BF4's Mantle Patch Out But Wait for Necessary AMD Drivers

Finally, we hear you say. AMD’s Mantle patch for Battlefield 4 has arrived at last. This is the first release of Mantle, AMD’s low-level high performance graphics API that was announced back in September.

The API allows developers to 'speak the native language' of AMD’s Graphics Core Next architecture, which is present in modern AMD GPUs and APUs. The end result is improved visuals and rendering. Mantle actually enables increased draw calls per second by reducing CPU overhead and AMD is promising performance increase over Direct3D and OpenGL and less frequent FPS drops, micro stuttering and texture corruption.

AMD originally planned to launch Mantle in December, but at the last minute, the release was pushed to January. It's worth noting that you'll need AMD's Catalyst 14.1 beta drivers before you can get a load of Mantle's optimizations and those aren't actually out yet. AMD was supposed to post them online today, but that hasn't happened yet and when we talked to an AMD rep, they didn't have any update on when we might expect them. In other words, sit tight.In the mean time, you can check out the Battlefield Battle Log for some performance test results.

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  • Alex Cluff
    https://twitter.com/AMDGaming/status/428958040046702592 don't worry they will be out sooner or later
    Reply
  • azzazel_99
    Hahahaha just another problem with this mantle crap.
    Reply
  • Estix
    It feels very intentionally misleading that their test case is an A10-7850K with an R9 290X.This platform would be insanely CPU-limited, which is why it sees such a large boost.Most people will have a more balanced build, or even one where the system bottleneck lies with the GPU, and would see far less of an improvement.Mantle is a Good Thing, but don't tell people to expect what they won't get :/
    Reply
  • spartanmk2
    Like blizzard "Soon™".
    Reply
  • leeb2013
    12571340 said:
    It feels very intentionally misleading that their test case is an A10-7850K with an R9 290X.This platform would be insanely CPU-limited, which is why it sees such a large boost.Most people will have a more balanced build, or even one where the system bottleneck lies with the GPU, and would see far less of an improvement.Mantle is a Good Thing, but don't tell people to expect what they won't get :/

    Yeah, the improvement with a decent CPU like the I5 or I7 is only like 2-3%. It's purely for their slow CPU/APUs. Even when the new Catalyst is released, it'll only be for the new GPUs - R8, R9 etc, they've intentionally left out 79xx, 78xx despite them being identical to R8, R7 and using GCN to trick people into upgrading.

    BF4 is now telling me I should use Catalyst 13.12, but because AMD screwed up and forgot to up-suffix the 13.11 driver name to 13.12 (ie when you install 13.12 it still thinks you've got 13.11), then BF4 shows this warning all the time. It's a simple issue known right from the start and they never fixed it.

    So now we're meant to trust them releasing a new API for the most buggy game in history! Good luck!
    Reply
  • azzazel_99
    Lol mantle has always been a joke. Something to get amd users to believe in them again.
    Reply
  • blubbey
    As others have said this'll be good for those CPU limited. I wonder what the improvements would look like at lower resolutions with fx-4/6 series (720p, 1440x900, 1600x900).
    Reply
  • soldier44
    Too many snipers on every server make this unplayable to me now, plus I only play in Hardcore mode which there are so few servers now not worth going back to. Waiting on better games like GTA 5 and The Division for PC.
    Reply
  • Mousemonkey
    multi-GPU support is patchy at best with Mantle today as AMD told me that there were some “show stopper” bugs with CrossFire that were causing crashes in BF4. Stuttering is also being reported with CrossFire
    http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Graphics-Cards/AMD-Catalyst-141-Beta-Driver-Brings-Mantle-Support-Frame-Pacing-Phase-2-HSA

    I lol'd.
    Reply
  • Krazeee
    12571414 said:
    12571340 said:
    It feels very intentionally misleading that their test case is an A10-7850K with an R9 290X.This platform would be insanely CPU-limited, which is why it sees such a large boost.Most people will have a more balanced build, or even one where the system bottleneck lies with the GPU, and would see far less of an improvement.Mantle is a Good Thing, but don't tell people to expect what they won't get :/

    Yeah, the improvement with a decent CPU like the I5 or I7 is only like 2-3%. It's purely for their slow CPU/APUs. Even when the new Catalyst is released, it'll only be for the new GPUs - R8, R9 etc, they've intentionally left out 79xx, 78xx despite them being identical to R8, R7 and using GCN to trick people into upgrading.

    BF4 is now telling me I should use Catalyst 13.12, but because AMD screwed up and forgot to up-suffix the 13.11 driver name to 13.12 (ie when you install 13.12 it still thinks you've got 13.11), then BF4 shows this warning all the time. It's a simple issue known right from the start and they never fixed it.

    So now we're meant to trust them releasing a new API for the most buggy game in history! Good luck!

    No. Battlefield 4 Multiplayer is a very CPU intensive game. Almost ALL CrossfireX users suffer bottlenecks where their GPU's run at under 70% power.

    Single card users that see only 5% gain are probably using a 6 core OC'd to 4+ so its not really bottlenecking.

    Dice tested 2x290X's with a fx8350 and they got ~53% increase
    Dice test 7970 wirh fx8350 and they got ~25% increase
    Dice tested some crap 240 gpu with fx8350 got 1-2% increase.

    Also why are there so many stupid people on this post hating on AMD for bringing a new technology in an ATTEMPT to open new doors. they aren't SELLING you this (unlike Nvidia... why complain?)
    Reply