Version 5.3 of the Linux kernel is now available, as Linus Torvalds announced in LKML as usual. This new version stands out for introducing support for the new AMD Radeon RX 5700 Navi graphics cards.

In addition to this, support for Gen 11 Intel Icelake graphics has been improved, initial support for Intel HDR has been added, support has also been added for Intel Speed ​​Select technology, and for Zhaoin x86 processors.

Although initially there was some uncertainty about whether the launch of Linux 5.3 was going to be delayed due to a problem caused after a change in EXT4, Linus decided to reverse the change and launch the kernel while solving the problem.

One of the most interesting features

Among the novelties that stand out in Kernel 5.3, there is a new function to optimize the use of the processor, its name is “Scheduler utilization clamping” and what it basically does is use a “clamping” mechanism that allows to apply a minimum frequency range or maximum, depending on the tasks that are currently active on the CPU.

The main uses of this would be to boost tasks that directly affect the user experience by executing them at least at a minimum “requested” frequency, and limit low priority tasks that do not affect the user experience by executing them only to a maximum “allowed” frequency.

This release also contains an interesting change in relation to IPv4 addresses, as of now Linux will accept addresses in the range 0.0.0.0/8 IPv4, although they have not been declared as standard, which allows adding 16 million new IPv4 addresses.

You can read the full list of changes in KernelNewbies.