Intel Making More Preparations For Enabling Future Graphics Platforms On Linux

The last batch of drm-intel-gt-next changes have been sent in to DRM-Next ahead of next month's Linux 6.3 merge window. Notable with this week's changes are more low-level code improvements in preparation for future Intel graphics hardware platforms.

With today's round of drm-intel-gt-next changes there is a refactoring of the workaround code, correcting workarounds for new platforms, and other mostly lower-level changes. This is all part of their effort for bringing up "future platform enablement". But today's code doesn't actually enable any new Intel graphics platforms, it's just refactoring code to make bringing up the future platforms easier.

Future platform enablement:

- Convert PSS_MODE2 to multicast register
- Move/adjust register definitions related to Wa_22011450934
- Move LSC_CHICKEN_BIT* workarounds to correct function
- Document where to implement register workarounds
- Use uabi engines for the default engine map
- Flush all tiles on test exit
- Annotate a couple more workaround registers as MCR

With the Intel Arc Graphics DG2/Alchemist being stable now, Ponte Vecchio continuing to see new code land, and the open-source Intel developers already being busy with Meteor Lake graphics enablement for the next-generation Intel integrated graphics with DG2-like capabilities, it's a matter of what they will next be enabling with their Linux driver... More than likely this is preparations ahead of DG3/Battlemage enablement.

Given the timing and that the MTL graphics code and other announced platforms already enjoy open-source Linux graphics driver support, the next obvious platform enablement work will be for Arc Graphics DG3/Battlemage. The latest rumors/leaks point to Battlemage launching in 2024 and for there to be good open-source Linux driver support out-of-the-box in time for launch day, it's likely over the coming weeks/months we'll be seeing the Battlemage Linux patches surface. They should be building off the existing DG2 driver code paths so it will hopefully be smoother sailing than the initial DG1/DG2 Linux work that was rather invasive, but in any event to align with the Linux kernel release cycles and to get support picked up by Linux distributions in time for launch, it wouldn't be surprising at all to see the Battlemage Linux driver patches begin to surface soon... Just as Meteor Lake graphics work has already been ongoing since last year and the DG2 open-source driver patches have been worked on for several years.

In any event those curious about all of the patches sent out today for the Intel DRM driver code for Linux 6.3, see this pull request.