Which Kernel should I use

[Old_Dog_trying2learn]

So, please excuse me if this had been already asked somewhere else, but I just can't find any information at all.
I have been trying to find the most appropriate of the possible kernels I can use in my system but all I get are the names:
Linux-zen, linux-amd, linux-amd-znver2, linux-amd-znver3, linux-linux, linux-clear, etc ...
and no information about what make then different from the next one or what are they oriented to.
I use a Ryzen processor and AMD graphics card (that might be renewed this year). Gaming and video compression are the heaviest tasks my PC have to endure.
I just ask for some explanation or perhaps a direction where I could check myself.
Thanks in advance.

[anon30283766]

I would suggest doing some searching on the internet, there is just too much to explain IMO.

Personally I use an AMD kernel on my gaming/mining machine since it's optimized for AMD CPUs and the LTS kernel on the old MacBookAir7,2 that I use otherwise so the sleep/wake works properly.

It really depends on your hardware and other use cases.

[Old_Dog_trying2learn]

Thanks for your answer.

Search in the internet is exactly what I'm trying to do , and what I did before asking for help. Sadly, all I could find on my own were very shallow descriptions (I talk about a single sentence), if anything at all.
That's why I asked for directions. I probably am missing something really basic.

Thanks again.

[SGS]

If you posted your garuda-inxi* now (and later, with new CPU,) you’d get, maybe better responses.

*The template asks

Most people use what works, then install another kernel and boot it. Don’t delete the one that works and test it, and so on and so forth.
IIRC right, there is not much difference in normal life between kernels.

For my AMD Ryzen 9 CPU’s I use the linux-amd-znver3

About searching

Discussing Linux kernels for Garuda Linux

The difference between all your benchmarks is ~1%. None of it is significant. This is my experience with almost every kernel I have ever tried. On my hardware there isn't a material performance difference in general use. In the end benchmarks are only useful if they match your workloads nearly identically. Benchmarks also don't measure things like responsiveness.

[mrvictory]

Just use default (linux-zen on Garuda) if it works right away. It is an overall good choice.

[Old_Dog_trying2learn]

Thank you for your answer and sorry about the garuda-inxi: I thought that it was just for troubleshooting, I shouldn't have assumed it.

Well, better late than never:

System:
Kernel: 6.3.2-zen1-1-zen arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 13.1.1
parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/@/boot/vmlinuz-linux-zen
root=UUID=810cddd0-3d54-45f7-88fa-84f8b12b1038 rw rootflags=subvol=@
rd.udev.log_priority=3 vt.global_cursor_default=0 loglevel=3 ibt=off
Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 5.27.5 tk: Qt v: 5.15.9 wm: kwin_x11 vt: 1 dm: SDDM
Distro: Garuda Linux base: Arch Linux
Machine:
Type: Desktop Mobo: ASUSTeK model: ROG STRIX B450-I GAMING v: Rev 1.xx
serial: <superuser required> UEFI: American Megatrends v: 5003
date: 02/03/2023
CPU:
Info: model: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Zen 2 gen: 3
level: v3 note: check built: 2020-22 process: TSMC n7 (7nm)
family: 0x17 (23) model-id: 0x71 (113) stepping: 0 microcode: 0x8701030
Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 8 tpc: 2 threads: 16 smt: enabled cache:
L1: 512 KiB desc: d-8x32 KiB; i-8x32 KiB L2: 4 MiB desc: 8x512 KiB
L3: 32 MiB desc: 2x16 MiB
Speed (MHz): avg: 4003 high: 4100 min/max: 2200/4426 boost: enabled
scaling: driver: acpi-cpufreq governor: performance cores: 1: 4100 2: 4099
3: 4097 4: 4078 5: 3600 6: 3600 7: 4097 8: 3600 9: 4100 10: 4096 11: 4093
12: 4095 13: 4100 14: 4099 15: 4096 16: 4100 bogomips: 115194
Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 sse4a ssse3 svm
Vulnerabilities: <filter>
Graphics:
Device-1: AMD Navi 10 [Radeon RX 5600 OEM/5600 XT / 5700/5700 XT]
vendor: Gigabyte driver: amdgpu v: kernel arch: RDNA-1 code: Navi-1x
process: TSMC n7 (7nm) built: 2019-20 pcie: gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s
lanes: 16 ports: active: DP-1,DP-3 empty: DP-2,HDMI-A-1 bus-ID: 09:00.0
chip-ID: 1002:731f class-ID: 0300
Device-2: Logitech Webcam C270 driver: snd-usb-audio,uvcvideo type: USB
rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 bus-ID: 1-2:3 chip-ID: 046d:0825
class-ID: 0102 serial: <filter>
Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.8 with: Xwayland v: 23.1.1
compositor: kwin_x11 driver: X: loaded: amdgpu unloaded: modesetting,radeon
alternate: fbdev,vesa dri: radeonsi gpu: amdgpu display-ID: :0 screens: 1
Screen-1: 0 s-res: 4480x1440 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 1185x381mm (46.65x15.00")
s-diag: 1245mm (49.01")
Monitor-1: DP-1 mapped: DisplayPort-0 pos: primary,top-right
model: MSI MAG274QRF-QD serial: <filter> built: 2021 res: 2560x1440 dpi: 109
gamma: 1.2 size: 597x336mm (23.5x13.23") diag: 685mm (27") ratio: 16:9
modes: max: 2560x1440 min: 640x480
Monitor-2: DP-3 mapped: DisplayPort-2 pos: bottom-l model: AOC 2590G4
serial: <filter> built: 2019 res: 1920x1080 dpi: 90 gamma: 1.2
size: 544x303mm (21.42x11.93") diag: 623mm (24.5") ratio: 16:9 modes:
max: 1920x1080 min: 720x400
API: OpenGL v: 4.6 Mesa 23.0.3 renderer: AMD Radeon RX 5700 (navi10 LLVM
15.0.7 DRM 3.52 6.3.2-zen1-1-zen) direct-render: Yes
Audio:
Device-1: AMD Navi 10 HDMI Audio driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie:
gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 16 bus-ID: 09:00.1 chip-ID: 1002:ab38
class-ID: 0403
Device-2: AMD Starship/Matisse HD Audio vendor: ASUSTeK
driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie: gen: 4 speed: 16 GT/s lanes: 16
bus-ID: 0c:00.4 chip-ID: 1022:1487 class-ID: 0403
Device-3: Logitech Webcam C270 driver: snd-usb-audio,uvcvideo type: USB
rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 bus-ID: 1-2:3 chip-ID: 046d:0825
class-ID: 0102 serial: <filter>
Device-4: Logitech G432 Gaming Headset
driver: hid-generic,snd-usb-audio,usbhid type: USB rev: 2.0 speed: 12 Mb/s
lanes: 1 mode: 1.1 bus-ID: 3-4:5 chip-ID: 046d:0a9c class-ID: 0300
serial: <filter>
API: ALSA v: k6.3.2-zen1-1-zen status: kernel-api with: aoss
type: oss-emulator tools: N/A
Server-1: sndiod v: N/A status: off tools: aucat,midicat,sndioctl
Server-2: PipeWire v: 0.3.70 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse
status: active 2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin
4: pw-jack type: plugin tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
Device-1: Intel I211 Gigabit Network vendor: ASUSTeK driver: igb v: kernel
pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: d000 bus-ID: 04:00.0
chip-ID: 8086:1539 class-ID: 0200
