# The end of an era as Linux 7.5 purges the last 30-year-old Intel MMX optimizations from Pentium age

Source: [Latest from Tom's Hardware](https://www.tomshardware.com/software/linux/the-end-of-an-era-as-linux-7-5-purges-the-last-30-year-old-intel-mmx-optimizations-from-pentium-age-open-source-os-retires-ancient-1997-pentium-instructions-to-streamline-code) · 2026-11-08 · Industry
Page: https://themorning.dev/story/the-end-of-an-era-as-linux-7-5-purges-the-last-30-year-old-intel-mmx-optimizatio-b898af538ee978d3
Kind: release · Impact: low

## In brief

- A patch expected to merge into mainline Linux 7.5 removes the last remaining Intel MMX-optimized code from the Linux kernel.
- Intel introduced MMX in the Pentium era, around 1997.
- The change is described as streamlining code by retiring ancient Pentium-era instructions.

## Why it matters

Developers working on or relying on Linux kernel internals should note that MMX-specific optimized code is being dropped, so any dependency on it will no longer be present in Linux 7.5.

## Versions

- Linux 7.5

## Timeline

- 2026-11-08: Tom's Hardware reports that a patch expected to merge into mainline Linux 7.5 will remove the last MMX optimizations

## Coverage

- [The end of an era as Linux 7.5 purges the last 30-year-old Intel MMX optimizations from Pentium age](https://www.tomshardware.com/software/linux/the-end-of-an-era-as-linux-7-5-purges-the-last-30-year-old-intel-mmx-optimizations-from-pentium-age-open-source-os-retires-ancient-1997-pentium-instructions-to-streamline-code) — Latest from Tom's Hardware, 2026-11-08

Tags: linux, kernel, intel, mmx, optimization, x86

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Brief generated by AI (claude-haiku-5-5) from the reporting listed under Coverage. Headlines belong to their publishers. The Morning Dev – https://themorning.dev