# AMD Radeon Software Crimson Edition Detailed



## btarunr (Nov 2, 2015)

In the beginning, there were NVIDIA Detonator and ATI Catalyst. Detonator made way for GeForce Software, but Catalyst pulled through for another decade. These are the brand names GPU makers use to label their drivers, because GPUs are devices that warrant frequent driver updates to keep up with new software and performance improvements. AMD, after consolidating most of its visual computing divisions into the Radeon Technologies Group under technocrat Raja Koduri, made its first major announcement, re-branding AMD Catalyst as Radeon Software. Its first release gets a special name - Radeon Software Crimson Edition 15.11.

AMD's new nomenclature for its drivers involves firmly placing the Radeon brand name, replacing "Catalyst," followed by "software," indicating that these are not just drivers, but a suite of applications designed to give you control over your visual computing experience; with "Crimson Edition" being the major version for the year 2015-16, and 15.11 denoting November 2015, retaining the date-based version numbering scheme. These could come with extensions such as "WHQL" or "Beta." The first Crimson Edition drivers will be WHQL-signed.



 

 

 

 




At the center of Radeon Software Crimson Edition 15.11 is the doing away of Catalyst Control Center (CCC) and Raptr, and in their place, a slick new application built from the ground up, called Radeon Settings. This app no longer relies on .NET, unlike CCC. Its user interface is minimalist, and keeps up with the Windows 10 theme, but its variations could blend with OS X and Linux GUIs.



 

 

 

 

 

The application is designed for fast startup, and features a ribbon-tab UI design, with a top bar selecting main settings pages, and the bottom one with minor settings and social buttons. With Raptr gone, game-specific optical settings are care of the "Games" tab, in which you can make graphics and hardware overclocking settings specific to a game, besides global settings.



 

 

 

The "Video" tab lets you choose between eight presets specific to viewing situations and content. The "Display" tab gives you settings specific to your display (resolution, refresh rates, Virtual SuperResolution, scaling, etc. There's a tab specific to Eyefinity that shows up when there is more than one display. And finally, the "System" tab gives you information on your current hardware and software environment.










The most important settings from the Radeon Settings app are neatly integrated into the context menu of the tray icon. 

AMD will release Radeon Software Crimson Edition later this month.

*View at TechPowerUp Main Site*


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## RCoon (Nov 2, 2015)

btarunr said:


> The first Crimson Edition drivers will be WHQL-signed.


Praise the Sun(TM)


btarunr said:


> AMD will release Radeon Software Crimson Edition later this month.


Does that translate to three months in real world time?


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## Ferrum Master (Nov 2, 2015)

Faster opening time is splendid... 

The last reptile that needs culling is Razer Synapse... gosh how I hate that thing... if there was an alternative that sets up the driver and mouse settings... but there is none on windows...


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## Xajel (Nov 2, 2015)

It's a welcome change, sadly the name is not that much, the word "Catalyst" is very good indeed.. maybe the name should be "Radeon Catalyst" instead ??


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## Finners (Nov 2, 2015)

I see they have bumped the frame rate target to 200FPS, sort of a necessity now with the 144Hz freesync monitors


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## Ferrum Master (Nov 2, 2015)

Xajel said:


> word "Catalyst" is very good indeed..



Maybe we should bring back Detonator too?


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## ISI300 (Nov 2, 2015)

I dunno... I've used both Nvidia and AMD cards and in my worthless opinion the CCC is much better since the 2011 revision. It launches pretty quickly off an ssd and is much easier to use, for instance the per-app settings page is much snappier than Nvidia's is. Nvidia has faster DX11 drivers and adaptive v-sync which unfortunately AMD is adamant we don't need. The CCC on the other hand has much better video quality options. It seems we can't have the best of both.


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## Mussels (Nov 2, 2015)

Dayumn, big changes ahoy.

take me forever to remember where things are now.


per game OCing is awesome, underclocking for older games is a fantastic idea.


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## Mysteoa (Nov 2, 2015)

I aways related Catalyst name to the Chemistry definition as in accelerate GPU performance. I would have like it to stay but I'm not against the new one.


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## Shihab (Nov 2, 2015)

Call me archaic, call me a philistine! But I think the no-nonsense old school standard windows' UI work best for these things.

Still, not a bad design, not bad at all!


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## bpgt64 (Nov 2, 2015)

Very very impressive.  Aside from Nvidia's obvious anti-competitive tactics you have to give Geforce Experience a nod for it's functionality...Really hope AMD can improve this aspect of what there doing.  Very much so looking forward to a 16C Zen CPU in 2016...and if they get this going for them with there GPU's I'll jump ship there too.


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## Octopuss (Nov 2, 2015)

Uh, give me classic windows design. This is the Metro colouring book for 2 years olds from Windows 8 evolved into a version for 3 years olds.


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## Cybrnook2002 (Nov 2, 2015)

this is awesome!!


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## Mussels (Nov 2, 2015)

I speak for all of us when i say we demand change and then hate it, but this actually seems like it could be simpler. It may take up more screen real estate to do the same thing, but if i can stop needing photo guides to tell someone how to adjust a single damn setting in the CCC, i'll be mighty pleased.


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## GhostRyder (Nov 2, 2015)

This looks cool, personally I like the updated changes though I did not have much of a problem with the old CCC (Except when it was difficult to find a few settings or remember a few).  I look forward to trying this software out!


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## Assimilator (Nov 2, 2015)

btarunr said:


> This app no longer relies on .NET, unlike CCC.



CCC gave .NET a bad name, not the other way around. There are plenty of .NET apps that are fast and usable, it's really sad that ATI and then AMD couldn't write another.



			
				AMD video said:
			
		

> This brand-new user interface ... is based on three fundamental principles ... the first is responsiveness, the second is discoverability, and the third is ease of use.



Congratulations AMD! You've finally learned what Microsoft knew... _in 1995_.


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## cdawall (Nov 2, 2015)

Mussels said:


> Dayumn, big changes ahoy.
> 
> take me forever to remember where things are now.
> 
> ...



I'm pretty excited about this per game thing


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## buggalugs (Nov 2, 2015)

This is huge. Getting rid of .net will make big improvements for stability. I remember when they first started using .net, I never liked it.

 We are entering a new era of stability for radeon drivers.


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## manofthem (Nov 2, 2015)

Sounds fine and dandy. Just better not suck. I hate bad software and I never use the older raptr app AMD tried to push in driver.

If this is a means to start bringing nice features, like what Nvidia has done with their GeForce experience, then I'd be willing to try that. Just hope AMD doesn't force driver updates via this Radeon software


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## RejZoR (Nov 2, 2015)

And yet, I bet it won't have traybar controls. The current CCC tray controls are dumb, clumsy and useless. NVIDIA dropped them entirely and they had great design and usability. Still, it's improvement. The selection of FSAA levels in current CCC is moronic. You have to strictly click the dropdown menu arow, if you clock in the middle of the field, nothing happens. And they kept it this way for years, just because you just can't make any feedback to them. Which is again silly...

I'm on NVIDIA now, but I'm certainly looking forward to another Radeon graphic card knowing I'll experience a better settings GUI.


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## KainXS (Nov 2, 2015)

really waiting for these CCC has always been a little laggy for me over the years, hopefully this will fix that.


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## INSTG8R (Nov 2, 2015)

RejZoR said:


> And yet, I bet it won't have traybar controls. The current CCC tray controls are dumb, clumsy and useless. NVIDIA dropped them entirely and they had great design and usability. Still, it's improvement. The selection of FSAA levels in current CCC is moronic. You have to strictly click the dropdown menu arow, if you clock in the middle of the field, nothing happens. And they kept it this way for years, just because you just can't make any feedback to them. Which is again silly...
> 
> I'm on NVIDIA now, but I'm certainly looking forward to another Radeon graphic card knowing I'll experience a better settings GUI.




Check the last slide  But I do agree with you they are currently useless. I have SIX adaptors to choose from...Yeah helpful...


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## bug (Nov 2, 2015)

Ferrum Master said:


> Maybe we should bring back Detonator too?



"Detonator" was a stroke of genius (well, almost) back when the cards were called "TNT".


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## GAR (Nov 2, 2015)

whats with all the hate on AMD, I have a Fury Tri-X running on windows 10 perfectly fine, drivers work great. I love both companies and own several computers in our development office both with AMD and nVidia, both working great, competition is good for business and good for the consumer, stop acting like little fanboy children, its stupid, none of these companies are paying you to advertise for them.


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## cdawall (Nov 2, 2015)

GAR said:


> whats with all the hate on AMD, I have a Fury Tri-X running on windows 10 perfectly fine, drivers work great.



CCC sucks. I have hated it for a long time. I still use AMD however.


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## RejZoR (Nov 2, 2015)

INSTG8R said:


> Check the last slide  But I do agree with you they are currently useless. I have SIX adaptors to choose from...Yeah helpful...



It's useless. I nee control over MLAA, FSAA and AF. Three the most basic controls everyone needs. MLAA for games that have no FSAA settings and don't use any and FSAA/AF for old games from 2000 era that don't have either, but support standard MSAA and don't require MLAA/FXAA. I don't need some stupid general profiles that force some weird setup that serves no real purpose.


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## Casecutter (Nov 2, 2015)

See this is a little more than _hype of a driver update_!  Honestly, I don't believe will be all that much about gaming driver updates, more about an introduction and consolidation of Radeon Technologies Group.

I think it will bring improvement and refinement overall, and might have things smooth in ways we don't quantify though feel in the seat-of-the-pants.  It provides a new basis and beginning for the focus of Radeon Technologies Group, a clear cut from the past.  A approach to finally cease the "mantra" that has ran unsubstantiated about their drivers for close to decade now.

I welcome the new focus and the changes. There's been one hand that chanted they aren’t doing enough, then when they have a new emergence to make a clear cut from the past there's still abhorrence...  Sure as with most everything we can go in with skepticism, but here’s real invigoration... a new brand focus, and be that as it may "haters gonna hate".


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## SKL_H (Nov 2, 2015)

I use AMD but honestly CCC sucked and don't get me started on that Raptr software I never install it, and they must stop using one icon for decades I mean that catalyst Icon looks bad on the desktop context menu and they used an image that has no transparent background, I hope they will start making better software's now come on AMD quality is what we looking for.


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## MilkyWay (Nov 2, 2015)

I much prefer a simple, basic layout, lightweight setting control panel. This looks a little bloated compared to vanilla Catalyst. Also looks like they are copying Nvidia stuff, probably as a lot of people seem to love those and hate on Catalyst. I honestly hate Raptr or whatever the feck it is, it's nice that the current Catalyst installer lets you choose what you want to install.

The name change i honestly don't care either way in terms of it changing it from Catalyst to something else, although i find it stupid to use such a long name, convoluted comes to mind.

EDIT: I'm not saying that the current CCC is that good it's middling to crap imo but the answer is not some sleek bloatware.


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## bgunner (Nov 2, 2015)

Mussels said:


> Dayumn, big changes ahoy.
> 
> take me forever to remember where things are now.
> 
> ...




I'm willing to bet that they did not add a way to control the fan curve for when OCed. The slider Overdrive has only allows for a steady fan rate which can get loud when not pushing the card. If they add a way to adjust the fan curve like MSI Afterburner/EVGA Precision X/HIS iTurbo/Sapphire TriXX, basically all Riva Tuner based programs, Then I could see the OCing per game could be useful and reduce the use of a different programs to OC the AMD Radeon GPU's.


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## fullinfusion (Nov 2, 2015)

This is going to be interesting and it's about time they do it right yes I said do it right! 

Now where to find a leaked version to try this out hmm


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## NC37 (Nov 2, 2015)

The flashier it looks, the more bloaty it usually is. I don't mean to be a downer but CCC historically was a bloated crapshoot compared to nVidia. I know it eventually changed but I still remember using it on my 3870. Was so glad to switch back to nVidia when I did. Course now Geforce Experience is heading the same way. When will GPU makers realize that some folks don't want a flashy app loading up? They just want one straight and to the point that gets the job done without eating up loads of RAM or CPU.


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## dyonoctis (Nov 2, 2015)

NC37 said:


> The flashier it looks, the more bloaty it usually is. I don't mean to be a downer but CCC historically was a bloated crapshoot compared to nVidia. I know it eventually changed but I still remember using it on my 3870. Was so glad to switch back to nVidia when I did. Course now Geforce Experience is heading the same way. When will GPU makers realize that some folks don't want a flashy app loading up? They just want one straight and to the point that gets the job done without eating up loads of RAM or CPU.


