Kitchen announced the arrival of version 25.1.2, a key update for those using Linux and relying on the open-source graphics drivers provided by this project. The release of this periodic update is part of the project's strategy to keep the latest and future devices up-to-date and supported, allowing the hardware ecosystem to integrate more quickly with Linux-based operating systems.
With this 25.1.2 release, support for new Intel graphics cards is especially strengthened, including the Battlemage and the future Panther LakeThis support translates into the inclusion of several new device identifiers for discrete models and integrated graphics that will be released soon, thus anticipating future generations of hardware and ensuring a smooth transition when these devices reach the market.
Mesa 25.1.2 introduces more support for next-generation Intel hardware
The Mesa development team has integrated a number of new PCI IDs corresponding to the Battlemage family directly into the Iris OpenGL and ANV Vulkan driver source code. These identifiers were previously incorporated into the Mesa 25.2 development branch and have now been backported to the 25.1 stable release. The decision to include these changes in a stable release is due to the need to ensure that updates are safe and do not negatively impact existing hardware support.
No specific details have been revealed about which final card models correspond exactly to these new IDs, and as usual, some of them may be reserved for prototypes or products that may not reach the final consumer. However, the Maturing Linux support for the Battlemage family continues its course and allows users to use these GPUs as soon as they become available.
Additional improvements and fixes for other drivers
Mesa 25.1.2 is not limited to Intel hardware only. It also includes a number of fixes for Vulkan drivers, particularly for RADV (AMD) and RadeonSI. New features include improvements focused on support for RDNA4 GPUs and the new Radeon RX 9000, as well as patches to address specific bugs and stability issues present in previous developments.
On the other hand, default compilations in the XA state have been removed, in preparation for their removal in future versions, and bugs related to Rusticl, the OpenCL implementation in Rust, have been fixed, thus enhancing the user experience in computational tasks.
Commitment to open source driver support
Mesa continues to consolidate itself as one of the main pillars within the Linux graphics ecosystem. These updates strengthen support for current and next-generation hardware, enabling a more stable and compatible graphical experience for users of popular distributions like Ubuntu and Fedora. The anticipated integration of IDs for future generations reflects the community's and Intel's commitment to making life easier for those who choose to use free software on their computers.
This advancement in compatibility and stability represents a significant step forward for modern Linux systems, especially for those working or gaming on cutting-edge Intel hardware. Added to this is the constant improvement in AMD GPU drivers, demonstrating that collaboration between communities and manufacturers continues to bear positive fruit in the open source software space.
