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Apple M5 SoC gains initial Linux 7.5 device tree support

Brief written by the FOSSWire AI editor from Phoronix How we write

1 min read

Key Takeaway

Minimal device tree definitions for the Apple M5 base model have been queued for Linux 7.5, continuing the slow upstreaming of Apple Silicon support but without functional GPU drivers.

Summary

The Linux 7.5 kernel is expected to include very basic device tree support for Apple's M5 SoC base model, following the pattern established by M3 support in Linux 7.2 and M4 support in Linux 7.4. Developer Yureka Lilian submitted the patch series, which Sven Peter queued into the 'apple-soc/dt-7.5' Git branch for inclusion in the upcoming merge window.

The support is explicitly minimal, covering only hardware that has remained largely unchanged from prior Apple Silicon generations. This provides a foundation for future development but does not address the persistent gap in GPU support for newer M-series SoCs, which remains one of the largest barriers to usable Linux on Apple Silicon Macs.

What the M5 device tree support includes

  • Device Tree scope: The patch series adds only the minimal hardware definitions needed to boot, explicitly excluding newer or changed subsystems beyond what prior M-series generations established.
  • Queued branch: Sven Peter merged the patches into 'apple-soc/dt-7.5', indicating readiness for the Linux 7.5 merge window rather than requiring additional revision cycles.
  • GPU gap persists: No graphics acceleration support is included; the Asahi Linux project's reverse-engineered GPU drivers for M1/M2 class hardware have not yet extended to M3/M4/M5 generations in mainline.
  • Generational continuity: The hardware described as 'largely unchanged' likely includes core components such as the Apple interrupt controller, timer, and basic UART, following the established Apple Silicon device tree patterns.

Why it matters

This incremental upstreaming maintains momentum for Apple Silicon Linux support and gives distribution builders and Asahi Linux contributors a standardized base to target for M5-specific enablement. However, without GPU support, the practical utility for end users remains limited to headless or framebuffer-only deployments, reinforcing the continued dependence on the Asahi Linux project's out-of-tree graphics work for usable desktop Linux on newer Macs.

Original reference: www.phoronix.com →