Intel Lands More Graphics Code For Linux 5.5 - Jasper, More Intel Xe Multi-GPU Prepping

Intel's open-source developers kicked off a new week by sending in their latest vetted changes to DRM-Next ahead of next month's Linux 5.5 kernel cycle.

They already have sent in a lot of new graphics driver code for Linux 5.5 particularly around Tiger Lake while this week's pull request contains more new hardware enablement. They also anticipate sending in another pull request next week to DRM-Next with any other lingering feature work they are hoping to get into Linux 5.5.

- The initial bits for Jasper Lake.

- New user-space API bits for ultimately interfacing with Vulkan's VK_INTEL_performance_query. There are Mesa patches yet-to-be-merged for wiring in the VK_INTEL_performance_query support within their ANV Vulkan driver.

- Continued work on bringing up Intel Tiger Lake Gen12/Xe Graphics, which builds upon work earlier this cycle as well. Linux 5.5 has Tiger Lake bits in place, but it will likely be another kernel release (or few) before the early enablement bits are ironed out for this Ice Lake successor. Some of the new Tiger Lake bits added include DC3C0 sleep state, BCS engine support, various workarounds, and DDI / Port G handling.

- We have seen random kernel patches previously that cite Intel multi-GPU systems where there may be Intel integrated graphics but also the possibility of discrete Intel graphics, which obviously isn't possible right now but will soon be the case with the "Xe Graphics" adapters expected to launch in 2020. The latest on the Intel multi-GPU front is a perf PMU (Processor Monitoring Unit) bit of code for handling the Intel iGPU+discrete use-case. Nothing too exciting by itself, but just another example showing Intel getting ready for their multi-GPU future capabilities.

- A fix for blue or black screens at boot due to a gamma issue.

- The HDR metadata property is now added for DisplayPort connectors, building on their recent display High Dynamic Range enablement work.

- A wide variety of bug fixes and other code enhancements.

The Linux 5.5 merge window will happen in November but the stable 5.5 kernel release won't happen until early 2020.