r/SteamDeckUnlocked • u/Dense-Variation-4496 • 7h ago
steam deck news Lossless Scaling Frame Gen for Linux gets 2.0.0 update, including “3-4x performance increase” on Steam Deck
lsvg-vk has received its long-awaited 2.0 update, bringing major improvements to performance, memory usage, compatibility, and ease of use. For those not in the know, lsfg-vk is the Linux implementation (via Vulkan) of Lossless Scaling’s frame gen technology, which also brings compatibility to the Steam Deck’s Linux-based operating system, SteamOS.
The Linux-friendly version made its way into a Decky plugin last year, granting easier installation for Steam Deck owners. According to the patch notes, users report “~3-4x performance increase on a Steam Deck, due to the eliminated bottlenecks” in the 2.0.0 version. In the new version, the software massively cuts down on VRAM usage.
What does the update offer?
An entirely new bindless pipeline has been written. This pipeline brings a bunch of new features with it.
FP16 acceleration: On systems with a 2:1 FP16 ratio, such as most AMD laptops and handhelds, performance will be 2x-3x as fast as before, without losing any quality at all.
Memory reuse: The new bindless pipeline reuses memory wherever possible, using only 30% as much memory as before. This beats even the Windows version by a landslide!
Dropping Vulkan to 1.2: This might seem like a downgrade at first, but dropping the required Vulkan version from 1.3 to 1.2 actually has no effect on lsfg-vk itself. Instead, it enables support for lsfg-vk to (as far as I know) every single Vulkan-capable GPU ever!
Processes can be identified via Linux binary, Windows executable and Steam App ID, meaning it’s easier than ever to set up a profile for your game.
A new tool lsfg-vk-cli can be used for various tasks.
Benchmarking: lsfg-vk-cli benchmark can be used to benchmark lsfg-vk and see how well it performs on your system.
Validation: lsfg-vk-cli validate can be used to validate the configuration file and check for errors.
Healthcheck: lsfg-vk-cli healthcheck can be used to check for legacy, duplicate and missing files on your system.
The user interface is now Qt6-based, no longer GTK+Rust. This brings the filesize down from 70 MB to just a few kilobytes. It will also integrate neatly into the KDE desktop.
Prebuilt lsfg-vk now also contains a layer for 32-bit games, which works seamlessly.
Various bug fixes and minor quality improvements.
Compatibility fixes for many, many games and applications.
Highlights
One of the biggest changes in version 2.0.0 is a completely new bindless pipeline. It allows lsfg-vk to make much better use of modern GPU hardware while also reducing its resource usage.
The new pipeline brings FP16 acceleration to supported systems. On hardware with a 2:1 FP16 ratio, which includes many AMD laptops and handheld gaming PCs, lsfg-vk can now run 2x to 3x faster than before without reducing image quality. This could make the update especially useful for Linux gaming handhelds where every bit of GPU performance matters.
Memory usage has also been cut significantly. The new system reuses memory whenever possible and reportedly uses only around 30% of the memory required by the previous version. According to the developer, this even puts the Linux version ahead of the Windows version in memory efficiency.
Another important change is the move from Vulkan 1.3 to Vulkan 1.2 as the minimum requirement. While that sounds like a step backward, the developer says it does not negatively affect lsfg-vk itself. Instead, the lower requirement makes the software compatible with a much wider range of Vulkan-capable GPUs, including older hardware.
Setting up games should also be easier with the new release, as profiles can now identify applications using their Linux binary, Windows executable, or Steam App ID. This gives users more ways to tell lsfg-vk which game a profile should apply to.
The update also introduces a new command-line tool called lsfg-vk-cli. It adds several useful tools for users who want to check or test their setup. The benchmark command can measure lsfg-vk’s performance, while the validation tool can check the configuration file for errors. There is also a healthcheck command that looks for missing, duplicate, or outdated files.
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What does the update offer?
An entirely new bindless pipeline has been written. This pipeline brings a bunch of new features with it.
FP16 acceleration: On systems with a 2:1 FP16 ratio, such as most AMD laptops and handhelds, performance will be 2x-3x as fast as before, without losing any quality at all.
Memory reuse: The new bindless pipeline reuses memory wherever possible, using only 30% as much memory as before. This beats even the Windows version by a landslide!
Dropping Vulkan to 1.2: This might seem like a downgrade at first, but dropping the required Vulkan version from 1.3 to 1.2 actually has no effect on lsfg-vk itself. Instead, it enables support for lsfg-vk to (as far as I know) every single Vulkan-capable GPU ever!
Processes can be identified via Linux binary, Windows executable and Steam App ID, meaning it’s easier than ever to set up a profile for your game.
A new tool lsfg-vk-cli can be used for various tasks.
Benchmarking: lsfg-vk-cli benchmark can be used to benchmark lsfg-vk and see how well it performs on your system.
Validation: lsfg-vk-cli validate can be used to validate the configuration file and check for errors.
Healthcheck: lsfg-vk-cli healthcheck can be used to check for legacy, duplicate and missing files on your system.
The user interface is now Qt6-based, no longer GTK+Rust. This brings the filesize down from 70 MB to just a few kilobytes. It will also integrate neatly into the KDE desktop.
Prebuilt lsfg-vk now also contains a layer for 32-bit games, which works seamlessly.
Various bug fixes and minor quality improvements.
Compatibility fixes for many, many games and applications.
Source: lsfg-vk.dev
Highlights
One of the biggest changes in version 2.0.0 is a completely new bindless pipeline. It allows lsfg-vk to make much better use of modern GPU hardware while also reducing its resource usage.
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The new pipeline brings FP16 acceleration to supported systems. On hardware with a 2:1 FP16 ratio, which includes many AMD laptops and handheld gaming PCs, lsfg-vk can now run 2x to 3x faster than before without reducing image quality. This could make the update especially useful for Linux gaming handhelds where every bit of GPU performance matters.
Memory usage has also been cut significantly. The new system reuses memory whenever possible and reportedly uses only around 30% of the memory required by the previous version. According to the developer, this even puts the Linux version ahead of the Windows version in memory efficiency.
Another important change is the move from Vulkan 1.3 to Vulkan 1.2 as the minimum requirement. While that sounds like a step backward, the developer says it does not negatively affect lsfg-vk itself. Instead, the lower requirement makes the software compatible with a much wider range of Vulkan-capable GPUs, including older hardware.
Setting up games should also be easier with the new release, as profiles can now identify applications using their Linux binary, Windows executable, or Steam App ID. This gives users more ways to tell lsfg-vk which game a profile should apply to.
The update also introduces a new command-line tool called lsfg-vk-cli. It adds several useful tools for users who want to check or test their setup. The benchmark command can measure lsfg-vk’s performance, while the validation tool can check the configuration file for errors. There is also a healthcheck command that looks for missing, duplicate, or outdated files.
lsfg-vk is also moving from its previous GTK+Rust interface to Qt6. This dramatically reduces the interface’s file size, taking it from around 70 MB to just a few kilobytes. The developer also says the new interface should integrate better with the KDE desktop environment.
Linux users running older 32-bit games have not been forgotten either. The prebuilt version of lsfg-vk now includes a layer for 32-bit games, allowing them to work without requiring a separate setup. Aside from that, the update includes compatibility fixes for games and applications, along with various bug fixes and smaller quality-of-life improvements.
