R260/270/280/290/290x Review thread

[blackened23]

Apparently it is about on par with the GTX 770. I'm still going through the article, but it looks like an appreciable performance jump over the 7970GE, but i'm still looking through it like I mentioned.

Consolidating 200 series reviews as requested. 260 and 270 reviews to follow - Elfear

280X Reviews

HardOCP – MSI Gaming

Anandtech

Anandtech – Toxic

OC Club – Toxic

TPU

Hexus – Toxic

Ocaholic – Matrix

PCPer – Roundup

Tweak Town – Twin Frozr Crossfire

Tweak Town – Toxic

Guru3D – Twin Frozr

Guru3D – IceQ X2 Turbo

Mad Shrimps – IceQ X2

Legit Reviews

Euro Gamer

Bit Tech – MSI Gaming

Hardware Canucks

Tech Report

Hardware Heaven – Windforce 3X


290 Reviews

Anandtech

Bit-Tech

ExtremeTech

Guru3D

[H]

Hardware Canucks

Hardware Info

Hardware Heaven

Hexus

Kitguru

Legit Reviews

PCPer

Techspot

TechReport

TechPowerUP

Tom’s Hardware

Tweaktown

290X Reviews

[H]

Anandtech

Hardware France

Guru3D

Computer Base

Legit Reviews

Tom’s Hardware

PCPer

Hardware Canucks

Tech Spot

PC Games Hardware

Tweaktown

Kit Guru

Tech Report

Hardware Heaven

TechPowerUp

PC Gamer

290/290X CrossFire

PCPer Preview

Guru3D

TechPowerUp

Guru3D - 290


Making this a sticky thread for reviews -shmee
Unsticking now with new thread added...11/5 -shmee

 

[desprado]

same as 7970 GHZ ED

 

[blackened23]

Also the efficiency seems to be improved over the 7970GE, although I don't know if Asus used conservative voltages, still worse than the 770 in efficiency, though (unless the 770 is OCed). edit: nevermind on this, other reviews paint a very different picture w.r.t. efficiency

I think if these performance results hold true across other cards as well, nvidia may price drop the 770 a tad. The only odd thing is that this review didn't mention any Oc results.

 

[blackened23]

same as 7970 GHZ ED

I was thinking that from the outset as well, but the 280X is actually clocked higher. So it is "very very" slightly better than the 7970 GE.

That said, the performance jump over the 7970GE is minuscule to non-existent since it was only a 20mhz core and 400mhz memory jump. Not very impressive. Not the same jump as the 680 > 770 - the performance jump there (and the addition of GPU Boost 2.0) were much more impressive. Then again, the 280X is 300$, not a bad deal.

 

[yacoub]

Yep: http://www.anandtech.com/show/7400/the-radeon-r9-280x-review-feat-asus-xfx

And basically here's the one sentence summary: The 280X is roughly the price and performance the 7970 should have been two years ago.

The $550 or whatever MSRP on the 7970 was absolutely ridiculous. For AMD to release the product today it should have released two years ago is almost insulting.

Makes me glad I snagged a 7970 on a super sale recently. Picked it up for less than $299 and couldn't be happier.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

Yep: http://www.anandtech.com/show/7400/the-radeon-r9-280x-review-feat-asus-xfx

And basically here's the one sentence summary: The 280X is roughly the price and performance the 7970 should have been two years ago.

The $550 or whatever MSRP on the 7970 was absolutely ridiculous. For AMD to release the product today it should have released two years ago is almost insulting.

Makes me glad I snagged a 7970 on a super sale recently. Picked it up for less than $299 and couldn't be happier.

I'm glad when I got a 7970 at launch and overclocked it and enjoyed basically the fastest GPU around for 1.5 years.

 

[blackened23]

Oh, the Asus DC2T R280X is voltage unlocked up to 1.4V. Not sure about the XFX version reviewed by AT.

 

[Takinato]

Will the 280x have the hardware frame pacing like the 290 series?


Posted from Anandtech.com App for Android

 

[yacoub]

I'm glad when I got a 7970 at launch and overclocked it and enjoyed basically the fastest GPU around for 1.5 years.

And now you can keep enjoying it for another 1.5 years before it's actually outclassed by anything AMD puts out in the same price bracket.

 

[3DVagabond]

And now you can keep enjoying it for another 1.5 years before it's actually outclassed by anything AMD puts out in the same price bracket.

So you think the 290 (nonX) will be more than $550?

 

[VulgarDisplay]

Some notable things I see. The gtx780 is a horrible buy. AMD's frametimes are as good or better in the AT review, but that could just be the fact that they used a gtx760.

$300 card hanging in there pretty closely with the gtx780, especially at higher resolutions.

 

[Teizo]

The Asus Direct Cu is a good looking card. The MSI Gaming version will be nice too...

 

[Zodiark1593]

So, a Radeon 7970 review with up-to-date drivers? GPU news has been quite slow.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

So, a Radeon 7970 review with up-to-date drivers? GPU news has been quite slow.

This made me laugh hahahahahah.

It's been a slow news year.

 

[Vesku]

Yep: http://www.anandtech.com/show/7400/the-radeon-r9-280x-review-feat-asus-xfx

And basically here's the one sentence summary: The 280X is roughly the price and performance the 7970 should have been two years ago.

