Need for video driver

[Polytropon]

On Sun, 10 Dec 2017 11:25:28 +0000, Carmel NY wrote:
> I have an older system that has an NVIDIA video card. The system is
> mainly used for storage and
> as a mail server. Is there any advantage to installing the
> "x11/nvidia-driver" port?
> 
> vgapci0 at pci0:1:0:0:     class=0x030000 card=0x13023842 chip=0x10c310de rev=0xa2 hdr=0x00
>     vendor     = 'NVIDIA Corporation'
>     device     = 'GT218 [GeForce 8400 GS Rev. 3]'
>     class      = display
>     subclass   = VGA

You say it's _mainly_ a server. If you want to use X simply for
administration tasks (like controlling stuff through a web app),
VESA should be fully sufficient. Only if you want to do things
like extensive web browsing or desktop environments, it's worth
comparing the VESA performance to that with nvidia-driver loaded.
You will _then_ probably see an increase in speed.

Of course, if you're not using X at all, there is _no_ advantage
in loading the driver.

If the system is being used as a server _only_, there usually
isn't a point in having a GPU in the system at all, especially
not a high-power nVidia device. ;-)



-- 
Polytropon
Magdeburg, Germany
Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0
Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...