Conclusion

In conclusion, AMD Catalyst 14.12 Omega is just another driver release from AMD, with its share of performance improvements and bug fixes. It just so happens to get a bigger, more pompous launch because AMD wants to turn your attention to its software features.

Don't get us wrong. These features are very real, not gimmicky (except for maybe the Fluid Motion Video feature), and AMD has taken some genuine steps to improve its compressed video playback quality. The 1080p-to-4K upscaling algorithm works well without driving your GPU up to 3D load clocks, which is unlike something like MadVR. With 4K displays getting affordable, it was about time GPU vendors came up with something that doesn't make 1080p look "washed-out" on a 4K display.

Gamers should particularly benefit from Virtual Super Resolution, which works to improve detail in a resolution-limited scenario, and frame-pacing improvements, which make games like Sniper Elite III feel more fluid. Our wish would have just been for game-performance increments to be more profound compared to Catalyst 14.11.2. It's not as though AMD never launched a major driver with near double-digit performance boosts over its immediate predecessor. Each spaced two years apart from this new driver, our Catalyst 12.11 Performance and Catalyst 10.12 Performance analysis back those sentiments up nicely.

To wrap things up, download Catalyst 14.12 Omega if you already own an AMD Radeon graphics card. Free is always good, and free image-quality enhancements are even better. Just don't base your next GPU purchase decision on this driver release alone. It doesn't change AMD's competitive landscape versus NVIDIA, though it does level things out when it comes to the software features each offers.