Waydroid/vkcube black screen when trying to render with secondary iGPU

[ssareta]

Problem

I have an nvidia dGPU (using nvidia-open drivers) on my desktop, with an AMD iGPU available from my AMD CPU. When trying to render apps using the AMD iGPU while using the nvidia dGPU as Hyprland primary GPU, they render as a black screen.

Background

I want to use Waydroid to play some Android games. Sadly Waydroid only supports software rending on nvidia, so I enabled my AMD iGPU in BIOS, and tried to switch waydroid to it. Nada, black screen, although it didn't seem to crash or anything.

Then I tried vkcube --gpu_number 1 to force it to run with my iGPU to see if rendering using the iGPU works at all - this produced a black screen. WAYLAND_DEBUG=1 seems to show everything running fine - gets/releases fifo barriers/commits at framerate, etc (logs attached), but the window is a pure black screen, same as Waydroid.

In nvtop I can see the GPU/mem usage of the iGPU actually go up while running vkcube, so clearly it's doing something; it feels like it's somehow just failing to copy across the framebuffer to the nvidia GPU to be output or something.

Maybe what I'm doing just isn't really supported yet; I couldn't find much info on this rather specific use case online. Still, any info would be appreciated!

What I did find to work:

1. If I set AQ_DRM_DEVICES to prefer the iGPU for Hyprland rendering, both GPUs work with vkcube, and Waydroid also works. But my iGPU isn't the greatest, maybe, or maybe more likely it just smashes the CPU really hard and perhaps also isn't synchronised too well, since I imagine it's not copying the framebuffers from gpu to gpu too efficiently... in any case Hyprland doesn't run very smoothly at all like this, and animations are pretty choppy.

2. If I stick to dGPU primary, but I use https://github.com/cage-kiosk/cage (as suggested in [BUG] Waydroid fails to start in GNOME with NVIDIA GPU and iGPU waydroid/waydroid#2018) to run waydroid from within Hyprland, like cage waydroid in a terminal or so, it does somehow render just fine using the iGPU. Not the smoothest experience, but it does work.

So, steps to repro:

1. Enable iGPU in BIOS. Don't even need to add to AQ_DRM_DEVICES - it still preferred my nvidia dGPU to render Hyprland without that, but adding the iGPU as secondary didn't seem to change anything.
2. vkcube --gpu_number 1 (for me, it is 1, but using whichever the iGPU is enumerated to by vkcube)
3. Observe darkness

For now I am using workaround number 2 above, but would love to see if I'm doing something stupid and this can be fixed.

Running on cachyOS with kernel 6.18.0, nvidia drivers 580.105.08, mesa 25.3.1.

vulkaninfo

❯ vulkaninfo --summary
WARNING: [Loader Message] Code 0 : Layer VK_LAYER_hdr_wsi uses API version 1.3 which is older than the application specified API version of 1.4. May cause issues.
[HDR Layer] Created HDR surface
[HDR Layer] Enabling format: 64 colorspace: 1000104008
[HDR Layer] Enabling format: 58 colorspace: 1000104008
[HDR Layer] Enabling format: 97 colorspace: 1000104002
[HDR Layer] Enabling format: 97 colorspace: 1000104005
[HDR Layer] Enabling format: 97 colorspace: 1000104002
[HDR Layer] Enabling format: 97 colorspace: 1000104002
==========
VULKANINFO
==========

Vulkan Instance Version: 1.4.328


Instance Extensions: count = 25
-------------------------------
VK_EXT_acquire_drm_display             : extension revision 1
VK_EXT_acquire_xlib_display            : extension revision 1
VK_EXT_debug_report                    : extension revision 10
VK_EXT_debug_utils                     : extension revision 2
VK_EXT_direct_mode_display             : extension revision 1
VK_EXT_display_surface_counter         : extension revision 1
VK_EXT_headless_surface                : extension revision 1
VK_EXT_surface_maintenance1            : extension revision 1
VK_EXT_swapchain_colorspace            : extension revision 5
VK_KHR_device_group_creation           : extension revision 1
VK_KHR_display                         : extension revision 23
VK_KHR_external_fence_capabilities     : extension revision 1
VK_KHR_external_memory_capabilities    : extension revision 1
VK_KHR_external_semaphore_capabilities : extension revision 1
VK_KHR_get_display_properties2         : extension revision 1
VK_KHR_get_physical_device_properties2 : extension revision 2
VK_KHR_get_surface_capabilities2       : extension revision 1
VK_KHR_portability_enumeration         : extension revision 1
VK_KHR_surface                         : extension revision 25
VK_KHR_surface_protected_capabilities  : extension revision 1
VK_KHR_wayland_surface                 : extension revision 6
VK_KHR_xcb_surface                     : extension revision 6
VK_KHR_xlib_surface                    : extension revision 6
VK_LUNARG_direct_driver_loading        : extension revision 1
VK_NV_display_stereo                   : extension revision 1

