Does enabling LPAE on aarch64 improve accessibility tool performance?

Goal

Determine whether enabling Large Physical Address Extension (LPAE) in aarch64 kernels can reduce page‑fault overhead for memory‑intensive accessibility services such as screen readers or OCR engines.

Constraints & Uncertainty

LPAE requires hardware support and is disabled by default in many mainstream distributions to preserve compatibility with legacy firmware. Enabling it may increase boot time and cause memory fragmentation on devices with limited RAM, potentially harming low‑end accessibility devices.

Unresolved Decision

Should all aarch64 builds enable LPAE by default for accessibility workloads, or should it remain optional and gated behind a kernel configuration?

Specific Questions

• Which kernel configuration options should be exposed to allow selective LPAE activation for accessibility services?
• What measurable impact does LPAE enablement have on boot time and memory fragmentation for low‑end aarch64 devices?
• How can we balance performance gains for accessibility tools against compatibility concerns on older CPUs lacking LPAE?