A RX 7900 Rocky Driver Launch with Significant Changes
AMD’s latest graphics driver release, version 25.10.2, has arrived with more than just the usual game optimizations. The update began on a confusing note when the wrong driver version was initially uploaded, but the corrected release has introduced two major changes that are causing concern among the Radeon community. These changes affect both the functionality of current-generation cards and the software support for older ones.
The alterations signal a shift in how AMD is managing its driver package, which has now grown to a substantial 1.56 GB. For users, this means some are losing a convenient hardware feature, while others may be getting left behind on day-one game performance updates.
Goodbye to USB-C Power Delivery on RX 7900 Cards
One of the most direct changes is the disabling of USB-C power output on Radeon RX 7900 series graphics cards. This feature was primarily found on AMD’s own reference design models and allowed the GPU’s USB-C port to charge devices like phones or power compatible monitors directly.
In the release notes, AMD simply states that “USB-C power charging has been disabled.” The port will still work for DisplayPort video output, but it will no longer provide any electrical power. For users who relied on this feature, AMD’s official recommendation is to roll back to a driver from March 2024 (version 25.3.1) if they wish to keep it.
The company has not provided a reason for this change. However, with the new RX 9000 series cards lacking a USB-C port entirely, it is likely a move to simplify the driver code by removing support for a feature that is being phased out of their product lineup.
A New “Two-Tier” System for Game Optimizations
Perhaps the more impactful long-term change is how game support is now being handled. The latest driver explicitly states that “New Game Support” is now only available for Radeon RX 7000 and RX 9000 series graphics products.
This is because the new combined driver package contains two separate branches within a single installer: one for the newest architectures (RX 7000/9000) and another for older RDNA 2 and RDNA 1 GPUs (RX 6000/5000 series). This means that while all supported cards get crucial security and stability fixes, the performance optimizations for brand-new game releases will be reserved for the latest hardware.
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This creates a clear divide. Owners of still-powerful and popular cards like the RX 6000 series will no longer receive the fine-tuned drivers that often provide significant frame rate boosts when a new game launches. This move has surprised many, especially when compared to NVIDIA, which continues to provide game-ready drivers for much older GPU architectures in a single, smaller driver package.