Reviewing the AMD Radeon R9 290x: A High-Performance Graphics Card

The AMD Radeon R9 290x is a brand new graphics card that is designed to go head-to-head with the Nvidia GTX 780. It features a code name of "Hawaii" and boasts an impressive array of specifications, including 2,816 stream processors, a clock speed of up to 1 GHz, and 4 GB of RAM with a 512-bit memory bus. This may seem like overkill, but it's actually designed to game at 4K resolutions.

The card has the same nice-looking design as other reference 200 series cards for display outs, featuring a pair of dual link DVI HDMI and display port connectors, and requires an 8-pin and a six-pin PCIe connector for power. This new GPU is designed to compete with Nvidia's GTX 780 in terms of performance, and it's clear that AMD has put a lot of effort into creating a high-quality graphics card.

One of the standout features of the R9 290x is its ability to control fan speed and overclocking. The BIOS switch on the card goes between "quiet" mode, which caps maximum fan speeds at either 40% or 55%, and "Uber" mode, which allows users to push the card's performance to the limit while still maintaining some level of control over heat output. This is a great feature for overclockers who want to squeeze every last bit of performance out of their hardware.

In quiet mode, the R9 290x strikes a good balance between performance and noise levels. It's able to maintain high frame rates without generating excessive heat or noise. However, in Uber mode, the card becomes much louder, but it also pushes its performance to new heights. Users can experiment with different settings to find the optimal balance between speed and quietness.

One of the benefits of the R9 290x is that users can customize their fan speeds and temperatures using the built-in BIOS controls. This allows them to tailor their experience to their specific needs, whether they're running demanding games or just browsing the web. It's also worth noting that the card comes with a default maximum temperature setting of 95°C, which AMD says is safe for the hardware.

While the R9 290x is an impressive graphics card, it does come with some caveats. One major limitation is that users need to have an 8-pin and a six-pin PCIe connector available on their motherboard in order to power the card. This can be a problem for users who don't have access to these connectors, as they may need to invest in additional hardware in order to get up and running.

Another limitation of the R9 290x is that it does require an external audio setup in order to take full advantage of its true audio capabilities. While the card itself includes a high-quality audio codec, users will still need to connect their speakers or headphones in order to hear any audio output. This may be a problem for users who prefer to listen to music or watch videos on their computer.

In terms of gaming performance, the R9 290x is clearly one of the top dogs in its class. Users who want to play games at high resolutions and frame rates will find that this card delivers excellent results, even when compared to Nvidia's GTX 780. It's also worth noting that the card comes with a price tag of $550, which is relatively competitive considering its performance.

In conclusion, the AMD Radeon R9 290x is an impressive graphics card that offers excellent performance and features for users who want high-end gaming capabilities. While it does come with some limitations, such as requiring specific power connectors and external audio setup, it's clear that this card is designed to deliver top-notch results in a variety of applications. Whether you're a serious gamer or just looking for a reliable graphics card, the R9 290x is definitely worth considering.

Future-Proofing and Future Plans

One thing that's worth noting about the R9 290x is its relationship with Nvidia's GTX 780. As we mentioned earlier, the two cards are designed to compete with each other in terms of performance, and it's clear that AMD is committed to making this card a top contender in the market.

In fact, AMD has stated that it plans to continue supporting the R9 290x for some time, even after Nvidia releases its new GTX 780 Ti. This means that users can expect to see updates and patches released by AMD as long as the card remains supported by the company.

It's also worth noting that the R9 290x is just one part of a larger strategy by AMD to take on Nvidia in the high-end graphics market. The company has been working hard to develop new technologies and hardware, including its Stream Processors architecture, which promises to deliver even more performance and efficiency than its current offerings.

In terms of future plans, it's likely that we'll see continued updates and support for the R9 290x as long as AMD remains committed to making this card a top contender. We may also see new hardware releases from AMD in the coming months, which could potentially upstage Nvidia's new GTX 780 Ti.

What Do You Think?

So what do you think about the AMD Radeon R9 290x? Is it a compelling alternative to Nvidia's GTX 780, or is it just another iteration of an existing product? Let us know in the comments below! We'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions on this new graphics card.

If you enjoyed this article, be sure to subscribe to our channel for more updates and reviews. We'll keep you up-to-date with all the latest news and developments from the world of tech and beyond. Thanks for reading, and we'll catch you in the next video!

