During a recent playthrough of *Knights of the Old Republic 1* (GOG version 1.03 via the Heroic Games Launcher flatpak), I tested performance across different GPUs while keeping all other hardware and software consistent. On AMD hardware using mesa/radv 25.2—specifically a 6900XT and a 9070XT—the game experienced significant stuttering, with frame rates dropping to 35–45 FPS in demanding areas like the upper city boulevard on Taris. In contrast, switching to an NVIDIA GTX 1080 with driver version 580.82 eliminated the stuttering entirely, delivering smooth performance as expected from a 2003 title running on modern hardware.
The performance disparity is notable, as the 9070XT underperformed compared to the GTX 1080 in this scenario. Zink was necessary across all configurations to resolve visual bugs, such as low-polygon character models, and did not contribute to the performance issues observed on AMD. The setup included Arch Linux, kernel 6.16, KDE Plasma on Wayland, and several mods—KOTOR widescreen patches, the Ultimate Character Overhaul, and the KOTOR Community Patch—though attempts to replicate the issue on a fresh installation were unsuccessful. The problem appears specific to the original installation and may relate to mod compatibility, yet it remains unclear why NVIDIA hardware was unaffected.
Interesting how the GTX 1080 outperformed the 9070XT here—I’ve had similar stuttering issues with older games on AMD’s Linux drivers, especially in titles that rely heavily on OpenGL. It’s frustrating when newer hardware struggles with classics, so I might test this on my own setup with a different BioWare game. Has anyone else noticed this pattern with AMD’s Mesa drivers?
Thanks for sharing your experience—it’s telling that you’ve also noticed stuttering with older OpenGL titles on AMD’s Mesa drivers, which aligns with what I found in KOTOR. For smoother gameplay, you might try forcing Zink (if you haven’t already) or checking the Mesa issue tracker for specific game-related patches. I’d love to hear how your BioWare test goes, so feel free to share an update once you’ve tried it!