Linux 5.11 To Properly Support The Keyboard Of Newer ASUS Gaming Laptops

Written by Michael Larabel in Hardware on 31 October 2020 at 12:00 AM EDT. 8 Comments
HARDWARE
The Linux 5.11 kernel will bring support for the ASUS "N-Key" keyboard that is used by nearly all of the current ASUS gaming laptops.

This keyboard has a product ID of 0x1866 and basically used across the current line-up of ASUS gaming laptops. Standard keyboard functionality works with existing kernels, but the next cycle will bring support for the function keys and other controls.

A 100+ lines of code patch to the Linux HID-ASUS driver is required for supporting this keyboard. With the HID-ASUS support for the ASUS N-Key keyboard, the Fn+key hotkeys and keyboard backlight brightness controls are among the functionality now working under Linux. The fn+key hotkeys include extras like calculator, aura lighting mode, and fan control.

The patch is queued in HID's for-next until the Linux 5.11 cycle opens in December and then releases as stable in early 2021. Or the patch should also apply cleanly to the current Linux 5.10 code-base if wanting this functionality working on your Linux gaming laptop today. This support sadly but not surprisingly supplied by ASUS but rather the open-source community.
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Michael Larabel is the principal author of Phoronix.com and founded the site in 2004 with a focus on enriching the Linux hardware experience. Michael has written more than 20,000 articles covering the state of Linux hardware support, Linux performance, graphics drivers, and other topics. Michael is also the lead developer of the Phoronix Test Suite, Phoromatic, and OpenBenchmarking.org automated benchmarking software. He can be followed via Twitter, LinkedIn, or contacted via MichaelLarabel.com.

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