Sono disponibili per il download i nuovi driver AMD Catalyst 12.8 per schede video Radeon HD della serie 5000, 6000 e 7000. I nuovi driver includono pieno supporto al nuovo Sistema Operativo di casa Microsoft Windows 8.
Tra le altre caratteristiche, segnaliamo pieno compatibilità con le DirectX 11.1 e vari incrementi prestazionali dal 3% al 25% rispetto ai driver Catalyst 12.6.
Di seguito le note fornite a corredo con i driver:
Featuring support for the DirectX 11.1 and the new WDDM 1.2 driver model:
- AMD’s first official unified and logo certified driver for Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows Vista
- Target-Independent Rasterization (TIR): TIR is a new rendering path that enables superior anti-aliasing in Direct3D driver applications
- Native Stereo 3D Support: Windows 8 natively supports stereoscopic 3D gaming and videos via compatible applications
- Unified Video API: Video playback has been integrated into the DirectX 11 API, enabling simultaneous video and gaming content. Transcoding performance may also be improved for supporting applications.
- Optimized screen rotation for rotation aware devices
- Improved sleep/resume performance
- Optimized GPU power consumption
- Major technologies / features also supported under Windows 8:
- AMD Eyefinity technology
- OpenCL
- OpenGL
- Unified Video Decoder (UVD)
- AMD Dual Graphics
- AMD CrossFire technology
- AMD Overdrive
- AMD Catalyst Control Center
- Vision Engine Control Center
Performance highlights of AMD Catalyst 12.8 (versus AMD Catalyst 12.6)
- Up to 25% in Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
- Up to 3% in Battlefield 3
- Up to 6% in Batman: Arkham City
- Up to 3% in Dues Ex: Human Revolution
- Up to 6% in Crysis 2
- Up to 15% in Total War: Shogun
- Up to 8% in Crysis Warhead
- Up to 5% in Just Cause 2
- Up to 10% in Dirt 3
Resolved issue highlights of the AMD Catalyst 12.8 driver
- Over/underscan settings are correctly restored on system reboot
- Audio is no longer disabled if the connected HDTV Is switched off/on
- Shogun 2 : Flickering text is no longer experienced
- Star Wars – The Old Republic : In game cinematic no longer experience flicker when using the arrow keys
- Dirt Showdown: 8-Ball track No longer hangs with Crossfire enabled
- Max Payne 3 : A black screen is no longer observed when launching game in DirectX 11 mode with Crossfire enabled