LeanKernel Minimalistic for Galaxy Nexus: Features Overview

What it was

A kernel is the core software layer between the hardware and Android. This one aimed for a plain, minimalistic design for a snappy phone. It was built for the Galaxy Nexus and was suggested for people running a 4.0.3 ROM.

Key features listed

• Based on Linux 3.0.18, the latest in the 3.0.x branch at the time.
• Unnecessary kernel components removed to keep it lean and fast.
• Overclock to 1.35GHz, with boot speed capped at 1.2GHz for stability.
• GPU overclock and user voltage control.
• InteractiveX V2, which turns off the second CPU core when the screen is off.
• Ramdisk tweaks, plus SWAP and zram support, and init.d support.
• A hotplug governor and backports from Linux 3.2 and 3.3.
• Undervolted by default, from 1.35GHz at 1325 down to 350MHz at 950.

The battery claim

The reviewer’s favourite part was InteractiveX, since letting a core sleep along with the screen should save power. Combined with an undervolt guide, the reviewer reported excellent battery life with no performance loss. That is one person’s experience, not a measured result.

Risks

Flashing a custom kernel and overclocking or undervolting can cause instability or reboots, and it usually needs an unlocked bootloader. This page does not link to the download. The Galaxy Nexus and its software are long out of support.