R9 290 *Complete* review list

[SimianR]

At $400 this card isn't really even competing with the 780 - its in the 770 4GB price bracket. Most reviews seemed to be comparing it with the 780 and then in the conclusion are slamming it because of the noise/fanspeed required for it to beat the 780. In reality if you decided to tune the fan down to 40% or perhaps a bit lower you'd have a card thats faster than the 770 - but close to the 780 and at $400.

 

[Erenhardt]

LOL talk about killing your own high end card.

290X is pretty much useless now. Within 5% of 290X performance, but $150 less.
Good work AMD :thumbsup:

Yep! Amazing stuff from AMD. I would love to see lower end to follow. 7970 is 25% less expensive for 25% less performance. I'm sure everyone would be happy with a little adjustment to 280x 270x and 260x

 

[akahoovy]

Incredible performance/$, kinda reminds of the 8800GT and the HD4870. Toms Hardware replaced the stock cooler with an Arctic Accelero Xtreme III:

www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-r9-290-review-benchmark,3659-19.html

Oh man... Do I wait for non-reference cards or just order 2 cards and 2 of these coolers and mod it now myself?

edit: Guess I won't. Seems the Acceleros put the price likely way above the cost of aftermarket cards.

 

[GaiaHunter]

Actually it's a logarithmic scale and every 3db is roughly twice the volume, so it's more like 100 FPS vs 1600 FPS.

It is twice the air pressure for 3 dB but around 10dB for twice the volume.

 

[mindbomb]

i want a gcn card because I'm sold on mantle, but I really don't care for the 290.
It uses more power than a 290x (whose power usage I was already uncomfortable with) but delivers worse performance.

when you consider how much more power it uses than a cheaper gtx 770, I don't think it's performance is high enough.

 

[railven]

AMD keeps delivering with price / performance only to fall flat on their face in acoustics/temperatures. Woof. I can overlook the power draw if the noise weren't blowing my ears.

I'm even looking into something like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1Rj3HuG2Sg

I got an H50 on a shelf gathering dust.

 

[Golgatha]

It is twice the air pressure for 3 dB but around 10dB for twice the volume.

Ok, fair enough. In perceived loudness, 10db would be more accurate.

 

[blackened23]

AMD keeps delivering with price / performance only to fall flat on their face in acoustics/temperatures. Woof. I can overlook the power draw if the noise weren't blowing my ears.

I'm even looking into something like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1Rj3HuG2Sg

I got an H50 on a shelf gathering dust.

From what I gather, the 7970 fan is identical to the 290X/290 fan in terms of noise. The key difference being that you need 45%+ fan to get better performance, which is obviously not quiet - you never had to go that high on the 7970 but you'll want to with the 290/X for better performance. Anyway, you basically know what to expect...not that it's good or anything.

I agree about the acoustics though. I mean, all these threads complaining about the very same thing, you'd think that the designers at AMD would have enough sense to either 1) design a better blower or 2) have aftermarket cards available on day one. Apparently not, though? I'm scratching my head as to why AMD cheaped out so badly on the cooler. I mean, the card has potential to be 5 star out of 5 star and in terms of price/performance it is, if you don't mind compromising on the cooler somewhat. While the 290 performs disgustingly well at 47%+, it just really is confusing..... I don't get what AMD's thought process was for going so cheap on the cooler.

 

[moonbogg]

Pretty much the only thing they can do is drop the price of the 780. I can't see a 770ti or similar coming in.

I am glad I waited for this though. I had a feeling the 290 would be good, but no idea it would be this good. I am going to be getting one and putting it under water. The OC should put it at 290x performance, and looking at the 1080p performance, I should have no problems with just 1. Although, having a 120hz might entice me to go for 2 so I can get above 60FPS in everything.

Exactly. Its not like we need two cards for 1080p, but the idea for me is to have enough GPU headroom to where the CPU can just do its thing, letting it run full throttle to feed the 120hz as much as it can.
I'll hang on a little while to observe the fallout from this little $400 bomb AMD just dropped.

