Skip to main content

AMD drops support for Raptr-developed PC performance app Gaming Evolved

amd drops support for gaming evolved pc performance app raptr head
Image used with permission by copyright holder
AMD video card owners who relied on the hardware manufacturer’s Gaming Evolved app to regulate in-game performance may see a range of compatibility issues cropping up in the months ahead, as AMD announced that it is dropping support for the once-useful app.

While installed versions of the Gaming Evolved app will still function, AMD notes that it will no longer issue updates adding compatibility and recommended settings for forthcoming games, rendering its feature set largely useless.

Recommended Videos

Developed in collaboration with online gaming activity tracker Raptr, AMD’s Gaming Evolved app automatically tweaked in-game graphics settings for supported games in order to achieve maximum performance based on a user’s hardware setup. AMD previously hired a team of developers to keep the app updated with support for new games as they were released, increasing compatibility and boosting performance for a majority of supported titles as a result.

Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming
Check your inbox!

In addition to serving as a valuable tool for AMD video card owners, the Gaming Evolved app was a rewards program that allowed gamers to earn points for their in-game playtime and community participation. Points could then later be redeemed for free games, hardware, and apparel during frequent giveaway promotions.

Noticing that the app was no longer included as part of AMD’s downloadable Crimson driver packages, tech news source WCCFtech questioned the company regarding Gaming Evolved’s future. AMD afterward issued a response that put a definitive end to the app’s lifespan.

“Starting September 12 2016, AMD is no longer bundling the ‘AMD Gaming Evolved App’ by Raptr with builds of Radeon Software,” AMD told WCCFtech. “The application will still work. AMD will cease to undertake any compatibility testing, install support, or general technical support for this application, nor will it be available through Radeon Software or its installer. Previous builds of Radeon Software that include the ‘AMD Gaming Evolved App’ dated before September 12 2016 will remain intact and will not be affected.”

As of this writing, AMD’s Gaming Evolved app is still available for download from Raptr’s site, though a lack of updates will limit its usefulness in the months ahead.

Danny Cowan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…
AMD is conceding to Nvidia with the RX 9070 XT and FSR 4
AMD announcing FSR 4 during CES 2025.

AMD revealed its long-awaited RDNA 4 architecture at CES 2025, but it arrived with more of a thud and less of a bang. Although the new RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 could make the list of the best graphics cards, it's hard to say if they will right now, despite the fact that the cards are expected to arrive in the first few months of this year.

In its action-packed CES keynote, the new RDNA 4 range was a passing note instead of the main event. Although details about the new RDNA 4 architecture are light, AMD says it updated just about every aspect of its GPU design. That includes better ray tracing performance with third-gen RT accelerators, broader media encoding support with a second-gen AMD Radiance Display engine, and critically, AI grunt with second-gen AI accelerators.

Read more
AMD’s new Ryzen Z2 chip promises ‘console-class’ performance for handhelds
Steam Deck and ROG Ally sitting together on a table.

As AMD confirmed to Digital Trends last year, the new range of Ryzen Z2 chips is here to kick off 2025. Announced during AMD's CES 2025 keynote, there are three models that make up the Ryzen Z2 range, which AMD says is designed to meet the "explosive demand" for handheld gaming PCs. Although we don't have any specific devices featuring the Ryzen Z2 range yet, AMD says "you'll see [the Ryzen Z2] coming to market from a number of partners -- the Legion Go, the ROG Ally, the Steam Deck."

You can see how the range breaks down below. Similar to AMD's first generation of handheld APUs, we're getting both a base Ryzen Z2 and an Extreme variant. Both come with eight cores and 16 threads, but the Z2 Extreme boasts 16 graphics cores compared to 12 on the base Ryzen Z2. The Ryzen Z2 Extreme can also climb a bit higher, up to 35 watts. Compared to the Ryzen Z1 range, both of these chips also come with a boost to 24MB of cache, compared to 16MB on the Ryzen Z1 Extreme.

Read more
CPUs failed PC gamers in 2024
intel core ultra 5 245k review 4

Whenever we have a new generation of processors from AMD and Intel, a lot of things change. Of course, the power balance among the best processors shifts, and there's a seemingly endless number of comparisons to start making between each lineup. This year, however, AMD and Intel barely moved the needle.

That's the despite the fact that both companies debuted entirely new architectures, both of which promised to radically change how our PCs work and perform. Those promises just fell flat, particularly at release. We still saw standout releases like the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, but even with so much hardware flying around, there's been little reason to go out and buy it.

Read more