Linux pulls support for ancient CPU unsurprisingly, Linus Torvald says there is 'zero real reason' to keep a 37-year-old Intel 486 CPU going

Date:
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 13:05:00 +0000

Description:
Linux kernel drops support for Intel 486 CPUs, prioritizing modern architectures, while retro users can still run old software and Linux apps.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Pro Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member features. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are
now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter Linux kernel developers have removed support for the Intel 486 CPU Linus Torvalds says there is zero real reason to maintain 486 compatibility Ingo Molnar authored patches eliminating 486-related configuration options in Linux kernels Linux kernel developers have begun removing support for the Intel 486 CPU, a processor first introduced in 1989.

The move comes as modern Linux distros have grown increasingly resource-intensive, making continued compatibility with decades-old CPUs both technically challenging and strategically unnecessary. Linus Torvalds, the creator of Linux, recently reinforced this perspective by asserting that
there is zero real reason to maintain support for the 486 architecture, suggesting that its presence now hampers broader kernel development efforts. Article continues below You may like Farewell, old friend Linux 7.0 finally ditches the ancient (but iconic) Intel 440BX chipset's EDAC driver, but
what's next? Linux 7.0 is finally here packing more AMD and Intel hardware support and a bulging changelog, here's what you need to know 'Widely panned' is an understatement! Intel kills pay-as-you-go hardware upgrades, 15 years after the infamous Intel Upgrade Service scheme Patching out 486 support Ingo Molnar, a long-time Linux kernel developer, authored a patch that eliminates key configuration options related to the 486 CPU , including CONFIG_M486SX, CONFIG_M486, and CONFIG_MELAN.

These changes, once merged, will prevent users from building kernel images that target the 486 architecture.

According to Molnar, maintaining compatibility requires complicated hardware emulation facilities on x86-32 that affect a very small subset of users.

He further explained this compatibility glue sometimes introduces issues that consume developer time, which could otherwise be spent improving modern
kernel features and performance. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news
and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

The patch is expected to be integrated in Linux 7.1, effectively signaling
the end of official support for the Intel 486 in contemporary kernels.

Users who continue to operate 486 systems will need to rely on existing long-term support (LTS) kernels if they wish to maintain modern Linux functionality.

Alternatively, upgrading to a more recent CPU, such as a Pentium or one of
the high-performance processors available in 2026, will be necessary to run current Linux distributions efficiently. What to read next Rumor suggests Intel's next-gen flagship CPU could be very power-hungry The 'grey and old' Linux kernel community finally has a succession plan for when Linus Torvalds retires - so who will be the new 'Organizer'? Reviewer raves about one of Intel's best CPU releases in years

Despite this shift, hobbyists and retro computing enthusiasts can still experiment with older hardware.

Earlier in 2026, reports emerged of an open source 486 motherboard built from scratch, successfully running Linux, DOS, and classic games such as Doom.

These projects show that while official support is being withdrawn, practical engagement with legacy systems and Linux apps remains possible.

The Intel 486 represented a major milestone in CPU evolution, introducing integrated floating-point units and pipelined execution.

However, modern kernel development has outpaced the capabilities of such hardware, making the continuation of support increasingly impractical.

However, Linus Torvalds remarks, along with Molnars patch, make it clear that kernel resources will now focus on architectures with active users rather
than supporting this legacy CPU.

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/linux-pulls-support-for-ancient-cpu-unsurprising ly-linus-torvald-says-there-is-zero-real-reason-to-keep-a-37-year-old-intel-48 6-cpu-going


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