Linus Torvalds has officially released Linux 7.0, which is set to run on Ubuntu 26.04 LTS. This version brings a host of improvements, including a standardized filesystem error reporting system, enhanced swap and zram performance, and hardware video decoding for certain Rockchip ARM64 single-board computers. Notably, it also introduces support for the Rock Band 4 Bluetooth controller.
What’s New in Linux 7.0?
Swap and Memory Management
Linux 7.0 enhances the swap subsystem, continuing the progress made with Linux 6.18. The updates aim at improving how data is read back from swap when RAM is full, achieving up to 20% better throughput under specific workloads. These changes also enhance zram performance, enabling the kernel to write zram-compressed data directly.
Filesystem Improvements
Linux 7.0 delivers performance upgrades for several filesystems:
- EXT4: Improves write performance for simultaneous direct I/O writes.
- NTFS3: Benefits from enhancements including delayed allocation, iomap-based operations, and better readahead.
- exFAT: Offers a speed boost for multi-cluster reading, particularly on older devices.
For the first time, a consistent way to report filesystem errors has been introduced, allowing for better user notifications about metadata corruption.
Intel CPU Performance
With Linux 7.0, multi-threaded workloads on 10th generation or newer Intel CPUs experience performance improvements, thanks to the re-enablement of Intel Transactional Synchronization Extensions (TSX).
Hardware Video Decoding
Single-board computers like the Orange Pi 5 and Radxa ROCK 5 can now fully utilize hardware-accelerated video decoding for H.264 and H.265, providing smoother playback experiences.
Graphics and Device Support
The kernel extends improvements to graphics driver support, particularly for legacy Radeon GPUs and newer NVIDIA GPUs using the open-source NVK driver. Additionally, several laptop-specific features have been improved, providing better control and monitoring options.
Removal of Outdated Features
In a move to streamline functionalities, Linux 7.0 removes the laptop_mode feature, a relic from the days of spinning hard disks, reflecting the shift towards SSD usage.
General System Enhancements
Thread creation and teardown speeds have reportedly improved by 10-16%, and various optimizations have been made, including security enhancements for system administrators. This version also marks the permanent adoption of Rust support within the kernel.
For users of Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, Linux 7.0 will be made available as a backport via a software update in July, marking the final kernel version for the previous LTS.
For a detailed examination of the release, LWN provides comprehensive coverage via their recap articles or you can check the KernelNewbies changelog for extensive insights.