AMD Adrenalin 2020 21.4.1
Today AMD announces a new update to its Radeon Software.
First of all, the new Adrenalin 21.4.1 driver does not come with the most anticipated feature: FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR). This technology is sadly nowhere to be found in the new driver. It’s also worth pointing out that marketing materials do not mention Adrenalin 2020, but the driver installation and the files actually do. So it is not Adrenalin 2021 or just Adrenalin, but still Adrenalin 2020.
The Adrenalin 21.4.1 is a small update, but it brings a few features that were asked for by the community for a long time. Most users should be delighted to know that 21.4.1 brings custom install options, either a minimal or a full install. The minimal installation will still require you to download the whole driver pack though, but users are no longer required to enable all the features that are not necessary. The Radeon Software can now be installed in 3 options: 1) driver only, 2) minimal install (adds GUI and settings), 3) full install with game center, capture/streaming tab, performance tuning, and AMD Link.
With the release of Adrenalin 21.4.1, AMD releases its new Link 4.0 update. Judging from how many marketing materials were used, this feature is definitely the biggest update for the GPU driver. Alongside streaming from mobile devices, Smart TVs AMD is now adding AMD Link for Windows. This means that users can now stream games to ultra-thin laptops or mini-PCs, while their main rig is placed elsewhere. A new feature that is being added is called ‘ Link Game ‘, which allows friends to connect to your PC and play as if they were a ‘second controller’ in any game that supports it. It works for both local and remote online sessions.
The new performance and monitoring software will now read AMD Ryzen CPU metrics. This will allow you to see CPU stuff like frequencies, utilization, or temperature right through the built-in on-screen overlay.
AMD Radeon Boost Variable Rate Shading is being added with this driver. It reduces shading rates in certain areas of the screen during movement. This is in addition to resolution-based Radeon Boost, which basically reduces resolution in the same pattern.
| AMD Radeon Boost supported games | |
|---|---|
| Resolution Based Boost | Variable Rate Shading Boost (Requires Radeon RX 6000 graphics cards) |
| Apex Legends Overwatch PUBG Fortnite Warframe Borderlands 3 Call of Duty: WWII Destiny 2 GTA5 Shadow/Rise of the Tomb Raider Fallout 76 Sniper Elite 4 The Wither 3 | Rise/Shadow of the Tomb Raider Borderland 3 Metro Exodus Fortnite Cyberpunk 2077 Resident Evil 3 COD Modern Warfare 2019 |
Other features of the Adrenalin 21.4.1 include:
- Play ready AV1 hardware DRM enablement (AV1 decode)
- Simplified Recording and Streaming
The new driver can be downloaded from here .