Linux 7.3 improves performance when running out of vRAM • Hacker News Board

Re: Linux 7.3 improves performance when running out of vRAM

#11

Post by d3Xt3r » Tue, Aug 18, 2026, 9:58 AM UTC

Gosh, 7.2 literally just dropped with a bunch of awesome of performance/gaming related improvements (large folios, cache-aware scheduling, improved MGLRU reclaiming, Fair GPU Scheduler etc)... and I already can't wait for 7.3 to come out.

Meanwhile in the Windows world, users hate updates... Like I genuinely can't think of a single instance that made users exclaim, "oh boy I just can't wait for the next Patch Tuesday!".

Re: Linux 7.3 improves performance when running out of vRAM

#12

Post by toredash » Tue, Aug 18, 2026, 10:01 AM UTC

d3Xt3r wrote: post #11

Gosh, 7.2 literally just dropped with a bunch of awesome of performance/gaming related improvements (large folios, cache-aware scheduling, improved MGLRU reclaiming, Fair GPU Scheduler etc)... and I already can't wait for 7.3 to come out. Meanwhile in the Windows world, users hate updates... Like I genuinely can't think of a single instance that made users exclaim, "oh boy I just can't wait for the next Patch Tuesday…

Didn't we eagerly await on updates in the good old days of Windows?

Re: Linux 7.3 improves performance when running out of vRAM

#13

Post by a012 » Tue, Aug 18, 2026, 10:07 AM UTC

toredash wrote: post #12

d3Xt3r wrote: post #11

Gosh, 7.2 literally just dropped with a bunch of awesome of performance/gaming related improvements (large folios, cache-aware scheduling, improved MGLRU reclaiming, Fair GPU Scheduler etc)... and I already can't wait for 7.3 to come out. Meanwhile in the Windows world, users hate updates... Like I genuinely can't think of a single instance that made users exclaim, "oh boy I just can't wait for the next Patch Tuesday…

Didn't we eagerly await on updates in the good old days of Windows?

The only Windows update that made me “eagerly await” is the Windows XP SP2.

Re: Linux 7.3 improves performance when running out of vRAM

#14

Post by exceptione » Tue, Aug 18, 2026, 10:09 AM UTC

Great article! I share the same hunch as the author does; when allocating memory ultimately the application itself is in the best position to inform the kernel about the desired stickiness to VRAM. The best a kernel can do is guessing.

As a side note, it strikes me how much we owe to young trans people for low level performance engineering.

Re: Linux 7.3 improves performance when running out of vRAM

#15

Post by toredash » Tue, Aug 18, 2026, 10:09 AM UTC

a012 wrote: post #13

toredash wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Didn't we eagerly await on updates in the good old days of Windows?

The only Windows update that made me “eagerly await” is the Windows XP SP2.

And what an update it was.

I still remember how Windows ME looked at first, the feeling of something better. That didn't last long

Re: Linux 7.3 improves performance when running out of vRAM

#16

Post by d3Xt3r » Tue, Aug 18, 2026, 10:14 AM UTC

toredash wrote: post #12

d3Xt3r wrote: post #11

Gosh, 7.2 literally just dropped with a bunch of awesome of performance/gaming related improvements (large folios, cache-aware scheduling, improved MGLRU reclaiming, Fair GPU Scheduler etc)... and I already can't wait for 7.3 to come out. Meanwhile in the Windows world, users hate updates... Like I genuinely can't think of a single instance that made users exclaim, "oh boy I just can't wait for the next Patch Tuesday…

Didn't we eagerly await on updates in the good old days of Windows?

Fair point, the old school service packs and hotfix rollups were cool. But I think that sort of enthusiasm towards updates ended with XP, at least it did for me, because I switched to Linux permanently after Windows 7 came out.

Re: Linux 7.3 improves performance when running out of vRAM

#17

Post by bcjdjsndon » Tue, Aug 18, 2026, 10:15 AM UTC

Lunar5227 wrote: post #3

Well written and very informative. I am glad we have these enthusiastic people around for Linux kernel development!

[flagged]

Re: Linux 7.3 improves performance when running out of vRAM

#18

Post by weird-eye-issue » Tue, Aug 18, 2026, 10:27 AM UTC

exceptione wrote: post #14

Great article! I share the same hunch as the author does; when allocating memory ultimately the application itself is in the best position to inform the kernel about the desired stickiness to VRAM. The best a kernel can do is guessing . As a side note, it strikes me how much we owe to young trans people for low level performance engineering.

> As a side note, it strikes me how much we owe to young trans people for low level performance engineering.

wtf?

Re: Linux 7.3 improves performance when running out of vRAM

#19

Post by patrickmcnamara » Tue, Aug 18, 2026, 10:28 AM UTC

a012 wrote: post #13

toredash wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Didn't we eagerly await on updates in the good old days of Windows?

The only Windows update that made me “eagerly await” is the Windows XP SP2.

Windows 7 was pretty neat.

Re: Linux 7.3 improves performance when running out of vRAM

#20

Post by timpera » Tue, Aug 18, 2026, 10:29 AM UTC

d3Xt3r wrote: post #11

Gosh, 7.2 literally just dropped with a bunch of awesome of performance/gaming related improvements (large folios, cache-aware scheduling, improved MGLRU reclaiming, Fair GPU Scheduler etc)... and I already can't wait for 7.3 to come out. Meanwhile in the Windows world, users hate updates... Like I genuinely can't think of a single instance that made users exclaim, "oh boy I just can't wait for the next Patch Tuesday…

I might be in the minority here, but some of the latest Windows updates that dropped in the Insider channel are really cool, and I'm excited to see those coming to main.