AMD has changed course on driver support for older Radeon cards, confirming that the RX 5000 and RX 6000 series will continue to receive new features and game optimizations alongside bug fixes and security updates. The clarification comes after release notes for Adrenalin 25.10.2 appeared to drop these RDNA 1 and RDNA 2 GPUs from feature and optimization support, prompting swift backlash from the gaming community.
In a statement shared with Tom’s Hardware, AMD said new features, bug fixes, and game optimizations will continue to be delivered “as required by market needs” within a maintenance mode branch. That language signals ongoing, targeted support rather than a hard stop, which is especially important for owners who purchased RDNA 2 cards as recently as 2023 or have relied on RX 5000 and RX 6000 GPUs released between 2019 and 2022.
The rapid reversal arrived within a day of the initial driver notes, which had clearly excluded these product families from receiving new features and optimizations. The updated stance eases concerns that millions of users would be left without day-0 game updates or meaningful feature improvements.
AMD also addressed a separate concern regarding the RX 7900 XTX and its USB-C Power Delivery functionality. Contrary to reports suggesting the USB Type-C port might be disabled, the company told TechPowerUp that the Adrenalin 25.10.2 release notes contained misinformation that has since been corrected. There is no change to USB-C functionality on RX 7900 series GPUs, and the erroneous line has been removed from the notes.
What this means for Radeon owners:
– RX 5000 and RX 6000 users should continue receiving relevant new features and optimizations, along with ongoing bug fixes and security updates.
– Expect a maintenance mode cadence, where AMD prioritizes updates based on market needs and major game releases.
– RX 7900 series owners can rest assured that USB-C functionality remains fully intact.
Bottom line: AMD heard the community and is committing to continued, meaningful support for RDNA 1 and RDNA 2 graphics cards. Keep an eye on upcoming Adrenalin driver releases, as the company has indicated it will deliver new features and game optimizations where it makes sense, rather than ending support prematurely.
