# [SOLVED] Intel i915 or i965?

## The_Great_Sephiroth

I used to use the i915 driver for my video card but I believe I need to use the i965 now. The thing is, my desktop seems sluggish since switching.

```

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:2a42] (rev 07)

        Subsystem: Dell Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller [1028:0233]

        Kernel driver in use: i915

00:02.1 Display controller [0380]: Intel Corporation Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:2a43] (rev 07)

        Subsystem: Dell Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller [1028:0233]

```

It says it is using i915 but I only have 965 in the kernel.

```

VIDEO_CARDS="intel i915"

```

I have that in my make.conf from way back. How should I properly configure my system for the hardware listed above?

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## fedeliallalinea

You tried Modesetting DDX as wiki intel page suggest?

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## asturm

Use modesetting.

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## The_Great_Sephiroth

If I read that article correctly, modesetting is enabled by default. I can almost assure you it is because as soon as the system starts booting I get a high-res screen to watch OpenRC and such start. I was asking if I should be using i965 or i915 and if i915, where is it in the kernel? Also, since it appears that i915 is gone, should I set VIDEO_CARDS to i965 instead?

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## Jaglover

You are making me sad. fedeliallalinea gave you the link, you didn't bother to read the wiki page even after it was provided to you on silver platter ...

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## The_Great_Sephiroth

OK, what am I not reading. I quote:

[quote]

As mentioned above, the modesetting DDX driver is now the default driver on newer Intel graphics chipsets for Gentoo. This driver uses GLAMOR to accelerate 2D graphical over Mesa (the open source OpenGL implementation). As of x11-base/xorg-drivers-1.19, this has become the default for Gentoo.

[/code]

I read that to mean that modesetting is already enabled. Perhaps I am not understanding it?

```

~ $ equery uses x11-base/xorg-drivers

[ Legend : U - final flag setting for installation]

[        : I - package is installed with flag     ]

[ Colors : set, unset                             ]

 * Found these USE flags for x11-base/xorg-drivers-1.19

```

I have 1.19 like the article states so isn't the default set to on? What am I missing in reading that section?

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## bunder

4 series should be i965.  but that gpu is rather old, so i can't imagine it doing much more than youtube.

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## fedeliallalinea

 *The_Great_Sephiroth wrote:*   

> I was asking if I should be using i965 or i915 and if i915, where is it in the kernel? Also, since it appears that i915 is gone, should I set VIDEO_CARDS to i965 instead?

 

Like wiki wrote use for your card

VIDEO_CARDS="intel i965"

you also can enable  vaapi use flag for your GMA X4500HD vide card.

In kernel correct driver is i915 (it's only driver for all intel card)

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## The_Great_Sephiroth

I already have vaapi enabled, but thanks. I switched to i965 but need to rebuild. Will be doing that tonight when the laptop gets home to a power supply. I will report success or failure.

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## The_Great_Sephiroth

Just wanted to mark this as solved and reply with success. The laptop is liquid-smooth again, even in Chromium. Fonts look right again, etc. When i setup this laptop 915 was what I had to use. I did not realize there was a switch to 965. After changing to 965 in make.conf and rebuilding, everything is good. Thanks for the help.

As a side note, I did not need to force modesetting or anything, just change make.conf to use "intel i965" for the "VIDEO_CARDS" section and rebuild.

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