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Best 290X for CF

Born_2_Kill_83

Born_2_Kill_83

Born_2_Kill_83

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Apologies this has more than likely been asked before but which would you say is the best 290X to use in a Crossfire configuration.

A small amount of homework on my behalf shows me the latest Powercolour 290x PCS+ has the best overclocking potential. Does it take up 2.5 slots? If so will this effect cooling?
Also like the look of the ASUS but the chip they use for the memory appears to effect the overclocking some what.

I want to go in somewhere in the middle price wise, not to interested in blowing over £500 on a lightning.

Cheers me dears ;)
 
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You'll need decent space between the cards, two slots minimum unless you go with a reference design in which case they can be wedged up next to each other.

The lightning is the best 290X card. As you don't want to spend that much then id go with one of these, providing you don't mind spending £470. However the powercolor you mentioned is only £400 green queens. That is a great price for an AIB 290X so i'd probably go with that one as well.
 
LtMatt said:
You'll need decent space between the cards, two slots minimum unless you go with a reference design in which case they can be wedged up next to each other.
Click to expand...

Ah this might be a problem, I will be upgrading to an X99 broad later but at the moment I have a Asus P8Z77-V along with a Xonar DX sound card. Can’t visualise how it'll all fit.
 
Born_2_Kill_83 said:
Ah this might be a problem, I will be upgrading to an X99 broad later but at the moment I have a Asus P8Z77-V along with a Xonar DX sound card. Can’t visualise how it'll all fit.
Click to expand...

You'll want some space between the cards to allow them to breath, if you go AIB for sure.
 
Refrence would be the best bet I would hate to think of the amount of heat 2x 290xs would make in case with aftermarket coolers at least refrence ines exhaust the heat but if tge noice is too much water cool them
 
Aesthetics aside, is it a bad idea to have a reference installed as the second card below an aftermarket one? So that air from the bottom card is exhausted from the case and doesn't affect the temps of the top card so much?

I've never seen or heard of it done so I'm assuming there's a reason for that, I just wondered if it was solely the aesthetics?

I'd like to Crossfire mine one day also but worried that the consensus seems to be that it's a bad idea unless water cooling or having a ton of case fans...
 
All the cards you mention will work well.

Reference in Xfire is not a great idea.

Go MSI, ASUS or Sapphire. All are great products with the MSI just shading it in this config.
 
8 Pack said:
All the cards you mention will work well.

Reference in Xfire is not a great idea.

Go MSI, ASUS or Sapphire. All are great products with the MSI just shading it in this config.
Click to expand...

8 Pack, I'm liking the pricing on the Powercolour PCS+ though, very hard to turn down, but on a P8Z77 broad for the time being I'm guess its a bad idea as above. Also the cover over the PSU in the my new H440 would mean the bottom card would also mostly be covered.

So if it was you Mr Pack8 which card would you get with your hard earned dolla....when you say the MSI "shades it" I'm guessing you mean has the edge?
 
hmmmmm in this config MSI due to cooling and Samsung RAM.

ASUS is a great card too but Eliphida can be hit and miss. One of mine does 1800 the other two 1600 and 1625 respectively.
 
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In case he doesn't return to clarify, I believe the reference to Samsung RAM means that 8 Pack is referring to the MSI Lightning and not the MSI Gaming Edition. Which is erm... not the budget version.
 
Not necessarily in Crossfire but the Sapphire Tri-X seems to be the favourite around this forum.

While 8 Pack's advice is no doubt appreciated, it is not clear to me whether he is referring to the Twin-Frozr (Gaming) or Tri-Frozr (Lightning) cooler in Crossfire. I suspect he is talking about Lightning as he has recently reviewed it and noted the temps were good in Crossfire, and the reference to Samsung memory.

Therefore not sure that he has confirmed the MSI Twin-Frozr as the best for Crossfire.

Sorry, not trying to confuse matters... Your question is one I would like answered definitively myself. Sadly the Gigabyte Windforce gets near ignored when people ask for 290/X recommendations!
 
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