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    Cat 11.8 Preview Driver (Aug 8)

    Discussion in 'Alienware M15x' started by The Revelator, Aug 11, 2011.

  1. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    Edit (August 17): Cat 11.8 WHQL (8.881.0) released. These are the latest ones. http://www2.ati.com/drivers/mobile/11-8_mobility_vista_win7_64_dd_ccc_ocl.exe.

    The Catalyst 11.8 Preview Driver Mobility Mod (Aug 8)(8.880.8) is available here: [email protected]. Based on very limited experience, these drivers seem slightly slower in 3dMark11 and 3dMark06 (with 6970M), but further testing is needed. (Smooth installation over previous drivers.)

    [​IMG]​

    Full support for the new OpenGL 4.2 specification. High-lights include:

    * Enhanced support for generic read-write memory and high performance atomics in shaders (EXT_shader_image_load_store and ARB_shader_atomic_counters extensions), allowing advanced graphics algorithms to be implemented.
    * Increased flexibility in how texture memory is allocated and managed (ARB_compressed_texture_pixel_storage and EXT_texture_storage extensions).
    * Improved control and access to geometry instancing for improved performance (ARB_transform_feedback_instanced and ARB_base_instance).
    * Improvements to the OpenGL Shading Language (GLSL).
    * Added control over GPU optimizations related to depth testing (AMD_conservative_depth).
    * Improved guarantees about the alignment of mapped GPU memory (ARB_map_buffer_alignment).
     
    The Revelator, Aug 11, 2011
    #1
  2. svl7

    svl7 T|I

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    You're my source for all AMD GPU driver news :D Thanks, downloading now!
     
    svl7, Aug 11, 2011
    #2
  3. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    The eternal search for something better. :)
     
    The Revelator, Aug 11, 2011
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  4. inap

    inap .........................

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    nice, have you tested this yet rev??? the last 11.8 driver weren't too good for me.
     
    inap, Aug 11, 2011
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  5. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    These aren't much different, at least for benching, than the 11.7's for me. With the 6990M, these returned 20,583 in 3dMark06 at stock clocks, which is actually a modest gain, and P3924 in 3dMark11, which is roughly equal to the 11.7b performance. With the 6970M, they seem marginally slower. maybe 200-300 points in '06, although I suspect I has some setup problem with that run; 3dMark11 performance is about the same.

    Edit: Seem more crash-prone at higher clocks. It's getting harder to o/c these 6900 series cards; fortunately, they don't need it.
     
    The Revelator, Aug 11, 2011
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  6. The Revelator

    The Revelator Notebook Prophet

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    The Revelator, Aug 17, 2011
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  7. svl7

    svl7 T|I

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    Thank you for the news!!
     
    svl7, Aug 17, 2011
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  8. inap

    inap .........................

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    sweet, i finally got time to start benching again. let the cheating begin lolz.
     
    inap, Aug 17, 2011
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  9. widezu69

    widezu69 Goodbye Alienware

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    Hahahaha! Nice :) will test this one to see about real world performance. Sorry leaving the benching scene for a bit while I'm on holiday.
     
    widezu69, Aug 17, 2011
    #9