AMD HD 2000,3000&4000 driver update FINALLY! but no release notes

Hardware Hub GPU
1

Please advise me if this type of discussion should be moved elsewhere.

Quick history: AMD said in April 2012 that they would be releasing updates for the aforementioned series of cards on a quarterly basis - Meaning once in 3 months, one would think.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5775/amd-hd-2000-hd-3000-hd-4000-gpus-being-moved-to-legacy-status-in-may

FACT: AMD has till date NEVER released an update on a quarterly basis. EVER.

On October 15th 2013, about 10 days ago, they released CCC revision number 13.9. The last update before that was 13.1 which was released in January 2013. About a 9 MONTH gap between 13.1 and 13.9.

And before that version 12.6 released in the beginning of July 2012. A 7 MONTH gap between 12.6 and 13.1.

Though difficult, I can swallow that. But what I can't swallow is this. After such a long gap, now that AMD Has released an update, one would expect AMD to at least have the decency to publish release notes. NOPE. No release notes whatsoever.

HD 5000 series onwards - http://postimg.org/image/5kzn5oeyb/     --> release notes available

HD 2,3 and 4000 series  - http://postimg.org/image/rvni5nc8j/        --> no release notes

I tried looking for it everywhere on the site and online to no avail. When the 13.1 update released, there were no release notes published then either. And I've forgotten whether or not AMD published it for the 12.6 update.

Don't I have the right to know what's been changed? How am I to know if the newer update is merely a version change with a fake 7MB size boost from 13.1 or if there is an ACTUAL change?

Also, Please don't tell me to upgrade. I don't want to do that. I SHOULDN'T have to do that.

2

You don't have to upgrade, but what more do you think AMD can do with 4+ year old GPUs?

3

Driver optimizations for newer games. Games like Skyrim, Deux Ex Human revolution and Dishonored would have seen a performance improvement.

4

you do realize that an $80 (NEW) card would be better than a 4870 right

so like 50 bucks on ebay or les

I have a 6870 and I can barely play games on my 1280x1024 screen, that's why I got another to crossfire for like 70 bucks

5

Is ebay a good way to get old gpu's, if so, I will upgrade an old rig with an old card.

6

just be glad that they are releasing driver updates. the 2000, 3000, and 4000 cards are pretty damn old.

7

I am just one of those guys who will use a piece of tech until it gives up OR I can't run any modern applications at all anymore and only then move on to better things. My parents still run XP Professional 32 bit on an AMD 130nm 1667Mhz Athlon XP 2000+ with 512MB of DDR RAM and 160GB IDE Hard Drive on a 15 inch CRT monitor and they are perfectly happy with it. Don't get me wrong. I am not a luddite. Yes, I know that I can get new hardware. The question isn't about that. I am questioning AMD's ethics. A respectable company like AMD should keep to their word. By the way, this is going to be the fate of the HD 5,6 and 7000 series of cards as well. Also why would I want to upgrade when there are many older yet excellent games that I am yet to complete? I am yet to finish Oblivion and Morrowind, Thief 2, Planescape Torment, Baldur's Gate, Fallout 2, Deus Ex Invisible War and many other classics. For me the graphics quality has never been the priority. It has always been about the gameplay. It's not that I am against better graphics. In fact, I am very eager for games like Star Citizen and Watch Dogs because it drives technology forward even though neither one of them would work on my HD4850(not 4870).

I don't like e-waste. I don't like selling/giving away old hardware. And I also don't like seeing a perfectly working piece of hardware that is not even close to irrelevant(I am currently playing Splinter Cell Blacklist on it at 1920x1080 with FXAA and AF x16 and HIGH textures, LOW shadows at about 35-48 FPS) not being used.

8

Yes I am glad. But I want the release notes. It doesn't make sense downloading and installing something when I don't know exactly what it does. If it is going to be just a CCC interface change, why bother downloading?

9

yes, make sure its not "as is" or "parts only"

10

yeah I don't like e-waste either, that's why I save that shit from upgrading and give them to the less fortunate, time for an upgrade man