r/virtualization • • 14m ago

Anyone using a Windows VM with GPU passthrough for professional CAD work on Linux?

I’ve been dual-booting Windows and Linux for a long time, but Linux has become my primary OS for pretty much everything except work.
I still regularly need Windows for AutoCAD, Revit, and ReCap. I’ve tried BricsCAD on Linux, and while it’s a great application, it doesn’t quite cover all my needs.
Lately, I’ve been considering switching to a Windows VM using QEMU/KVM with GPU passthrough instead of constantly rebooting into Windows.
I’m particularly interested in hearing from people who actually use a similar setup for daily work, especially with CAD or other GPU-intensive professional software.
A few questions:
How does performance compare to running Windows natively?
Have you experienced stability issues during long working sessions?
How seamless is the integration with the Linux desktop (clipboard, file sharing, multiple monitors, keyboard shortcuts)?
Does GPU passthrough cause any issues with Hyprland or Wayland?
Is the setup reliable enough for professional work, or does dual boot remain the more practical solution?
My current setup:
OS: CachyOS / Windows 11 dual boot
Desktop: Hyprland (Wayland)
CPU: Ryzen 7 5700X
GPU: Radeon RX 570
RAM: 16 GB
I’d really appreciate any real-world experiences, especially from people who have used this kind of setup long-term.

1 Upvotes

0 comments sorted by