Linux 7.0 is finally here — packing more AMD and Intel hardware support and a bulging changelog, here's what you need to know

• Linux 7.0 officially supports AMD Zen 6 and Intel Nova Lake processors
• Intel Xeon processors gain specialized accelerators to reduce CPU core workload
• Monitoring tools now report L2 cache statistics on newer Intel CPUs

Linux kernel version 7.0 has officially been released, adding support for the latest AMD Zen 6 processors and Intel Nova Lake and Diamond Rapids chips.

The system can now automatically optimize performance on newer Intel CPUs, allowing applications to run more efficiently without manual tuning.

Intel Xeon processors also gain new accelerators that handle specialized tasks, reducing the load on the main CPU cores.

Specialized accelerators lighten CPU workloads

Monitoring tools like Turbostat now report additional hardware metrics, including L2 cache statistics for newer Intel chips, giving users and administrators better insight into performance.

These improvements are particularly relevant for Linux laptops, desktops, and servers that require efficient resource use while running demanding workloads.

On the graphics side, Linux 7.0 adds support for upcoming AMD graphics hardware and Intel Nova Lake integrated displays.

The update also fixes bugs and improves stability across a wide range of existing setups.

Peripheral support has been enhanced with Apple USB-C PHY drivers, improved sensor monitoring on laptops and motherboards, and better handling for storage devices like SPI NAND.

These changes make it easier for users to run Linux on different devices without worrying about driver issues, and should help ensure smoother day-to-day operation on Linux laptops and custom desktops alike.

In addition, Linux 7.0 introduces multiple enhancements for file systems and memory management.

EXT4, F2FS, and exFAT file systems now handle large data transfers more efficiently, improving overall file performance, working alongside memory management improvements that reduce delays and make the system feel faster.

Graphics drivers, including Nouveau, now benefit from optimizations such as large page support to improve performance on certain GPUs.

Non-blocking timestamps, standardized error reporting, and Rust language support continue to be integrated, helping create a more predictable and stable environment for developers and end users alike.

The update extends beyond AMD and Intel CPUs. ARM64 processors now support Atomic LS64 instructions.

RISC-V CPUs receive user-space CFI support, and the SpacemiT K3 RVA 23 SoC is also supported.

This broad platform coverage ensures that Linux distros can use Linux 7.0 effectively across desktops, servers, and cloud storage solutions.

The kernel is expected to become the default for Ubuntu 26.04 LTS and Fedora 44, providing millions of users with improved hardware compatibility and performance.

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