The x86 platform drivers area of the Linux kernel continues to see a lot of code churn for supporting new laptops and enhancing support for existing laptop models. Plus the likes of AMD PMF and Intel PMC continue to see ongoing improvements too.
The merged x86 platform driver changes for Linux 6.18 include the following highlights:
– The AMD Platform Management Framework (PMF) driver now supports adjusting PPT and PPT APU thresholds. This is part of new AMD PMF capabilities around custom BIOS input handling and the most recent PMF Trusted Application allowing modifications to PMF thermal parameters like the PPT and PPT APU values. This custom BIOS input handling will allow OEMs to have more precise thermal management of the system.
– There is a new “thinkpad-t14s-ec” driver as a new EC driver for the ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 with Snapdragon X Elite SoC. Unlike the common ThinkPad EC Linux driver that relies on ACPI, this new driver was created to work with Device Trees for the ARM-powered ThinkPad laptop. System LEDs, audio LEDs, extra keyboard keys, keyboard backlight controls, and similar features are working thanks to this new embedded controller driver.
– Another new driver is for Xiaomi Redmibook laptops’ keyboard driver. This enables working Fn keys under Linux, a Xiaomi-specific AI button on the keyboard, working keyboard backlight controls, and other enhancements for Redmibook laptops running Linux.
– The Intel PMC driver added SSRAM support for Lunar Lake and Panther Lake platforms. The Intel PMC driver also is ready for supporting the upcoming Wildcat Lake platform.
– The Lenovo Think-LMI driver adds certificate support for ThinkCenter.
– The x86-android-tables driver now supports the Acer A1-840 tablet.
More details on all of these x86 platform driver changes for Linux 6.18 via this pull.
