Which should be my next card for 1080p gaming at min 60 fps?

[im-different]

Yeah, if you're not doing any substantial overclocks, it should be fine.

 

[GammaLazer]

Thanks so much guys! Received my R9 390X and would be assembling it tomorrow!

 

[Elfear]

Yeah, if you're not doing any substantial overclocks, it should be fine.

Even with a decent overclock he'd be fine on a 600W Corsair. My 290@1285/1400 pulled ~520W at the wall with 1.35V.

 

[GammaLazer]

I was wondering how do you find out, how much Wattage is PC pulling out of wall socket!

 

[MTDEW]

I was wondering how do you find out, how much Wattage is PC pulling out of wall socket!

You use something like this.
KILL-A-WATT

 

[tweakboy]

Yes , good setup.. wait a little for Skylake
gl

 

[GammaLazer]

Hey everyone! So I received my Asus DCIII 390X three days back. Its running well. But the issue that is disturbing me is its high temperatures.
Ambient: 30-33 C
Idle: 40 C
Browsing: 55 C
GTA V (Very High): Upto 85 - 89C
Skyrim (Ultra + mods): 82 C

Are these normal temperatures or should I send it back?

 

[Techhog]

Hey everyone! So I received my Asus DCIII 390X three days back. Its running well. But the issue that is disturbing me is its high temperatures.
Ambient: 30-33 C
Idle: 40 C
Browsing: 55 C
GTA V (Very High): Upto 85 - 89C
Skyrim (Ultra + mods): 82 C

Are these normal temperatures or should I send it back?

Those temperatures are high, but safe. What case do you have?

EDIT: Those are normal temps for that card. Asus coolers have sucked recently...

 

[96Firebird]

Those are normal temps for that card, it isn't the coolest running card out there...

86°C @ HardOCP

89°C @ HotHardware

87°C @ OCaholic

84°C @ KitGuru

87°C @ Guru3D

So while those temps are higher than others, the card shouldn't throttle until hitting 94°C. So you have a bit of headroom. Idle temps are high because the card turns off the fans until 60°C (I think, or somewhere around there). If you don't like this, or if you want a lower gaming temperature, you can create a custom fan profile in a program like MSI Afterburner.

In the end, those temperatures are normal for that card.

 

[Seba]

You have high ambient temperatures. The results you see in reviews are usually below 25 degrees Celsius ambient temperature and frequently on a test bench (not with the components in a case).

 

[GammaLazer]

Thanks so much for the reply!

I have a CM HAF 912 case with setup as in the diagram below:

I have already created a fan profile, but still idle touch 40 and 55 on browsing.

So whats the point of having these High End Cards if I have to play games with a fear of card damage or burst through heat, while keeping one eye on the temperatures.

EDIT: I have even tried beta and non versions of the drivers. I also contacted the Asus chat support and they told me that this is not normal to have this high temperatures on card and I should return it to the seller. I don't know how much technical knowledge do they have!

 

[RussianSensation]

So whats the point of having these High End Cards if I have to play games with a fear of card damage or burst through heat, while keeping one eye on the temperatures.

You won't damage the card for 2 reasons:

1) The point at which the GPU will be damaged is higher than 95C on the 390. The card shouldn't even start throttling until it reaches 95C. We can't compare different ASICs and their operating temperatures directly. For example, Intel CPUs can easily operate at 95C and some series don't start throttling until 100C but AMD's FX CPUs cannot.

NV's GTX280 is rated at 105C, GTX680 can handle 98C, GTX580 can do 97C, 780Ti can handle 95C, 980Ti is rated at 92C, etc.

Most people freak out about temperatures because there are a lot of lies/myths spread online about them and these myths persist.

2) Most GPUs today are so advanced that they have thermal throttling sensors that will prevent damage to the GPU itself.

Your operating temperatures are actually normal for the Asus R9 390X Strix because Asus decided to cut costs and never designed a copper block that allows for universal/proper contact with all of the heatpipes on the die.

So the problem here is 100% Asus's heatsink implementation. Companies that designed the cooler properly do not have these issues on the 390X.

It's not your fault of course but it's incredible how engineers (or bean counters) go forward with production of a $300-400 graphics card and make such mistakes.

 

[GammaLazer]

You won't damage the card for 2 reasons:

1) The point at which the GPU will be damaged is higher than 95C on the 390. The card shouldn't even start throttling until it reaches 95C. We can't compare different ASICs and their operating temperatures directly. For example, Intel CPUs can easily operate at 95C and some series don't start throttling until 100C but AMD's FX CPUs cannot.

NV's GTX280 is rated at 105C, GTX680 can handle 98C, GTX580 can do 97C, 780Ti can handle 95C, 980Ti is rated at 92C, etc.

