AMD has released its 23.12.1 update for AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition, focusing on adding new features such as HYPR-RX Eco, an update to the game profile UI that allows HYPR-RX to be enabled on a game-by-game basis, and GPU hardware scheduling. Additionally, performance in a few AI applications has been improved, making 23.12.1 yet another driver that boosts the performance of RDNA 2 and 3 GPUs in AI and machine learning software.
The biggest change with the 23.12.1 update concerns HYPR-RX. AMD added HYPR-RX Eco, which primarily seems to add a 60 FPS frame-rate cap through the Framerate Target Control (or FRTC) feature in Adrenalin Software. Alongside this new mode, users can now assign one of three HYPR-RX modes (Performance, Quality, or Eco) to each game through AMD Software's game profiles. Plus, HYPR-RX has been added to the home menu in AMD Software, allowing users to easily enable and select their preferred mode without digging into a deeper settings dialog.
Although there's not a huge difference between each version of HYPR-RX, being able to enable it on a game-by-game basis is nice. After all, you might not want all your games to use HYPR-RX, which uses Radeon Boost to dynamically change the resolution up and down based on movement.
AMD has also finally added hardware GPU scheduling to the RX 7000 series, or at least all of them save for the Radeon RX 7600. Although it's somewhat frustrating that the RX 7600 has been left out of the party, it's also true that hardware graphics scheduling usually doesn't boost performance all that much. However, that feature was exclusive to NVIDIA until now, so who knows who it will affect Radeon cards.
Other additions and enhancements include enhanced support for Framerate Target Control (FRTC), improvements to Radeon Super Resolution, support for Radeon recording and streaming in OpenGL games, additional Vulkan API extension support, and performance improvements for DirectML in Topaz AI, DaVinci Resolve, and Adobe Lightroom. High idle power was also addressed with 23.12.1, and it seems like it primarily helps out the RX 7800 XT, 7700 XT, and 7600 according to tests from Tom's Hardware.
Farewell, AMD Link, we hardly knew ye.
Notably, one feature is slated to be removed from AMD's drivers starting in January according to the 23.12.1 driver release notes. AMD Link, which is a phone app that allows users to change settings and stream gameplay from their PC to mobile devices, is getting axed next year. AMD said moving on from AMD Link would allow its developers to focus on other solutions for streaming, such as AMD's Advanced Media Framework. You can grab AMD's latest 23.12.1 driver with the updated Adrenalin Software at AMD's driver support page.
