Yesterday, Nvidia published a blog post (and an accompanying video) in regards to the significance of well-developed and well-designed GPU drivers, and included a dig at AMD within the course of.
A lot of the article reads similar to any weblog put up from the desk of an organization like Nvidia — explanatory and filled with infographics. It’s not a very eye-catching article, till it mentions beta drivers and Home windows {Hardware} High quality Labs (or WHQL) certification. This part of the weblog put up is seemingly a (not totally) refined jab at AMD’s beta video drivers.
The weblog put up says: “Microsoft recommends solely utilizing WHQL-certified drivers, as solely these assure compatibility and a clean consumer expertise… as a result of the Recreation Prepared Driver Program and our promise of high quality depends on all of this work, we don’t launch sub-par beta drivers with minimal testing, not to mention a number of conflicting beta drivers forked from completely different growth branches that help completely different video games and merchandise, which confuse clients.”
Nvidia clearly doesn’t point out AMD by title, however AMD is the one different “GPU vendor” that makes gaming GPUs (although that’s quickly to alter). AMD usually releases “optionally available” or “beta” GPU drivers and fewer continuously releases “really useful” WHQL licensed drivers. Whereas Nvidia asserts that drivers with out WHQL certification are “sub-par” and unreliable for a “clean consumer expertise,” it isn’t clear that this essentially applies to AMD’s beta drivers.
Within the weblog put up, Nvidia says, “we don’t launch sub-par beta drivers with minimal testing” and that Nvidia is “the one GPU vendor to WHQL certify each single driver,” however that truly isn’t true. Simply two months in the past, Nvidia launched GeForce Hotfix Driver 511.72, and the motive force’s launch weblog says:
“To make sure, these Hotfix drivers are beta, optionally available and offered as-is. They’re run by means of a a lot abbreviated QA course of. The only real purpose they exist is to get fixes out to you extra rapidly. The most secure choice is to attend for the subsequent WHQL licensed driver. However we all know that lots of you might be prepared to strive these out.”
Nvidia’s solely beta drivers seem like hotfixes, whereas AMD appears to principally launch beta drivers. In the end, not all of Nvidia’s drivers are WHQL licensed by their very own admission — except Nvidia means to say they are going to by no means launch one other hotfix driver ever once more.
We’ve reached out to AMD on what it means for his or her drivers to be beta or WHQL and whether or not or not that distinction issues for efficiency and stability.
Editors’ Alternative
