R9 290 *Complete* review list

[Zanovar]

Well, I bought one.

:|

Enjoy

 

[Gloomy]

Enjoy

Thanks. I was debating a second, but I think I'll upgrade my PSU, CPU, and mobo on black friday instead, then pick the second one up once they're closer to 300 dollars; don't feel comfortable with two on my 700w PSU.

I'm not too excited over the cooler now that I've given it much thought, read overclocking stories etc. I doubt that non-reference boards will do better, the bottleneck on these is definitely cooling.

And if that's the case I can always pick up a GELID Icy Vision, and it will cost the same as non-reference.

My HD6950 served me well, but it runs like a dog at 2560x1440 nowadays. I'm not waiting two months just to play BF4, get out of here...

 

[Zanovar]

Thanks. I was debating a second, but I think I'll upgrade my PSU, CPU, and mobo on black friday instead, then pick the second one up once they're closer to 300 dollars; don't feel comfortable with two on my 700w PSU.

I'm not too excited over the cooler now that I've given it much thought, read overclocking stories etc. I doubt that non-reference boards will do better, the bottleneck on these is definitely cooling.

And if that's the case I can always pick up a GELID Icy Vision, and it will cost the same as non-reference.

My HD6950 served me well, but it runs like a dog at 2560x1440 nowadays. I'm not waiting two months just to play BF4, get out of here...

bit of an upgrade over a 6950 *winks*Would like to hear the clocks you are getting Gloomy

 

[rtsurfer]

I had question.

How big of a PSU would I require to run 2 R9 290s OCed in crossfire with an overclocked i7..??

Would 850W be enough..??

 

[chimaxi83]

I had question.

How big of a PSU would I require yo run 2 R9 290s OCed in crossfire with an overclocked i7..??

Would 850W be enough..??

With My OC 3770K and two OC 290s, I'm running roughly 750W. Average OC on CPU, and the cards are at 1150/1500 with +50mV in afterburner. It's also all water cooled. Same setup on air was pulling around 850-900W with both cards at 94C.

 

[smackababy]

With My OC 3770K and two OC 290s, I'm running roughly 750W. Average OC on CPU, and the cards are at 1150/1500 with +50mV in afterburner. It's also all water cooled. Same setup on air was pulling around 850-900W with both cards at 94C.

So, the fans pull a lot more power than a pump? That is strange. How many rads do you have for those and how are you deltas? I will be getting all my parts together this weekend and watercooling mine. Just curious.

 

[rtsurfer]

With My OC 3770K and two OC 290s, I'm running roughly 750W. Average OC on CPU, and the cards are at 1150/1500 with +50mV in afterburner. It's also all water cooled. Same setup on air was pulling around 850-900W with both cards at 94C.

Damn...

Plus these expensive PSUs are not making my life easier..

Anyways, your input is appreciated.

 

[parvadomus]

So, the fans pull a lot more power than a pump? That is strange. How many rads do you have for those and how are you deltas? I will be getting all my parts together this weekend and watercooling mine. Just curious.

The cooler the chips run, the more efficient they become. It has been proven that 290X with a better cooler consumes around ~40/50watts less.
Read this examples:
Link
Link

 

[chimaxi83]

So, the fans pull a lot more power than a pump? That is strange. How many rads do you have for those and how are you deltas? I will be getting all my parts together this weekend and watercooling mine. Just curious.

I'm not sure it's the fans. I think it's just the much higher temps causing a slightly higher power draw. I could be completely wrong though. Also, two fans at 100% were drawing 50-60W combined I believe, so a little savings there. My D5 at full power is drawing around 25-30W.

I have an AX360 and an AX240, both with push/pull. I have a water temp sensor on the way, so I don't know my delta just yet. I'd imagine it's pretty decent though. Overclocked and overvolted, both cards max out around 45C, VRMs around 50C.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

With My OC 3770K and two OC 290s, I'm running roughly 750W. Average OC on CPU, and the cards are at 1150/1500 with +50mV in afterburner. It's also all water cooled. Same setup on air was pulling around 850-900W with both cards at 94C.

What program are you getting that reading from?


What are you peaking at in Valley, if you don't mind my asking?

 

[SlowSpyder]

So, the fans pull a lot more power than a pump? That is strange. How many rads do you have for those and how are you deltas? I will be getting all my parts together this weekend and watercooling mine. Just curious.

If I remember correctly, when the Hawaii GPU was cooled down with an aftermarket cooler and ran at otherwise factory settings, it used 30 watts less. The warmer they run the more power they take. I didn't realize it was that substantial of a power savings, I want to say the GPU in question ran at ~65C. I'll see if I can dig up the information, I think someone posted it in an article from Tom's.

