AMD announces support for Microsoft Windows 7 in ATI Catalyst 9.3

by Gary Illyes

SUNNYVALE, Calif. — AMD (NYSE: AMD) today released Windows® 7 driver support as part of the latest ATI Catalyst 9.3 unified graphics driver. ATI Catalyst 9.3 represents the industry’s first unified driver installation package to incorporate Windows™ 7 support, including Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) 1.1 compliance, bringing with it a host of benefits for developers currently testing and updating applications using the widely available Windows 7 beta release. In addition, the inclusion of Windows 7 drivers sends a clear message to the millions of AMD graphics customers worldwide – ATI Catalyst 9.3, and every planned future release of ATI Catalyst, is ready for the final release of Windows 7.

In addition to the rock-solid stability of ATI Radeon™ graphics drivers for Windows 7, the combination of Windows 7 and ATI Radeon graphics permits developers to fully utilize the DirectX 10.1 API used by Microsoft to design the Windows 7 Aero desktop. Graphics with hardware support for the DirectX 10.1 API, currently available in ATI Radeon™ HD 3000 and ATI Radeon™ HD 4000 series products, can deliver the full Windows 7 Aero desktop PC experience, including support of new features such as Aero Peek and Aero Shake, both designed to improve navigation of the Windows 7 desktop.

“AMD’s expertise in visual computing shines through in the combined experience of Windows 7 and ATI Radeon graphics,” said Anantha Kancherla, group program manager responsible for Windows graphics, Microsoft. “With today’s release of a Windows 7 unified driver, AMD once again demonstrates its ability to deliver performance and cutting-edge driver support.”

Matching ATI Radeon graphics with Windows 7 can deliver high-fidelity graphics as well as unsurpassed image enhancements such as:

• support for the Direct2D API introduced in Windows 7, giving third-party applications the ability to improve everything from ClearType text rendering to hardware-accelerated vector graphics
• enhanced Windows 7 acceleration, delivering an outstanding Windows experience
• smooth, crystal-clear playback of multimedia, including high-definition video on HD-capable screens
• incredible 3D game performance in single- and multi-GPU CrossFireX™ technology configurations.

“Thanks to the incredible expertise within our driver development team, we led the Windows Vista transition with a WHQL-certified unified driver that delivered industry-leading stability,” said Ben Bar-Haim, corporate vice president, Software Engineering, Graphics Products Group, AMD. “The advanced state of our Windows 7 drivers this far ahead of the final Windows 7 release is yet another proof point of our graphics industry leadership. We are ready for Windows 7.”

Press Release