A new Intel graphics/display driver feature being enabled for Linux 6.16 is LOBF: Link-Off Between Frames.
The open-source Intel Linux graphics driver code for the i915 and Xe kernel drivers has been working on enabling Link-Off Between Frames (LOBF) for laptops with eDP to provide additional power-savings. Link Off Between (Active) Frames allows for the eDP link to be turned off and on during long vblank durations without enabling any of the Panel Self Refresh (PSR) modes.
LOBF functionality in turn depends upon Adaptive Sync and Aggressive Link Power Management (ALPM) functionality. When enabled on Linux 6.16+, there will be a “Link off between frames (LOBF) enabled” debug message in the kernel log when this functionality is enabled.
This Intel LOBF support was sent out today as part of this drm-intel-next pull request that adds the LOBF enablement alongside ALPM fixes. Plus there is now link rate and lane count reporting to the “i915_display_info” interface, more work on the display code separation, and various other fixes and code improvements.
