Timed for the release of Windows Vista RC1, ATI's drivers promise new levels of performance and features.

Coinciding with the release of Microsoft Windows Vista Release Candidate 1 (RC1), ATI announced that it is ready for the forthcoming public launch of Microsoft 's operating system, as demonstrated by new Catalyst drivers available now.

ATI's latest drivers for Windows Vista improve on the stability and performance found in previous versions, and introduce new features such as ATI's Powerplay power management technology for improved battery life for mobile platforms.

"With today's release, ATI is demonstrating that its graphics hardware and software are ready to provide the best experience possible for users of Windows Vista," said Mike Sievert, corporate vice president for Windows Client Marketing at Microsoft. "ATI has played an important role to ensure the public can take advantage of extremely stable, feature-rich, high performance drivers that showcase the capabilities of Windows Vista."

ATI's Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) drivers deliver stability and performance in Windows Vista. Using ATI drivers, the full 3D functionality of the Windows Vista desktop user interface known as Windows Aero is unlocked. The new drivers also enable features such as ATI's Powerplay power management technology, designed to optimize battery life for mobile platforms by automatically adjusting the balance between performance and power consumption based on the workload at hand.

Note that the functionality of the Windows Aero interface is dependent on the ATI graphics card you are using. On PCs configured to Microsoft Windows Vista Premium system requirements, certain ATI graphics cards support the Premium Windows Aero User Experience within: Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise.

ATI's latest Catalyst drivers for Microsoft Windows Vista are available for download from the ATI website at www.ati.com.