• Competitor rules

    Please remember that any mention of competitors, hinting at competitors or offering to provide details of competitors will result in an account suspension. The full rules can be found under the 'Terms and Rules' link in the bottom right corner of your screen. Just don't mention competitors in any way, shape or form and you'll be OK.

With the release of AMD Vega - do i finally have enough choice replace my r9 290x?

Associate
Joined
5 Dec 2013
Posts
30
Location
Surrey
misleading title aside, let me expand on my question

I have been wanting to replace my MSI R9 290X LITE edition (4gb) for well over a year now. Card has served me very well but i've had to leave a side panel off my new pc case (glass fyi) because it got too hot for my Antec Kuhler h600, which is cooling an i7 6700k. I reckon I need a bigger cpu cooler, but that's a separate topic.

My conundrum is this. I am not wedded to either Nvidia or AMD. My monitor is a Dell 34" 3440x1440 UWD, non-freesync/gsync. The reason I didn't jump on the 1070/1080 bandwagon was i dislike the concept of buying something that has no competition. This sounds ridiculous, but I'm a consumer, I want to be able to choose a product that suits my personal preference.

My graphics card history is definitely AMD heavy, but I started off PC gaming with an nvidia 8800 gt maaaaaany years ago. Since then I've had a 5770, 6870, and lastly the thermo-nuclear device, the r9 290x. It's not the performance that's nuclear, merely the heat it kicks off. I still maintain that this is a good card, that fact that a 580 is a minor upgrade speaks volumes of the 290x, or AMD's failure to introduce a 1070/1080 equivalent.

With AMD finally managing to release Vega I feel that I now have the opportunity to actually commit to a purchase. I'm veering towards an Vega56(if they are ever available!), but there's something I really need guidance on.

I've never owned a direct manufactured card. All of my graphics cards have been either Sapphire, MSI or Powercolour (i think). I've always thought that the third party's add better cooling solutions and mild overclockings, but i suspect it will be some time till we see those. Is it worth waiting a couple more months, or should I stop being a tit and just buy a decent 1070? The reason I haven't is that I was hoping for Vega to offer something a bit different, but im not sure after the wait and the initial news that's circulating, it's actually going to be good VFM.

FYI gaming is the main purposes, I don't give a monkeys about benchmarking, but i demand top quality settings, capped at 60hz for my 1440p monitor. Games at the moment are a mixture of WoW, CSGO, Total War, and the 144 untouched titles in my steam library I've never managed to find the time to play!
 
I'd just get a 1070. Quieter.

The smart move is to buy a non reference v56.

I hate to say it but the write up for the v64 Strix on the Asus website makes that look like a nice solid option so I imagine the v56 Strix will be the same,
AMD have even gone with a solid touch plate so they don't get stick like they did when some of the heat pipes were not connecting with the Hawaii chip on the DCUII cards.
 
Vega56 looks the best bet,as long as the miners don't push the price up.


Lets try to make it clear before launch, AMD have said a LAUNCH PRICE of $399, what that means is they will give retailers a set quantity to sell at that price, when that quantity is gone the price will go up to whatever retailer deems is fair and makes them a profit.

Expect $399+TAX to convert to somewhere between £349-£399 with VAT and then don't be shocked if within one hour of launch the LAUNCH stock sells out and the price jumps to around £450+ area.
 
Lets try to make it clear before launch, AMD have said a LAUNCH PRICE of $399, what that means is they will give retailers a set quantity to sell at that price, when that quantity is gone the price will go up to whatever retailer deems is fair and makes them a profit.

Expect $399+TAX to convert to somewhere between £349-£399 with VAT and then don't be shocked if within one hour of launch the LAUNCH stock sells out and the price jumps to around £450+ area.
There's going to be a mad rush then!

Gibbo, will their be any custom cards for sale on launch day?
 
So retail Vega 56 will be 1070 performance at 1080 prices. Have AMD executives sat in the sun too long?

Not if the launch price is as rumoured, under £400, they will fly out. Above £400 is too much, but they will still sell.

AMD have not given its customers a flag ship card worthy of upgrading for sometime, now those customers who for whatever reason did not want team green, now have a viable option from the red team. :)
 
If you have a Freesync monitor buy Vega. If your not locked in I'd suggest going Nvidia route as this enables you to benefit from the performance advancements that Nvidia will surely bring with Volta and beyond.
 
Back
Top Bottom