Nvidia has historically been better at maintaining their open source driver, a perfect example being that it properly supports HDMI 2.1 on Linux with no extra fuss.  Unfortunately that is not true…

AMD has submitted a series of Linux kernel patches to the AMDGPU driver that introduce support for the HDMI 2.1 Fixed Rate Link (FRL) feature. The move follows years of rejection from the HDMI Forum regarding open-source implementations of the standard. This initial support enables higher bandwidth for Radeon GPUs on Linux, supporting resolutions such as 4K at 120Hz and 5K at 240Hz.

As noted by AMD Linux engineer Harry Wentland (via Phoronix), AMD had developed the code in 2024. Still, the HDMI Forum previously blocked its release, citing concerns about exposing proprietary intellectual property in open-source stacks. 

The current patch set submitted by Wentland implements FRL signalling, replacing the legacy TMDS mechanism used in HDMI 2.0. While FRL support has passed representative compliance testing, other HDMI 2.1 features such as Display Stream Compression (DSC) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) are currently in testing and will be submitted in future updates.

The patches are now under review on the Linux kernel mailing list. If approved, the code is expected to be integrated into the Linux v7.2 kernel release. This implementation would allow Linux users to access the full 48Gbps bandwidth of the HDMI 2.1 standard without relying on closed-source firmware or third-party workarounds.

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KitGuru says: With the Steam Machine supposedly right around the corner, this update comes right on time, allowing the console to be on par with equivalent Windows systems.

AMD has taken a major step toward enabling native open-source HDMI 2.1 support on Linux by submitting new patches for its AMDGPU driver. AMD Moves Closer to Open-Source HDMI 2.1 Support on Linux With New AMDGPU FRL Patches It appears that the HDMI 2.1 support is finally arriving to Linux as AMD has submitted the new Fixed Rate Link (FRL) patches for its AMDGPU driver. This has been one of the longest-standing limitations that affected Radeon GPUs on the platform. There have been years of restrictions tied to the HDMI Forum (Org behind the HDMI standard) policies that prevented upstream […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/amd-finally-cracks-hdmi-2-1-on-linux-after-years-of-forum-lockout/