Install and run Anaconda, TensorFlow, PyTorch, and an AI benchmark with a single command. Enjoy NVIDIA RTX, CUDA, and CuDNN-powered performance 5 to 30 times greater than popular Unix® laptops. Develop with the industry-standard PyCharm IDE using the expertly packaged JetBrains Toolbox and desktop integration. This solution only applies to the Kubuntu Focus M1 and M2 models, as they have the required Nvidia hardware.
Please read the disclaimer before proceeding. We review and update guided solutions like this regularly. If you have suggestions or requests, please write support@kfocus.org.
kfocus-condaRun the app from App Menu > Kubuntu Focus > Anaconda GPU AI Suite Installer, or open a terminal and enter kfocus-conda (on 22.04 LTS) or kfocus-001-conda (on 20.04 LTS). This installs an Anaconda suite that is professionally vetted, comprehensive, and GPU accelerated. You will be prompted to optionally install the following environments:
(GPU) Jupyter Notebook(GPU) MXNet(GPU) PyTorch(GPU) TensorFlow(GPU) TheanoKfocus Conda will not overwrite or delete data unless you tell it to do so. You may run it again to add environments as needed. For example, you may install only TensorFlow at first and then add PyTorch later. Run the AI suite at the end to compare to the results shown in the Benchmarks section.
When you wish to build on these Conda environments, we recommend using Pycharm. You may install this with the JetBrains Toolbox installed on all Kubuntu Focus laptops.
You can change the GPU used for your displays using the GPU Widget found in the system tray. When you use Nvidia GPU (Performance Mode), every display pixel consumes additional VRAM. Total display VRAM may exceed 2 GB. Run watch nvidia-smi in a terminal to see VRAM use.
Sometimes you may want to use all VRAM for a pipeline so it can complete or run faster. The best solution is to click on Switch to Intel GPU (Power Save Mode). This will free all VRAM by using the iGPU and system RAM for the display. Only the primary laptop display may be available, although some models support a second display with DisplayPort.
If you need to drive more displays, you can Switch to Hybrid GPU (On-Demand Mode) as shown here. But So please remember to switch back when you are done!
You may run comprehensive TensorFlow benchmarks at the end of the Kfocus Conda script. Please compare to the official results. All tests are current as of June 2023.
| Results[1,2,3] | RTX 4090 M[2] | RTX 4080 M | RTX 4070 M | RTX 3080 Ti M | RTX 4060 M | RTX 3070 Ti M | RTX 3060 M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inference | 23,600* | 21,077 | 13,343 | 14,245 | 11,843 | 13,153 | 10,265 |
| Training | 28,220* | 25,201 | 15,872 | 16,034 | 14,164 | 14,782 | 11,806 |
| AI Score | 51,830* | 46,277 | 29,215 | 30,279 | 26,007 | 27,935 | 22,071 |
| Video RAM | 16 GB | 12 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB | 8 GB | 8 GB | 6 GB |
* Estimate
[1] See official comparison chart
[2] All 40-series from Kubuntu Focus M2GEN 5
[3] All 30-series from Kubuntu Focus M2GEN 4
Q: Starting NVIDIA Visual Profiler results in an error. How can I fix this?
A: One must install Java 8 and then call nvvp with the correct path.
Q: I booted my Kubuntu Focus, and it never got past the splash screen. How do I fix this?
A: NVIDIA Settings and other applications may ask you to save an xorg.conf file. Doing so may disable your internal display from functioning with a GUI upon logout or restart, and you will not be able to sign-in. If this happens, we recommend you remove this file:
[Ctrl][Alt][F2] simultaneously.sudo /bin/rm /etc/X11/xorg.conf, type your password when prompted.sudo systemctl restart sddm && exit.You should be able to sign-in normally.
Q: I see some libray errors when installing Anaconda. What can I do?
A: The Focus M2 ships with OpenGL and Vulkan libraries installed. When you run the Kfocus Conda script, you may be prompted to download and install additional libraries such as CUDA and CuDNN. Please ensure you are connected to the Internet with good bandwidth, as these can be quite large.If you still receive these errors, you can cancel, run the FocusRx diagnostics shown below, and then try again.
This is a partial revision history. See the git repository for all entries.
2024-03-18 fb9b592d Add syntax highlighting for codeblocks2023-11-18 e770b1c6 Add search and help bar2023-10-18 fac730e3 Enhance VRAM usage advice2023-06-19 a7af817b Update RTX 40-series benches, add image, revise VRAM text2023-04-16 1bc15058 Update display advice concerning iGPU Intel2022-06-11 b304575d Change spelling from MaxQ to Max-Q2023-05-18 0e693861 Refine opening language2023-05-18 1a4bd7dc Added M2 GEN 4 details in benchmark2023-05-18 1a4bd7dc Move focusrx to troubleshooting2022-01-16 3ae944e8 Fix HTML Entities; replace dist-upgrade with full-upgrade2021-11-07 3e32a343 Update table to current2021-10-10 5728326e Reformat to 2-column2021-09-22 dc862884 Update link and headline colors2021-08-23 681261b4 Review and update codeblocks2021-08-19 b994dd79 Add keywords for hybrid graphics mode2021-03-07 e3c1285d Revise conda launch guide, update styles2020-09-28 5d089610 Update to M2 scores2020-06-10 c4ed9299 Restructure layout2020-05-25 581c6523 Expand benchmarks2020-05-20 d00295d7 Add Library check2020-05-18 8c4b5b82 Add GPU library fix2020-05-15 0684cd5c Add benchmark2020-02-18 a4d437c5 Add conda script2020-01-31 70b4aa40 First publicationWe try hard to provide a useful solution validated by professionals. However, we cannot anticipate every situation, and therefore cannot guarantee this procedure will work for your needs. Always backup your data and test the solution to determine the correct procedure for you.
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