Intel engineers have been [1]reworking Intel CPU model handling for Linux after using "Family 6" since the mid-90's with the P6 micro-architecture and continuing to rev the model ID only with new micro-architectural generations. It's an end of the era for Family 6 coming up and thus there's a lot of Linux patches being worked on to address assumptions within the kernel code that was only checking for an Intel CPU's model ID and not for any family ID differences.

Intel Linux engineers have been correcting a lot of the CPU model checks within the kernel that were previously only comparing the model ID to now also incorporate the family ID as part of the comparisons.

Long story short, those patches for changing the way the Intel CPU models are defined and check are poised to land with the upcoming Linux 6.10 kernel cycle.

The patches have begun queuing within the [2]TIP.git x86/cpu branch . With the patches now hitting an x86 TIP.git branch, they'll be submitted for next month's Linux 6.10 merge window barring any last minute issues being raised.

There won't be any end-user differences to note besides that with Intel CPUs after Lunar Lake and Clearwater Forest (the latest Intel CPUs with upstream Linux support currently and still indicating Family 6), there will likely be an end to the Intel "Family 6" era.

The Linux 6.10 merge window will open up in mid-May following the stable v6.9 kernel release.



[1] https://www.phoronix.com/news/Intel-CPU-Family-6-Ending

[2] https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/tip/tip.git/log/?h=x86/cpu