AMD continues help for older Radeon GPUs with driver updates

After days of complicated players over the way forward for its Radeon RX 5000 and RX 6000 GPUs, AMD modified its story but once more Sunday evening, now claiming that its older technology of GPUs will stay on their very own “optimized” driver path.

“This isn’t the tip of help for RDNA 1 and RDNA 2,” AMD mentioned in a weblog put up, referring to the GPU structure of the RX 5000 and RX 6000 playing cards.

As an alternative, these earlier Radeon playing cards will stay on a single “optimized driver path,” whereas the newer RX 7000 and RX 9000 will observe a second, optimized launch, in response to the corporate.

AMD mentioned the older fashions will proceed to obtain “recreation help for brand new releases: stability and recreation optimizations; [and] safety and bug fixes.”

“Our aim is straightforward: to offer each Radeon gamer the very best expertise potential,” AMD mentioned. “By separating the code paths, our engineers can transfer quicker with new options for RDNA 3 and RDNA 4, whereas conserving RDNA 1 and RDNA 2 secure and optimized for present and future video games.”

Final week, AMD’s Adrenalin Version 25.10.2 replace notes made no point out of the RX 6000 and RX 5000 playing cards, main players to wonder if AMD would proceed supporting the older playing cards. After journalists started making inquiries, AMD started utilizing the time period “upkeep mode” to explain what was taking place to the older RDNA 1 and RDNA 2 playing cards — then later backed off these phrases.

By Friday, the time period “upkeep mode” appeared to have been completely faraway from the discharge notes, and the corporate had begun telling websites like Tom’s {Hardware} that new options and bug fixes could be supplied to the older playing cards. (AMD didn’t reply to a request for touch upon Friday.)

Final week, AMD additionally reported that it might not take away USB Kind-C performance on its RX 7900 playing cards, as the corporate’s notes had earlier indicated. It additionally clarified that it might proceed offering driver updates for Home windows 10, a conclusion some drew after AMD not noted Home windows 10 help within the notes hooked up to the 25.10.2 launch.

“It seems there was some confusion relating to the driving force we posted on Thursday,” AMD mentioned in a notice to reporters on Sunday. The weblog put up was added to “clear up any misunderstandings,” the corporate mentioned.

“We’ve supported Radeon players for generations and that dedication isn’t altering,” AMD mentioned. “Whether or not you’re gaming on an RX 5000, RX 6000, or the most recent RX 9000, you’ll proceed to get the reliability, efficiency, and care you anticipate from AMD. As a result of we’re all a part of the identical gaming neighborhood and each Radeon gamer issues.”

Let’s hope that AMD has taken that lesson to coronary heart.