AMD Radeon Graphics Updates For Linux 5.11 Bring New Hardware, Other Enhancements

An initial round of predominantly AMDGPU kernel driver patches have been called upon for pulling into DRM-Next as new feature work for Linux 5.11.

Among the highlights for this early feature code queuing up for the Linux 5.11 kernel cycle includes:

- Initial support for next-gen Van Gogh APUs. AMD published Van Gogh graphics support at the end of September while it is coming with Linux 5.11. Van Gogh is expected to be a combination of Zen 2 CPU cores and RDNA2 graphics. The Linux graphics driver bring-up does reinforce the RDNA2/Navi graphics. Also exciting with Van Gogh is DDR5 system memory support. It's also bringing other new features like as a "fix" for Linux 5.10. Green Sardine looks like it may be the Ryzen 5000 Cezanne APUs.

- Also being enabled with Linux 5.11 is the new code for the Dimgrey Cavefish. The Dimgrey Cavefish is another RDNA2 / Big Navi part besides Sienna Cichlid and Navy Flounder as the currently announced Radeon RX 6000 series parts. Cards using the "Dimgrey Cavefish" GPU look like they will be announced in 2021.

- Linux 5.11 continues tuning the existing support for RDNA2 Sienna Cichlid and Navy Flounder graphics processor support.

- SMU7 power improvements.

- Buffer modifier support for Vega/GFX9 and newer.

- Renoir APUs now have working scatter/gather display support.

- For the old Radeon DRM driver, the voltage on Sumo APUs is finally being exposed via HWMON interfaces.

- Many other fixes and low-level improvements.

Given the Linux 5.10 kernel release isn't releasing until around mid-December and in turn the start of the Linux 5.11 merge window, expect more Radeon/AMDGPU feature code to come over the next few weeks. The full list of current changes can be found via this mailing list post. The Linux 5.11 stable kernel release won't happen meanwhile until around the end of February or so depending upon how the 5.10 and 5.11 cycles play out.