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhey guys this is Austin and today I'm here with a review of the brand new AMD Radeon R9 290x so the question is how does it stack up taking a look around the card you'll see this has the same nice looking design as other reference 200 series cards for display outs you'll find a pair of dual link DVI HDMI and display port and for power it needs an 8 and a six pin PCI E connector unlike the rest of the new AMD R7 and R9 cards this is a brand new GPU code named Hawaii which is really made to go head-to-head with the Nvidia GTX 780 spec-wise it features 2,816 stream processors a clock speed of up to 1 GHz and 4 GB of RAM with a 512-bit memory bus that 4 gabes of memory might sound like Overkill but the 290x is designed to game it up to 4K resolutions at amd's GPU 14 event I was able to play around on a system with a pair of 290 Xs and Crossfire on three 4K monitors playing dirt 3 and it was really impressive unfortunately I don't quite have a pile of money to go spend on a 4k monitor for testing however the 290x definitely is designed for some really crazy setups so with a new card comes a new way to control your fan and overclocking the bio switch on the card goes between quiet and Uber mode which caps your max fan speed at either 40% or 55% quiet mode hits a good balance between performance and noise where Uber mode is a lot louder but works well especially if you're overclocking to overclock instead of dialing in a specific speed you instead bump up the max speed that's available to the card and it will run as close to that as possible I was able to push the 290x in Uber mode to 1,95 MHz on the core and 1,310 MHz on the memory which is just under 10% and 5% respectively with a better cooler and cranking the fan higher I'm I'm sure I could have gotten more on the flip side you can also use these same controls to make the graphics card run cooler and quieter you can now set a Max temperature which is 95° C at default something AMD says is totally safe for the card and you can also adjust the maximum fan speed manually what this means is that you can customize the 290x for you so if you don't mind giving up a little bit of performance you can let the card run much cooler and quieter and on the flip side if you don't mind about noise and give it a little bit more power then you can also get more performance out of it Crossfire has also been revamped on the 290x as you no longer have any external connectors instead everything is done through the motherboard which could also improve Crossfire performance in theory However unfortunately I only have a single 290x so I'll have to test this later true audio is also included in the card which should help improve audio performance however this is more of a futureproof thing than something that you can actually really use right now so let's jump right on in and take a look at the benchmarks a so the Radeon R9 290x is an absolute Beast especially considering the $550 price tag even on quiet mode it outperforms the GTX 780 and it does it for $100 less it's really this simple if you're looking for a high-end graphics card the 290x nails it of course Nvidia is going to be striking back soon with the new 780 Ti so what do you guys think are you going for a 290x or you going to hold off for a little while longer definitely be sure to let me know what you think in the comments below anyway guys thank you so much for watching if you enjoyed definitely be sure to subscribe to the channel so you're always kept up to date with the latest and greatest anyway guys I will catch you next timehey guys this is Austin and today I'm here with a review of the brand new AMD Radeon R9 290x so the question is how does it stack up taking a look around the card you'll see this has the same nice looking design as other reference 200 series cards for display outs you'll find a pair of dual link DVI HDMI and display port and for power it needs an 8 and a six pin PCI E connector unlike the rest of the new AMD R7 and R9 cards this is a brand new GPU code named Hawaii which is really made to go head-to-head with the Nvidia GTX 780 spec-wise it features 2,816 stream processors a clock speed of up to 1 GHz and 4 GB of RAM with a 512-bit memory bus that 4 gabes of memory might sound like Overkill but the 290x is designed to game it up to 4K resolutions at amd's GPU 14 event I was able to play around on a system with a pair of 290 Xs and Crossfire on three 4K monitors playing dirt 3 and it was really impressive unfortunately I don't quite have a pile of money to go spend on a 4k monitor for testing however the 290x definitely is designed for some really crazy setups so with a new card comes a new way to control your fan and overclocking the bio switch on the card goes between quiet and Uber mode which caps your max fan speed at either 40% or 55% quiet mode hits a good balance between performance and noise where Uber mode is a lot louder but works well especially if you're overclocking to overclock instead of dialing in a specific speed you instead bump up the max speed that's available to the card and it will run as close to that as possible I was able to push the 290x in Uber mode to 1,95 MHz on the core and 1,310 MHz on the memory which is just under 10% and 5% respectively with a better cooler and cranking the fan higher I'm I'm sure I could have gotten more on the flip side you can also use these same controls to make the graphics card run cooler and quieter you can now set a Max temperature which is 95° C at default something AMD says is totally safe for the card and you can also adjust the maximum fan speed manually what this means is that you can customize the 290x for you so if you don't mind giving up a little bit of performance you can let the card run much cooler and quieter and on the flip side if you don't mind about noise and give it a little bit more power then you can also get more performance out of it Crossfire has also been revamped on the 290x as you no longer have any external connectors instead everything is done through the motherboard which could also improve Crossfire performance in theory However unfortunately I only have a single 290x so I'll have to test this later true audio is also included in the card which should help improve audio performance however this is more of a futureproof thing than something that you can actually really use right now so let's jump right on in and take a look at the benchmarks a so the Radeon R9 290x is an absolute Beast especially considering the $550 price tag even on quiet mode it outperforms the GTX 780 and it does it for $100 less it's really this simple if you're looking for a high-end graphics card the 290x nails it of course Nvidia is going to be striking back soon with the new 780 Ti so what do you guys think are you going for a 290x or you going to hold off for a little while longer definitely be sure to let me know what you think in the comments below anyway guys thank you so much for watching if you enjoyed definitely be sure to subscribe to the channel so you're always kept up to date with the latest and greatest anyway guys I will catch you next time