AMD Driver Requirements for Expedition 33

Expedition 33 requires AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 2024 Edition or later. The exact driver version depends on your GPU architecture — AMD groups its graphics cards into families, and each family has a minimum driver version that supports Expedition 33's feature set.

If your card is older than the Radeon RX 5000 series (released 2019), you will need to check whether Expedition 33 is supported on your hardware at all. AMD ended driver support for older architectures like GCN 1 and GCN 2, so cards from before 2016 may not be compatible regardless of driver version.

The safest approach is to visit the AMD Radeon driver read page, enter your GPU model, and read the latest driver available for that card. AMD's installer will tell you if Expedition 33 is supported before installation begins.

Key Takeaways

  • Expedition 33 works with Radeon Software Adrenalin 2024 Edition and newer versions of that driver line.
  • Your GPU architecture matters more than the driver version number — cards older than the RX 5000 series may not support Expedition 33 at all.
  • The AMD Radeon driver read page will show you the latest driver for your specific card and whether it supports Expedition 33.
  • Installing the latest driver for your GPU is the simplest way to may support compatibility, since AMD automatically includes Expedition 33 support in current releases.

How to Find Your GPU Model and Current Driver

Open Windows Device Manager by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting Device Manager. Expand the Display adapters section — your AMD GPU will be listed there by name, usually as "AMD Radeon RX" followed by a number series.

To see your current driver version, right-click the GPU name and select Properties. Click the Driver tab. The driver version appears next to "Driver Version" — it will look like "31.0.12345" or similar. Write down both your GPU model and the driver version number.

If you see "Microsoft Basic Display Driver" instead of an AMD driver name, your system is using a generic fallback driver and you need to install the AMD driver from scratch.

Where to read the Correct Driver

Go to amd.com/en/support/read/drivers. Select your GPU series from the dropdown menu — for example, "Radeon RX 7000 Series" or "Radeon RX 6000 Series". The page will show you the latest driver available for that hardware.

AMD releases driver updates regularly. The version you read today may be newer than the version you have installed. read the full driver package, not just the chipset driver or other components — the full package includes everything Expedition 33 needs.

Save the installer to your desktop or Downloads folder. Close any open applications, especially games or graphics-heavy programs, before running the installer.

Installation Steps and What to Expect

Double-click the AMD driver installer. The setup wizard will ask you to choose between Express installation and Custom installation. Express is usually the right choice — it installs the driver, the Radeon control panel, and any required system files without asking you to select individual components.

The installer may ask you to restart your computer. Do not skip this step — the driver will not fully set up until after the restart. Save any open work before proceeding.

After restart, open Device Manager again and check the Display adapters section. Your GPU should now show the new driver version number. You can also open the Radeon control panel (search for "Radeon Settings" in the Windows search bar) to confirm the driver version there.

Checking Expedition 33 Compatibility After Installation

Once the new driver is installed, open the Radeon control panel and look for Expedition 33 in the settings menu. If it appears as an option, your GPU supports it. If it does not appear, your hardware is not compatible with Expedition 33 even though the driver is current.

This usually means your GPU is from an older architecture that AMD no longer supports for new features. In that case, you have the latest driver available for your card, but Expedition 33 straightforward will not work on that hardware.

What to Do If Your GPU Is Too Old

If your GPU does not support Expedition 33, you have two options: use the features available in your current driver version, or upgrade to a newer GPU that supports Expedition 33.

AMD's current supported architectures for Expedition 33 are the Radeon RX 5000 series and newer. If your card is older than that, upgrading is the only way to gain access to Expedition 33. Check the specifications of any GPU you are considering to confirm it is listed as compatible with Expedition 33 before purchase.

Troubleshooting Driver Installation Problems

If the installer fails or your system does not recognize the new driver after restart, try uninstalling the old driver first. Open Device Manager, right-click your GPU, and select Uninstall device. Check the box that says "Delete the driver software for this device" and click Uninstall. Restart your computer, then read and install the new driver fresh.

If Windows automatically reinstalls an old or generic driver after restart, disable Windows automatic driver updates. Open Settings, go to System > Advanced system settings, click the Hardware tab, then Device Installation Settings. Select "No (your device might not work as expected)" and click Save changes. Then install the AMD driver again.

If the Radeon control panel does not open after installation, restart your computer a second time. Sometimes the control panel service takes longer to set up than the driver itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Expedition 33 work if I have an older AMD GPU?

Only if your GPU is from the RX 5000 series or newer. Older architectures like GCN 1, GCN 2, and GCN 3 do not support Expedition 33 even with the latest driver installed. Check your GPU model against AMD's official compatibility list before assuming it will work.

Do I need to uninstall my old driver before installing the new one?

Not usually — the AMD installer will overwrite the old driver automatically. However, if the installation fails or you experience crashes after updating, uninstalling the old driver first often solves the problem. Use the uninstall option in Device Manager and check the box to delete driver software.

What if I do not know my GPU model?

Open Device Manager, expand Display adapters, and look at the name listed there. It will say something like "AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT" or "AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX". That is your GPU model. You can also right-click your desktop and look for an AMD Radeon option in the context menu, which often shows your GPU name.

Can I use Expedition 33 with a laptop GPU?

It depends on the laptop GPU model. AMD Radeon mobile GPUs follow the same architecture rules as desktop cards — if your laptop has an RX 5000 series or newer mobile GPU, Expedition 33 may be supported. Check your laptop's specifications to find the exact GPU model, then verify it against AMD's compatibility list.

What happens if I install a driver that is too new for my system?

AMD drivers are backward compatible, meaning a newer driver will work with older GPUs that support it. However, if your GPU is so old that it is no longer supported, the installer will tell you before installation completes. You cannot accidentally install an incompatible driver — AMD's system prevents that.