flashed 290 vs 290x

[Scotspaul]

Can someone explain why I should spend more on a 290x when I can get a 290 that's been flashed to 290x for quite a few less lager tokens?

I haven't seen an explanation anywhere yet. .

Thanks

 

[Qitarah]

There is not any reason.

the 290 flashed to 290x wasn't suppose to actually work. It should be locked off physically. Most are, some are not.

There is literally zero reason to get a 290x over a flashed 290.

 

[Avenged7Fold]

^ pretty much

OCuk are the first to offer flashed cards and the only reason i can think of is in case the OEM warranty becomes void, but since OCuk personally will handle the warranty of the pre-flashed card, you got nothing to lose!

 

[Qitarah]

Yer i guess I should add that overclockers is the only place I am aware of that offer this service (this service being them flashing it and you retaining a warranty).

If you took a change on one of the less brands (from some where else) that may or may not unlock and it did unlock u may invalidate your warranty.

Basically if you wanna buy one now, get it soon and get it from overclockers. I'm sure it very limited stock and wont be around much longer.

 

[imginy]

I was looking at a list earlier of what cards unlock and people were having great success 80% with power colour and xfx.

 

[Qitarah]

just get the overclockers HIS one.

 

[Avenged7Fold]

Meh, that was with the first batches, i am sure the success is lower now that a few weeks have past. The flashing to 290x thread has made me reconsider how successful it is.

Advantages of the OCuk one is well worth the premium for it to be pre-flashed:

1. OCuk warranty. They sort it out rather than the OEM, so you dont need to flash it back and there is no risk involved. The return tends to be quicker than most OEM returns too
2. you are guaranteed an unlock!
3.OCuk also let you remove the heatsink for after market cooling, provided the action doesn't result in damaging the card. Even applying fresh new TIM of a decent brand will lower temps a few degrees even if you don't replace the cooler and this could be the difference between throttling occasionally and next to no throttling at all (since these cards do sit on the borderline with reference cooler)

 

[EdgeDs]

The 290 was Never ment to be flashed into the x version

 

[Avenged7Fold]

The 290 was Never ment to be flashed into the x version

Main reason why i would never buy one to get a 290x, there is no guarantee outside of buying a official 290x or a OCuk flashed 290x. If they are still flashing when i want to go Xfire (currently own a 290x), will probably get an OCuk one myself cause itd be pretty crap if i went cheapo and tried to DIY it and turned out that i have a 290x and a 290 which didn't unlock and would probably cause problems together in Xfire (forcing me to flash my 290x to a 290 to resolve any potential issues).

 

[purecain]

ocuk were only asking for 30pounds initially to check for you (and even flash the card)as a favour I think to help out the community... I usually post on a different tech forum but this whole thing cought my attention...

I think as a business decision they could have kept quiet and just made as much profit as possible... but they didn't and here I am...
I flashed my first card with an asus bios, it has the same signatuture as the 290 card from ocuk... whilst using asus tweak I looked at the bios update tool and it gave me a new bios to flash... I couldnt download it without starting the process and I would prefer to flash it properly in dos....
I switched off xfire and had another look and it didn't pick up the card from ocuk. now the software is buggy as hell but I'd just like to know if anyone here knows of a reason why I shouldn't carry on upgrading the bios as new ones are released from asus... I have an asus maximus VI also and I think theres some compatability issues with its boards and other brands whilst using xfire... so I'd like to keep it current as I do with the motherboard when essential bios's are released... forgive me if im not making much sense in any of this, im running on meds at the minute...
btw the new bios is called 67BOHB.15.29.0.6.AS02S as opposed to 67BOHB.15.29.0.6.AS01S... cheers...

updated the bios and both chips took np... the thing you have to watch for, is an odd setting left set in CCC through a flash can yield a new bug in the code and basically corrupt the bios.... similar to your motherboard bios... imo

 

[tommybhoy]

Answer to the op, no reason really to buy a 290X over a cheaper flashed 290, after a 290 is unlocked, it then becomes a full fat flavoured 290X.

The 290 was Never ment to be flashed into the x version

Course it was, positive publicity+something for 'free'=sales, AMD don't let thousands of gpu's to slip past QnA without getting bits lasered off.

turned out that i have a 290x and a 290 which didn't unlock and would probably cause problems together in Xfire (forcing me to flash my 290x to a 290 to resolve any potential issues).

CrossFire won't cause problems running 290/290X, it's designed to work between same series models.

 

[Qitarah]

Well yer obviously if you want to put a tin foil hat on and claim something u cant prove!

That being said it wouldn't surprise me!

 

[EdgeDs]

Hard to say could happen though.
Besides devaluing your top product and causing upset to partners who did not get uncut chips would hardly be worth the action its not like the cards were not selling

 

[Scotspaul]

Thanks for all the replies people, I feel reassured enough to buy one, which I just have.

I just have to make sure the wife doesn't find out........

 

[SS-89]

I got 3 powercolor 290's from another store and all 3 unlocked to 290x's