OpenBSD 8.0 beefs up virtual machines and gets a taste of Wine
Proposed port brings 64-bit Windows apps within reach
OpenBSD 8.0 introduces enhanced virtual machine capabilities and improved graphics performance. This version, the 61st release of the project, builds upon the x86-64 hypervisor's ability to manage up to 64 virtual CPUs per guest. The kernel virtual memory address space in x86-64 mode has expanded to 512 GB, up from 4 GB, catering to GPUs with substantial VRAM.
In addition, OpenBSD 8.0 supports hibernation on Arm64 machines and utilizes CPU AES instructions for faster encrypted swap on both x86-64 and Arm64 systems. Notable component upgrades include OpenSSH 10.6, LibreSSL 4.4.0, and the Linux 6.18 DRM graphics driver stack. The default C compiler has been switched to Clang/LLVM 22, including for the SPARC64 edition.
However, the Loongson architecture is no longer supported. Despite a short list of errata, OpenBSD 8.0 demonstrates the project's commitment to security and simplicity, while its mascot, a pufferfish, subtly alludes to AI in the release's artwork and theme song. A proposed Wine port for OpenBSD has recently been announced, allowing Windows binaries to run on the system, albeit with caveats regarding potential security risks.
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