The anticipation around NVIDIA’s next generation of GPUs is growing as new developments unfold. Recent patches reveal a significant transition in NVIDIA’s technology, hinting at the future direction for their graphics processing units. These updates indicate a shift towards a more modern architecture, setting the stage for exciting hardware advancements.
NVIDIA Shifts Focus to Boot42 for Upcoming GPU Lineup
NVIDIA has historically relied on the Boot0 architecture for its GPU identification, a staple for the Blackwell series. However, emerging details from the company’s Nova graphics drivers suggest a move towards adopting a new Boot42 system. This shift is believed to be a part of the preparations for the upcoming “next-gen” GPUs, likely linked to the Rubin architecture aimed at server-grade applications.
Sources have reported that NVIDIA is rolling out open-source Nova Driver patches that confirm the shift to Boot42, effectively phasing out Boot0 in favor of Rubin technology. In the patch notes, NVIDIA’s engineer John Hubbard elaborated on the transition, explaining that future GPUs will abandon the traditional NV_PMC_BOOT_0 register in favor of the newer NV_PMC_BOOT_42, streamlining the identification process for Nova.
Innovative Changes and Forward Compatibility
Patch notes reveal that NVIDIA is removing 33 lines of code to create a cleaner, forward-compatible structure. This adjustment is noteworthy as it addresses long-standing criticisms from Linux enthusiasts about limited upstream involvement. The Nova development is now being undertaken in Rust, indicating progress and modernization.
“NVIDIA GPUs are moving away from using NV_PMC_BOOT_0 to contain architecture and revision details, and will instead use NV_PMC_BOOT_42 in the future. NV_PMC_BOOT_0 will be zeroed out.
Change the selection logic in Nova so that it will claim Turing and later GPUs. This will work for the foreseeable future, without any further code changes here, because all NVIDIA GPUs are considered, from the oldest supported on Linux (NV04), through the future GPUs.…
– Patch release notes
This strategic groundwork highlights NVIDIA’s readiness for the Rubin series, with reports indicating that Rubin production is set for the latter half of 2026. Furthermore, there’s talk of potential shifts in cooling solutions, with Rubin Ultra possibly adopting microchannel cover plates for enhanced performance.