AMD Radeon R9 290X with Hawaii GPU pictured, has 512-bit 4GB Memory

FoxEye · 10 Oct 2013 at 20:39

LtMatt said:
Its offering faster than 7950 stock performance so its not too bad actually. It has the Tahiti core but with 2gb/256bit bus. Basically a 7950 version of the 7870XT. If that makes sense.

Please stop being so wrong, and look at some reviews?

It's a Pitcairn XT. A vanilla 7870, just overclocked.

It's not from the Tahiti (7950) family. It's not a Tahiti LE.

It's a 7870 pre overclocked. And LOL at calling it the "bang for buck champion". Sure, if you completely ignore all the 7xxx series cards that are better VFM.

Rusty0611 · 10 Oct 2013 at 20:47

FoxEye said:
It's a 7870 pre overclocked. And LOL at calling it the "bang for buck champion". Sure, if you completely ignore all the 7xxx series cards that are better VFM.

To be fair to Matt he isn't "wrong" but I get your point. At the end of generations there is nearly always a clearance of old stock to make way for new stock.

I don't think you can compare VFM on these sales with general availability products because to benefit from the superior VFM product sale you have to be in the market for a card at that exact point of time that the sale is on. Otherwise you miss out. So this is a skewed way of looking at it.

So in the new market which will be there once the old stock is cleared Matt is correct.

benjii · 10 Oct 2013 at 20:48

When the nda lifts on the 290x, will we be able to preorder non reference ones?

Martini1991 · 10 Oct 2013 at 20:55

benjii said:
When the nda lifts on the 290x, will we be able to preorder non reference ones?

When have we ever?
The R290X pre-order is far from normal.

LtMatt · 10 Oct 2013 at 21:21

FoxEye said:
Please stop being so wrong, and look at some reviews?

It's a Pitcairn XT. A vanilla 7870, just overclocked.

It's not from the Tahiti (7950) family. It's not a Tahiti LE.

It's a 7870 pre overclocked. And LOL at calling it the "bang for buck champion". Sure, if you completely ignore all the 7xxx series cards that are better VFM.

I guess you didn't read my follow up post.

LtMatt said:
Scrap my previous comment. It does appear to be either a 7870 or a7870XT from looking at a quick review.

Sorry for being so wrong though. Efforts will be doubled next time.

FoxEye · 10 Oct 2013 at 21:24

Rusty0611 said:
To be fair to Matt he isn't "wrong" but I get your point. At the end of generations there is nearly always a clearance of old stock to make way for new stock.

I don't think you can compare VFM on these sales with general availability products because to benefit from the superior VFM product sale you have to be in the market for a card at that exact point of time that the sale is on. Otherwise you miss out. So this is a skewed way of looking at it.

So in the new market which will be there once the old stock is cleared Matt is correct.

The wrong part was it being a 7950 LE. Which it isn't.

As for the VFM bit, the 7870 was £180 pretty soon after launch, and ended up being £150.

To re-launch the 7870 as a 270X, and again re-launch it at £170-£180, is a mick-take, no?

That's like saying "Don't mind us whilst we just put the clock back 2 years and raise prices to match."

I hate the way people are already resigned to this and will just keep buying as tho they're somehow compelled to buy a new card each year, no matter what...

LtMatt · 10 Oct 2013 at 21:26

If people don't buy it the price will drop. We can moan about it as much as we like but unless we speak with our wallets what difference does it make.

I'm sticking with my 7950's, so im doing my part.

FoxEye · 10 Oct 2013 at 21:26

LtMatt said:
I guess you didn't read my follow up post.

Sorry for being so wrong though. Efforts will be doubled next time.

You should edit your original post to remove the inaccuracy. Otherwise you run the risk of people finding that post in isolation (via search), and not seeing your later redaction, and you end up spreading false info.

And then there's people like me, who just don't read to end of the thread, but have an itchy 'reply' finger. You need to keep us on side too

Martini1991 · 10 Oct 2013 at 21:26

I think the 7870's were well in the 200's when they launched?

I need to start kicking some ass

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18388389

And they were cheap.

Rusty0611 · 10 Oct 2013 at 21:33

The 7870s were £280 at launch. They didn't move for ages.

FoxEye · 10 Oct 2013 at 21:40

Ouch, really? Hah, that's insane.

They've been £180 for the last 12 months, and £150 for the last 6 (?) months tho, right? The 7850 has been £120 for aaages.

£280 for a mid-range card at launch? What were they smoking?

Mei · 10 Oct 2013 at 21:41

does anyone know for sure if both 290 & 290x have the trueaudio?
i dont think thats going to be very well supported if only 5% of gamers can use it or whatever?

*w3bb0 - sorry i didnt realise

Fulax · 10 Oct 2013 at 21:41

LtMatt said:
If people don't buy it the price will drop. We can moan about it as much as we like but unless we speak with our wallets what difference does it make.

I'm sticking with my 7950's, so im doing my part.

Hate to betray this noble cause, but I don't think I can stick with my 8800GT much longer

Mei said:
does anyone know for sure if both 290 & 290x have the trueaudio?

They do; it was confirmed at the Hawaii press event.

Martini1991 · 10 Oct 2013 at 21:42

The 7850 1GB was 129.99.

The 2GB's were 150.

It's only recently they've come down.

The price/performance of the 7XXX is really good right now, but it wasn't always this way.

In some ways it was a little messed up, as when the 7870 LE hit, it was cheaper than 7870's a lot of the time.

Buckster · 10 Oct 2013 at 21:45

unless the 290 is 400 or below I think I'm just going to go for a Windforce 280x from OC for about 250 - seems a lot of performance for the money, decent warranty, good temps, good performance

Rusty0611 · 10 Oct 2013 at 21:45

FoxEye said:
Ouch, really? Hah, that's insane.

They've been £180 for the last 12 months, and £150 for the last 6 (?) months tho, right? The 7850 has been £120 for aaages.

£280 for a mid-range card at launch? What were they smoking?

Ha. Yeah I know. Can't remember how long it took them to drop the price but it was a little while. It on their first big price drop IIRC.

Mei · 10 Oct 2013 at 21:46

Fulax said:
Hate to betray this noble cause, but I don't think I can stick with my 8800GT much longer

They do; it was confirmed at the Hawaii press event.

it was confirmed both them or just the 290x?

nice going on the 8800! i think i remember having a 7800gtx but it was noisy and hated it lol

Matson · 10 Oct 2013 at 21:46

Im wondering what the performance diff between the 290 and 290x will be. or if its better overall to just crossfire 2 x 280x cards instead. Do the 280x cards have the new crossfire technology or was that just the 290?

FoxEye · 10 Oct 2013 at 21:47

Either way I think we can agree that a 270X for £180 is no improvement on a 7870 for £180. Especially when it comes with no games at all anymore.

And that you could get an OEM (OcUK) 7950 for £200 for the last 6 months (ish).

And then if you do allow yourself to consider the latest 7950 pricing, well, that's the coup de grace

Avenged7Fold · 10 Oct 2013 at 21:48

Fulax said:
Hate to betray this noble cause, but I don't think I can stick with my 8800GT much longer

I lol'd.

I too am going to betray the cause and give away my power hungry pny Liquid cooled 580, before it decides to kill my PSU. Hopefully the R9-290 will be a little easier on the power front.