Home / Technology / Linux Kernel Leaps to 7.0, Old GPUs Get New Life
Linux Kernel Leaps to 7.0, Old GPUs Get New Life
9 Feb
Summary
- Linux 6.19 adds AMDGPU driver support for older GCN 1.0/1.1 graphics cards.
- The upcoming kernel version is officially numbered 7.0, marking a new cycle.
- Improved HDR support and enhanced features for Intel chips are included.
The latest Linux kernel, version 6.19, has been released, offering notable enhancements for older hardware. This update introduces improved support for the AMDGPU driver, benefiting older AMD GCN 1.0 and 1.1 graphics cards, including the Radeon HD 7000 series. Users will also benefit from Vulkan support via the RADV driver and better power management features.
Version 6.19 also integrates advanced features such as the DRM Color Pipeline for improved HDR support, an updated Asus Armoury driver, and expanded compatibility for new Intel Wildcat Lake and Nova Lake processors. Furthermore, it includes advancements in PCIe link encryption and device authentication, reinforcing system security.
In a significant announcement, Linus Torvalds revealed that the next kernel iteration will be Linux 7.0, signifying the commencement of a new development cycle. This transition to version 7.0 is expected to bring further optimizations for AMD GPUs, display support for Intel Nova Lake and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chips, and enhanced sensor monitoring for Asus motherboards.
Users of rolling release distributions, such as Fedora and Arch Linux, can anticipate receiving the Linux 6.19 update shortly through their standard system updates. For other Linux distributions that do not follow a rolling release model, the integration of this new kernel may take a longer period.