UI Design is just taking the same direction as webdesign does. As technologie is becoming closer to human, aesthetic is also becoming more important. Take a look to intel website, the homepage of the 6th gen is clearly made for mainstream ppl to whom in the choice of getting a pc with intel or amd, the impression the company give them will have a  weight.  Even hardware manufacturer are trying to give high-end product an  expensive look. Nowadays, just by the look of the components a neophyte,can tell a high-end pc from a low-end one. The amount of ppl that want something that works well, and look good at the same time is huge. That's basically how design managed to become such a big deal,even though some "designer" are just forgeting about the working part...


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## truth teller (Nov 2, 2015)

> This app no longer relies on .NET


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## Uplink10 (Nov 2, 2015)

Xajel said:


> the word "Catalyst" is very good indeed


It always reminds me of Crysis 2 & 3.



Octopuss said:


> Uh, give me classic windows design. This is the Metro colouring book for 2 years olds from Windows 8 evolved into a version for 3 years olds.


I agree, Metro or should I says Modern look is suitable for touch-based devices like tablets and it pains me that Microsoft did not remove it from Windows 10 desktop mode and actually expanded it and that this new CCC will use it.

Menu on the left side with collapse and expand options and that is it. No need to use some fancy theme with tiles which take too much space and do not offer the tree view of option categories on the left side.

I hope this new software will allow me to overclock HD7650M because every application I tried screwed everything up with restart by losing settings and different profiles for different load (2D, 3D) did not work in any app properly.


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## Octopuss (Nov 2, 2015)

I mean, as long as the damn program doesn't feel like bloatware I don't care about its UI too much. I just hate CCC and always did: for what it does it's weirdly big, it takes fking ages to install, it takes quite long to start, and just feels like a mammoth.


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## Mussels (Nov 3, 2015)

bgunner said:


> I'm willing to bet that they did not add a way to control the fan curve for when OCed. The slider Overdrive has only allows for a steady fan rate which can get loud when not pushing the card. If they add a way to adjust the fan curve like MSI Afterburner/EVGA Precision X/HIS iTurbo/Sapphire TriXX, basically all Riva Tuner based programs, Then I could see the OCing per game could be useful and reduce the use of a different programs to OC the AMD Radeon GPU's.



on my card that feature changed from a static % to a 'max fan speed' instead, which is close enough. i can say put a cap at 60%, and lock the noise that way (and the card downclocks to keep cool, i believe)

if i can do that per game, i'll be damned happy.


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## xenocide (Nov 3, 2015)

CCC really was terrible.  I could barely even get it installed and working when I had my HD5870, and half the time I had to try installing it multiple times due to errors.  Hopefully AMD improves the Driver Side of things because it's the one area where Nvidia has continuously trounced them for the better part of the last decade...


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## Mussels (Nov 3, 2015)

xenocide said:


> CCC really was terrible.  I could barely even get it installed and working when I had my HD5870, and half the time I had to try installing it multiple times due to errors.  Hopefully AMD improves the Driver Side of things because it's the one area where Nvidia has continuously trounced them for the better part of the last decade...



CCC has been easy to install and functional for a fairly long time (minus a few bugs, like the scaling tickbox disappearing).
It's just ugly and clumsy by todays standards.


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## 95Viper (Nov 3, 2015)

It, sorta, looks like a UEFI interface to me.
Oh well, gotta go with it, until they change it down the road, sometime.


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## Mussels (Nov 3, 2015)

i wonder if they'll release it the day fallout 4 comes out.


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## Solaris17 (Nov 3, 2015)

Mussels said:


> i wonder if they'll release it the day fallout 4 comes out.



followed shortly there after with



> Nov. 11th
> Radeon Software Crimson Edition 15.12 Beta
> 
> * Fixed stability issue with Fallout 4
> ...


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## Kanan (Nov 3, 2015)

Mussels said:


> CCC has been easy to install and functional for a fairly long time (minus a few bugs, like the scaling tickbox disappearing).
> It's just ugly and clumsy by todays standards.


