Linux 7.3 is out, bringing performance and compatibility improvements across storage, memory management and hardware support. For everyday computing, the most useful changes include faster ext4 operations and a scheduler redesign aimed at keeping systems responsive when apps compete for processor time.
Watch Desk analysis
What happened
The new mainline Linux kernel also improves how AMD graphics cards with limited video memory handle pressure, adds early support for Apple M3 Pro, Max and Ultra chips, and brings basic support for alternate data streams in the ntfs3 driver. OMG! Ubuntu reports that Linux 7.3 is the kernel used by Ubuntu 26.10, which is expected to receive the final release through software updates in the coming weeks.
The storage gains include faster parallel direct writes and small direct reads in ext4, along with a fix for a buffered-write regression. Linux 7.3 also adds support for Apple Time Machine to the kernel’s optional SMB server, and improves USB-C cable capability checks before the system tries to use display or Thunderbolt modes.
Why it matters
This is a broad system-software update with practical benefits for people running Linux: faster file operations in some workloads, more considered handling of competing background tasks, and support for a wider range of hardware and peripherals. The changes are not one dramatic new feature; they are the sort of groundwork that can make a machine feel less temperamental over time.
Some results cited in the report come from specific tests, not a promise that every PC will see the same gains. The low-VRAM work is also part of an ongoing effort, with further changes expected in later kernels.
Our read
Linux 7.3 looks like a substantial, useful kernel release, especially for users who value smoother system behaviour and broader hardware support. If you run a distribution that supplies kernel updates, check its release notes and support policy before installing. Ubuntu 26.10 is expected to pick up the final kernel through updates; OMG! Ubuntu cautions against treating Canonical’s unsupported mainline builds as a routine upgrade path.
What to watch
- When distributions beyond Ubuntu 26.10 make Linux 7.3 available to their users.
- Whether the scheduler changes improve responsiveness in a wider range of real workloads.
- How the early Apple M3 support develops in future kernel releases.
Discussion spark: Should Linux distributions move users to newer kernels quickly for hardware and performance improvements, or prioritise a slower, more predictable update path?
Sources and evidence
- Linux 7.3 is out, speeds up ext4 and low-VRAM AMD GPUs – OMG! Ubuntu (19 October 2026, 03:36 UTC)
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