AMD-Opening the Windows to a new visual experience
I forbindelse med Microsoft lancering af Windows 7 har AMD været på arbejde, men ikke fysisk med et produkt som vi normalt ser det fra dem. Næ denne gang er det faktisk en artikel fra Alberto Bozzo, corporate vice president og EMEA general manager, set konsumentens side. Der bliver kigget på de forskellige aspekter hvor Windows7 spiller en stor rolle, især sammen med de nyeste teknikker som AMD/ATI også har lanceret inden for den seneste periode.
Det er ganske interessant læsning hvis man vel og mærke har interesse for Windows7, men også hvordan de nyeste teknikker fra AMD/ATI fungerer sammen med det nyeste operativ system fra Microsoft.
Opening the Windows to a new visual experience
Microsoft’s new Windows 7 operating system was launched in mid October to great fanfare, and now the dust is settling slightly I thought it worth explaining why I, as a technologist, consumer and beta tester of this operating system, have upgraded.
While multiple benefits abound, there are some particular ways that Windows 7 works on the inside that really stand out for me, such as how the operating system uses hardware acceleration to enable me to get an incredibly rich visual and multimedia experience from my PC. Also, and above all, it helps me achieve things with my PC that have previously either not been possible or at least too time intensive for me to distract myself with.
The content of my PC has certainly changed dramatically over the past decade or so, from text heavy documents and spreadsheets with simple formulae through to graphic-intensive pictures, gaming and applications. So the manufacturers have made sure that these visual elements of a PC are harnessed to offer me an amazingly immersive and emotive experience to help me get as much enjoyment out of my PC as possible, using not just the operating system, but also the hardware and components and in particular the graphics processors (GPU).
Getting Direct about graphics
New technology and development in the GPU and CPU space coupled with the advances in the Windows 7 operating system are designed specifically to take advantage of graphics intensive applications. For example, the advent of DirectX 11 – a new programming interface – has resulted in benefits for me as a gamer, and also for the gaming developers too. Game developers can now use the power of the GPU alongside the CPU – known as multithreading – allowing the two processors to work in sync helping to speed up other applications running behind the graphics as they share the weight of the workload. If for example you’re a racing car addict, but can’t quite afford the latest Ferrari, by having three 30” monitors set up in your ‘command centre’ using DirectX 11 and new technologies such as ATI Eyefinity, you will really feel like you are there on the rally course in Dirt2.* DirectX 11 puts you in the driving seat without having to pay the thousands of pounds for the car. And if you crash the supercar, simply press the restart button to go round the track again.
The enhanced visuals under DirectX 11 don’t stop there; compared to prior versions of DirectX, DirectX 11 has better shadowing abilities, more realistic transparency and more reactive and dynamic environments, which all combine to make a much more compelling gaming experience. Top tier game developers have not been slow to adopt this new technology, with games such as BattleForge, STALKER, Lord of the Rings Online and Aliens vs. Predator, all planned for release just a few months after the Windows 7 launch.
Making things happen
For keen photographers out there, whether professional or amateur like me, manipulating pictures and uploading videos has never been easier and the quality is amazing. Windows 7 helps me to manipulate pictures, for example, to rid photographs of red eye and help me design my image-rich community newsletter by making it faster and less complex to achieve, as this new technology enhances the look and feel of the photos, and also helps increases the speed of any image manipulation.
Solving compatibility challenges
One of my personal frustrations has always been the variety of video file flavours, which often are not compatible with other applications and so a conflict ensues, and my heart rate goes up. With technology touching so much of our lives these days, I need to be able to carry my technology wherever I go, transferring content from one device to another with the minimum of fuss. With Windows 7 and ATI Stream technology I can now transfer videos from HD content over to my media player quickly and easily, just by using the new Drag and Drop application.** So when I’m in a rush at home, about to leave for the airport, I can now quickly and easily transfer a video over to a device that I can carry with me.
Speed and performance are recurring themes of the new operating system and the hardware components built alongside it. Working with more powerful CPU and GPU technology, my PC is not only faster at everyday tasks such as opening and closing applications, but also quicker to boot up and resume from sleep mode. It is little things like this, combined with smooth operation, fast overall performance and the exciting elements that I mentioned above, that are the reasons I’m already using Windows 7.
* Driver version 8.66 (ATI Catalyst 9.10) or above is required to support ATI Eyefinity technology and to enable a third display you require one panel with a DisplayPort connector. ATI Eyefinity technology works with games that support non-standard aspect ratios which is required for panning across three displays.
** Drag and Drop functionality is not compatible with all media players. Please check with your media player manufacturer for more information.
Kategori: Nyheder