Most people freak out about temperatures because there are a lot of lies/myths spread online about them and these myths persist.

2) Most GPUs today are so advanced that they have thermal throttling sensors that will prevent damage to the GPU itself.

Your operating temperatures are actually normal for the Asus R9 390X Stirx because Asus decided to cut costs and never designed a copper block that allows for universal/proper contact with all of the heatpipes on the die.

So the problem here is 100% Asus's heatsink implementation. Companies that designed the cooler properly do not have these issues on the 390X.

It's not your fault of course but it's incredible how engineers (or bean counters) go forward with production of a $300-400 graphics card and make such mistakes.

Thanks so much sir for such a detailed answer. So what should be the temperature after which I should start worrying. Because playing while keeping an eye on the GPU temperatures is really frustrating after investing so many dollars.

I believe that the vendors should provide at least 10 - 15 C of gap between operating temperatures and throttling temperatures.

Also is it a bad idea to run the fans at 80% while gaming for about 2-3 hours a day?

EDIT: Could it be an issue of the 600W PSU? I have read at many places that the card can consume upto even 510 W on full load and may be my PSU is giving that much power. Should I try a higher wattage PSU?

 

[tweakboy]

980 Ti

 

[Techhog]

If you're this worried, return the card and go with another vendor. Those temps are not going to cause damage. And no, running like that won't hurt the fans in a meaningful way unless you want to keep the card for like 5+ years.

 

[GammaLazer]

Returns are not accepted, they would only provide hand to hand new sealed box of the same card or they would provide me credit of the card after deducting the costs of deprecation, that is about 30 percent of the paid cost.

I want only thing that it should not get fried. Just want to know up to what temperature I am safe with this card?

 

[Techhog]

Returns are not accepted, they would only provide hand to hand new sealed box of the same card or they would provide me credit of the card after deducting the costs of deprecation, that is about 30 percent of the paid cost.

I want only thing that it should not get fried. Just want to know up to what temperature I am safe with this card?

Nothing is going to get fried at your current temps. As has been stated, the GPU is designed to be able to run at up to 95C with no issues. You won't be able to overclock with such high temps, but there's not much you can do about it anyway. An RMA isn't likely to fix anything since it seems normal for this card, so your choices are to turn up the fan profile, watercool the card, sell the card, or just deal with it.

 

[GammaLazer]

I think I will deal with it then. Thanks for your replies, guys. Anyways I am using as a stop gap card!!

 

[RussianSensation]

So what should be the temperature after which I should start worrying. Because playing while keeping an eye on the GPU temperatures is really frustrating after investing so many dollars.

You don't need to worry unless our temperatures are often in the 95C range. Once that happens it probably means one of these:

1) The dust has built up in the heatsink and the heatsink needs cleaning with compressed air/dis-assembly and removal of the dust;

2) Your fan speed is too low - time to raise the fan speed;

3) Your thermal paste material is drying up - generally speaking many 250W+ GPUs benefit from a 4-8*C drop in temperatures if you change the thermal paste material because the factory paste is usually poorly applied and is of poor quality.

Here is a very basic video (among many others on Youtube) on how to replace and apply the thermal paste on a graphics card that has direct contact heatpipes not connected with a universal copper plate -- I believe the drop was 8C on a GTX470.

Changing the thermal paste material is the cheapest and easier way to reduce temperatures without spending a lot of $. A good paste like Thermalright Chill Factor 3, Tuniq TX-2 or TX-4, etc. are a good starting point. Don't use Arctic Silver 5 because if you get some of it on the PCB, you could short the videocard.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/thermal-interface-roundup-1_12.html#sect0

For the most part, the dust is the biggest factor that you have to worry over the ownership period because your temperatures might climb from 87->95C because of worse airflow to the heatsink fins over time.

I believe that the vendors should provide at least 10 - 15 C of gap between operating temperatures and throttling temperatures.

Unfortunately, Asus dropped the ball.

I am not trying to make you feel bad about your card but for the next time you buy a graphics card, do more research. Not all GPU heatsinks are created equal. Look at this:

http://www.hardware.fr/articles/853-16/temperatures-bruit.html

There are various websites that do round-ups of a specific GPU family to do the work for you to show the temperatures and noise levels, such as Hardware France:

http://www.hardware.fr/articles/853-16/temperatures-bruit.html

Another great one that even has videos is Computerbase.de:

http://www.computerbase.de/2015-08/partnerkarten-geforce-gtx-980-ti-test/4/

Alternatively, you just have to find individual reviews for the card you are looking to buy and look at the data OR ask on a forum like ours :biggrin:

Also is it a bad idea to run the fans at 80% while gaming for about 2-3 hours a day?

