Foundation update - January 2026

Hi Everyone,

I'm pleased to share the monthly update from the FreeBSD Foundation's
Laptop Support and Usability Project.

https://github.com/FreeBSDFoundation/proj-laptop/blob/main/monthly-updates/2026-01.md
Note: this repo also contains all previous month's updates.

We welcome your help in sharing the update wherever possible.

(You may continue scrolling for the full text content of the update.)

Thanks,

Alice.

Please read on with the understanding that you will need to visit the repo
for the canonical content.
-----------------------------

# FreeBSD Foundation Laptop Update - January 2026
NOTE: For more details on any item, please visit the GitHub links provided,
these contain more detail and links to relevant materials such as code
commits.

## In Review
#### S0i3 Modern Standby
Many of the recent features and improvements for modern standby have been
merged, specifically s2idle support (a.k.a. suspend-to-idle) and the SPMC
(System Power Management Controller) driver.

The focus has now moved on to a remaining issue, which is why some CPUs are
exiting the C3 idle state when they shouldn't be.

GitHub issue [#32](
https://github.com/FreeBSDFoundation/proj-laptop/issues/32)

### Installation
#### KDE Desktop Installer Option
A desktop environment option for the FreeBSD installer is now ready for
testing. A Call for Testing has been shared on the Desktop mailing list
(click through to the GitHub issue for links).

GitHub issue: [#25](
https://github.com/FreeBSDFoundation/proj-laptop/issues/25)

## In Progress

### Power
#### S4 hibernation
The team is working on an iterative approach to the S4 solution as we are
expecting unknown elements to emerge along the way.

Development work on saving the computer's state into an S4 image is
progressing well.  It will shortly be mature enough for development work to
start on the wake-up functionality.

Developers are also investigating the potential of system simulator tool,
simics, to help with developing across sleep states.

GitHub issue: [#29](
https://github.com/FreeBSDFoundation/proj-laptop/issues/29)

#### Power consumption management tooling
Work has started on enabling the Perfetto port to report on power
consumption by key FreeBSD components when running on a laptop. Probes are
being created to detect the power draw of USB-C connected devices, and to
detect battery and kernel events which together can be used to build an
understanding of where power is being used.

GitHub issue: [#6](https://github.com/FreeBSDFoundation/proj-laptop/issues/6
)

#### Performance management tooling
Work has started on enabling some native functionality of AMD processors
which will allow the user to control some aspects of the laptop's
performance using either a manual or an auto mode.

This functionality, known as CPPC (Collaborative Processor Performance
Control) will help to improve performance and efficiency of FreeBSD on
laptops which have the relevant processors.

GitHub issue: [#108](
https://github.com/FreeBSDFoundation/proj-laptop/issues/108)


#### Debugging tools for low power states

Work continues on several USB debugging mechanisms that will work in the
absence of a functional graphics driver (needed for low power states).

There are functional interfaces for usb serial debugging and debugging
using the SoC on 2025 and onwards framework laptops in all FreeBSD verions.
FreeBSD 16 will feature xhci debugging and can be evaluated from active
code reviews.

We are presently documenting these features and will update relevant
materials in time.

GitHub issues: [#38](
https://github.com/FreeBSDFoundation/proj-laptop/issues/38) and [#90](
https://github.com/FreeBSDFoundation/proj-laptop/issues/90)

### Wi-Fi

#### Support for RealTek Wi-Fi cards
There are some changes ready to push which will update Wi-Fi 4 and 5
support for the rtw88 and rtw89 Wi-Fi cards, but first we need to
incorporate recent driver updates from the manufacturers. These updates
also cause regressions in support for iwlwifi so this also needs to be
fixed first.

USB support for RealTek Wi-Fi cards is also in progress.

GitHub issue: [#99](
https://github.com/FreeBSDFoundation/proj-laptop/issues/99)

#### Support for MediaTek Wi-Fi cards
Similarly to the update on ReakTek, there have been recent driver updates
from the manufacturer which are being imported (now in review).

Work is ongoing to implement the previous changes we made so they work with
the updated drivers.

USB support for MediaTek Wi-Fi cards is in progress.

GitHub issue: [#66](
https://github.com/FreeBSDFoundation/proj-laptop/issues/66)


### Graphics
#### Port of Linux 6.11 Graphics Drivers
Work on porting the Linux 6.11 graphics driver is in progress.

GitHub issue: [#52](
https://github.com/FreeBSDFoundation/proj-laptop/issues/52)

### System management
#### Making pkgbasify more efficient

Work is continuing to improve the efficiency of how pkgbasify works. For
example, it now upgrades pkg before it starts, and only installs the
packages that are needed.

It also now handles shared libraries better, allowing you to specify any
ignored shared libraries.

GitHub issue: [#91](
https://github.com/FreeBSDFoundation/proj-laptop/issues/91)

### Integration testing

#### Holistic testing for laptop project functionality
Testing of available (completed) *Laptop Project* functionality is now
complete for the [Framework 13 7040 Ryzen system](
https://github.com/FreeBSDFoundation/proj-laptop/blob/main/supported/laptops.md),
and testing has begun on a Framework desktop machine.

Work has also started on creating a simple community contributor testing
workflow so users can submit results of standardized testing scripts.

Also started is a proof-of-concept for a queryable public laptop
compatibility reference for users. We hope to incorporate and build on
existing similar community resources to produce a sustainable, improved
page.

See the dedicated GitHub repo for more information:
https://github.com/FreeBSDFoundation/freebsd-laptop-testing



## Acknowledgements

The FreeBSD Foundation would like to exend its thanks everyone who has
contributed to this project, both this month and previously.

Thanks go out to:
* Our developers
  * Alfonso Siciliano
  * Aymeric Wibo
  * Bjoern Zeeb
  * Christos Margiolis
  * Isaac Freund
  * Jean-Sebastien Pedron
  * Li-Wen Hsu
  * Mitchell Horne
  * Olivier Certner
  * Siva Mahadevan
  * Tom Jones
* The project team:
  * Deb Goodkin
  * Ed Maste
  * Joe Mingrone
  * Alice Sowerby
* The Laptop and Desktop Working Group
  * Chris Moerz
  * All attendees
* The FreeBSD Project
* Quantum Leap Research
* AMD, who have helped in troubleshooting sleep issues.
* Dell, who have donated the UVC kernel driver.
* Future Crew, who provided the iwx
driver source code.
* Netflix, who have been testing our scheduler patchsets

Please refer to the [README](../README.md) for more information about the
FreeBSD Foundation's Laptop Project.
-- 
Alice Sowerby
Part-time Technical Program Manager
M +44 7787 953393