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Platforms

Hardware

IGT GPU Tools is designed to validate few DRM drivers across a variety of platforms. While virtual environments help with development, real hardware is recommended for full test coverage, performance metrics, and regression tracking.

General Guidelines

  • Use modern GPUs for maximum test compatibility.
  • Prefer dedicated test systems for kernel and firmware flexibility.
  • Ensure reliable cooling to avoid throttling during performance tests.

Supported GPUs

Support exists for the following platforms:

  • Intel (i915 and xe)
  • AMD (amdgpu)
  • NVIDIA (nouveau)
  • Broadcom (v3d and vc4)
  • Qualcomm (msm)
  • Arm (Panfrost)
  • Panthor
  • Virtual GPUs (e.g., virtio_gpu in QEMU/KVM/AVD or vmwgfx)
  • Virtual display (vkms)

Intel

GPU Generation Example Platform / CPU Notes
Gen9 Skylake (e.g., i5-6200U) Stable, well-supported baseline
Gen11 Ice Lake (e.g., i7-1065G7) Better display/media support
Gen12 Tiger Lake / Alder Lake Used for both i915 and early Xe testing
DG2 Intel Arc A-Series GPUs Required for Xe HPG-specific validation
XeHP/XeHPC (If available) Specialized use by hardware teams/devs

Older GPUs (Gen7/Gen8) are still useful for regression testing but may not support new test features.

Community contributions are welcome to expand non-Intel support!

Software

Intel

i915 vs Xe Drivers

IGT supports two major Intel GPU drivers in the kernel:

Here are some basic information, for more please visit an official Intel Graphics for Linux - Documentation

i915 Driver
  • Supports older Intel platforms (Gen9–Gen12).
  • Mature, well-tested, and fully integrated into kernel and userspace stacks.
  • Tests targeting i915 must include proper documentation (using igt_describe) and follow test plan validation rules.
Xe Driver
  • Next-generation Intel GPU driver for DG2 (Arc) and newer architectures.
  • Designed to replace i915 for future platforms.
  • Modular, uses a new codebase and device model.
  • Tests targeting Xe must follow the same documentation and validation practices but may focus on newer UAPI/ABI interactions.

Key Differences

Aspect i915 Xe
Target Platforms Gen9–Gen12, some DG1 DG2 (Arc), XeHP/HPG/HPC
Kernel Interface Legacy DRM, widely used New driver stack with modernized UAPI
Development Stable, long-maintained In active development
Test Requirements Strict documentation rules Same, with new feature emphasis

If you're unsure which driver your hardware uses, check:

lspci -nn | grep VGA
dmesg | grep drm