Torvalds confirms Linux Kernel 7.0 is almost ready for release, bringing many performance improvements with it — desktop use and gaming may see boost, Ubuntu 26.04 LTS hopes to use as default Kernel
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Linux kernel releases have historically only been of interest for those daily-driving with Linux. With the popularity of the Steam Deck and SteamOS-based PCs though, kernel improvements are now far more enticing. Linux Kernel Version 7.0 is now set to release (H/T to Phoronix) with a host of performance improvements in tow.
Most of the fresh upticks pertain server-grade workloads, but a few have the potential to improve desktop responsiveness and gaming performance, though we'll have to wait until benchmarks arrive to be sure.
The most interesting feature is likely the TIP Time Slice Extension, as it allows an application to request a temporary time extension if it's performing a critical piece of work, so that it's not pre-empted (put away) by the kernel scheduler at the worst possible time.
This means that for example, a game or an audio application gets a signal that it's about to be temporarily put away, and kindly request "please, sir, can I have some more" so that it can wrap up what it's doing. In turn, this could yield a smoother desktop performance with heavyweight applications, and smoother gaming experience, possibly even improving 1% low FPS.
The new "sheaves" memory handling mechanism, while targeted at servers, can also improve desktops. Many CPU-heavy applications, like some games, behave that way because they need to constantly allocate and release memory. As a result, sheaves' speedup has the potential to reduce latency spikes when the CPU is under stress.
The rest of the upgrades look better suited to servers: the Open Tree Namespace allows for much faster creation of containers (in Docker, Kubernetes, and microservices), a big win for the respective hosting services. Better IO_uring and zero-copy networking substantially eases CPU load when handling lots of networking traffic (think 10+ Gbps), and further tuning to the scheduler ought to let web and database servers handle load more smoothly.
You're probably wondering when your favorite distro will start using the new kernel. Canonical is hopeful that the upcoming Ubuntu 26 LTS in April will ship with the new kernel, as will Fedora 44 around the same timeframe. The Bazzite gaming distribution derives from Fedora and releases quickly, so it'll catch up within a month; let's call it May. ChimeraOS, the handheld-focused gaming distro, should get it around June. Oh, yes, and you can now change the Tux boot logo.
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Bruno Ferreira is a contributing writer for Tom's Hardware. He has decades of experience with PC hardware and assorted sundries, alongside a career as a developer. He's obsessed with detail and has a tendency to ramble on the topics he loves. When not doing that, he's usually playing games, or at live music shows and festivals.
