AMD Rolls Out Catalyst 11.11a Performance Driver

[btarunr]

AMD released its latest "performance driver" for Radeon graphics cards, the Catalyst 11.11a. With this release, AMD is using the term "performance driver" to refer to performance-enhancing Hotfix updates it launches between its scheduled monthly WHQL-signed updates. Catalyst 11.11a fixes some outstanding game-related bugs and improves performance and resolves driver-related bugs for a variety of recently-released titles such as Batman: Arkham City, Rage, The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, and Battlefield 3. The rest of the driver is based on Catalyst 11.11.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Catalyst 11.11a Performance Driver for Windows 7 or Vista | Windows XP

A list of changes follows.
Batman Arkham City

• Improves DirectX 11 performance for single GPU configurations

Rage

• Delivers AMD CrossfireX performance scaling
• Resolves a number of image / stability issues seen with the title:
  o Fix geometry corruption, sometimes seen in Bash TV entrance
  o Fix issues with Low-memory conditions on 32bit systems.
  o Fix issue with extreme corruption with missing textures on 32bit systems.
  o Fix memory leaks when deleting/reusing sync objects.
  o Fix hitching and pausing, especially noticeable on some Quad Core systems when doing races and Stanley Express runs.
  o Fix some missing shadows

The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim

• Improves performance 2-7% on single GPU configurations
• Resolve corruption seen when enabling Multi-Sample Anti-Aliasing on the AMD Radeon HD 6970 Series
• Disables CrossFireX (to resolve negative scaling and image quality issues seen when CrossFireX is enabled)
  o AMD is continuing to work on a CrossFireX solution for Skyrim - as soon as it's ready we'll make it publicly available

Battlefield 3

• Resolves intermittent corruption seen when playing the game at specific camera angles

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[NC37]

Ummm yeah...nVidia...new drivers maybe? BF3's problems can't all be DICE.

 

[erocker]

These didn't work very well for me in BF3.. Stuttering. 11.11 whql's and 11.11 CAP 2 are working great though.

 

[Sihastru]

the elder scrolls: Skyrim - disables crossfirex

winning!

 

[Black Panther]

Does that mean it forces cards like mine to run Skyrim on one GPU?

 

[btarunr]

Does that mean it forces cards like mine to run Skyrim on one GPU?

Yes. Unless there are other fixes to Skyrim's bugs (from Bethesda), the next Catalyst WHQL could pack this change, too.

 

[bostonbuddy]

you'd think since its just the fallout engine it would be easy to crank out a quick cf profile

 

[InnocentCriminal]

you'd think since its just the fallout engine it would be easy to crank out a quick cf profile

Skyrim uses the Creation engine not the Gamebryo to the best of my knowledge.

 

[badtaylorx]

the oblivian drivers and cap works for some....

 

[RejZoR]

No NFS The Run fixes. Flashing shadows are not exactly fun...

 

[Black Panther]

Made a very good difference in Skyrim for me. Well I had already tested disabling one GPU with Radeon Pro increased my fps in one of the worst fps places from 28 to 36. Now I get 41 fps in that same place.

Now I'll be waiting for this:

o AMD is continuing to work on a CrossFireX solution for Skyrim – as soon as it’s ready we’ll make it publicly available

 

[chaotic_uk]

Rage
•Delivers AMD CrossfireX performance scaling

crossfire not working in rage for me , am i missing something here ?

 

[AsRock]

LOTR WINTN No change

Minecraft all the torches have crappy black lines around them now

 

[Wrigleyvillain]

I think this driver actually generally improved IQ in Skyrim (perhaps better AF?) though I can't really be certain. Though I wasn't expecting such and thus wasn't looking for it which in some cases can explain a detected difference.

 

[de.das.dude]

No NFS The Run fixes. Flashing shadows are not exactly fun...

not too many people play it, that amd will invest time on it, i guess .

 

[theubersmurf]

Is this the 32 or 64 bit version? when I clicked the link for win7/vista, it downloaded immediately. Does the package contain both versions?

 

[EastCoasthandle]

Ummm yeah...nVidia...new drivers maybe? BF3's problems can't all be DICE.

Did you not see the patch release notes for BF3 today? They are fixing the performance problems, map loading, etc.

 

[NdMk2o1o]

winning!

Anyone else picture this with that post or just me?

 

[Sihastru]

It's exactly what I was picturing when I wrote it. But I thought that undelying it with a picture could be considered excessive trolling. I only intended some amount of trolling.

Anyway, these kind of problems are quite normal, they will fix them eventually, but if I were them I would've concentrated on Skyrim, BF3 (and NFS:TR, since it's the same engine), MW3 and annouce a real "performance driver". This looks like something that should've been introduced quietly.

But I guess AMD's new strategy is to be in the headlines as often as possible and hope that people only read the headline and not the content of the article.

 

[nt300]

Skyrim uses the Creation Engine!

Skyrim uses the Creation engine not the Gamebryo to the best of my knowledge.

Yes you are right,
Skyrim uses the Creation Engine.

 

[ShRoOmAlIsTiC]

saw a small increase in fps in Batman AC. still think the games needs a patch cause it stutters but my cpu/gpu/physx cards are no where near maxing out. steady 50-60% usage on cpu and gpu and physx is only getting up to 23% max usage.

 

[NdMk2o1o]

Haven't been with AMD since my CrossfireX 5770's but these 2-3 hotfixes a month would drive me mad, is that the case or do current AMD users have a different attitude. TBH I probably don't game for as long as some these days but I rarely have any issues with drivers, the same could be said when I did use AMD, though that was before they started making drivers almost a fortnightly thing as opposed to a monthly one

 

[Wrigleyvillain]

Yes you are right,
Skyrim uses the Creation Engine.

Yeah but there is a lot less difference that you would think based on the fact it is technically a new engine.

 

[radrok]

I hope they'll sort out the problems related to CFX for Skyrim because it's a bit of a shame that I am using 25% of my GPU department...

40 fps on 2560x1600 isn't exactly fluid as I want it to be :|

 

[erocker]

Yeah but there is a lot less difference that you would think based on the fact it is technically a new engine.

Technically it IS the Gamebryo engine with some added stuff.