Thursday, March 18th 2021

AMD Releases Radeon Software Adrenalin 21.3.1

AMD today released the latest version of Radeon Software Adrenalin 2021 drivers. Version 21.3.1 beta comes with support for the new Radeon RX 6700 series. It's interesting that they didn't specify the RX 6700 XT, which means other SKUs such as the RX 6700, could be right around the corner. Next up, the drivers come with optimization for "DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods, Part Two." The drivers also introduce many new feature updates. Radeon Anti-Lag technology now supports DirectX 12 games. The Radeon Boost performance enhancement has been updated with support for DirectX 12 and Variable Rate Shading on select titles. The Performance Tuning section of Radeon Software now comes with an internal stress-test. The drivers also introduce support for new Vulkan API extensions, including VK_KHR_synchronization, VK_EXT_4444_formats, VK_EXT_conditional_rendering, and VK_KHR_sampler_ycbcr_conversion.

Among the issues fixed with Radeon Software Adrenalin 21.3.1 include high CPU utilization for Radeon Software, even when idling; Oculus VR headset causing system crashes when connected to GCN (pre-Polaris) GPUs; corrupted or missing textures for "Minecraft DXR," a crash with "Call of Duty : Modern Warfare" with raytracing enabled on RX 6000 series GPUs, improper lighting with "Star Citizen" on RX 6800 series; Enhanced Sync + V-sync causing black screens on Vulkan games; and a black screen on Hybrid Graphics systems; a crash with Bethesda Launcher, color corruption with Epic Games Social Overlay; display flicker or corruption on high refresh-rate multi-monitor configs using RX Vega series GPUs, and audio loss on TV displays connected to the video card's audio output.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 21.3.1 beta
Support For
  • AMD Radeon RX 6700 Graphics
  • DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods - Part Two
Radeon Boost
  • Now supports DirectX 12 with Variable Rate Shading for select titles.
Radeon Anti-Lag
  • Now supports DirectX 12.
Performance Tuning Stress Test
  • A new built in tool for Performance Tuning in Radeon Software that allows users to stress test their graphics products tuning profiles.
Added Vulkan Extensions
  • VK_KHR_synchronization: This extension modifies the original core synchronization APIs to simplify the interface and improve usability of these APIs. It also adds new pipeline stage and access flag types that extend into the 64-bit range. Pipeline stages and access flags are now specified together in memory barrier structures, making the connection between the two more obvious. Additionally, Layout transitions have been simplified by providing generic layouts, which are contextually applied based on the image format. Events are made more efficient as well as they include memory dependency information when they are set on the device. Furthermore, Queue submission has also been changed to wrap command buffers and semaphores in extensible structures, which incorporate changes from Vulkan 1.1, VK_KHR_device_group and VK_KHR_timeline_semaphore. This adds a pipeline stage to the semaphore signal operation, mirroring the existing pipeline stage specification for wait operations.
  • VK_EXT_4444_formats: This extension defines the VK_FORMAT_A4R4G4B4_UNORM_PACK16_EXT and VK_FORMAT_A4B4G4R4_UNORM_PACK16_EXT formats for compatibility with other graphics APIs to help with porting without having to resort to swizzling.
  • VK_EXT_conditional_rendering: This extension allows conditional draws, compute dispatches or clears based on a value in command buffer memory. These commands could be discarded without the application's intervention if the condition is not met, which may result in reduced latency.
  • VK_KHR_sampler_ycbcr_conversion: This extension provides the ability to perform color space conversions during texture sampling operations for the Y'CBCR color space, which is mainly used for processing inputs from video decoders and cameras. It also adds a selection of multi-planar formats, image aspect plane, and the ability to bind memory to the planes of an image collectively or separately.
Fixed Issues
  • Radeon Software may sometimes have higher than expected CPU utilization, even when a system is at idle.
  • A system hang or crash may be experienced when upgrading Radeon Software while an Oculus VR headset is connected to your system on Radeon GCN graphics products.
  • Minecraft DXR may exhibit corrupted or missing textures when raytracing is enabled on Radeon RX 6000 series graphics products.
  • An application crash may occur in Call of Duty : Modern Warfare when raytracing is enabled on Radeon RX 6000 series graphics products.
  • Lighting fails to render correctly on Radeon RX 6800 series graphics products in Star Citizen.
  • A black screen may occur when enabling and disabling Enhanced Sync while vsync is enabled in some Vulkan API games.
  • A black screen or system hang may occur on Hybrid Graphics systems for some Vulkan API games when Enhanced Sync is enabled.
  • Bethesda launcher may experience an application crash on startup when launching some games.
  • Users may be unable to create a new scene in the Radeon Software Streaming tab on first launch or after a settings factory reset.
  • Game specific performance tuning profiles may fail to load when a global performance tuning profile has been created or set.
  • Disabling HDCP support and performing a factory reset and/or system restart may sometimes trigger a system crash or hang on boot.
  • Epic Games social overlay or launcher may exhibit color corruption.
  • Xuan-Yuan Sword VII may experience an application crash with DirectX 12 raytracing enabled on Radeon RX 6000 series graphics.
  • Color corruption may be experienced in Cyberpunk 2077 when Radeon Boost is enabled.
  • Display flicker or corruption may occur on high refresh rate/resolution multi-monitor system configurations on Radeon RX Vega series graphics.
  • Audio loss or cutout may intermittently occur on some TV displays when Windows audio is set to use 5.1 or 7.1 speaker configurations.
Known Issues
  • The start and cancel buttons in the performance tuning stress test may disappear when Radeon Software is resized to be small.
  • On a limited number of displays, the preferred desktop resolution in Windows may change when the display is power cycled.
  • Enabling vsync in Rocket League and setting the game to use borderless fullscreen may cause stuttering or ghosting.
  • Radeon RX 400 and 500 series graphics products may experience a TDR during extended periods of video playback.
  • Brightness flickering may intermittently occur in some games or applications when Radeon FreeSync is enabled, and the game is set to use borderless fullscreen.
  • Enhanced Sync may cause a black screen to occur when enabled on some games and system configurations. Any users who may be experiencing issues with Enhanced Sync enabled should disable it as a temporary workaround.
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34 Comments on AMD Releases Radeon Software Adrenalin 21.3.1