The $550 or whatever MSRP on the 7970 was absolutely ridiculous. For AMD to release the product today it should have released two years ago is almost insulting.

Makes me glad I snagged a 7970 on a super sale recently. Picked it up for less than $299 and couldn't be happier.

Yeah man, pricing the 7970 at $550 at launch two years ago when they were getting beaten so soundly by the GTX 780 priced at $450. Ridiculous!

(/s for anyone that missed it)

Back to semi-serious talk: The 7950 has been the best 1080P card in terms of bang for buck since it was available for ~$300 more than a year ago. It's going for ~$200 with rebates right now, bet they will be cleared out soon because they make the 270X look lackluster.

 

[blackened23]

PCPer has frametime reviews and in general the 280X does exceptionally well and matches 770 performance. I don't know if anything changed with frame pacing, although this is single card only.

http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Graphi...X-and-R7-260X-Review/Metro-Last-Light-R9-280X

It looks like the 280X actually beats the 770 in frametime consistently in most of their tests. These are with 13.11 drivers, not sure if these are released yet (?) Example:

 

[yacoub]

So you think the 290 (nonX) will be more than $550?

If it's more than $300, it's more than the price bracket of the 280X or a 7970 today.

Honestly, the 290X should be $399. There's no reason for more than $100 price gap between models except to facilitate the type of price gouging that brought us a $500 7970 in the first place.

The 7950 has been the best 1080P card in terms of bang for buck since it was available for ~$300 more than a year ago. It's going for ~$200 with rebates right now, bet they will be cleared out soon because they make the 270X look lackluster.

They make the 280X look lackluster at $300 when you can get the 7970 so much cheaper.

 

[Fastx]

Will the 280x have the hardware frame pacing like the 290 series?


Posted from Anandtech.com App for Android

Just the 290 & 290x.

AMD's newest Radeon GPU, the "Hawaii" chip that will power the Radeon R9 290 and 290X cards announced earlier today, will of course be a top priority, as well. Although we can't yet divulge too many details, we expect Hawaii-based graphics cards to arrive with a very capable solution for CrossFire frame compositing and pacing already in place

.

 

[Vesku]

If it's more than $300, it's more than the price bracket of the 280X or a 7970 today.

Honestly, the 290X should be $399. There's no reason for more than $100 price gap between models except to facilitate the type of price gouging that brought us a $500 7970 in the first place.


They make the 280X look lackluster at $300 when you can get the 7970 so much cheaper.

Newegg has 7970s at $300 ($280 with rebate), not exactly seeing the "so much cheaper". They aren't raising the price with the rebadge.

 

[blackened23]

If it's more than $300, it's more than the price bracket of the 280X or a 7970 today.

Honestly, the 290X should be $399. There's no reason for more than $100 price gap between models except to facilitate the type of price gouging that brought us a $500 7970 in the first place.

Yeah the 290X trading blows with the Titan should be 399$. I agree that AMD can't command price premiums like NV on the basis of software, but 399$? Really?! Meanwhile, back on planet earth: I'd say 549.99 or 599.99 would be fine. 399$ is just......................NOT going to happen. We already know it outperforms the 780 consistently based on leaks.

There's no way 399$ will happen, that is completely unrealistic. As a consumer, I would like for it to, but I would have to be delusional to consider a 399$ pricetag being possible. Prices have gone up partially because Intel's iGPU has eaten into low end and all discrete sales.

Maybe the 290 non X can occupy that price range, though? One can hope.

 

[smackababy]

This is looking like it trades blows with a 770. $300 is nice I suppose, but I feel barely being faster than the 7970 makes this a bit of a dud. At least, until the 7970 stock dries up.

 

[ozzy702]

If it's more than $300, it's more than the price bracket of the 280X or a 7970 today.

Honestly, the 290X should be $399. There's no reason for more than $100 price gap between models except to facilitate the type of price gouging that brought us a $500 7970 in the first place.


They make the 280X look lackluster at $300 when you can get the 7970 so much cheaper.

While I'd love the 290X to be $399... everything is pointing to it being faster than a 780. If AMD prices it at $399 it'll sell like hot cakes forcing the 780 to drop in price like crazy. I don't necessarily see that happening with the duopoly that is discrete GPUs.

If AMD did sell at $399 I'll buy two, especially if they have hardware frame pacing as rumored and perform well in crossfire (which my 7970's did not).

 

[Vesku]

Yes a price war would be great for consumers, but the GPU duopoly hasn't been in the mood.

 

[Teizo]

The 760 looks to be priced ok though it probably should drop about $20, but the 770 is going to have to come down allot. No way that card makes sense @ $399 when you can buy the Asus 280X @ $310 and get the same performance. Not unless Nvidia has some crazy massive driver update.

-edit

No way the 290X is going to be $399 to the person who mentioned that. MAYBE the 290, but no way in heck the 290X.

 

[Grooveriding]

If it's more than $300, it's more than the price bracket of the 280X or a 7970 today.

Honestly, the 290X should be $399. There's no reason for more than $100 price gap between models except to facilitate the type of price gouging that brought us a $500 7970 in the first place.


They make the 280X look lackluster at $300 when you can get the 7970 so much cheaper.

Laughable. If the price of the 280X offends you so much at $300, feel free to go and buy the nvidia card with equal performance for $400.

And good luck getting a 290X for $399....

The pricing is reasonable, you just sound like you want everything cheap to me.