New Linux kernel patches, developed by David Vernet, reportedly offer significant improvements to 1% low frame rates on AMD CPUs, potentially reducing game stuttering on devices like the Steam Deck. These patches introduce an "epp_boost" feature to the AMD P-State driver, aiming to enhance CPU performance by better managing CPU scaling and boost behavior.

The "epp_boost" feature identifies busy CPU cores and enables a performance boost on a per-core basis when needed. This approach seeks to achieve performance gains without the efficiency drawbacks of locking cores into a constant high-performance mode. The developer claims improvements of up to 31% in 1% low frame rates, as demonstrated in tests with Civilization VI on a Steam Deck LCD.

In testing, the "epp_boost" patch set resulted in a 31.8% increase in 1% low FPS and a 4.1% faster p99 frame time compared to default settings. This enhancement is particularly beneficial for CPU-bound games and could offer performance boosts to other low-power PC systems. The patches are currently awaiting review by AMD's kernel engineers before potential integration into the Linux kernel.