ATI Catalyst Driver Update Adds Performance, Stability, and Expanded Feature Set

ATI Catalyst 10.2 and 10.3 Graphics Driver Updates Provide New Features and Functionality for 3D Gaming, Notebook Computers, and ATI Eyefinity Technology

AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced several new ATI Catalyst^TM graphics driver features designed to enable higher performance, industry-leading stability and an even more intuitive computing experience for ATI Radeon^TM graphics customers. Two ATI Catalyst^TM driver updates unlock the new features, the first coming today in ATI Catalyst^TM update, version 10.2, and the second scheduled for release in March. The releases represent AMD's ongoing commitment to providingregular driver updates focusing on stability, performance and innovation for users of ATI Radeon^TM graphics processors.

"As the first and, to date, only company to provide DirectX 11 technology and ATI Eyefinity multi-display technology, AMD continues to demonstrate our commitment to innovation in graphics," said Ben Bar-Haim, corporate vice-president, Software, AMD. "Our monthly ATI Catalyst^TM driver updates further illustrate that commitment as we focus on continually enabling greater performance, even more rock solid stability, and intuitive, innovative features."

"The visual experience delivered by today's personal computers is made possible as much by the driver software layer as it is by the tremendous feature set and performance of the latest graphics cards," said Jon Peddie, founder, Jon Peddie Research. "The AMD Graphics Division has internalized this and has created a centre of excellence around driver updates, bringing customers monthly improvements and features in addition to added stability and performance."

Key features of ATI Catalyst graphics drivers, version 10.2:

• Better game performance, sooner: Game profiles help optimize performance so that gamers get an amazing experience. AMD is focusing its efforts toprovide access to game profiles when a new game launches - often on the day of launch - and AMD plans to post a separate executable file on AMD.com that users can install to get access to the latest application profiles for improved performance.
• More powerful panoramic gaming with ATI CrossFireX^TM technology: Fans of ATI CrossFireX^TM multi-GPU technology can now take advantage of the additional graphics horsepower to help increase game performance or image quality settings when using ATI Eyefinity multi-display technology.¹

Key features of ATI Catalyst graphics drivers, version 10.3, scheduled for release in March, 2010:

• Monthly updates for the mobile crowd: Starting in March, AMD plans to issue stability, performance and feature enhancements in monthly ATI Catalyst^TM driver updates for Windows 7 and Windows Vista^TM-based notebooks that feature ATI Mobility Radeon^TMHD 2000, HD 3000, HD 4000 and HD 5000 series premium graphics processors. AMD is working closely with most major notebook manufacturers to ensure broad support for this initiative.
• ATI Eyefinity technology, made better: To further enhance the immersive visual experience of ATI Eyefinity technology, users will now have access to an easy-to-use wizard that will allow them to adjust their display layout to compensate for monitor bezels. In addition, users will be able to adjust the brightness, color and contrast for each individual monitor for greater customization and calibration of each screen in their ATI Eyefinity set-up.¹
• Enabling the 3D ecosystem: AMD is enabling third-party middleware vendors to bring more 3D stereoscopic gaming options to consumers by allowing for independent left and right images at 120 Hz.

About AMD

Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD) is an innovative technology company dedicated to collaborating with customers and technology partners to ignite the next generation of computing and graphics solutions at work, home and play.

Benchmark Reviews offers several ATI Radeon articles in our Featured Reviews: Video Cards section.

Related Articles:

• Gigabyte GA-X48T-DQ6 DES X48 DDR3 Motherboard