What specific problem does the epp_boost patch aim to fix on the Steam Deck and other AMD Linux systems?
The epp_boost patch fixes an inefficiency in AMD's P-State driver where brief sleeps by a game thread (for example while waiting on the GPU) are misinterpreted as lower CPU demand, causing cores to downclock and then resume at too-low frequencies. That behavior produces momentary frame time inflation, stutters, and 1% low FPS spikes on Steam Deck and other AMD Linux systems. The patch addresses this by temporarily boosting busy cores to performance mode based on per-core activity checks. Answered
How does the epp_boost patch decide when to switch an individual core to performance mode?
The epp_boost patch samples each core every 10 milliseconds and, if a core is at least 50% busy, temporarily switches that core to performance mode. It reverts the core back to the normal EPP policy once activity drops and remains low for 300 milliseconds. Answered
What exact timing thresholds (check interval and revert delay) does the patch use to boost and then restore cores?
The patch checks each core every 10 milliseconds. It reverts a core back to the normal EPP policy after activity stays low for 300 milliseconds. Answered