Thursday, August 16th 2012
AMD Catalyst 12.8 WHQL Software Suite Released
AMD released the first WHQL-signed Catalyst drivers since June. Catalyst 12.8 WHQL is the first unified Catalyst driver certified for Windows 8, its release follows the RTM version of the operating system being available to enterprise and industry customers, ahead of the October 26 consumer retail launch. The driver introduces target-independent rasterization (TIR), an efficient new Direct3D rendering path. The driver also works to improve GPU power consumption. A suite of Windows 8-exclusive features, including native stereo 3D support and unified video API are included. Catalyst 12.8 WHQL also introduces performance-improvements specific to games, including up to 25% performance increase in Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, 10% in Dirt 3, 6% in Batman: Arkham City, and 3% in Battlefield 3. Several game-specific bugs were patched.
DOWNLOAD: AMD Catalyst 12.8 WHQL for Windows Vista, 7 and 8 (64-bit), Windows Vista, 7 and 8 (32-bit), Windows XP (32-bit), Windows XP (64-bit)
The change-log follows.
Features:
DOWNLOAD: AMD Catalyst 12.8 WHQL for Windows Vista, 7 and 8 (64-bit), Windows Vista, 7 and 8 (32-bit), Windows XP (32-bit), Windows XP (64-bit)
The change-log follows.
Features:
- 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:
o AMD Eyefinity technology
o OpenCL
o OpenGL
o Unified Video Decoder (UVD)
o AMD Dual Graphics
o AMD CrossFire technology
o AMD Overdrive
o AMD Catalyst Control Center
o Vision Engine Control Center
- 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
- The Secret World (DX11): Resolves corruption seen in HUD/options when running in CrossFire mode on the AMD Radeon HD 7000 Series
- TorchLight 2 - Improves single GPU performance, and disables CrossFire due to incompatible support when running in a Multi-GPU configuration
- Spec Ops: The Line: Improves CrossFire performance
- Hawken: Improves CrossFire performance
- 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
103 Comments on AMD Catalyst 12.8 WHQL Software Suite Released
*Luckily, I'm not a FireFox user. :)
Im Thinkin a Graphics card needs to have a priority capability, meaning the GC will always be in 3D Clocks when a Game is launched and remains that way even when other programs are open or you switch windows to prevent performance dips.
Also send a report to AMD with the games that dont work. Sounds like a profile issue
If anything did you create a system restore point before installing those drivers?
there is a guide on how to do it.
BUT it borks my TrackIR AGAIN(Was an issue with the 12.3 thru 12.5) TrackIR uses OGL for the GUI. It won't even start...I guess I wait for the next set and hope it comes back again
1 step forward 2 steps back...:banghead:
The 12.7 previews worked fine if I recall. So not sure how they could break again with the WHQL drivers. I'm not sure whether to roll back and say have worse performance in Sleeping Dogs for example or have working TrackIR which I use when I play the Hunter or the odd time I fly IL-2 CLoD or War Thunder...:shadedshu