The upcoming [1]Linux 6.18 kernel cycle is likely to see the new "gpd-fan" driver merged as a hardware monitoring driver for the increasing number of GPD gaming handheld devices.

GPD is the Chinese brand that has been producing a number of different handheld console devices focused on gaming. They have some interesting models such as an AMD Ryzen AI Max+ handheld with a 7-inch 120Hz display, detachable battery designs, some mini handhelds complete with mini keyboards, and other ultra-portable handheld devices.

The GPD handhelds are x86_64 based with a number of different AMD powered devices. They typically have worked fine with Linux while now this "gpd-fan" driver is providing fan monitoring and control support for those loading Linux onto these devices rather than using Microsoft Windows 11.

The fan reading and control support has been tested so far on the likes of the GPD Win Mini (7840U), GPD Win Mini (8840U), GPD Win Mini (HX370), GPD Pocket 4, GPD Duo, GPD Win Max 2 (6800U), GPD Win Max 2 2023 (7840U), GPD Win Max 2 2024 (8840U), GPD Win Max 2 2025 (HX370), GPD Win 4 (6800U), and GPD Win 4 (7840U).

There has been a GPD sensor driver out-of-tree on [2]GitHub while a cleaned up version is on its way to the mainline kernel. That gpd-fan driver is queued up within the hardware monitoring subsystem's [3]hwmon-next Git branch.

With this new GPD sensor driver making it into "hwmon-next", it in turn should be submitted to mainline for the upcoming Linux 6.18 merge window.



[1] https://www.phoronix.com/search/Linux+6.18

[2] https://github.com/Cryolitia/gpd-fan-driver

[3] https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/groeck/linux-staging.git/commit/?h=hwmon-next&id=0ab88e2394392f475b8857ac82c0c987841217f8