What’s new in Linux Kernel 4.18?
After two months of development, the official version of Linux Kernel 4.18 was finally released on 12 August. Compared to Linux Kernel 4.17, Linux Kernel 4.18 is much lighter, reducing the number of lines of code by nearly 100,000 lines.
Linux Kernel 4.18 enhances support for USB 3.2 dual channel transmission, adds a series of video drivers, supports AMD Radeon RX Vega M graphics processor (for Intel + AMD combo chip), and is the first to support Raspberry Pi 3B And the upstream kernel of 3B+.
Image: lewing@isc.tamu.edu Larry Ewing and The GIMP [Attribution or CC0], via Wikimedia Commons
Linux Kernel 4.18 also supports the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, which is commonly used in some new Windows 10 ARM and high-end phones.
Linux Kernel 4.18 has improved support for some Creative Labs CA0132 devices, supports audio on HP Spectre x360 laptops, and supports Realtek chips and MediaTek controllers.
Other features include:
- AMD GPU support improvements
- V3D DRM driver mainline (benefit to the new Raspberry Pi hardware)
- Support for NVIDIA Volta GV100 hardware
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor support
- Speck file system encryption support
- Removed Lustre file system (no longer maintained)
- CPUfreq performance optimization
- AMD Radeon RX Vega M graphics processor support
- Various improvements for USB Type-C, Thunderbolt
- Support AMD Stoney Ridge, Bristol Ridge APU temperature report
- Chromebook “switch” driver for switching between tablet and flip mode
- Improvements to KVM
- Asynchronous I/O core polling interface
- Solving the 2038 problem
For a complete overview of all the updates in Linux Kernel 4.18, please visit the official mailing list announcement.
