Intel Prepares More Nova Lake Graphics/Display Enablement For Linux 7.3

On Thursday Intel sent out their first batch of Intel kernel graphics driver changes of new feature material targeting the Linux 7.3 kernel. This first batch of drm-intel-next for v7.3 continues to focus heavily on lining up Nova Lake's Xe3P integrated graphics/display support.

As part of yesterday's pull request of new Intel kernel driver material for Linux 7.3 is enabling Nova Lake's Common Mode Timing Generator "CMTG" for its display block (Intel Display version 35). The Intel Common Mode Timing Generator is found with Lunar Lake and newer hardware and can be used for synchronization across multiple displays such as for timing between an eDP laptop panel and external DisplayPort display. With Linux 7.3, the CMTG of upcoming Nova Lake is now wired up.

Linux 7.3 is also enabling DC3CO support for Nova Lake. DC3CO is the "Display C3 with Clock Off" as a low-power state for integrated graphics where the display engine's power well is powered down during PSR2 idle status.

These are both nice features to see now in place for Linux 7.3 as part of getting Nova Lake's integrated graphics support ready ahead of launch. It will be interesting to see which kernel version Intel will declare as the baseline/supported configuration for Nova Lake.

This week's Intel DRM Next pull request also brings various code refactoring and a number of bug fixes. The full list of patches can be found via this pull request. Expect a few more Intel graphics driver pull requests over the coming weeks with the Linux 7.3 merge window not happening until the back half of August.