And here comes the latest version of the Linux kernel, Linux 6.4, recently unveiled by Linus Torvalds. It offers better hardware support for ARM cards and many other chip technologies. The new features indeed concern better support for Intel/AMD chips, graphics cards and Wi-Fi networks.
For ARM, the list of new supported processors is long. These include the Allwinner T113-S Cortex-A7 processor, the Rockchip RK3588, the Qualcomm IPQ5332 Cortex-A53, and the one that will catch most of us’ attention: Apple’s M2 processor. But this latest version also offers better support for the M1.
Support for the M2 is just getting started, though. So don’t get too excited about running Linux on a new 13- or 15-inch MacBook Air. Only a very experienced developer would try it today.
If you still think Linux still isn’t made for gaming, think again
If you want to run Linux on a Mac M1 today, your best bet is Asahi Linux. Brave users can try the latest Asahi Linux update with support for Mac Studio, Bluetooth and the M2 processor. But the developers warn you: “This is even more experimental than the M1 support, so expect bugs.”
And they are not joking.
On another platform, the Linux 6.4 kernel supports RISC-V processors. By the end of the year, we can expect to see laptops with RISC-V. And Linux is ready for it.
Linux 6.4 also unlocked new functions for powering the Steam Deck, which is equipped with an AMD “Van Gogh” APU. The new AMDGPU kernel driver in Linux 6.4 helps to better manage the power requirements of this handheld console. In other good news, the kernel Xpad driver now supports Xbox Turtle Beach REACT-R and Turtle Beach Recon controllers. More Xbox accessories will be supported soon. If you still think Linux still isn’t made for gaming, think again.
Linux offers Wi-Fi 7 support
Lenovo Yoga laptop users will be happy to see that Linux 6.4 comes with a “tablet switch” driver that improves their support. More specifically, these are popular models such as the Yoga C940 and the Ryzen-equipped Ideapad Flex 14. This driver detects when the device keyboard is put away. This helps to optimize battery usage and life.
The new Linux kernel also comes with a wave of changes to the in-kernel NTFS file system driver. This allows Linux users to access storage devices and NTFS files. Microsoft introduced NTFS, a proprietary journaling file system, in Windows NT 3.1 in 1993. After a long struggle for NTFS support in Linux, support was finally added in late 2021 But there was still a lot to do. And this latest version brings notable improvements.
For those interested in the future of Wi-Fi networks, Linux offers support for Wi-Fi 7. This is the next generation of Wi-Fi networks. Known in engineering circles networks under the name of 802.11be, we will start to see, towards the end of 2024, Wi-Fi equipment capable of supporting speeds of up to 30 Gbps.
CardBus and PCMCIA: their support is disappearing
Also note that some old hardware leaves the Linux kernel. If you somehow still use CardBus and PCMCIA devices, support for them is dying out. You can, of course, continue to use them with older kernels.
On the software side, Linux version 6.4 includes more Rust code. We’re getting closer and closer to full Rust language support in the core.
There are also many other handy fixes. For more information, see the Linux 6.4 changelog. You can download Linux 6.4 code and compile it yourself. Most of you, however, will want to wait for your favorite Linux distro to incorporate it into its next release. It will be much easier.
Source: “ZDNet.com”