IF: enp4s0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Device-2: Realtek RTL8822BE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac WiFi adapter vendor: ASUSTeK
driver: rtw_8822be v: N/A modules: rtw88_8822be pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s
lanes: 1 port: c000 bus-ID: 05:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:b822 class-ID: 0280
IF: wlp5s0 state: down mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
Device-1: ASUSTek Bluetooth Radio driver: btusb v: 0.8 type: USB rev: 1.1
speed: 12 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 1.1 bus-ID: 1-8:7 chip-ID: 0b05:185c
class-ID: e001 serial: <filter>
Report: bt-adapter ID: hci0 rfk-id: 1 state: up address: <filter>
Drives:
Local Storage: total: 3.66 TiB used: 2.67 TiB (72.9%)
SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: A-Data model: SX8200PNP
size: 953.87 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s
lanes: 4 tech: SSD serial: <filter> fw-rev: S0118C temp: 32.9 C
scheme: GPT
ID-2: /dev/nvme1n1 maj-min: 259:3 vendor: Samsung
model: SSD 970 EVO Plus 2TB size: 1.82 TiB block-size: physical: 512 B
logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 tech: SSD serial: <filter>
fw-rev: 4B2QEXM7 temp: 39.9 C scheme: GPT
ID-3: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Western Digital
model: WD10SPZX-00Z10T0 size: 931.51 GiB block-size: physical: 4096 B
logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s tech: HDD rpm: 5400 serial: <filter>
fw-rev: 1A01 scheme: MBR
Partition:
ID-1: / raw-size: 953.57 GiB size: 953.57 GiB (100.00%)
used: 786.66 GiB (82.5%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 300 MiB size: 299.4 MiB (99.80%)
used: 576 KiB (0.2%) fs: vfat dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1 maj-min: 259:1
ID-3: /home raw-size: 953.57 GiB size: 953.57 GiB (100.00%)
used: 786.66 GiB (82.5%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
ID-4: /var/log raw-size: 953.57 GiB size: 953.57 GiB (100.00%)
used: 786.66 GiB (82.5%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
ID-5: /var/tmp raw-size: 953.57 GiB size: 953.57 GiB (100.00%)
used: 786.66 GiB (82.5%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
Swap:
Kernel: swappiness: 133 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
ID-1: swap-1 type: zram size: 15.53 GiB used: 1.92 GiB (12.4%)
priority: 100 dev: /dev/zram0
Sensors:
System Temperatures: cpu: 47.0 C mobo: 52.0 C gpu: amdgpu temp: 46.0 C
mem: 54.0 C
Fan Speeds (RPM): cpu: 659 case-1: 707 gpu: amdgpu fan: 703
Power: 12v: 9.97 5v: N/A 3.3v: N/A vbat: 3.21 gpu: amdgpu watts: 35.00
Info:
Processes: 422 Uptime: 4h 0m wakeups: 0 Memory: available: 15.53 GiB
used: 5.91 GiB (38.1%) Init: systemd v: 253 default: graphical
tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 13.1.1 clang: 15.0.7 Packages: 2113
pm: pacman pkgs: 2100 libs: 597 tools: octopi,paru,yay pm: flatpak pkgs: 13
Shell: fish v: 3.6.1 default: Bash v: 5.1.16 running-in: konsole
inxi: 3.3.27
Garuda (2.6.16-1):
System install date:     2022-06-25
Last full system update: 2023-05-19 ↻
Is partially upgraded:   No
Relevant software:       snapper NetworkManager mkinitcpio
Windows dual boot:       No/Undetected
Failed units:

Also, thank you for the topic you linked, sadly, as you may imagine, I had already read it before asking here for help , so did I check what I could find in the Archwiki, and, althouth they are pretty interesting, I failed to get any description/idea about what kernel to use.

I might be just clumsy or maybe it is my lack of base knowledge. I beg for your patience.

Also, you said you used linux-amd-znver3, might be for some reason that the "znver#" part of the name refers to the Zen processor generation? In that case, I'll test linux-amd-znver2 and see what's what

Thanks again.

[Old_Dog_trying2learn]

Thank you too for your reply.

Yes, the default zen kernel works marvels, so do the linux-linu and the linux-amd I have tested so far (this last one doesn't notice a few sensors of the motherboard, but other than that, flawlessly).

Still I'm curious about the matter and how little information there is (or at least, how little info am I able to fin). In addition to that, I can get a bit maniacal about optimizing the system: it's like an itch

I'll keep reading suggestions and looking for answers on my own, if I can find anything of what I seek, it's ok, as said, the default kernel works great.