Intel Stages More Graphics DRM Changes For Linux 4.16

Last week Intel submitted their first batch of i915 DRM driver changes to DRM-Next that in turn is slated for Linux 4.16. Today they sent in their second round of feature updates.

This latest batch of material for DRM-Next / Linux 4.16 includes continued work on execlist improvements, better GPU cache invalidation, various code clean-ups, continued stabilization of Cannonlake "Gen 10" graphics support, display plane improvements, continued GuC and HuC updates, a hardware workaround for Geminilake performance, more robust GPU reset handling, and a variety of other fixes and code clean-ups/improvements.

It's looking like it will be Linux 4.16 is where all of the Intel hardware enablement is in order for their next-gen Cannonlake processors. Depending upon when Cannonlake CPUs begin appearing in 2018, we'll see how the timing plays, since it's the Linux 4.15 kernel that's scheduled for Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, etc. Anyways, once Cannonlake is out, we'll be putting it through its paces under Linux.

It's also looking like Linux 4.16 is when Intel GVT-g will be playing nicely for local VMs using GTK/SDL when paired with the changes that should be working their way into QEMU 2.12.

The complete list of these round two changes for i915 in DRM-Next for Linux 4.16 can be found via this pull request.