AMD’s decision to pull game-ready driver support from RDNA 1 and 2 GPUs has damaged consumer trust, despite the company walking back the announcement. The move affects powerful cards like the RX 6800 XT, which remains popular but now faces early driver cuts that feel premature and unfair.
As a long-time AMD fan, I initially thought upgrading to newer GPUs would be a simple process if my current card became outdated. However, AMD’s recent actions have changed my perception of the company. I’ve invested heavily in AMD hardware over the years, opting for features like AFMF2, Anti-Lag 2, and FSR 3.1 on older cards.
The release of FSR 4 earlier this year hinted at a shift away from pro-consumer practices. The fact that a simple driver mod can run FSR 4 on my RDNA 2-based RX 6800 XT suggests AMD isn’t as committed to supporting its hardware as I thought.
AMD’s decision to end game-ready support for older GPUs is unprecedented, especially considering the current market prices. Buying new gaming hardware can be expensive, and the risk of AMD pulling support early creates an artificial limitation that pushes customers into buying new cards sooner than necessary.
The move also raises concerns about the future of AMD’s platform support, including the AM5 platform. As someone who praised AMD for its excellent long-term support in the past, this decision feels like a step backward. An honest admission and apology would have been more satisfactory than the vague language used by AMD to justify the move.
In summary, AMD’s early driver support cuts damage consumer trust and create an artificial limitation that pushes loyal customers into buying new cards sooner than necessary.
Source: https://www.howtogeek.com/this-gpu-was-the-bargain-of-the-century-then-amd-pulled-the-rug