 

[chimaxi83]

What program are you getting that reading from?


What are you peaking at in Valley, if you don't mind my asking?

My power usage reading? I'm using a Kill-a-Watt. I haven't run Valley yet, but I will later tonight and post my peak here. I've only been doing 3DMark13/11, BF4, and WoT.

 

[el etro]

My power usage reading? I'm using a Kill-a-Watt. I haven't run Valley yet, but I will later tonight and post my peak here. I've only been doing 3DMark13/11, BF4, and WoT.

If its not Kill-a-Watt then is not then the Amperage/Wattage needed from the Computer to the PSU is even more low. Kwnowing is overclocked this is very good results, No?

 

[chimaxi83]

If its not Kill-a-Watt then is not then the Amperage/Wattage needed from the Computer to the PSU is even more low. Kwnowing is overclocked this is very good results, No?

The power usage isn't insane. Not much voltage I'm giving the cards though

Yes accounting for PSU efficiency, I'm probably using about 90% of what my Kill-a-Watt shows.

 

[3DVagabond]

I had question.

How big of a PSU would I require to run 2 R9 290s OCed in crossfire with an overclocked i7..??

Would 850W be enough..??

Which 850W PSU? If it's a good one, no problem. If it's one that they got the rating by adding the OCP together on all of the rails (I kid you not. This is the way some crap PSU's get their rating.), then no.

 

[rtsurfer]

Which 850W PSU? If it's a good one, no problem. If it's one that they got the rating by adding the OCP together on all of the rails (I kid you not. This is the way some crap PSU's get their rating.), then no.

Corsair HX850.

I think it can be considered a good PSU.

 

[3DVagabond]

Corsair HX850.

I think it can be considered a good PSU.

Yeap. It's a good PSU and will operate as advertised.

 

[SolMiester]

With My OC 3770K and two OC 290s, I'm running roughly 750W. Average OC on CPU, and the cards are at 1150/1500 with +50mV in afterburner. It's also all water cooled. Same setup on air was pulling around 850-900W with both cards at 94C.

Thats quite a difference, whats the loop cost for the GPUs?

 

[smackababy]

Thats quite a difference, whats the loop cost for the GPUs?

If you are doing a proper look, a few hundred bucks for just a single GPU.

GPU block: $125
Radiator: $100 for a 120x3, you could probably get away with a 120x2, but I wouldn't.
Pump: $80
Res: $50
Tubing / barbs: $40

Adding another GPU would mean more radiator space (figure around 125w for each 120x1) and a block plus a few dollars in barbs.

 

[blackened23]

Thats quite a difference, whats the loop cost for the GPUs?

A custom loop can cost very little or an infinitely high amount of $. Those who water cool generally water cool everything in their system, though, it isn't only for GPUs. I'd say 400$ for a full custom loop with a 360 rad is generally a good starting point, which will cover both CPUs and a GPU.

It also isn't cheap if you do it right - but once you water cool, you don't go back, generally speaking. So you basically enter every GPU purchase with the pre-decision to get a water block most of the time.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

My power usage reading? I'm using a Kill-a-Watt. I haven't run Valley yet, but I will later tonight and post my peak here. I've only been doing 3DMark13/11, BF4, and WoT.

No I meant what games/programs, but you answered that anyways :thumbsup:

 

[el etro]

If its not Kill-a-Watt then is not then the Amperage/Wattage needed from the Computer to the PSU is even more low. Kwnowing is overclocked this is very good results, No?

This is clearing the doubts and revealing the potential of the future aftermarket 290s and dual-Hawaii card.

 

[chimaxi83]

Thats quite a difference, whats the loop cost for the GPUs?

For my particular loop:

Kit consisting of XSPC Raystorm/D5 pump/Bay res/AX360 radiator - $259
AX240 radiator - $69
2x EK 290 full cover blocks with backplates - $260
Misc tubing/compression fittings/fans - $50

The nice thing is that if I want to dump the cards and blocks, that's relatively easy, and I can drop in a new card/block combo.

 

[SolMiester]

Thats a sweet looking rig chimaxi83...still $638 over and above your GPUs?...what does that put the perf/$ at?

 

[3DVagabond]

Thats a sweet looking rig chimaxi83...still $638 over and above your GPUs?...what does that put the perf/$ at?

That's cooling for his entire rig, not just the GPU's. Besides, since when has water cooling been about perf/$?