Qualcomm Expands Snapdragon X2 Support to Linux

Qualcomm is bringing first-class Linux support to its Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Plus processors, integrating full SoC enablement into the Linux kernel with initial support for the Hexagon NPU, Adreno GPU, and CPU cluster, and has collaborated with Debian to get the latest image working. Qualcomm says the upstream enablement work is expected to finish in November this year, after which it plans to add more OEMs and potentially ship these PCs with a Linux-based OS pre-installed.

After launching the Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Plus series of processors for Windows-on-Arm, Qualcomm is now bringing first-class support for these SoCs to Linux as well. According to the company, the internal developer team has been working to integrate full SoC support into the Linux kernel for the Snapdragon X2 series of hardware. Currently, the developer team is focusing on supporting the X2 SoC in traditional laptop configurations rather than desktop mini PCs. Initial enablement includes support for Hexagon NPU, Adreno GPU, and, of course, the CPU cluster that underpins the entire SoC. Modern browser acceleration, graphics, I/O peripherals, display output, and AI acceleration for local inferencing have been added. The support now also includes proper power and thermal control, as well as the reliability and endurance of the SoC under load. Qualcomm is pushing all of this hardware enablement upstream to the Linux kernel and has also collaborated with the Debian operating system to get the latest image working. Basic workloads will now run out of the box, while the company continues testing for any gaps and other areas that need focus for enablement. More peripherals are being added to work with these SoCs, and edge cases like power spikes during workloads will be addressed in the long-term enablement, as Qualcomm continues to push these changes upstream. This work in progress is expected to finish in November this year, after which Qualcomm plans to continue adding more OEMs to the Snapdragon X2 bandwagon and potentially bring these PCs with a Linux-based OS pre-installed.