I currently run Plex on a small computer with Intel CPU/integrated GPU. I run Linux on the machine and then Plex in Docker (official docker image). I did not install any specific driver software on the host, but Intel GPU’s are pretty well supported with the Linux kernel. I pass through the GPU to Plex and as far as I can tell transcoding with it works (watching processes while it’s working, I confirmed it). My host OS is “headless”, so I don’t need the GPU there.
Thinking of upgrading. I know NVIDIA has a shady history with Linux support. AMD seems better, but not as popular GPU’s.
If I passthrough either, do I need drivers on the host? Will that mess it up? If not, does the official docker container have the drivers for them if they just show up as hardware in the container?
A discrete GPU is not necessarily an upgrade. AMD GPUs are supported, but currently limited to SDR video, so no hardware accelerated transcoding and tone mapping of HDR media.
If you install a Nvidia GPU you will have to install Nvidia drivers and pass the GPU to PMS in the container, the same as you do now with Intel graphics.
This gives you an overview of what you need to do to get a nVidia GPU working in Docker with Plex. Despite what the article says, the official Plex Docker image does work with nVidia.