True, I don't understand how someone could call it slow and bad - I switched after almost 6 years back to Geforce and miss CCC, because it was 10 times faster than NV control panel. When anything is outdated, that NV control panel is. They seem to ignore it since they got GeForce Experience running. CCC on the other side got better over the years, never was slow and did what it should do. This new software is just for the looks/marketing and unification of CCC + Raptr in one program, but its no revolution.


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## geon2k2 (Nov 3, 2015)

xenocide said:


> CCC really was terrible.  I could barely even get it installed and working when I had my HD5870, and half the time I had to try installing it multiple times due to errors.  Hopefully AMD improves the Driver Side of things because it's the one area where Nvidia has continuously trounced them for the better part of the last decade...



This is true. What I used to do is, uninstall all the .net, install Catalyst with the .net it was shipped with, and then upgrade back .net. Somehow the .net 2.0 from the AMD package was not the same as the .net 2.0 from Microsoft. (Some Classes were missing from the Microsoft version). Sometimes I was just upgrading the driver without touching Catalyst.

Anyway, I'm happy to report that this hasn't happen for the last 2, maybe 3 years, its all good now, so  ... ITS TIME TO BREAK IT


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## SonicZap (Nov 3, 2015)

I'm happy to see this. While I have nothing against .NET -- I actually love it as a software developer myself, CCC has been simply bad for a long time. I've never had issues with installing it, but it takes long to open, opening all the various setting pages isn't fast either, and it's clear that the general UI design was made in early 2000s.

When Metro hit in Windows 8, I hated it, but lately I've grown to like the improved Metro / ModernUI style of Windows 10. So graphically this one looks nice to me as well, simple and smooth while having all the necessary options quickly available.

Overall, as long as the new UI isn't buggy, I think it's going to be a big improvement


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## rooivalk (Nov 3, 2015)

Kanan said:


> True, I don't understand how someone could call it slow and bad - I switched after almost 6 years back to Geforce and miss CCC, because it was 10 times faster than NV control panel. When anything is outdated, that NV control panel is. They seem to ignore it since they got GeForce Experience running. CCC on the other side got better over the years, never was slow and did what it should do. This new software is just for the looks/marketing and unification of CCC + Raptr in one program, but its no revolution.


In my PC right now, CCC is rather janky. Worse, when you open it right after boot, it crawls even for opening those friggin accordions. They need pre-loader at least.


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## RejZoR (Nov 3, 2015)

NC37 said:


> The flashier it looks, the more bloaty it usually is. I don't mean to be a downer but CCC historically was a bloated crapshoot compared to nVidia. I know it eventually changed but I still remember using it on my 3870. Was so glad to switch back to nVidia when I did. Course now Geforce Experience is heading the same way. When will GPU makers realize that some folks don't want a flashy app loading up? They just want one straight and to the point that gets the job done without eating up loads of RAM or CPU.



NVIDIA Experience is also a slow bloated pile of software. And same goes for NVIDIA Control Panel. It may look slim, but it's slow as hell with its moronic disk scrubbing every time you open it. I don't get it why it has to look up app list when you open the first panel. Second one with app profiles, fine, but not for the first one with basic general settings. And don't get me started with the settings selection and how the list scrolls itself to the start every time you change any setting and how laggy that is. Aaargh.


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## Basard (Nov 3, 2015)

Uplink10 said:


> It always reminds me of Crysis 2 & 3.



Hah! It always reminds me I'm getting old!

I like the catalyst name.  "AMD Radeon Software Crimson Edition"  Doesn't quite roll off the tongue as well.  

"Quick! Before we're bankrupt!  Get out the thesaurus and see what comes up for 'red'!  CRIMSON!  THAT'S IT!  This will save us for sure!"


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## ZeDestructor (Nov 3, 2015)

Ferrum Master said:


> Maybe we should bring back Detonator too?



I prefer ForceWare, but Detonator will do fine as well...


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## BiggieShady (Nov 3, 2015)

RejZoR said:


> NVIDIA Experience is also a slow bloated pile of software. And same goes for NVIDIA Control Panel. It may look slim, but it's slow as hell with its moronic disk scrubbing every time you open it. I don't get it why it has to look up app list when you open the first panel. Second one with app profiles, fine, but not for the first one with basic general settings. And don't get me started with the settings selection and how the list scrolls itself to the start every time you change any setting and how laggy that is. Aaargh.


