AMD Delivers Crimson ReLive Drivers: Yearly Feature Update for Radeon Gamers and Professionals
by Ian Cutress on December 8, 2016 9:00 AM ESTWhat New Features with What New Cards
With Crimson ReLive, AMD is stating that this is their biggest software launch ever, and the joint initiative between consumer, developer, professional and feedback mechanisms will help future software development especially as so many areas overlap. The policy for 2017 will be similar to 2016 for driver updates: around a half-dozen WHQL launches plus updates for every major game launch on the day of launch (or for serious bug fixes).
AMD is putting a lot into open source development, enticing developers to work with the tools provided for better user experiences on AMD or other hardware. However users will notice that throughout this piece there have been a number of features limited to particular hardware, mostly due to the feature set of certain types of hardware. Here’s a tabular breakdown of what works with what, starting with the Pro software.
AMD Crimson ReLive Feature Support List Pro Level / Creator Features |
|||
GPU | OS | ||
LiquidVR | Affinity Multi-GPU | VR Ready Premium VR Ready Creator |
Windows Linux |
MultiView | |||
MultiRes | |||
TrueAudio Next | |||
Radeon ProRender | VR Ready Creator | Windows macOS Linux |
|
Radeon Pro Game Engine Integration | Pro WX-Series FirePro W-Series |
Various | |
Radeon Pro: LiquidVR | Pro WX7100 Pro Duo FirePro W9100 |
Windows 7/10 | |
Radeon Pro: Linux Driver | Pro WX-Series Pro Duo FirePro W-Series |
Ubuntu RHEL CentOS |
|
Radeon Pro: vmware vSphere 6.5 | FirePro S7100X FirePro S7150 FirePro S7150 x2 |
- | |
Radeon Pro ReLive DVR for ISV (streaming at customer request) |
Pro WX-Series Pro Duo FirePro W-Series |
Win 7/10 |
On the consumer level:
AMD Crimson ReLive Feature Support List Consumer Level Features |
|||
GPU | OS | ||
Bad HDMI Cable Detection | Kabini APU and newer GCN Discrete |
Windows | |
VP9 4K60 Decode Acceleration | Stoney APU GCN Discrete |
Windows | |
HDR10 Support | R9 Fury series RX 460/470/480 R9 380/390/390X |
Windows | |
FreeSync Borderless FreeSync Mode FreeSync Refresh Ramp |
R9 Fury series RX 460/470/480 R9 380/390/390X R9 285/290/290X R7 360 R7 260/260X |
Windows | |
Skype Acceleration on APU | Bristol APU Carrizo APU Stoney Ridge APU |
Windows | |
DisplayPort HBR3 Support | RX series | Windows | |
Radeon CHILL Software (Select Games Only) |
GCN Discrete* | Windows DX9/DX11 |
|
Radeon WattMan | R9 Fury series RX 460/470/480 R9 380/390/390X R9 285/290/290X R7 360 R7 260/260X |
Windows | |
AMD XConnect | R9 Fury Series RX 460/470/480 R9 380/390/390X R9 285/290/290X |
Windows | |
Radeon Software Clean Install | GCN Discrete Pro WX-Series Pro Duo FirePro W-Series |
Windows (Pro: Not Win8) |
|
Upgrade Advisor | Kabini APU and newer GCN Discrete |
Windows | |
User Feedback | GCN Discrete | Windows | |
Crimson ReLive Linux Driver | GCN | Ubuntu 14.04/16.04 RHEL 6.8/7.2/7.3 SLED/SLES 12 SP2 |
|
Radeon ReLive DVR | GCN Discrete Pro WX-Series FirePro W-Series |
Windows (Pro: Not Win8) |
In most cases, owning a GCN discrete GPU gets a user most of the features, and an RX-400 series gets them all. It's worth noting that none of the Pro features work on Windows 8, but also Windows Server wasn't mentioned specifically on the list of support packages - but I would assume that the equivalent Server version is supported for non-server Windows versions.
Final Thoughts
A year under the new AMD software strategy has yielded significant benefits for user experience, especially when good performing drivers are launched day one. The ethos for the original Crimson has worked well, and will continue into 2017 with ReLive, however there is a large number of new features and it may be tricky for AMD to balance so many new features with a good user experience. The ability to upvote new future features will be an enablement step for AMD to get a live glimpse into their users, but such a feature rarely produces a paradigm shift in thinking. The prominent focus into open source tools and Linux development, especially with technologies such as Freesync or ReLive for ISV certified applications, opens up potential for those markets.
AMD has promised a yearly cadence for major updates. In the last set of updates, Ryan said:
"This project has clearly been in the works longer than 3 months – but at the same time this is the RTG making their mark. It’s a new direction for AMD’s graphics group and a new look to match. And if the RTG can meet their stability, performance, and release goals going forward with the new Crimson driver, then they should be able to make 2016 a good year for the Radeon user base."
The same thing applies for 2017: execution is critical. 2016 ended up being a good year for AMD, helped in part with the RX-series launch, but similarly 2017 launches will be aided by a good user experience through both the drivers and the features. Something as large and complicated as the ReLive recording software can be a key product feature going forward, when done right.
Where to Download
The new ReLive drivers (16.12.1) should be available to download from today at AMD's driver page, or the Pro driver page.
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Ian Cutress - Friday, December 9, 2016 - link
That's OK, I install one version and use it for 10+ systems. It evens out.SydneyBlue120d - Friday, December 9, 2016 - link
Is VP9 GPU decoding finally enabled with this release? Thanks.overseer - Sunday, December 11, 2016 - link
Warning! I got black screen right after installing of the ReLive driver. Was running ok with RX 480 and 16.9.2 whql driver and chose clean install with the new one, then desktop went black upon the last bit of installation. Tried reboot and recovery, no use. Now I have to reinstall my Win 10 - what a ReLive for the computer, oops..darkvader75 - Sunday, December 11, 2016 - link
This driver causes my screen to go black randomly like my card is turning off. I have 2 AMD Fury's in crossfire. I reverted back to the 11.5 and have no problems.profdre - Thursday, December 15, 2016 - link
Same black screen problem here: Win 10 boots, but at the exact time I try to right click on the desktop, screen goes black. Win 10 64 bit Pro, R9 290X. This is crap, AMD, test your drivers. I had to safe boot and uninstall with AMD Uninstaller and then installed the second newest version.twtech - Wednesday, December 21, 2016 - link
Who comes up with these names for AMD? I cringe reading some of them from the corniness. "ReLive"? "RyZen"? Sounds like MMO handle names of a 14 year old.IntoGraphics - Tuesday, January 3, 2017 - link
"Supported operating systems for this are Ubuntu 14.04 / 16.04, RHEL 6.8 / 7.2 / 7.3, and SLED/SLES 12 SP2."This should be written on the boxes of AMD based graphics cards. But AMD cock suckers prefers to take your money for nothing in return. Well to be honest you do get a lemon for your money. AMD, there are more Linux distros than Ubuntu, RHEL, CentOS, and SLED/SLES. If the green camp can release a common Linux driver for all distros ...
Furzeydown - Wednesday, January 4, 2017 - link
That's .... just for the AMDGRU-PRO drivers. The open source Mesa drivers (which are arguably better, for gaming at least) are available as part of the Linux Kernel. Sheesh.