Old AMD Radeon R9-280X prices

[TennesseeTony]

I am looking to sell off most of my AMD GPU's in the coming months and modernize. I was wondering if anyone has any idea why the prices for the now ancient 280X's seem to be INCREASING.

Here's some relevant data from Wikipedia, AMD and Nvidia:

___________Single Precision / Double Precision
280X-...............4096.................1024
290X.................5632....................704
FuryX................8601....................537
GTX970............3494..................109
GTX980.............4612...................144
GTX980Ti...........5632....................176

True, their double precision ability is unmatched. It was originally favored for coin mining, but long since, dedicated miners are far more capable. (disclaimer: The original Titan kills it on paper, regarding DP, but not in practice, and Nvidia's newer drivers practically disable DP)

True, it's still a decent performer, compares well with the GTX970, on paper, and mostly in practice.

Using a R9-280X at 2560x1440, game play is smooth on the games I play. FurMark gets an average of 45FPS at 2560x1440, with the other settings at stock. Considering so many people use 1080P monitors, performance for the 280X is that much better.

But still, it was considered mid-range when released 26 months ago, and has a full 9 AMD cards both newer and faster than it. I've replaced/repaired SIX fans already. EDIT: It's technically a re-badged 7970GHz, released on Jun 22, 2012. //end edit

And prices are going UP?

My 9 cards cost me an average of $130 each, about 15 months ago. A quick look at sold/completed auctions for used cards show many are going for $180! Woot! Gold mine!

I can just see my ad now:

Okay fellas, I rode these cards hard and put them away wet. They have been run at 100% load, 100% fan, at 95C or so for over a year. I've poked, prodded, replaced fans, blown power supplies, you name it, with these things.

Now, who wants to pay me more than I paid for these things!

 

[Rudy Toody]

What are you looking at for the replacements?

I almost got a FuryX last month, but opted for the laptop.

 

[TennesseeTony]

What are you looking at for the replacements?

My electric bill for my first WINTER month was the highest all year. Darn PrimeGrid and FAH races.... Anyway, I seriously need to downsize (was supposed to have done so already, after I built WUSS and BumbleBee). So, I'm going to try and hit 250M on POEM and MW then sell all but two of the 280X's, as those two projects excel with the 280X's.

At that time (Spring) I'll likely part with the 980's and 980 Ti's as well, and make do with basic GPU's and the remaining 280X's until the latest and greatest Nvidia cards hit the shelves in the Summer. Long story short, I'll try and get three of those...assuming they are as great as they're supposed to be and the price is.......budget-able. If not I'll have to go back to 980Ti's.

I'm going to try to reduce my personal fleet down from 12 boxes to 'only' 4, plus a borg'd box, and from 15 GPUs down to 4. Currently, IF they are all running, I'm pulling about 5800watts. :$

I'm trying to get that down to a more sustainable ~1850watts, including the borg'd box, with only a minimal overall performance loss (lots of CPU loss, but possibly offset by the GPU gains). (Yeah, the new cards are supposed to be that good. On paper. )

The energy reduction should pay for 2 of the new cards the first year, depending on the price.

 

[JeffCos]

I'm not interested in the 280x, but let me know when you want to offload those 980s

 

[TennesseeTony]

let me know when you want to offload those 980s

Will do!

 

[waffleironhead]

Those prices are crazy when newegg has new 280x for $200 and $185A/R.

 

[kowalabearhugs]

Those prices are crazy when newegg has new 280x for $200 and $185A/R.

Agreed. Even gpuShack has some refurbished Sapphire 280Xs for $189.99 (included is a two-year warranty).

I'm looking to add another gpu to my 2500k/7970 box, but I'm limited by my 700watt (gold) psu. I'm looking for a gpu that pulls <200watts. None of the processors will be overclocked.

 

[Assimilator1]

Damn! I thought their prices had dropped more recently after the bitcoin (280x/7970) bubble burst!

I might be interested in a an R9 280X (or an HD 7970) as I'm going to be upgrading monitors soon from 19" to 24 or 27" (not sure yet, any suggestions? ), but I think shipping costs from the US would kill the deal anyway .

R9 280X's seem to be going for £120-£140 on ebay here in the UK, with HD 7970's going for £80-£140! wth?? . Looks like that'll be the 1 I'll look out for!
Incase you wondered, I want the DP power of the HD 7970

Btw Tony, did you mean 290X in this last line?
Using a R9-280X at 2560x1440, game play is smooth on the games I play. FurMark gets an average of 45FPS at 2560x1440, with the other settings at stock. Considering so many people use 1080P monitors, performance for the 280X is that much better.

 

[TennesseeTony]

Btw Tony, did you mean 290X in this last line?

Nope, 280X.

 

[kowalabearhugs]

The 280x draws 200-250 watts under load, correct?

I'd probably be on the losing end of any effort to run a 2500k, Sapphire 7970, and 280x on a 700watt gold psu, right?

 

[master_shake_]

I bought 2 xfx 280x for 250 CAD about 6 months ago they were used but basically brand new.

 

[TennesseeTony]

The 280x draws 200-250 watts under load, correct?

I'd probably be on the losing end of any effort to run a 2500k, Sapphire 7970, and 280x on a 700watt gold psu, right?

Buy a "Kill a watt" meter and see where you are now. In my experience, going from GPU idle to GPU at 99% only used 184 watts additional (at the wall it used 216w, est 85% eff 'silver' PSU), but who knows what it uses at idle. The TDP is 250W.

I'm assuming you are overclocking the CPU, so let do a worse case scenario:

CPU/MB/Fans/Drives, etc= 175w max
HD7970 = 250w max
R9-280X = 250w max
675w MAX

The worst case is beyond my comfort level, even for the best quality PSU.

But the best case scenario, 175w for the system, and 220w each GPU= 615w. Depending on the brand of PSU, I'd say go for it in that case. Maybe undo the overclocking to get the system power down by another 25-40w.

First step would be to get a kill a watt meter and see where you are now. Just remember to multiply the amount shown at the meter/plug/wall by whatever % ( Gold= 0.87?) efficiency your PSU is to get what the PSU is actually putting out. 700w at the meter is only 609w from a 87% eff PSU.

I bought 2 xfx 280x for 250 CAD about 6 months ago they were used but basically brand new.

That's a GREAT price! Well done! I always try to buy in pairs, as most people only want one, so there is less bidding.

_

 

[Assimilator1]

Nope, 280X.

Ok, in that case your statement is confusing , much better than what?

Using a R9-280X at 2560x1440, game play is smooth on the games I play. FurMark gets an average of 45FPS at 2560x1440, with the other settings at stock. Considering so many people use 1080P monitors, performance for the 280X is that much better.

 

[TennesseeTony]

Performance, on a 1080P monitor, is that much better, than the performance I am getting at 2560x1440.

 

[Assimilator1]

Ah yea, got ya now, lol :$

I'm about to bid on an Asus HD7970 Direct CU (GPU 1000 MHz), 40mins left & it's at just £76 atm! (there's no photo in his auction, but he's just emailed me photos of it ).