 

[railven]

From what I gather, the 7970 fan is identical to the 290X/290 fan in terms of noise. The key difference being that you need 45%+ fan to get better performance, which is obviously not quiet - you never had to go that high on the 7970 but you'll want to with the 290/X for better performance. Anyway, you basically know what to expect...not that it's good or anything.

I agree about the acoustics though. I mean, all these threads complaining about the very same thing, you'd think that the designers at AMD would have enough sense to either 1) design a better blower or 2) have aftermarket cards available on day one. Apparently not, though? I'm scratching my head as to why AMD cheaped out so badly on the cooler. I mean, the card has potential to be 5 star out of 5 star and in terms of price/performance it is, if you don't mind compromising on the cooler somewhat. While the 290 performs disgustingly well at 47%+, it just really is confusing..... I don't get what AMD's thought process was for going so cheap on the cooler.

Yeah, definitely. With the HD 7970 bringing the fan to 45% increased a nice OC performance, with R2 290 it's mandatory.

Perhaps it was a timing issue? Still no word from custom cards. Which sucks...

 

[crisium]

This card will be amazing with non reference coolers, as Tom's HW shows. Only those with good noise dampening cases will want to tread on reference though.

 

[chimaxi83]

My 290X is in the process of being sold, and two 290s are in the process of coming into my possession

 

[Crap Daddy]

I agree about the acoustics though. I mean, all these threads complaining about the very same thing, you'd think that the designers at AMD would have enough sense to either 1) design a better blower or 2) have aftermarket cards available on day one. Apparently not, though? I'm scratching my head as to why AMD cheaped out so badly on the cooler. I mean, the card has potential to be 5 star out of 5 star and in terms of price/performance it is, if you don't mind compromising on the cooler somewhat. While the 290 performs disgustingly well at 47%+, it just really is confusing..... I don't get what AMD's thought process was for going so cheap on the cooler.

It's rather simple really. This card is not a $400 card. Unless your're deaf or your PC is in the other room, it can't be used to give you the advertised performance due to the noise. So you'll have to invest in a cooler which will bring the cost of the card closer to $500 than the MSRP (while voiding your warranty). Taken these into consideration an aftermarket overclocked $780 doesn't look that bad at $515.

 

[Grooveriding]

It's rather simple really.

No, it's really not.

 

[ams23]

It's rather simple really. This card is not a $400 card. Unless your're deaf or your PC is in the other room, it can't be used to give you the advertised performance due to the noise. So you'll have to invest in a cooler which will bring the cost of the card closer to $500 than the MSRP (while voiding your warranty). Taken these into consideration an aftermarket overclocked $780 doesn't look that bad at $515.

True, and in an unprecedented move from NVIDIA for this holiday season, they are bundling three free AAA games too. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and Batman: Arkham Origins alone both sell for $60 each and are brand new games. So with the noise/fan speed/heat situation and lack of free game bundle on R9 290 cards, AMD vs. NVIDIA comparisons on perf. and price are very much apples to oranges right now.

 

[Teizo]

AMD keeps delivering with price / performance only to fall flat on their face in acoustics/temperatures. Woof. I can overlook the power draw if the noise weren't blowing my ears.

I'm even looking into something like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1Rj3HuG2Sg

I got an H50 on a shelf gathering dust.

That's a really cool idea. Problem is though that the pcb/memory will likely get very hot from the power draw.

It really needs a complete water block imho. Otherwise, that is a really cool concept.

My 290X is in the process of being sold, and two 290s are in the process of coming into my possession

Let us know if the boxes come with a warning about possible hearing loss

/just kidding

 

[blackened23]

Yeah I gotta thank NV for that game bundle. People on H/OCN have been selling all 3 of those games for 40-50$ total for all 3 games. Massive price depreciation since everyone and their brother is selling that crap, and the price depreciation is getting worse. I bought tall 3 of those for 40$ total after negotiating with a guy on H. ~13$ a game, 40$ for 3 games, not too bad. I could have waited for a steam sale, but screw it. 40$ for 3 games, too hard to pass up.

