R9 290 *Complete* review list

[wand3r3r]

Since the stickied 270/280/290 thread is a mess and nobody updates the OP, I'll make a list of the reviews. Let me know if any are missing, listed in alphabetical order.



Single Card

Anandtech
http://www.anandtech.com/show/7481/the-amd-radeon-r9-290-review

Bit-tech
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/graphics/2013/11/05/amd-radeon-r9-290-review/1?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bit-tech%2Fall+%28bit-tech.net+feed%29

ExtremeTech
http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/1...cs-and-benchmarks-of-amds-titan-killer-leaked

Guru3D
http://www.guru3d.com/news_story/amd_radeon_r9_290_review.html

HardOcp
http://www.hardocp.com/article/2013/11/04/amd_radeon_r9_290_video_card_review/1

Hardware Canucks
http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/foru...views/63863-amd-radeon-r9-290-4gb-review.html

Hardware.info
http://uk.hardware.info/reviews/4954/amd-radeon-r9-290-review-cheaper-hawaii-vs-gtx-780

Hardware Heaven
http://www.hardwareheaven.com/revie...r9-290-graphics-card-review-introduction.html

Hexus
http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphics/61785-amd-radeon-r9-290/

KitGuru
http://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/zardon/amd-r9-290-review-1600p-4k-and-cf/

LegitReviews
http://www.legitreviews.com/amd-radeon-r9-290-4gb-video-card-review_127216

PCPer
http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Graphics-Cards/AMD-Radeon-R9-290-4GB-Review-Trip-Hawaii-399

Techspot
http://www.techspot.com/review/736-amd-radeon-r9-290/

Tech Report
http://techreport.com/review/25602/amd-radeon-r9-290-graphics-card-reviewed

TechPowerUp
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/R9_290/

Toms
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-r9-290-review-benchmark,3659.html

TweakTown
http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/5857/amd-radeon-r9-290-4gb-reference-video-card-review/index.html


CrossFire

Guru3D
http://www.guru3d.com/news_story/radeon_r9_290_crossfire_review.html

French
http://www.hardware.fr/articles/910-1/amd-radeon-r9-290x-test-hawaii-sors-ses-watts.html
Translated
http://translate.googleusercontent....s.html&usg=ALkJrhiCx4e5mKZ4q4Za_a3nTy7PUrslLw

Mods: Please sticky this since the stickied thread is never updated.?

Done

 

[wand3r3r]

*reserved*

 

[Sweepr]

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

Let’s take a look at the benchmark results of the overclocked Radeon R9 290, which turn out to be a big surprise. There’s a 20 percent difference between the original card and the overclocked one. The updated last-minute driver reduces this difference to a still-massive almost-13 percent. Keep in mind that we’re not just talking about a frequency increase, but also more usable performance and less noise. The Arctic Accelero Xtreme III demonstrates nicely what can be achieved with AMD's Radeon R9 290.

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

 

[Jurge92]

Wonder how long it will take until they release non-reference coolers. There's just no way ill be buying it stock.

 

[96Firebird]

Thanks for the list...

I am going to reserve judgement until aftermarket cooling comes out. Right now Ryan Smith says it is too loud, but the price seems awesome for the performance.

Must wait...

 

[blackened23]

If you want, just take ownership of the sticky thread and make the appropriate changes. I never asked for that old 280X thread to be stickied or whatever, and I don't really feel like digging up 27 URLs.

I think you could do the sticky thread more justice than I would. I don't really feel like messing with it.

 

[Termie]

Thanks, wand3r3r.

Very interesting release. Actually available currently, unlike the 290x, and with very similar performance. But I'm not sure it's ready for market. Just too rough for a premium product.

Odd that AT said 47% fan was intolerable and [H] said it was barely audible. Probably a case of writing to different readership.

 

[Borealis7]

Odd that AT said 47% fan was intolerable and [H] said it was barely audible. Probably a case of writing to different readership.

AnandTech's journalists should take our their hearing aids before testing
i'm making a joke that the site is old and not "getting with the times", but i still luvz it.

 

[Teizo]

i'm making a joke that the site is old and not "getting with the times", but i still luvz it.

You talking about [H]? Cause getting with the times is high performance with minimal noise.

 

[mak360]

AnandTech's journalists should take our their hearing aids before testing
i'm making a joke that the site is old and not "getting with the times", but i still luvz it.

The older gen are usually more sensitive. The new gen is where its at, and AMD seems to be targeting them over the old Nvidia loyalists.

 

[SlowSpyder]

Great card for $400! Looks like you can lower the fan speed to lower the clock speed and more or less equal GTX780 performance for $100 less! Or if you can live with the noise you can have Titan+ performance for half the cost.

 

[Teizo]

The older gen are usually more sensitive. The new gen is where its at, and AMD seems to be targeting them over the old Nvidia loyalists.

So, the new gen. actually endorses cheap technology? I thought stuff was supposed to get better with time. There is no place for insane noise levels in a modern PC. THW with the ACIII showed what AMD should have done. It wouldn't be outrageously expensive on their part to do that. If they really 'cared' like their fans think, they would do something to make their cards more polished at launch and still charge the same prices.

 

[mak360]

So, the new gen. actually endorses cheap technology? .

If the fan is all you care about, you're in the wrong place.

Noise isn't a problem for most, especially to the enthusiasts, where performance matters. Getting all this for cheap, AMD must be crazy.

Edit: there are many ways to deal with cooling/Noise etc. Can you say the same for 780 performance? its a lottery vs the 290`s.

