AMD Releases Catalyst 10.2 Driver Update

AMD has released the the AMD Catalyst 10.2 update. Below are the updates relevant to Eyefinity gamers:

CrossFireX & Eyefinity Support - Previous CrossFireX support in Eyefinity was a "White List" where only specifically enabled titles were supported. The new driver support moves to a "Black List" support model. This means that games are supported by default, unless there is a particular issue or barrier to a title. This title would be placed on the "Black List" indicating that it was not supported. Further optimization can be made through the Application Profiles.

CrossFireX Application Profiles - The CrossFireX application profiles have been removed from the display driver. ATI has a monthly release schedule for display driver updates. Removing the CrossFireX profiles from the display driver allows ATI to make more frequent and rapid schedule. This allows ATI to release updates for new game titles as they are released, or update existing support as improvements are made to the profile.

ATI PowerPlay for CrossFireX - When not running 3D applications, this addition to the Catalyst driver will set the 2nd GPU(s) engine and memory to a very low power state to save energy and reduce heat. In a Radeon HD 5870 CrossFireX situation, the second GPU is placed in the ultra low state and saves 12 watts of power usage.

Retooled Driver Architecture - The driver architecture has been revised to divide the different areas into separate code pieces. The Multi-GPU (CrossFireX) has been split into a separate driver component. Additionally the CrossFireX application support has been separated as well (see above). While this has no direct impact on the user, ATI claims this provides "better building blocks for the future".