Are you concerned about Microsoft’s infamous creeping feature syndrome? Do graphics-heavy PowerPoint files and endless Excel spreadsheets keep you awake at night?
Well, have no fear, because ATI’s GPUs can help you fight off Office 2010 bloat.
Indeed, according to AMD spokesperson Andrew Dodd, Office 2010 has been virtually “rewired” to exploit the “best piece of hardware” in a computer: the GPU.
“Just as you’d choose a knife to cut a steak but then choose a spoon to eat soup, Office 2010 has the savvy to know that for some tasks, the graphics processor will be more efficient than the CPU at completing it,” Dodd wrote in an official blog post.
“Known as graphics acceleration, this change will mean a faster and more responsive experience when doing everything from animating a PowerPoint to running complex tables in Excel to inserting images in a Word document. If your PC has a GPU that supports Microsoft DirectX9.0 and has 64MB or higher video memory, Office 2010 can perform graphics rendering tasks like transitions in PowerPoint using the GPU instead of the CPU.”
Dodd explained that at least several generations of AMD discrete graphics technology were capable of supporting acceleration in Office 2010, including ATI’s Radeon HD 3000, 4000, 5000, 5400, 5700/HD5600 and 5800 series.
“Graphics acceleration will be more useful than ever because Microsoft has added many cool new capabilities and benefits to up the visual ante of your PowerPoint presentations,” he noted.
“These include new and improved tools for video and photo editing, dramatic new transitions and realistic animations.”
