Asus R9 290x DCII (Guru3D Review)

[Psyside]

And what about if i want to use 2XMSAA or some game mods? you do realize that card which offer most muscles at extreme settings its better card generally? this cards are bought to max out games, not to make compromise.

Like i said, they should include at least SMAA results, which is the best regarding performance/IQ...in that case 290X is equal/better then 780 ti. Even with playable framerates on lower resolutions.

 

[Face2Face]

this cards are bought to max out games, not to make compromise.

This has to be with realistic expectations. The R9 290X and GTX 780ti could run Crysis 3 @ very high settings with SMAA4X very good @ 1080p. 1440P and up changes the game though. I don't like FXAA either, but @ 1440P it may be the only option to get decent framerates with the game. I have yet to try it myself with SMAA @ 1440P. I will put that on my to do list this weekend.

 

[moonbogg]

And what about if i want to use 2XMSAA or some game mods? you do realize that card which offer most muscles at extreme settings its better card generally? this cards are bought to max out games, not to make compromise.

Like i said, they should include at least SMAA results, which is the best regarding performance/IQ...in that case 290X is equal/better then 780 ti. Even with playable framerates on lower resolutions.

Congratulations! You are the first person to break the 100 reply mark in this thread! You have just won the perfect inability to purchase this card for the next 3 months! Regarding your reply above, yes, this card is a strong rival to the 780ti and that must be so exciting! Too bad it isn't available!

 

[Enigmoid]

Listen dude, i don't even want to think about play monster game with amazing eye candy and using AA which blurring the image instead of improving.

If one card is faster with max settings, its faster in my book, Crysis 3 is game to be pushed to the limits...at least SMAA 4x they should use, not FXAA.

Point being, 780 ti is not really faster in Crysis 3 then 290X, at least not 10% faster. Most people want to max out Crysis games anyway. So ye, it can't be moot point, never.

Its like saying, GTX680 is almost as good as 780 if you don't use max settings, if you use which card is faster?

In 2 tests, from 3 290X DCII is beating the 780 ti when MSAA is applied, so again which card is faster in Crysis 3?

You are looking at a fraction of a frame per second. Statistically there is 0 difference. 'Beat' does not apply.

If you want 4x MSAA or 4x SMAA you are going to have to drop down to 1080p which may change the results.

Fact of the matter is you will not be able to play (well very well) crysis 3 at 23 fps.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

290X is still competing with the 780, 780 Ti is in another tier.

By the same token it's competing with the 290, and to be honest the 290x really makes no sense outside of look see graphs.

 

[Silverforce11]

290X is still competing with the 780, 780 Ti is in another tier.

By the same token it's competing with the 290, and to be honest the 290x really makes no sense outside of look see graphs.

Seems like every reviewer so far with card on hand seem to disagree with you, they say its competing (trading blows) with the 780ti for much less.

 

[Psyside]

I have yet to try it myself with SMAA @ 1440P. I will put that on my to do list this weekend.

Thanks!

Regarding your reply above, yes, this card is a strong rival to the 780ti and that must be so exciting! Too bad it isn't available!

The card is in stock where i live.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

Seems like every reviewer so far with card on hand seem to disagree with you, they say its competing (trading blows) with the 780ti for much less.

The same non reference Tis are 10-15% faster than the reference cards these reviews are comparing non reference to reference to.

It's a loaded review taking a non reference 290x and comparing it to a reference 780Ti while comparable non reference products are available for comparison.

"For much less"

Debatable for sure..

These cards aren't even on the market right now, with reference R290x sitting at $630 on Newegg, aftermarket 780 Ti's like the MSI Gaming and Gigabyte Windforce are $700.

Plently of OC reviews out now show the Ti steps out vs the R290x and the 780 steps in a direct competitor with the 290 right there as well, which goes back to my previous statement of the R290x being in a void, overpriced for people thinking perf/w while paying $600+ for a card that isn't even the fastest. Because of this R290 makes far more sense for anyone attempting to argue perf/$ at a traditionally non perf/$ segment that still holds the worst perf/$ of almost anything but the bottom end trash cards.

 

[blackened23]

Seems like every reviewer so far with card on hand seem to disagree with you, they say its competing (trading blows) with the 780ti for much less.

Yeah, they're comparing an overclocked 290X to a reference 780ti. Once you get an aftermarket 780ti such as the Gigabyte 780ti GHZ edition, it beats the 290X aftermarket by a big margin. We've been through this with charts before substantiating this. I could of course link this to you again, but like I said. We've done that before. I'd also point out that custom overclocked vanilla 780s also match the 780ti. This isn't surprising. A lower SKU once overclocked can match a higher SKU, this has happened time and time and time and time and time again. Not. Surprising. But when the 780ti is overclocked, that lead is once again maintained or increased.

But, then again? That's fine. Because in an ideal world, the 290X is cheaper. The 780ti aftermarket cards when OC'ed are faster than the GTX 690 by up to 10% in every benchmark, while the 290x DC II is not. Then again, the 290x DC II is theoretically cheaper. I don't think it's actually GOING to be cheaper when it hits the market, but the aftermarket 780ti cards are still faster cards with the benefits of Nvidia's software ecosystem which is better than AMD's software.

