AMD has congratulated Microsoft on the official launch of its long-awaited Windows 7 operating system. According to AMD spokesperson Margaret Lewis, the two industry heavyweights “closely collaborated” on the optimization of both hardware and software for the new OS.
“There are three major areas that AMD closely collaborated with Microsoft to optimize our products for Windows 7,” Lewis told TG Daily. “Graphics, virtualization, and power management.”
Lewis explained that AMD had worked with Microsoft to accelerate the performance of various graphic platforms.
“We wanted to ensure the best possible experience for the consumer market,” said Lewis. “For example, DirectX 11 is one area where the AMD processor will really shine. Our DirectX 11 capabilities will accelerate the visual computing experience for both gaming environments and professional 3D digital content creation.”
Lewis noted that AMD and Microsoft had also cooperated in designing processors to support the advanced virtualization options offered in Windows 7.
“Windows 7 includes an advanced XP virtualization mode, which allows users to safely run XP applications in a virtual compartment,” said Lewis.
“Although this feature was originally targeted at small and medium businesses, I believe that it can be appreciated by all users interested in running programs that are no longer updated for future versions of Windows. XP has been around for a long time and there is a lot of older software. AMD’s processors and Mircosoft Windows 7 will help prevent a repeat of the transition from 3.1 to 95.”
Lewis added that reducing power consumption was a top priority for both Microsoft and AMD.
“We continue to work hard on designing processors and platforms that consume less power. This manifests itself in various ways, from extending laptop battery life to manufacturing cool and quiet desktops.”
However, Lewis emphasized that AMD remained dedicated to developing hardware that runs in various software environments, including OS X and Linux.
“We are all about giving users the choice of what operating system to run. That is why we are a major participant in OpenCL. We also contribute to open source Linux projects and work with the Java community.”
