recommends using Polaris generation AMD graphics cards, specifically the RX 460, due to their compatibility with the open-source amdgpu driver. He provides instructions for configuring the Pi 5 to utilize PCIe Gen 3 speeds and applying necessary Linux kernel patches to enable GPU support. After setting up, he reports successful 4K gaming performance, achieving smooth frame rates in games like SuperTuxKart and Doom 3. However, he notes limitations in using the Pi's internal GPU and challenges with software installation, particularly with Steam. Geerling also mentions potential applications for transcoding video using the RX 460, although he has encountered issues with getting this feature to work. He concludes by acknowledging ongoing driver compatibility issues and the desire for broader GPU support on the Pi 5, while emphasizing the educational value of experimenting with hardware configurations.

- External GPUs can enhance Raspberry Pi 5's gaming capabilities, enabling 4K output.

- The RX 460 is recommended for its compatibility with open-source drivers and performance.

- Users must configure the Pi 5's PCIe settings and apply kernel patches for GPU support.

- Transcoding video with the RX 460 is possible but requires further troubleshooting.

- Ongoing driver issues highlight the need for improved compatibility with various AMD GPUs.

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By @edude03 - 7 months
Nice to see Jeff finally got some success running GPUs on the pi. Though, as the conclusion kind of points to, it's not very practical today. To be practical I guess we'd need to see faster bus speeds, newer GPU support AND probably, a more practical way put the setup together (I'd love the see a Ghost Canyon[0] style setup) which would make building a high performance ARM system at home practical.

[0]: https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/intel-nuc-9-extreme-kit-ghost-...