One things for sure. Nobody in their right mind is going to buy those games at MSRP. Not awfully dissimilar to the massive price depreciation that the never settle bundle had.

 

[smackababy]

So, for the price of the 290 and a waterblock, I can still snag all 3 of those games for less than MSRP of a 290x. Sounds like a plan!

 

[chimaxi83]

True, and in an unprecedented move from NVIDIA for this holiday season, they are bundling three free AAA games too. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and Batman: Arkham Origins alone both sell for $60 each and are brand new games. So with the noise/fan speed/heat situation and lack of free game bundle on R9 290 cards, AMD vs. NVIDIA comparisons on perf. and price are very much apples to oranges right now.

Since you're pointing out the games, I bought a steam code for Batman AO on launch day for $20, and for AC IV on launch day for $24. Many of us here do that. Free games are nice, but let's not inflate the value to make our favorite company look better.

 

[blackened23]

Since you're pointing out the games, I bought a steam code for Batman AO on launch day for $20, and for AC IV on launch day for $24. Many of us here do that. Free games are nice, but let's not inflate the value to make our favorite company look better.

When did you buy? They're depreciating massively by the day since everyone is selling them. I think it's silly to even suggest taking them at MSRP value as AMS suggested. PC gaming is based around steam sales/amazon sales and buying game codes for far cheaper than MSRP - that's the entire reason PC gaming is a "thing" for people with high end PCs. The games are cheaper than console games if you know when and where to buy.

Heck, i'm pretty sure I bought crysis 3 for 10$ or something from some guy selling his Never Settle. Gotta love these game bundles that AMD and Nvidia have, it's guaranteed price depreciation. I gotta admit, though, I was hoping that BF4 would be part of never settle. I was hoping to snag that for 15$ like all of these other game bundle games. Sadly, BF4 doesn't appear to be part of never settle and I had to pay full price. Oh well.

 

[rtsurfer]

It's rather simple really. This card is not a $400 card. Unless your're deaf or your PC is in the other room, it can't be used to give you the advertised performance due to the noise. So you'll have to invest in a cooler which will bring the cost of the card closer to $500 than the MSRP (while voiding your warranty). Taken these into consideration an aftermarket overclocked $780 doesn't look that bad at $515.

You really do live up to your username, don't you.

Warning issued for thread crapping.
-- stahlhart

 

[blackened23]

It's rather simple really. This card is not a $400 card. Unless your're deaf or your PC is in the other room, it can't be used to give you the advertised performance due to the noise. So you'll have to invest in a cooler which will bring the cost of the card closer to $500 than the MSRP (while voiding your warranty). Taken these into consideration an aftermarket overclocked $780 doesn't look that bad at $515.

I dunno man. 115$ is a rather massive price difference and the 3 game bundle has depreciated so much that it doesn't even make an appreciable difference really. You are exaggerating about the noise and the need to use a 3rd party cooler, but I do completely agree about the cooler being sub par on the 290. AMD should have improved it relative to the 7970 cooler and I don't know why they didn't. It's a real head scratcher for sure - Although at 400$ i'm pretty sure that a lot of people will buy it regardless of the cooler.

I still cannot get over how AMD could have prevented 99% of the complaints about the 290 and 290X. Sure, some people don't care but with NV doing so well acoustically with the titan shroud - AMD should have stepped up their game! Oh well.

 

[OCGuy]

The scandal that Toms exposed is huge....I recommend everyone considering a 290x or 290 read it. It is spreading now that two major review sites have called these cards into question.

 

[smackababy]

The scandal that Toms exposed is huge....I recommend everyone considering a 290x or 290 read it. It is spreading now that two major review sites have called these cards into question.

And you don't provide a link? Thanks Obama!

 

[blackened23]

It's page 2 of their 290 review. Essentially a newegg bought 290X had performance anomalies. OCguy calls it a scandal - but in the story, AMD said the board was defective. The TH review compares all 3.