On August 30, 2026, Linus Torvalds released the first release candidate of the upcoming Linux kernel 7.3, closing the two-week merge window. This is explicitly a test build (rc1), not a stable release. The headline feature for many users: the kernel introduces initial USB4 and Thunderbolt support on Apple Silicon Macs.
Thunderbolt on the Mac under Linux
A 19-patch series by Sven Peter from the Asahi Linux orbit lands initial USB4/Thunderbolt connectivity for the M1, M2 and M3 chips. It is complemented by a new Apple PMGR driver for power management that saves roughly one watt during s2idle sleep. For now, XDomain and USB3-over-USB4 tunnels work; PCIe, DisplayPort and suspend are still missing. Even so, it is a meaningful step for Linux on the Mac, since the versatile USB-C ports were previously all but unusable.
More of what is new in 7.3
- Additional enablement for AMD’s upcoming Zen 6 platforms and a massive AMD GPU code dump (about a third of rc1)
- Optimizations for Intel hybrid CPUs plus graphics for Xe3P/Nova Lake
- Better Btrfs performance, Nouveau NVK Vulkan Video and a driver for the 2026 Valve Steam Controller
- Still-growing Rust drivers; the kernel now counts nearly 41 million lines of code
When will the final release land?
Following the usual cadence of weekly release candidates, Linux 7.3 should reach stable around October 18, 2026, or roughly a week later if an additional rc8 is needed. Until then, further test builds will focus on bug fixing.
Sources: Phoronix, OSTechNix, Phoronix (USB4/Apple).