That's nothing, don't worry about it. Even crappy single ball bearing fans are rated at 30,000 hours. Plus, you have 2-3 year warranty. You can crank the fans to 100% if you want as long the as noise doesn't bother you.

EDIT: Could it be an issue of the 600W PSU? I have read at many places that the card can consume upto even 510 W on full load and may be my PSU is giving that much power. Should I try a higher wattage PSU?

That's total system power, not the power usage if your 390X. The GPU itself uses about 260W.

The issue is your card's heatsink + fan profile + thermal paste material + case airflow + ambient temperatures.

Since you are using this card as a stop-gap before 16nm HBM2 GPUs, just pay attention to dust clean-up and if you want to tinker with it, change the thermal paste material, although Asus might void warranty on that.

The warranty will not apply to or be valid under conditions including but not limited to the following:
​
b) The product has been tampered with, repaired and/or modified by non-authorized personnel;
f) There is damage from improper installation, improper connection, or use of parts and/or components not manufactured or sold by ASUS;
http://www.commercialsupport.asus.com/#!graphics-card-warranty/c26b

 

[MongGrel]

I think I will deal with it then. Thanks for your replies, guys. Anyways I am using as a stop gap card!!

The temps for that card are normal, but that has been said.

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Might actually be low.

600W PSU should be about right if it is a good PSU.

I go more for quality over quantity in PSU's myself, mine is actually too much in my main, but I used to have some in SLI in it at one time.

600 is probably efficient for what you are running.

I'd say you're doing it right IMHO.

 

[MongGrel]

I'm weird and like running by CPU cooler vertically to the 200 on top like you have there, but it's probably not worth tearing things apart.

Won't make a big difference I imagine.

Your airflow looks good to me.

I wouldn't bother putting paste on the card at all unless it does jump a lot, which I doubt it would in the near future.

If it works, don't fix it sometimes, even if trying to push things 🙂

 

[GammaLazer]

That's nothing, don't worry about it. Even crappy single ball bearing fans are rated at 30,000 hours. Plus, you have 2-3 year warranty. You can crank the fans to 100% if you want as long the as noise doesn't bother you.

That's big relief, I will change the fan curve to crank to 100% above 80 C. The noise wont bother me as I use headphones while gaming and that's the only time when the temp will rise above 80 C.

Since you are using this card as a stop-gap before 16nm HBM2 GPUs, just pay attention to dust clean-up and if you want to tinker with it, change the thermal paste material, although Asus might void warranty on that. ​

I would not mess this thing as I am not Linus :sneaky:
Plus warranty would matter a lot when temperatures are already soaring. Do you think that a side fan with high CFM be of any use? Should I replace current one with a corsair high CFM one?

600W PSU should be about right if it is a good PSU.

I am using a Corsair CX600! Also have one TX750 on my brother's system, but if ain't needed then I won't borrow from him.

I'm weird and like running by CPU cooler vertically to the 200 on top like you have there, but it's probably not worth tearing things apart.

Won't make a big difference I imagine.

Your airflow looks good to me.

I wouldn't bother putting paste on the card at all unless it does jump a lot, which I doubt it would in the near future.

If it works, don't fix it sometimes, even if trying to push things 🙂

I also believe in "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"

 

[GammaLazer]

Why does HWinfo shows GPU thrice and all with different temperature readings? Which one to follow?

 

[RussianSensation]

I would not mess this thing as I am not Linus :sneaky:
Plus warranty would matter a lot when temperatures are already soaring. Do you think that a side fan with high CFM be of any use? Should I replace current one with a corsair high CFM one?

I doubt it would make much difference, probably less than swapping TIM. What's your ambient room temperature? 22C?

Why does HWinfo shows GPU thrice and all with different temperature readings? Which one to follow?

The 1st chart - GPU thermal diode - is your GPU temp.

The 2nd and 3rd charts - all the key data is the same, just VRM1 and VRM2 temps are reversed. You can just look at the 2nd chart, as long as VRMs do not reach 120C, you have little to worry about.

You can also use GPU-Z to help monitor GPU temperatures to use as a 2nd point of reference. Right now your HW Monitor shows a maximum GPU temperature of 46*C so you haven't played a game yet when you took that screenshot. 😀

 

[GammaLazer]

I doubt it would make much difference, probably less than swapping TIM. What's your ambient room temperature? 22C?

Can't replace TIM on a GPU, too afraid!! Ambient is about 30 C (Its summer time :|).

Right now your HW Monitor shows a maximum GPU temperature of 46*C so you haven't played a game yet when you took that screenshot. 😀

Yeah have been browsing only, right now!