That's not to say the DC II 290X is bad. It's a fantastic card. It basically fixes all of the qualms anyone ever had with reference, therefore I can't see anyone saying anything bad about it other than.....the mining situation. I just hope it actually hits the MSRP in the states. If it were released today, it would not be anywhere close to MSRP.

 

[Silverforce11]

Hey if it helps your cause, lets overblow that 50mhz OC and force it to compete with aftermarket 780ti.. talk about loaded expectations.

Suddenly its not $570 its going to be the same as 780ti pricing.. and if not, even if its cheaper, NV ecosystem is worth so much more. We get it from you two.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

Again with the personal attacks, is your argument that weak you can't stand on it with merit alone?

 

[blackened23]

Like I said, substantiation and proof was already provided to you. The 780ti aftermarket is a better card and the price of the DC II 290X is questionable at best. Look, you cannot buy AMD cards at MSRP in the states unless you get ridiculously lucky. Newegg, which is where most folks buy their gear, has 100$-120$+ markups on everything because of non PC-gaming mining freaks who have no interest in gaming, but want to make some cash. (yes, I know some of them game. You can't mine and game at the same time. A LOT of these guys aren't gamers) It's a real situation here...like I said, if the DC 2 were released today in the states, you can bet that it would not be @ MSRP.

I'm also not saying the DC II is a bad card, it's a great card. Is it the best? Nah. Theoretically it would be a heck of a better value than the 780ti. Unfortunately, the only bad thing is the mining situation in which mining freaks are skewing the actual market for PC gamers wanting to buy GPUs.

 

[moonbogg]

card is in stock where i live.

You can buy the 290X DCII right now? How much is it?

 

[Silverforce11]

Again with the personal attacks, is your argument that weak you can't stand on it with merit alone?

Nothing personal, just reiterating your statements. You both have stated the NV ecosystem is worth a premium. So we cannot judge the R290/X on performance per price alone according to your statements.

Thus, the goal post is so far out I won't even bother to argue on the actual merits anymore, gaming performance for the $. Enough from me on this, you two can parade onwards.

Blackened, really bro, we've already pointed out many places where radeons are at MSRP. Not to mention globally. You keep bashing it based on your what if pricing scenarios.. good one.

 

[Psyside]

You can buy the 290X DCII right now? How much is it?

Ah, no! i meant 290X

 

[blackened23]

Nothing personal, just reiterating your statements. You both have stated the NV ecosystem is worth a premium. So we cannot judge the R290/X on performance per price alone according to your statements.

Thus, the goal post is so far out I won't even bother to argue on the actual merits anymore, gaming performance for the $. Enough from me on this, you two can parade onwards.

Blackened, really bro, we've already pointed out many places where radeons are at MSRP. Not to mention globally. You keep bashing it based on your what if pricing scenarios.. good one.

See, this is what you keep doing. You get upset and now you're making it personal. I didn't make it personal. I said the card was a great card and the reality is, in the states, it is impossible to buy these cards at MSRP unless you get very lucky. Period.

Also, I have no vested interest in selling either brand of card, so the great thing is I can look at merits alone. Not saying anyone in particular, and i'm not accusing anyone of anything, but the fact of the matter is, there are some on this board who work for AIB manufacturers with a vested interest in getting people interested in buying AMD cards. There are those here who probably work for AMD with a vested interest in persuading people to buy AMD cards. On this forum. I do not fall under this category for either AMD or NV, I am just looking at merits alone in terms of overclocked performance and the very real etail situation in the states. Overall, the aftermarket 780ti is a better card IMO. That isn't to say the DC II 290X is bad, I said it was great. Never did I bash it. I would really LOVE for you to show me where I specifically bashed the 290X DC II, because i've always said it is great - with the mining being a VERY unfortunate side effect which will cause the pricing to be skewed. Like I said, i've already provided substantiation of my claims.

So, you can just stop making it personal and stop getting upset. You can just stop making it personal by stating stuff like "parade onwards" and "on a crusade". I never made it personal. I'm just looking at merits of 2 GPUs. Yes, the DC II 290X is a great card. Is the best ? IMO, no. If you disagree, that's fine. I really don't care either way, but don't act like I can't share my opinion - that's what this very forum is for. Sharing different opinions. If you have problems with opinions on the internet...well............

 

[blastingcap]

Let's try to stay on topic.

Does anyone know if ASUS GPUTweak works for the 290 series reference cards? I got an ASUS 7790 back in the day and even after a MONTH they still didn't have the software ready, so I sold that card.

I'm worried about the same thing happening for the R9 290 ASUS non-reference cards. This is my reasoning: if GPUTweak works for ref R9 290 that could mean anything for non-ref. But if GPUTweak doesn't even work for ref R9 290 cards, then that almost guarantees that GPUTweak won't work for non-ref. At least not for a while.

 

[blackened23]

If you're asking if it works in general, yes it does. As far as allowing voltage control on reference, that's something i'm not sure about. It could be that it only allows voltage adjustment on Asus cards.