I feel you pain ...  especially knowing how nvidia inspector does the same applications profiles scanning faster even with all the extra data


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## Fx (Nov 3, 2015)

I didn't mind Catalyst. I felt it looked alright and had decent organization. This new UI is easy on the eyes and appears to have a better backend to it. Time will tell.


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## 95Viper (Nov 3, 2015)

ZeDestructor said:


> I prefer ForceWare, but Detonator will do fine as well...



I thought ForceWare was a MS thing.


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## Uplink10 (Nov 4, 2015)

95Viper said:


> I thought ForceWare was a MS thing.


Next year when they start including Windows 10 as a recommended update and it will automatically force Windows 10 on you if you have automatic updating enabled.


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## vacavalier (Nov 4, 2015)

cdawall said:


> CCC sucks. I have hated it for a long time. I still use AMD however.



I became a dedicated ATI/AMD GPU user when the "green machine" bought out Voodoo and ruined my then Voodoo GPU by denying Voodoo card owners further updates, way back when.  Still kinda leaves a bad taste in my mouth all these years later...  Progress I guess?

I finally gave up on AMD GPUs, ending with my 5850 cross-fire setup last October, not because of the cards themselves (they were incredible, even with only having 1GB VRAM), but because of CCC issues.

Interesting to see how this new software will do...  even though I'm running a 2-way GTX 970 SLI, I am still looking at an AMD GPU option as I'm looking to upgrade to 1440p.


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## ZoneDymo (Nov 4, 2015)

vacavalier said:


> I became a dedicated ATI/AMD GPU user when the "green machine" bought out Voodoo and ruined my then Voodoo GPU by denying Voodoo card owners further updates, way back when.  Still kinda leaves a bad taste in my mouth all these years later...  Progress I guess?
> 
> I finally gave up on AMD GPUs, ending with my 5850 cross-fire setup last October, not because of the cards themselves (they were incredible, even with only having 1GB VRAM), but because of CCC issues.
> 
> Interesting to see how this new software will do...  even though I'm running a 2-way GTX 970 SLI, I am still looking at an AMD GPU option as I'm looking to upgrade to 1440p.



Same as they did with Agia PhysX card owners then


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## ZeDestructor (Nov 4, 2015)

95Viper said:


> I thought ForceWare was a MS thing.





Uplink10 said:


> Next year when they start including Windows 10 as a recommended update and it will automatically force Windows 10 on you if you have automatic updating enabled.



Oh you youngins...

The ForceWare branding was reduced significantly around driver series 170 iirc, and since then, aside from a mention in the about page of nvcpl, nothing (publicly) references ForceWare.


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## Balkan Bloodpaw (Nov 16, 2015)

I saw Windows 10 but are they also including those who use Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 as well?


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## GoldenX (Nov 17, 2015)

I hope AMD starts doing real Linux drivers, Windows 10 can start to be called Windows 1984. It would be good if in the near future I just choose a Linux distro, install Steam, and have the same catalogue and performance than Windows, without all the bad stuff.


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## ZeDestructor (Nov 18, 2015)

GoldenX said:


> I hope AMD starts doing real Linux drivers, Windows 10 can start to be called Windows 1984. It would be good if in the near future I just choose a Linux distro, install Steam, and have the same catalogue and performance than Windows, without all the bad stuff.



I wonder if you'll also stop using iOS or Android, or a whole heap of web services that do similarly in-depth tracking....


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## Mussels (Nov 18, 2015)

ZeDestructor said:


> I wonder if you'll also stop using iOS or Android, or a whole heap of web services that do similarly in-depth tracking....



paper books don't track you.

yet.


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## Uplink10 (Nov 18, 2015)

ZeDestructor said:


> I wonder if you'll also stop using iOS or Android, or a whole heap of web services that do similarly in-depth tracking....


When I was using Android I did eveything I could to disable tracking and back then I was very suprised at how many people share their data freely with Google.

One can do what he can to limit the leak of his private data to data mining companies.

In my case that meant I had to use pirated version of premium apps even when I only wanted to use the free adware version (which I would block with firewall). Google didn't want me to download free application.