Personally I would wait for the AIB cards, i don't see what the problem is, its a fuss over nothing. But I agree AMD could have done this better (Fans), but then they wouldn't be called AMD if they did would they lol

 

[Janooo]

290 - Titan slayer junior!
290's - Amazing cards!

 

[MrK6]

AMD dominates this round. Congrats to them. I think the 290 noise levels are way too loud, but wait for aftermarket models and have fun.

EDIT: After reading more reviews, e.g. [H] doesn't even think it's that loud. Wonder what AT did differently.

 

[DarkKnightDude]

I'm going to wait for the MSI twin frozr one.

 

[yh125d]

Why can't AMD do a proper reference cooler? It was crapola when I bought my old 4890, was workable through 5 and 6 series mostly because those were cooler GPUs, and now this turd.

I was considering the Asus 280x or a 770 or possibly a good reference 290, but now I think I'll probably wait for 22nm... or just bite the bullet and try out water

 

[Attic]

Great card for $400! Looks like you can lower the fan speed to lower the clock speed and more or less equal GTX780 performance for $100 less! Or if you can live with the noise you can have Titan+ performance for half the cost.

This.

But AMD should have put a better cooler on it which is all Ryan was saying. I can't disagree. The choice users will have is nonetheless critical, the review may have undermined that a bit by getting a high on the horse with protecting uneducated consumers.

Some folks are saying the custom coolers will come out to kick the crap out of nVidia when nVidia tries to counter with a new 780 release. I buy that, but would have preferred AMD release the hounds in full, if only to shut the green team boogers who stick around here up for a bit.

 

[Attic]

Why can't AMD do a proper reference cooler? It was crapola when I bought my old 4890, was workable through 5 and 6 series mostly because those were cooler GPUs, and now this turd.

I was considering the Asus 280x or a 770 or possibly a good reference 290, but now I think I'll probably wait for 22nm... or just bite the bullet and try out water

The 290 for $400 is still the card to get at high end. Toms did a review where they added a custom cooler and it made all the difference. The reference cooler needs a remedy unless you want to run the card a little bit slower. But a little bit slower and a lot quieter still matches the 780 so it's relative to the 290 itself which is scary fast for 400.

 

[Atreidin]

I don't really care what the noise of the card is while sitting on my desk in open air. If I'm paying big money for a video card, it's going to be in a well-ventilated and closed case. Does any site review the card like this? I've used cards before that people said were loud, but when inside of my closed case, it wasn't an issue for me. I don't play games hunched over with my ear 2cm from the fan blades.

Also, lots of reviews don't outline their sound testing methodology at all, making them completely useless.

 

[24601]

I don't really care what the noise of the card is while sitting on my desk in open air. If I'm paying big money for a video card, it's going to be in a well-ventilated and closed case. Does any site review the card like this? I've used cards before that people said were loud, but when inside of my closed case, it wasn't an issue for me. I don't play games hunched over with my ear 2cm from the fan blades.

Also, lots of reviews don't outline their sound testing methodology at all, making them completely useless.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/7481/the-amd-radeon-r9-290-review/3

Case: NZXT Phantom 630 Windowed Edition

Literally the best case scenario for the 290 here.

 

[GaiaHunter]

Something tells me that AIB custom solutions will be available around 780 Ti release.

 

[Vesku]

From Anandtech GTX 480 review:

"Meanwhile let’s talk about the other factors: price, power, and noise. At $500 the GTX 480 is the world’s fastest single-GPU card, but it’s not a value proposition. The price gap between it and the Radeon 5870 is well above the current performance gap, but this has always been true about the high-end. Bigger than price though is the tradeoff for going with the GTX 480 and its much bigger GPU – it’s hotter, it’s noisier, and it’s more power hungry, all for 10-15% more performance. If you need the fastest thing you can get then the choice is clear, otherwise you’ll have some thinking to decide what you want and what you’re willing to live with in return."

http://www.anandtech.com/show/2977/...x-470-6-months-late-was-it-worth-the-wait-/20

The negativity in the Anandtech 290 review conclusions is way out of proportion. If they'd just said "AMD missed an opportunity by not following Nvidia's lead with a better blower", sure. But look at how many negative phrases are in the final words page:

"it’s admittedly not very often that we write a negative video card review"

"great deal of confusion and a tinge of sadness"

"At 57.2dB the 290 is a loud card. A very loud card. An unreasonably loud card."

"this is one of a handful of cards we’ve ever had to recommend against"

"point where a video card is simply too loud"

"an unreasonable level of noise."

"the reference 290 untenable as a purchase"

I mean, wtf, that is an amazing amount of criticism for a review conclusion.

Meanwhile, in the GTX 480 original review the 480 was actually 64.1dB to the 5870s 59.3dB and the entire tone of the conclusion is extremely neutral with a few positives. From the same reviewer.

I actually agree in a much milder manner, I did not buy a 480 and I'm not going to get a reference 290. It's just reading a conclusion that basically consists of

"it's loud" "did I mention it's loud" "it's the greatest price/perf in the high end since the 5850/70 but hey IT IS LOUD, MAKES A LOT OF NOISE, THE FAN RUNS 7% FASTER THAN I WOULD HAVE ACCEPTED" is way overboard. Enough so to make me go back to that 480 review because I knew they didn't call it out much at all.

 

[Kenmitch]

Vesku your wall of text is hard to follow. You can quote the text your replying to in box's if you like. [ quote ] insert them here [ / quote ].

If you remove the spaces it looks like the following:

insert them here

 

[Tweak155]

I guess it doesn't help that the 290 isn't the fastest card available, but that is odd with the conclusions.