AMD ensures day one Linux support with the Radeon VII

AMD unveiled its new Radeon VII graphics card earlier this month, pegged for release on February 7, 2019. Not only has the company reassured fans that that it expects the supply to “meet demand from gamers,” it will also feature plug-and-play Linux support from day one.

Linux users were initially left in the dark with some of AMD’s previous graphics cards, as the Radeon RX 590 launched in November without support for the operating system. This was reportedly due to last minute vBIOS changes that were retroactively fixed with new drivers after several frustrating weeks without Linux compatibility.

Things are set to be different with the Radeon VII, which is confirmed to support Linux straight out of the box, according to an interview with Forbes. This means that Linux users will be able to take advantage of the touted 25-percent more performance than the Vega 64 and 16GB of HBM video memory with next to no trouble.

Although Linux still falls second to Windows when it comes to gaming, the operating system has gained popularity in recent years thanks to the on-going support from Valve and its Steam Play feature. Now all users will have access to the Nvidia RTX 2080 competitor that will supposedly achieve a consistent 4K/60 FPS in games like Battlefield V.

AMD’s Radeon VII costs $699, with its pre-order incentive offering up Devil May Cry V, The Division 2 and the Resident Evil 2 remake if purchased before its February 7 release date.

KitGuru Says: It’s good to see Linux users catch a break after years of inconsistent launch support, and credit to AMD for making it happen. Hopefully this sets a new standard moving forward.

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