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## GoldenX (Nov 18, 2015)

There is F-Droid for OSS Android apps, AdAway is one of them and it works like a charm, it only needs root access to modify the "hosts" file.
@ZeDestructor, what I mean is that it's easier on a phone, Windows doesn't even have the options.


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## Mussels (Nov 20, 2015)

its the 20th here, so bring on the new drivers!


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## ZeDestructor (Nov 20, 2015)

Mussels said:


> paper books don't track you.
> 
> yet.



They already do: you finger them, leaving behind grease, sweat, ead skin cells and other stuff.

In that view, ebooks track you less, just saying.



Uplink10 said:


> When I was using Android I did eveything I could to disable tracking and back then I was very suprised at how many people share their data freely with Google.
> 
> One can do what he can to limit the leak of his private data to data mining companies.
> 
> In my case that meant I had to use pirated version of premium apps even when I only wanted to use the free adware version (which I would block with firewall). Google didn't want me to download free application.



It's a trade of privacy vs convenience, and for those of us aware of the cost, it's an active trade we make: I give them data about me, I get convenience or free stuff. Ads on the other hand I actively try and avoid, damn battery-draining, screen-wasting scum.



GoldenX said:


> There is F-Droid for OSS Android apps, AdAway is one of them and it works like a charm, it only needs root access to modify the "hosts" file.
> @ZeDestructor, what I mean is that it's easier on a phone, Windows doesn't even have the options.



F-Droid can already track a decent bit about you just from knowing your IP address and what you download, and if you install it's helpful installer/browser tool, it gets to read info about your various network connections, including mobile operator, SSIDs (wifi network names) and BSSIDs (AP MAC addresses).

On a related note, have you disabled Google Play services? There's a certain number of useful apps that require it nowadays, and it effectively has unlimited access to your android device.


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## GoldenX (Nov 20, 2015)

I mean just download the apk, AdAway auto-updates the blacklists.
Yeah I did disable it, the default mail app and Firefox or the stock Android browser solves 95% of my needs. Now it's with services on, a normal Android phone, I needed them for a while, when I can I'm gonna disable them again.
Firefox OS is a good alternative to solve privacy problems on a budget (stupid Blackberries and Blackphones being too expensive), extra bonus, you can compile any unsuported version of the OS to the phone if it goes EoL. That or a dumbphone.

Back on topic, any news on shader cache to HDD, reduced CPU usage, or any new performance "upgrade" on the drivers? I know shader cache helps nicely on OpenGL, it would be nice to have it on Direct3D.


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## FordGT90Concept (Nov 20, 2015)

The only change I see that I appreciate and will use is "Hide System Tray" being two clicks away instead of four or five.

I don't really see any features in Crimson that I'd use.  I just hope the download is much smaller.  I hate big driver packages.


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## Frick (Nov 20, 2015)

Mussels said:


> paper books don't track you.
> 
> yet.


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## john_ (Nov 20, 2015)

Mussels said:


> its the 20th here, so bring on the new drivers!


I was reading about 24th of November.


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## Mussels (Nov 20, 2015)

john_ said:


> I was reading about 24th of November.



whaaaat, i thought it was 20th


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## john_ (Nov 20, 2015)

I read it yesterday about the 24th, but doing a little googling about "amd crimson 24th" shows that it is a rumor that goes back to at least November the 5th. 

Anyway, other than a new UI, I don't expect much. AMD continued posting Beta drivers and yesterday we had the introduction of 380X. If the new drivers where bringing any performance gains, I would had expected AMD to introduce first the Crimson drivers, and then 380X. Of course AMD has shown many times in the past, that they don't go along with logic on marketing.


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## Mussels (Nov 20, 2015)

john_ said:


> I read it yesterday about the 24th, but doing a little googling about "amd crimson 24th" shows that it is a rumor that goes back to at least November the 5th.
> 
> Anyway, other than a new UI, I don't expect much. AMD continued posting Beta drivers and yesterday we had the introduction of 380X. If the new drivers where bringing any performance gains, I would had expected AMD to introduce first the Crimson drivers, and then 380X. Of course AMD has shown many times in the past, that they don't go along with logic on marketing.



i'm expecting the same *drivers* but the new interface.

IIRC, i got excited because it looked like we could set per-game profiles with more options now.


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## Octopuss (Nov 20, 2015)

I hope they won't screw it up with any major bugs.


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