Skip to main content

AMD Catalyst 14.1 drivers coming soon, Mantle update live now

Listen up, AMD graphics card owners: the chip maker’s latest Catalyst drivers, version 14.1, should be going live pretty soon. Annoyingly, the company has stopped short of providing an exact release date. 

AMD did, however, provide a list of possible issues users could run into after downloading and installing Catalyst 14.1 drivers. They include the possibility of encountering stability or stuttering when playing Battlefield 4 while using AMD’s Mantle tech with the firm’s CrossFire tech, possible system hangs when disabling CrossFire mode in AMD’s Catalyst Control Center software, and more. 

Recommended Videos

Owners of Kaveri-based APUs will also see some benefits when Catalyst 14.1 goes live. For instance, Catalyst 14.1 is HSA-enabled, which allows for Kaveri systems to share processing workloads with graphics chips more efficiently. Unfortunately, only two programs support this feature at this point: Core AfterShot Pro v.1.2.0.6+ and LibreOffice v.4.2.0.1+. However, AMD states that more programs that benefit from HSA with Kaveri APIs will see the light of day down the road.

Right now, though, if you’re an owner of an AMD graphics card that’s based on an HD 7000, R7 or R9 GPU, the availability of AMD’s new Mantle driver could net you big performance gains in Battlefield 4. The biggest performance spikes will be seen on systems that feature low- or mid-range CPUs. If your PC rocks a nasty CPU but a cheapie graphics card, you won’t have nearly as much to gain from the update.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments below.

Konrad Krawczyk
Former Computing Editor
Konrad covers desktops, laptops, tablets, sports tech and subjects in between for Digital Trends. Prior to joining DT, he…
Topics
This compact HP Omen gaming PC is on sale at 39% off today
The HP Omen 16L gaming desktop sitting on a desk.

For those who want a proper gaming desktop but don't have enough space for a big and bulky machine, the HP Omen 16L could be what you need. You're in luck because it's on sale from the gaming PC deals of HP right now, with this configuration featuring the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card available at 39% off. You'll only have to pay $800 instead of its original price of $1,330, but you need to push through with your purchase immediately if you want to make sure you pocket the savings of $530.

Why you should buy the HP Omen 16L gaming PC

Read more
SpaceX’s Starlink rival is about to launch more internet satellites — here’s how to watch
Amazon's KA-01 mission for Project Kuiper gets underway from the Space Coast.

[UPDATE: A technical issue with the rocket has caused the launch to be postponed. We'll update this article with the new launch schedule just as soon as it becomes available.]

Amazon is preparing to launch its second batch of Project Kuiper internet satellites to orbit as it seeks to build out a constellation to take on SpaceX’s Starlink service.

Read more
Weird Mac mini issue prompts Apple to take action
A top-down view of the Mac Mini.

Following multiple reports of specific Mac mini computers failing to power on, Apple has launched a global repair program to sort the problem out.

Apple launched the  M2 Mac mini in January 2023, though the affected units were made between June 16 and November 23 of 2024, according to a notice about the repair program that was first spotted by MacRumors.

Read more