Has AMD drivers always been terrible?

[iindigo]

In the past, I've had bad luck with Windows GPU drivers for both AMD and Nvidia. A old laptop of mine with a Quadro FX770M (basically a relabeled Geforce 9600M) that used to be my main computer actually can't run Windows at all unless you disable GPU power management entirely, making the GPU run at full blast at all times and reducing battery life to 30M. If you don't do that, you get blue screens all day every day. To actually use that laptop as a laptop, I had to run Linux or hackintoshed macOS, both of which had infinitely more stable Nvidia drivers than what was available for Windows (incredibly ironic in the case of macOS, which wasn't even intended to run on that hardware).

Similarly, I've found that the 5700 XT in my current tower, while performing generally ok under Windows is also happier under Linux and macOS.

I don't know if it's some architectural shortcoming of Windows or if GPU vendors just ship buggier code in their Windows drivers, but this has been a consistent observation of mine.

[Itori]

Ive always been nvidia, i bought one amd card and it was a terrible experience, i kept having issues with the catalyst drivers and had to keep an old update that worked just to keep my pc from popping a bluescreen every 20min of gameplay, i think i managed to get them to work after i reformatted 3 times in a row, but after that hellish experience i dont consider anything but nvidia.

[Shakadam]

Ive always been nvidia, i bought one amd card and it was a terrible experience, i kept having issues with the catalyst drivers and had to keep an old update that worked just to keep my pc from popping a bluescreen every 20min of gameplay, i think i managed to get them to work after i reformatted 3 times in a row, but after that hellish experience i dont consider anything but nvidia.

Considering the latest catalyst driver release was about 5 years ago, don't you think it's a bit strange to not even consider any new AMD GPU's?


I mean, people can buy whatever they want, but there's a reason Nvidia GPU pricing has gone from $650 for a 980TI to $1200 for a 2080TI in just a few years. When people don't even consider the competition, Nvidia can set whatever price they like.

[Thunderball]

Considering the latest catalyst driver release was about 5 years ago, don't you think it's a bit strange to not even consider any new AMD GPU's?

No, Vega isnt out for 5 years.

[Shakadam]

No, Vega isnt out for 5 years.

What does Vega have to do with it?

The last catalyst driver release was in 2015.

[Blackmist]

Yes.

Since moving to an nVidia card I can't recall *any* driver issues I've had. AMD/ATI I'd get plenty of crashes, blankouts, and bluescreens. Hardware reliability is an issue as well, the wife's RX470 died without warning (like to not even being able to post if it was installed).

In order to get me back they've really got to hope nVidia fuck up. GPUs are a two horse race, and one of them's got three legs.

[Thunderball]

What does Vega have to do with it?

The last catalyst driver release was in 2015.

Adrenaline first appeared with Vega, which is the new and latest driver. Radeon Software is still Catalyst, the old driver dating all the way back to ATI days. New UI and new name doesnt make it a new driver.

[Triggered Fridgekin]

Yes then no for a while then yes again.

[Azerox]

Yes.
THE soul reason i won't ever buy an AMD GPU.

[Shakadam]

Adrenaline first appeared with Vega, which is the new and latest driver. Radeon Software is still Catalyst, the old driver dating all the way back to ATI days. New UI and new name doesnt make it a new driver.

Names are names and the guy I quoted specifically said catalyst, not just "AMD drivers". The catalyst software suite hasn't been used in several years. That would be like calling the current Nvidia drivers, "Nvidia Forceware" even though they moved on from that name and introduced additional software features in their driver package years ago.
Both Nvidia and AMD have introduced several new features (and new bugs and bugfixes) in their software suite over the years, it's not just... bare minimum drivers. Calling them by their old names when referring to the new driver package makes no sense, as they have very little in common anymore. It's like saying Windows XP when you actually mean Windows 10.

Nvidia hasn't redesigned their software since the Win XP days (apart from Geforce Experience) so it looks old and is slow as hell but they have added options and features.
AMD has done more substantial overhauls of the software both visually and in terms of new features (Nvidia mostly puts their new features into Geforce Experience) starting with Crimson Edition in 2016, Crimson ReLive Edition in 2017 (Vega launched during this time btw), Adrenaline Edition in 2018, Adrenaline 2019 Edition in 2019, and Adrenaline 2020 Edition in 2020. All of these have had fairly substantial changes that aren't just visual.

[Thunderball]

Names are names and the guy I quoted specifically said catalyst, not just "AMD drivers". The catalyst software suite hasn't been used in several years. That would be like calling the current Nvidia drivers, "Nvidia Forceware" even though they moved on from that name and introduced additional software features in their driver package years ago.

No it's not. Nvidia Forceware was a specific branding which didnt change the driver itself - Nvidia still uses that driver foundation today. Same as AMD used Catalyst drivers all the way from the ATI days until Adrenaline, which is the new foundation of drivers that was supposed to fix all the issues. It didnt, but giving credit where it's due, it's a new driver package.

Both Nvidia and AMD have introduced several new features (and new bugs and bugfixes) in their software suite over the years, it's not just... bare minimum drivers. Calling them by their old names when referring to the new driver package makes no sense, as they have very little in common anymore. It's like saying Windows XP when you actually mean Windows 10.

Yes, they introduced new features but the foundation was still the same, so the same issues AMD was being constantly spanked for there. You can argue that those drivers had nothing in common with first Catalyst driver, but the problem is - A LOT of issues persisted from all the way back from the first GCN drivers, so no, they're not completely different. And yeah, you might be surprised by how much WXP is actually similar to W10 when it comes to drivers.

Nvidia hasn't redesigned their software since the Win XP days (apart from Geforce Experience)

True

so it looks old and is slow as hell but they have added options and features.

Yep, but it works as you expect it and doesnt have any bugs, unlike AMD drivers, which I prefer very much.

AMD has done more substantial overhauls of the software both visually and in terms of new features (Nvidia mostly puts their new features into Geforce Experience)

Both of those are fucking horrible. I dont use Geforce Experience and I would get rid of the stupid AMD GUI if I could.

starting with Crimson Edition in 2016, Crimson ReLive Edition in 2017 (Vega launched during this time btw)

Yep, same Catalyst, new GUI, which had a shitload of bugs.

Adrenaline Edition in 2018, Adrenaline 2019 Edition in 2019, and Adrenaline 2020 Edition in 2020. All of these have had fairly substantial changes that aren't just visual.

Yep, but those still have a lot of bugs that Nvidia drivers (yea those WXP drivers with ugly GUI) just dont have.