AMD Releases Catalyst 12.1 Preview Drivers with Profiles

Do you like to live on the edge of the latest hardware and software? Then you may take some great interest in AMD's just-released Catalyst 12.1 Preview driver.

The AMD Catalyst 12.1 Preview includes all of the features found in version 11.12 and also includes all of the latest optimizations found in the 11.11c performance drivers (but also note that the Catalyst 11.12 does not include the latest 11.11c optimizations). If you want to run the latest software, AMD highly recommends that all gamers use this new 12.1 Preview driver.

Feature highlights of the AMD Catalyst 12.1 Preview driver:

AMD HD3D technology support enhancement

·         Enables support for AMD HD3D technology in conjunction with AMD CrossFireX configurations

·         Delivers a new Stereo 3D mode over HDMI 1.4a connections - 1080p at 30Hz is now enabled on supported displays.

AMD Catalyst Control Center / Vision Engine Control Center enhancements – Application Profiles

·         AMD Catalyst 12.1 Preview driver enables users to create per application profiles to individually control 3D and CrossFireX settings for Direct3D applications

·         Please be sure to select the “Restore Factory Defaults” option under the Catalyst Control Center Preferences menu before using the new application profiles feature – this ensures there are no compatibility issues between previous drivers and the new AMD Catalyst 12.1 Preview driver with regards to application profiles

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AMD Catalyst Control Center / Vision Engine Control Center enhancements – Video UI improvements

·         AMD Catalyst 12.1 Preview driver includes user interface enhancements to simplify adjustment of video color and video quality control.

Performance highlights of the Catalyst 12.1 Preview driver (in addition to the AMD Catalyst 11.11c performance driver)

·         Improves performance (10-15%) in Elder Scrolls: Skyrim when Multi-Sample Anti-Aliasing is enabled on the AMD Radeon™ HD 6900 Series for single GPU and AMD CrossfireX configurations

Grab the download for the AMD Catalyst 12.1 Preview driver for all Windows platforms here.

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
  • hope there is a ambient oclusion box there to check for skyrim
    Reply
  • hope there is a ambient oclusion box check there
    Reply
  • Cormag
    I hope this version will allow me to play RAGE again. I had to go back to 11.10 with the rage patch. When I tried 11.11 it hosed everything up and made RAGE unplayable again.
    Reply
  • xx_pemdas_xx
    Only for 5xxx and 6xxx cards.. no support for 4xxx..
    Reply
  • jimmysmitty
    xX_PEMDAS_XxOnly for 5xxx and 6xxx cards.. no support for 4xxx..
    Thats just the previews, they always support only the latest. I am sure the final driver will support the HD4XXX series.
    Reply
  • nikorr
    Glad to see some activity...
    Reply
  • killbits
    Dang just when I finally got my settings with 11.11c all groovy for Skyrim. I don't see anything about improving CrossfireX performance on Skyrim with 5900 series cards, only 6900. Hopefully that will show up in the final version.
    Reply
  • iam2thecrowe
    will it fix all the graphical flickering/glitches tha happen in skyrim too?
    Reply
  • the_krasno
    I use RadeonPro and MSI Afterburner, CCC sucks.
    Reply
  • A Bad Day
    Still stuck with 11.11's display drivers because 11.12 and 12.1 won't install the driver on my Mobility Radeon HD 5730. Ugh.
    Reply