linux-drivers/
drivers/thermal/intel

Intel x86 platform thermal management drivers

Thermal sensors and throttling controls built into Intel x86 processors and chipsets, covering CPU package temperature readouts, PCH and SoC thermal zones, and the ACPI INT340x platform thermal framework that laptops and tablets use to manage skin temperature and power limits. These chips ship in nearly all current Intel desktops, laptops, and servers.

keep conf=0.94 deploy=high replacement=none subsystem=thermal category=power-management
94%

recommendation

It should stay because these drivers handle thermal monitoring and throttling on essentially every modern Intel client and server system, from package temperature sensors to ACPI INT340x platform thermal interfaces. Upstream activity is healthy through 2025 and 2026, including new-platform enablement for Wildcat Lake and ongoing stable backports, so there is no sign of deprecation.

repository signals

39 files
10,759 source lines
275 commits, 5y
+6,920 / −3,582 lines added / removed, 5y
57 authors, 5y
monthly commits · 2021-04-21 → 2026-04-21 · 275 total · active in 56/61 months
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2021-04: 1 commit · +5 −1 2021-05: 5 commits · +736 −267 2021-06: 3 commits · +23 −16 2021-07: 1 commit · +13 −1 2021-08: 5 commits · +555 −4 2021-09: 4 commits · +70 −23 2021-10: 0 commits · +0 −0 2021-11: 5 commits · +52 −42 2021-12: 2 commits · +74 −54 2022-01: 9 commits · +642 −23 2022-02: 2 commits · +5 −0 2022-03: 5 commits · +107 −65 2022-04: 1 commit · +2 −2 2022-05: 8 commits · +68 −36 2022-06: 1 commit · +1 −1 2022-07: 2 commits · +2 −8 2022-08: 2 commits · +7 −7 2022-09: 3 commits · +9 −44 2022-10: 4 commits · +89 −86 2022-11: 7 commits · +55 −36 2022-12: 8 commits · +222 −198 2023-01: 26 commits · +544 −672 2023-02: 9 commits · +376 −311 2023-03: 5 commits · +33 −25 2023-04: 7 commits · +165 −551 2023-05: 3 commits · +281 −2 2023-06: 1 commit · +1 −1 2023-07: 3 commits · +30 −30 2023-08: 19 commits · +676 −368 2023-09: 7 commits · +15 −19 2023-10: 9 commits · +282 −56 2023-11: 0 commits · +0 −0 2023-12: 1 commit · +5 −3 2024-01: 6 commits · +99 −64 2024-02: 9 commits · +214 −187 2024-03: 2 commits · +4 −3 2024-04: 3 commits · +10 −8 2024-05: 8 commits · +32 −38 2024-06: 10 commits · +379 −43 2024-07: 6 commits · +85 −51 2024-08: 0 commits · +0 −0 2024-09: 4 commits · +24 −49 2024-10: 3 commits · +7 −7 2024-11: 2 commits · +4 −14 2024-12: 7 commits · +40 −37 2025-01: 0 commits · +0 −0 2025-02: 2 commits · +3 −3 2025-03: 1 commit · +3 −0 2025-04: 8 commits · +302 −39 2025-05: 3 commits · +5 −1 2025-06: 4 commits · +79 −1 2025-07: 1 commit · +0 −3 2025-08: 4 commits · +313 −1 2025-09: 1 commit · +2 −1 2025-10: 3 commits · +15 −9 2025-11: 5 commits · +32 −2 2025-12: 5 commits · +67 −19 2026-01: 4 commits · +13 −12 2026-02: 5 commits · +36 −37 2026-03: 1 commit · +7 −1 2026-04: 0 commits · +0 −0

sources

  1. lore.kernel.org

    Upstream still lands enablement for new Intel platforms here: a 2025 linux-pm patch enables the int340x power-slider interface for Wildcat Lake.

  2. lore.kernel.org

    The x86 package-temperature driver in this directory received a 2026 stable backport fixing invalid temperature handling, showing active maintenance rather than abandonment.

  3. lore.kernel.org

    This directory was included in a 2025 thermal-core integration series, indicating continued subsystem work rather than removal.

  4. git.kernel.org

    Mainline still carries a dedicated Intel thermal driver menu covering package, PCH, SoC, and ACPI INT340x thermal support in this directory.

codex reasoning notes (technical)

Real driver directory confirmed locally via exec_command: multiple module_*_driver/module_init entry points and PCI/ACPI/x86cpu device tables. lore_file_timeline on x86_pkg_temp_thermal.c and int340x_thermal/processor_thermal_device_pci.c showed sustained 2021-2026 traffic, including 2025 new-platform enablement and 2026 stable fixes; no removal/deprecation signal was found, and a removal-focused lore_regex attempt timed out rather than producing evidence. Wildcat Lake enablement strongly suggests ongoing relevance for new Intel systems; deployment remains high because these drivers cover mainstream Intel client/platform thermal reporting rather than a narrow legacy niche. kernel.org Kconfig URL is canonical recall; lore URLs were obtained from lore_file_timeline.