> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://itsfoss.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Linux Kernel 7.1 is a Feature Release That Could Be Useful For You - URL: https://itsfoss.com/news/linux-kernel-7-1-release/ - Published: 2026-06-15T10:18:48.000Z - Updated: 2026-06-15T10:18:48.000Z - Description: Don't let the .1 fool you, this release has plenty to offer. - Author: Sourav Rudra - Tags: News Following [Linux 7.0](https://itsfoss.com/news/linux-kernel-7-0-release/) in April and the stable point releases since, Linux 7.1 is now available as a major feature release in the 7.x series. You get a bunch of upgrades with this, ranging from a new NTFS driver that landed after four years of development all the way to a bugfix for a long-standing audio issue on the Steam Deck OLED. And, if you remember [our reporting](https://itsfoss.com/news/linux-kernel-i486-cpu-support-removal/) from a few months ago, then this release also formally drops i486 CPU support from the kernel build system. ## What's new in this release? ![terminal window that is showing the fastfetch output on an ubuntu 26.04 lts system, the line for kernel is highlighted with a green box and blue arrows, inside it linux 7.1.0-070100-generic is written](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2026/06/ubuntu-26-04-running-linux-7-1.png) Intel's Flexible Return and Event Delivery ([FRED](https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/content-details/779982/flexible-return-and-event-delivery-fred-specification.html?ref=itsfoss.com)) is **now enabled by default** in Linux, having previously required a manual `fred=on` boot flag. The switch was held back until publicly available hardware could be properly evaluated, and the code has since been tested thoroughly enough to flip from opt-in to opt-out. [Phoronix](https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-7.1-Enabled-Intel-FRED?ref=itsfoss.com) reports that people running Intel Core Ultra Series 3 "*Panther Lake*" should see real gains here, particularly on I/O-heavy workloads like databases, networking applications, and audio processing. The crypto subsystem picks up some [Intel QAT](https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/architecture-and-technology/intel-quick-assist-technology-overview.html?ref=itsfoss.com) additions too. For QAT Gen4 and Gen5 hardware, basic Zstd compression offload is now available. The Gen6 version, intended for the *Diamond Rapids* platform, gets a native Zstd implementation covering both compression and decompression. The [amd-pstate](https://docs.kernel.org/admin-guide/pm/amd-pstate.html?ref=itsfoss.com) driver gains CPPC Performance Priority, Dynamic EPP (*Energy Performance Preference*), and Raw EPP with this release for more granular control over power and performance on modern AMD Ryzen and EPYC hardware. Similarly, the [AMDgpu](https://docs.kernel.org/gpu/amdgpu/index.html?ref=itsfoss.com) driver sees several changes this cycle, including SMU 15.0.8 IP support, DCN 4.2 display updates, a new DebugFS interface for monitoring 64-bit PCIe registers, and a fix for a GPU page fault triggering on non-4K page size kernel builds. And, after four years of work, **a new NTFS driver has landed** in the mainline kernel. We covered its development [last December](https://itsfoss.com/news/ntfsplus-becomes-ntfs-linux/), when it was still working its way toward integration. Linus Torvalds called the merge the "*ntfs resurrection*," though he briefly un-pulled the code over a Git structure issue before [accepting a revised pull request](https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=cdd4dc3aebeab43a72ce0bc2b5bab6f0a80b97a5&ref=itsfoss.com). The new driver is available via the⁣ `NTFS_FS` Kconfig switch, and NTFS3 is still around for now. Finally, we have the newly introduced support for **12 new SoCs**, including Qualcomm's **Glymur**, **Mahua**, **Eliza**, and **IPQ5210**, Axis **ARTPEC-9**, Microchip's **LAN9691** and **PIC64GX**, Renesas **RZ/G3L**, NXP **S32N79**, Rockchip's **RV1103B**, and ARM's **Zena** and **Corstone-1000-A320**. ## Should you install this? πŸ“‹ It is to get excited about a new kernel release, But [compiling a new kernel](https://itsfoss.com/compile-linux-kernel/) or installing a new one is usually considered intermediate to expert zone. For a regular Linux user, it is better to wait for the distro to provide it, unless you have a compelling reason to get the new kernel early. *It depends*. If something in this release addresses a gap you had with earlier kernels, it's worth the upgrade. You can download the tarball from the [official website](https://www.kernel.org/?ref=itsfoss.com) and get started installing it on something like [Ubuntu](https://itsfoss.com/upgrade-linux-kernel-ubuntu/). [Linux Kernel 7.1](https://www.kernel.org/?ref=itsfoss.com) For the rest of us, it depends on the distribution one is using. Not every distro will be providing this release upgrade. Rolling releases like [Arch Linux](https://archlinux.org/?ref=itsfoss.com) and more frequently updated distros like [Fedora](https://fedoraproject.org/?ref=itsfoss.com) and its derivatives will be picking this up soon. Others on distros like Debian or Linux Mint likely won't see it on their computers. --- **Suggested Read πŸ“–:** [*Proton Drive Now Has a CLI*](https://itsfoss.com/news/proton-drive-cli/) [Good News For Linux Terminal Junkies! Proton Drive Now Has a CLISomething to work with before the GUI client for Linux drops.![](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/icon/android-chrome-512x512-7cba0074-115d-4fa2-a0d2-b67dff2bbf7b.png)It's FOSSSourav Rudra![](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/thumbnail/proton-drive-cli-banner-4ebacfff-4103-402e-916d-13283f71df71.png)](https://itsfoss.com/news/proton-drive-cli/)