I can't say specifically for the 290, but I was actually able to get voltage control by using GPU tweak on the 7970. This was back in 2012 when the voltage unlock required various registry changes and whatnot..... So I think it will work, but I can't verify.

HardOCP has asus reps who frequent their forum, they could probably provide a more definitive answer. The Asus ROG forums as well would be a great asset.

 

[Silverforce11]

I said the card was a great card and the reality is, in the states, it is impossible to buy these cards at MSRP unless you get very lucky. Period.

We've covered this before, Newegg and their inflation aren't the only place where you can buy hardware. The world doesn't revolve around Newegg. And it isn't even released yet in the states but you already put it well above MSRP when you compare it to the 780ti.

There's nothing personal, I don't get upset over internet forums, not worth the effort. I'm just amused by your statements, throwing in "it's a good card".. except.. "NV ecosystem is better", "its going to be priced like the 780ti" claims.

All the reviews seem to praise these cards highly, saying its an amazing deal for the money. My question to you and Balla, at what price would a R290X be great card that you would buy it instead of NV? The reason I have asked this several times, because you both keep repeating the mantra that "you don't just pay for hardware" or "NV ecosystem is better".

ps. "There are those here who probably work for AMD with a vested interest in persuading people to buy AMD cards. On this forum." Likewise, there are those who have a vested interest in getting people to buy NV cards. What's your point exactly?

 

[blackened23]

The point is I don't fall under that category of having a vested interest in selling any cards. My point of view is consumer only. I'm looking at merits and merits alone.

If you want maximum overclocked performance. The 780ti aftermarket when overclocked is it, that's also the other point. We've been through this numerous times with evidence already presented several times, so I don't feel like linking charts. Although I can if you wish. Not everyone cares about price although it is HIGHLY unlikely that anyone will get this card at MSRP. And it isn't just newegg either. Now does that mean the DC II 290X is a bad card? No. The best and highest performing card doesn't mean everything below it is automatically bad - that's an absurd notion. The DC II 290X is a great card but it is highly dependent on price, and if you think it is easy to get 280X and up cards in the states at MSRP, I have news for you. That is not the case. And not just newegg. Practically all of the US based retailers are out of stock on 280X and up cards, and those selling on amazon, newegg, ncix, etc are price hiked. You might get REALLY lucky. But probably not because mining freaks are buying all the cards, and probably not for PC gaming.

Now if you CAN snag a 290X DC II at MSRP? Heck yeah. It's a great value in comparison to the 780ti. And it performs great. Never said otherwise and I challenge you to find any instance where I didn't praise the DC II. The only criticism I have is with the mining situation screwing up the actual market for gamers buying GPUs, and presumably that will include the DC II 290X when it hits. You're free to disagree but don't go around pretending that I can't share my opinion and that I am "parading" onwards.

 

[Silverforce11]

At what price would a R290X be great card that you would buy it instead of NV?

 

[blackened23]

I think everyone including myself would love it if these cards were available in quantity at MSRP. A 420$ DC II 290 or 570$ DC II 290X is an awesome price for an extremely fast GPU, especially when OC'ed. But you can't ignore the mining situation - do a search on US amazon for a 290X. You will find nothing but price hikes in all liklihood. Ditto at newegg.

Hopefully that situation changes at some point, but that's just how things are here. Is it different where you're at? Has mining not affected pricing that much? Apparently UK is an anomaly where cards are still reasonably priced, but supply and demand is very much in effect in the US at the moment.

 

[Imouto]

I really knew that people would find a way to put flak on these cards.

The custom R9 290Xs are ~10% slower than the custom GTX 780 Tis when both are overclocked. And that going by HC Crysis 3 numbers which are not any good for AMD to begin with.

But then there is the Sapphire 290 Tri-X tied with a reference GTX 780 Ti by computerbase.de numbers.
Tied with a 60% more expensive card.
Packing 33% more VRAM.

I don't really know what you expect from AMD cards, seriously.

 

[DarkKnightDude]

Price performance wise, not bad. I might pick up one of these, but I'm waiting for the R290X/ or non X Lightnings myself. Trading blows with a far more expensive card is a win in my book.

Of course prices can be tweaked by both sides.

 

[Firestorm007]

I just have to ask, what is this NVidia ecosystem that has somehow become the shining star of video card purchases? Seriously, is that what we're touting now. So, NVidia's magical drivers somehow make a video card worth $150 to $200 premium, Give me a break.

If that's the case, I advise you lovebirds of this ecosystem to take a look of at the NVidia forums. It seems that ecosystem has been hit by a meteor. SO, please don't state that this so called Nvidia software, aka ecosystem is somehow superior to AMD's....,

Because 1. There is no verifiable data to back up your claims, and 2. that's your own opinion based on zero fact. I've never had serious issues with either companies drivers; and last I checked crossfire was pretty darn good on the R9's.

Anyhow, I can't wait to see the 290 MSI Lightning. That should be awesome. I'm just glad these cards have finally started to trickle out. It's about time.

Warning issued for inflammatory language.
-- stahlhart