Instance Layers: count = 17
---------------------------
VK_LAYER_FROG_gamescope_wsi_x86_64 Gamescope WSI (XWayland Bypass) Layer (x86_64)               1.3.221  version 1
VK_LAYER_INTEL_nullhw              INTEL NULL HW                                                1.1.73   version 1
VK_LAYER_KHRONOS_validation        Khronos Validation Layer                                     1.4.328  version 1
VK_LAYER_MANGOHUD_overlay_x86      Vulkan Hud Overlay                                           1.3.0    version 1
VK_LAYER_MANGOHUD_overlay_x86_64   Vulkan Hud Overlay                                           1.3.0    version 1
VK_LAYER_MESA_anti_lag             Open-source implementation of the VK_AMD_anti_lag extension. 1.4.303  version 1
VK_LAYER_MESA_device_select        Linux device selection layer                                 1.4.303  version 1
VK_LAYER_MESA_overlay              Mesa Overlay layer                                           1.4.303  version 1
VK_LAYER_MESA_screenshot           Mesa Screenshot layer                                        1.4.303  version 1
VK_LAYER_MESA_vram_report_limit    Limit reported VRAM                                          1.4.303  version 1
VK_LAYER_NV_optimus                NVIDIA Optimus layer                                         1.4.312  version 1
VK_LAYER_NV_present                NVIDIA GR2608 layer                                          1.4.312  version 1
VK_LAYER_VALVE_steam_fossilize_32  Steam Pipeline Caching Layer                                 1.3.207  version 1
VK_LAYER_VALVE_steam_fossilize_64  Steam Pipeline Caching Layer                                 1.3.207  version 1
VK_LAYER_VALVE_steam_overlay_32    Steam Overlay Layer                                          1.3.207  version 1
VK_LAYER_VALVE_steam_overlay_64    Steam Overlay Layer                                          1.3.207  version 1
VK_LAYER_hdr_wsi                   WSI HDR Layer (x86_64)                                       1.3.221  version 1

Devices:
========
GPU0:
	apiVersion         = 1.4.312
	driverVersion      = 580.105.8.0
	vendorID           = 0x10de
	deviceID           = 0x2b85
	deviceType         = PHYSICAL_DEVICE_TYPE_DISCRETE_GPU
	deviceName         = NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
	driverID           = DRIVER_ID_NVIDIA_PROPRIETARY
	driverName         = NVIDIA
	driverInfo         = 580.105.08
	conformanceVersion = 1.4.1.3
	deviceUUID         = 361d002b-e0e7-bab8-4ea1-8959234e4b25
	driverUUID         = 72b7aad8-3131-56b3-9bf3-fe41c3e1bd81
GPU1:
	apiVersion         = 1.4.328
	driverVersion      = 25.3.1
	vendorID           = 0x1002
	deviceID           = 0x13c0
	deviceType         = PHYSICAL_DEVICE_TYPE_INTEGRATED_GPU
	deviceName         = AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D 8-Core Processor (RADV RAPHAEL_MENDOCINO)
	driverID           = DRIVER_ID_MESA_RADV
	driverName         = radv
	driverInfo         = Mesa 25.3.1-arch1.3
	conformanceVersion = 1.4.0.0
	deviceUUID         = 00000000-1100-0000-0000-000000000000
	driverUUID         = 414d442d-4d45-5341-2d44-525600000000

hyprctl systeminfo

❯ hyprctl systeminfo
Hyprland 0.52.0 built from branch main at commit f8d5aad1a1f61e1b6443c27394a38c8c54d39e9e clean (tests: fix a test case).
Date: Sun Dec 7 01:42:26 2025
Tag: v0.52.0-130-gf8d5aad1a, commits: 6689

Libraries:
Hyprgraphics: built against 0.4.0, system has 0.4.0
Hyprutils: built against 0.11.0, system has 0.11.0
Hyprcursor: built against 0.1.13, system has 0.1.13
Hyprlang: built against 0.6.7, system has 0.6.7
Aquamarine: built against 0.10.0, system has 0.10.0

Version ABI string: f8d5aad1a1f61e1b6443c27394a38c8c54d39e9e_aq_0.10_hu_0.11_hg_0.4_hc_0.1_hlg_0.6
no flags were set


System Information:
System name: Linux
Node name: desktopx8664
Release: 6.18.0-3-cachyos
Version: #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Thu, 04 Dec 2025 06:45:26 +0000

Libraries:
Hyprgraphics: built against 0.4.0, system has 0.4.0
Hyprutils: built against 0.11.0, system has 0.11.0
Hyprcursor: built against 0.1.13, system has 0.1.13
Hyprlang: built against 0.6.7, system has 0.6.7
Aquamarine: built against 0.10.0, system has 0.10.0



GPU information: 
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: NVIDIA Corporation GB202 [GeForce RTX 5090] [10de:2b85] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
11:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Granite Ridge [Radeon Graphics] [1002:13c0] (rev cb) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
NVRM version: NVIDIA UNIX Open Kernel Module for x86_64  580.105.08  Release Build  (notroot@)  Thu Dec  4 07:23:38 UTC 2025


os-release: NAME="CachyOS Linux"
PRETTY_NAME="CachyOS"
ID=cachyos
BUILD_ID=rolling
ANSI_COLOR="38;2;23;147;209"
HOME_URL="https://cachyos.org/"
DOCUMENTATION_URL="https://wiki.cachyos.org/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://discuss.cachyos.org/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="https://github.com/cachyos"
PRIVACY_POLICY_URL="https://terms.archlinux.org/docs/privacy-policy/"
LOGO=cachyos


plugins:

Explicit sync: supported
GL ver: 3.2
Backend: drm

Monitor info:
	Panel DP-3: 3440x1440, DP-3 Dell Inc. Dell AW3423DW #GrMYMxgwAAVg -> backend drm
		explicit ✔️
		edid:
			hdr ✔️
			chroma ✔️
			bt2020 ✔️
		vrr capable ✔️
		non-desktop ❌
		
	Panel HEADLESS-2: 2420x1668, HEADLESS-2    -> backend headless
		explicit ❌
		edid:
			hdr ❌
			chroma ❌
			bt2020 ❌
		vrr capable ❌
		non-desktop ❌

WAYLAND_DEBUG=1 of vkcube

wayland_debug_vkcube_amdgpu.txt