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VirtualBox 6.0 provides a new setting called Graphics Controller. There are four options to choose from:

• None


• VBoxVGA


• VMSVGA


• VBoxSVGA

In the user manual I have found this information:

Graphics Controller: Specifies the graphics adapter type used by the guest VM. Note that you must install the Guest Additions on the guest VM to specify the VBoxSVGA or VMSVGA graphics controller. The following options are available:

– VBoxSVGA: The default graphics controller for new VMs that use Linux or Windows 7 or later. This graphics controller improves performance and 3D support when compared to the legacy VBoxVGA option.
– VBoxVGA: Use this graphics controller for legacy guest OSes. This is the default graphics controller for Windows versions before Windows 7.

– VMSVGA: Use this graphics controller to emulate a VMware SVGA graphics device.

– None: Does not emulate a graphics adapter type.

But still it does not describe which of them and why should I prefer.

When should I choose None?

Is VMSVGA better than VBoxSVGA?

What is wrong with VBoxVGA?

I have tested booting of archlinux-2019.02.01-x86_64.iso with virtualbox 6.0.4 in efi and legacy modes:

┌──────────┬─────────────────────────────────┬─────────────┐

│ Adapter  │            EFI mode             │ Legacy mode │

├──────────┼─────────────────────────────────┼─────────────┤

│ VBoxVGA  │ ok                              │ ok          │

│ VMSVGA   │ ok in systemd-boot menu,        │ ok          │

│          │ then black screen for some time │             │

│          │ when booting, then becomes ok   │             │

│ VBoxSVGA │ black screen                    │ ok          │

└──────────┴─────────────────────────────────┴─────────────┘

Based on what I've found in the source code:

• 
  

  VBoxVGA emulates a graphics adapter specific to VirtualBox, the same as in previous versions.

  
  
  

  It has some form of 3D passthrough, but – if I remember correctly – uses an insecure approach that just lets the guest dump any and all commands to the host GPU.

  
  
  

  This option likely exists just to provide continuity – after upgrading to 6.0, all old VMs have this mode selected automatically so there's no unexpected change in behavior; you don't lose whatever acceleration you previously had.

  
  


• 
  

  VMSVGA emulates the VMware Workstation graphics adapter with the "VMware SVGA 3D" acceleration method, which is supposed to provide better performance and security than the old method.

  
  
  

  It might also have the advantage of supporting old OS which had VMware guest additions available but not VirtualBox guest additions. (I plan to test this with Windows 9x, which is otherwise a massive pain to get even VESA graphics working with VirtualBox)

  
  


• 
  

  VBoxSVGA provides a hybrid device that works like VMSVGA (including its new 3D acceleration capabilities), but reports the same old PCI VID:PID as VBoxVGA.

  
  
  

  The advantage of this mode is that you can upgrade existing VMs (which previously used VBoxVGA and had the VirtualBox Video driver installed) and they don't lose their graphics in the process – they still see the same device, until you upgrade the "guest additions" at any later time to enable 3D accel.

  
  
  

  Also, because it's still VMware SVGA emulated by VirtualBox, choosing this option and using the VirtualBox driver may still have advantages over the VMware one, e.g. allow to make use of VirtualBox-specific additional features.

  
  



• "None" is, obviously, no emulated graphics at all. Only use it if you provide a real GPU via PCI Passthrough, or if your system absolutely doesn't need a GPU.

But they do tell you quite explicitly when you should prefer them:

– VBoxSVGA: The default graphics controller for new VMs that use Linux or Windows 7 or later. This graphics controller improves performance and 3D support when compared to the legacy VBoxVGA option.

• Linux or Windows >7


• improves performance and 3D support

– VBoxVGA: Use this graphics controller for legacy guest OSes. This is the default graphics controller for Windows versions before Windows 7. 

• (by inference) slightly lower performance but more compatibility with older OSes


• Old OS or Windows < 7

– VMSVGA: Use this graphics controller to emulate a VMware SVGA graphics device. 

• Emulates a VMWare device


• probably best when your VM was originally set up on VMWare and has their tools installed


• may not be as fast as VBox cards because it's trying to be compatible with something else.

– None: Does not emulate a graphics adapter type.

• you don't want a graphics adapter
  
  i.e. you want to run the machine headless or over SSH and don't need the overhead of it emulating graphics.


• could improve performance as it removes a layer or emulation