# Linux 7.5 to upstream GlandaGPU driver for open-source FPGA soft GPU

> **Key takeaway:** An open-source VHDL soft GPU core with VGA 640x480 output and 2D acceleration is gaining mainline kernel support through the drm-misc-next tree.

**Published:** 2026-11-13T12:55:37+00:00 
**Source:** Phoronix Benchmarks & Drivers 
**Category:** kernel-os 
**Canonical URL:** https://fosswire.org/news/linux-75-to-upstream-glandagpu-driver-for-open-source-fpga-s.html 

## Summary
The drm-misc-next pull request for the week queues new material destined for the Linux 7.5 merge window, including a driver for GlandaGPU, an open-source soft GPU core designed in VHDL. GlandaGPU targets FPGA hardware such as the Intel Cyclone V FPGA SoC and can also run under QEMU emulation for developers without physical boards. The design outputs VGA at 640x480 resolution and includes a 2D acceleration engine, positioning it as an educational and demonstration platform rather than a practical graphics processor for gaming or productivity workloads.

Alongside the GlandaGPU driver, the same drm-misc-next batch adds HyperV cursor plane support, extends the Etnaviv driver to cover the Allwinner T527's VIP9000 GPU, and carries various display panel updates. The Linux 7.5 merge window is expected to open in late December 2026.

## What the GlandaGPU driver brings to DRM
- **Soft GPU architecture:** GlandaGPU is implemented in VHDL as a synthesizable open-source GPU core, distinguishing it from proprietary silicon or firmware-dependent discrete GPUs.
- **FPGA and emulation targets:** The driver supports deployment on Intel Cyclone V FPGA SoC hardware and QEMU emulation, lowering the barrier for hardware experimentation without custom silicon fabrication.
- **Display capabilities:** The core drives VGA output at 640x480 resolution with a 2D acceleration engine, reflecting its scope as a learning and demo platform rather than a high-performance renderer.
- **Kernel integration path:** The driver enters through the drm-misc-next tree, the standard staging route for new Direct Rendering Manager drivers before the mainline merge window.
- **Accompanying DRM changes:** The same pull request adds HyperV cursor plane support, Allwinner T527 VIP9000 coverage in Etnaviv, and panel driver updates for Linux 7.5.

## Why it matters
GlandaGPU's upstreaming provides the Linux kernel with a fully open, inspectable GPU implementation that students, hardware researchers, and FPGA developers can modify without proprietary constraints. While its 640x480 VGA output and 2D engine exclude it from practical desktop or gaming use, it strengthens the open-hardware graphics pipeline and may serve as a reference design for future RISC-V or custom silicon GPU projects. For distributions, the driver will eventually ship as part of standard kernel packages once Linux 7.5 releases, requiring no out-of-tree module maintenance.