#26
Mysteoa
AusWolfA new product launches with beta drivers? We've been using betas for half a year now. Come on, AMD, give us a final release already!
You have received your answer. 21.3.1 are no longer Beta, but Recommended (WHQL).
Posted on Reply
#27
AusWolf
MysteoaYou have received your answer. 21.3.1 are no longer Beta, but Recommended (WHQL).
Nice. I knew they wouldn't leave all four 6700 XT owners stuck with a beta driver.
Posted on Reply
#28
GoldenX
YES, this helps me a lot. Now there is a recommended driver with VK_EXT_robustness2 support that will be automatically installed for most users.
Posted on Reply
#29
Unregistered
lynx29you haven't gamed on 6000 series then, as these have been 100% stable since launch.
I happen to have both an RTX3070 and an RX6800XT.
As an example just plugging HDMI restarted the PC.
But it seems AMD was listening they realised a WHQL driver.
Posted on Edit | Reply
#30
Space Lynx
Astronaut
Xex360I happen to have both an RTX3070 and an RX6800XT.
As an example just plugging HDMI restarted the PC.
But it seems AMD was listening they realised a WHQL driver.
Not sure why anyone uses HDMI in 2021, I have been on DP since launch day as it's the better connection and always has been.

I guess if you use more than two monitors... which is quite rare in the community.
Posted on Reply
#31
Caring1
lynx29Not sure why anyone uses HDMI in 2021, I have been on DP since launch day as it's the better connection and always has been.

I guess if you use more than two monitors... which is quite rare in the community.
Because the majority of monitors come with HDMI as standard, not DP.
There's also the cost to factor in.
Posted on Reply
#32
Space Lynx
Astronaut
Caring1Because the majority of monitors come with HDMI as standard, not DP.
There's also the cost to factor in.
any modern high refresh monitor in last 3 years has a DP. and if you are rocking a 3070 and 6800 xt at 60hz, you be doin it wrong imo
Posted on Reply
#33
AusWolf
lynx29any modern high refresh monitor in last 3 years has a DP. and if you are rocking a 3070 and 6800 xt at 60hz, you be doin it wrong imo
Not everybody wants, or can afford to swap monitors at a PC upgrade. As for me, I'm still happy with my 24" curved 1080p 60 Hz Samsung panel (that only has HDMI).
Posted on Reply
#34
Unregistered
lynx29Not sure why anyone uses HDMI in 2021, I have been on DP since launch day as it's the better connection and always has been.

I guess if you use more than two monitors... which is quite rare in the community.
TVs don't have DP here's your answer.
What's ironic is, in 2021 HDMI is the superior option, as only HDMI 2.1 offers uncompressed 4k120.
To be fair, DP2 already launched which is indeed better, but monitors and graphics cards are still lagging and not using it.
Posted on Edit | Reply
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