Chromebooks have gained immense popularity in recent times, thanks to their user-friendly interface, pocket-friendly costs, and high efficiency. With Chromebooks now supporting Linux applications, they are even more versatile than ever before. However, some users may find that certain Linux applications require GPU acceleration to perform at their optimal levels.
In this blog post, we’ll dive deep into the process of enabling GPU acceleration in Linux on Chromebook. By doing so, you’ll be able to unlock the full potential of your device and enjoy a seamless experience while using GPU-intensive applications. So without further ado, let’s get started.
What is GPU Acceleration?
Enabling GPU acceleration significantly improves the performance and efficiency of graphics-intensive applications. By transferring tasks from the CPU to the GPU, you can enjoy smoother operation and enhanced graphics rendering, especially when working with applications such as video editing, gaming, and 3D modeling.
If you’re using Linux on a Chromebook, enabling GPU acceleration is a must to ensure you maximize the potential of these applications and enjoy a smoother user experience.
In summary, GPU acceleration enhances performance and efficiency by delegating tasks to the GPU, which is particularly beneficial for graphics-intensive applications.
How to Enable GPU Acceleration in Linux on Chromebook
It’s important to have a good understanding of the principles before beginning the process. Chromebooks usually operate using Chrome OS, but they can also run Linux distributions alongside Chrome OS with the help of a feature called Crostini.
Crostini enables users to install and use Linux applications within a containerized environment in Chrome OS.
To enable GPU acceleration in Linux on a Chromebook, we need to access Crostini settings. Here’s how you can do so:
1. Open the Google Chrome browser and visit the flags page.
chrome://flags2. After that, search for Crostini GPU Support and enable it from the drop-down menu.
3. Alternatively, on the address bar type the following command and hit enter key.
chrome://flags/#crostini-gpu-support4. Here, look for Crostini GPU Support, and from the drop-down menu select the Enabled option.
5. Then, click on the Restart button.
Confirming GPU Acceleration on Your Chromebook
After the device reboots, you are ready to use your device with GPU acceleration enabled in Linux on Chromebook. However, you can still check if GPU acceleration on your Chromebook is working or not. This will also help you to update the packages and dependencies for Linux.
Here’s how you can do so:
1. Click on the App Launcher and open the Terminal application.
2. Now, to ensure that your Linux terminal is updated and upgraded to the latest version, run the following command:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade -y
3. After updating the packages, execute the command below to install the Mesa utility, which checks whether GPU acceleration is enabled on your Chromebook or not.
sudo apt-get install mesa-utils -y
4. Finally, to confirm if GPU acceleration has been enabled or not, open the Linux Terminal and run the command given below.
glxinfo -B5. Here, you should get Accelerated: Yes. That means GPU acceleration is enabled on your system.
Note: On low-end devices, sometimes GPU acceleration affects the overall experience. So, if you are facing any issues, we recommend disabling it.
Conclusion
That’s it. This is how you can enable and confirm GPU acceleration in Linux on a Chromebook. Enabling GPU acceleration in Linux enhances the device’s performance and unlocks its full potential for graphics-intensive tasks.
However, if you are looking to enable microphone access in Linux, then you can check out our guide on how to turn on the microphone in Linux on a Chromebook. With both GPU acceleration and microphone enabled, your Chromebook becomes even more capable, allowing you to tackle a wider range of tasks effectively.
