• 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.

£239.99 R9 290, Which Make?

Google247

Google247

Google247

Associate
Joined
30 Jan 2009
Posts
158
Im debating on what make card to go for. specs of the build ive already ordered.

Intel Core i5-4690K 3.50GHz (Devil's Canyon) Socket LGA1150 Processor

MSI Z97 Gaming 7 Intel Z97 (Socket 1150) DDR3 ATX Motherboard

Kingston HyperX Beast 8GB (2x4GB) PC3-12800C9 1600MHz Dual Channel Kit

Which one is the best out of the 3 here below?

1) MSI Radeon R9 290 Gaming Edition 4096MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card
Core: 977MHz, Memory: 4096MB 5000MHz GDDR5, Stream Processors: 2560, DirectX 11.2 Support, AMD CrossFireX Ready, AMD Eyefinity, AMD Mantle, Dolby TrueHD, GCN, 3 Year Warranty.

2) Asus Radeon R9 290 DirectCU II OC 4096MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card
Core: 1000MHz, Memory: 4096MB 5040MHz GDDR5, Stream Processors: 2560, DirectX 11.2 Support, AMD CrossFireX Ready, AMD Eyefinity, AMD Mantle, Dolby TrueHD, GCN, 3 Year Warranty.

3) Gigabyte Radeon R9 290 OC WindForce 4096MB GDDR5 PCI-Express Graphics Card (GV-R929OC-4GD)
Core: 1040MHz, Memory: 4096MB 5000MHz GDDR5, Stream Processors: 2560, DirectX 11.2 Support, AMD CrossFireX Ready, AMD Eyefinity, AMD Mantle, Dolby TrueHD, GCN, 3 Year Warranty.

I'm swaying towards Gigabyte?

What do you think?

Thanks Stefan;)
 
better board design, better components and a better cooler. worth £20 alone, being a 290x is just a bonus.


seriously trying to resist buying the LE myself :o
 
james.miller, haha true, Ive just come to grips on upgrading my 5850 crossfire, upgrading everything else i really no point if i don't upgrade the graphics card..... :D

Thanks to everyone that has commented :)

Happy Christmas;) and a happy new year! :))
 
Out of the 290's the Powercolor and Sapphire are easily the best.

For the money the 290X Lightning LE is unbeatable.
 
What's with price of tri-x gibbo? It was £217 not long ago. I'm tempted by a 2nd, any chance they'll be on TWO again soon??
 
Just don't forget that the LE version of a lightning is a failed lightning. There is no reason that MSI wouldn't sell a card capable of being a lightning for less money.

Personally I would choose the Asus out of the three as it is the only one not to have taken up the idiotic trend of perpendicular fins.
 
Disco_P said:
Just don't forget that the LE version of a lightning is a failed lightning. There is no reason that MSI wouldn't sell a card capable of being a lightning for less money.

Personally I would choose the Asus out of the three as it is the only one not to have taken up the idiotic trend of perpendicular fins.
Click to expand...

What makes them a 'failed Lightning'?

I'm pretty interested as I've just installed mine and it blows my 290 away.
 
ElliottC420 said:
What makes them a 'failed Lightning'?

I'm pretty interested as I've just installed mine and it blows my 290 away.
Click to expand...

They won't overclock nor hold the voltage of the other ones.

I bought a failed 6970 Lightning before from OCUK and it was barely capable of running 6970 clocks. I flashed over the second bios to the real Lightning one and within a month it failed and I had to return it.

MSI used to bin the chips before producing the cards with Lightnings. Now, I guess to save money, they just mass produce them and then test them. If they don't overclock to expected levels they will be 'failed' lightnings like the 6970 I bought.

I'm not sure if these 290x are the same, but yeah, that was the deal with my 6970 one.
 
Disco_P said:
Just don't forget that the LE version of a lightning is a failed lightning. There is no reason that MSI wouldn't sell a card capable of being a lightning for less money.

Personally I would choose the Asus out of the three as it is the only one not to have taken up the idiotic trend of perpendicular fins.
Click to expand...

This Lightning LE of mine says different.

1325/1650 for an SD run.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/5289714
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom