Linux 6.18 Features: New AMD & Intel CPU Features, Rocket Driver, DM-PCACHE, Other New Drivers

DRANK

Now that the Linux 6.18 merge window is over with Linux 6.18-rc1 having released yesterday, here is a look at all the interesting new features and changes to find with this kernel. Making Linux 6.18 all the more exciting is that it's expected to become the 2025 Linux LTS kernel once its stable release occurs in December.With Linux 6.18 there are a number of new drivers as well as a number of other interesting changes from new hardware support to enhancing existing Linux kernel capabilities. Among the many Linux 6.18 highlights are introducing KVM x86 CET virtualization, Intel USBIO drivers upstreamed, initial haptic touchpad support, AMD Secure AVIC and other AMD virtualization improvements, Intel Wildcat Lake display support, the Tyr and Rocket drivers being added to the DRM/accelerator area, XFS now enabling online fsck support by default, Intel returning to working on the Habana Labs AI driver, more AMD Versal drivers upstreamed, DM-PCACHE upstreamed as a new persistent cache targe…