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How many 290/290x before it worked?

LtMatt said:
Not really a fair comparison because most people who are happy don't post to say, yeah my card works fine. People with faulty cards on the other hand, its the first thing they do.
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atomic7431 said:
yeah i understand this, but it will still be interesting. If enough post the brand of card i will include these details as well.
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It still isn't an indication of anything unless you have total sales/returns figures:

Gibbo said:
Our returns rate is less than 5%, same for a card like GTX 780, so I think that maybe the black screen issue is overly talked about but in reality can't be that bad when the statistics for returns seem pretty much around the same as other high-end cards from AMD and NVIDIA.
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:)
 
VTX R9 290 (x-edition not a 290X)
A few teething problems, needed a BIOS update to get the card working, with a few blackscreen issues in certain games which were fixed with the 14.1 beta drivers. Not needed to send the card back although I was tempted at one point.
 
My Two are fine.

Ones a 290x been perfect, seconds a 290 unlocked to 290x which is also perfect. Only issue is it cant overclock past 1300 on the memory lol
 
To be honest I think some of the issue is to do with some compatibility issue between some motherboard and certain type of the cards (so the card is not always solely to be blamed), and then there are factors such as PSU that are used as well.

Anyway, mine is a VTX290 (reference) unlocked to 290x by OcUK (which I fitted with a Gelid Icy Vision 2 cooler). Can overclock to 1230MHz/1400MHz (but vrm1 temp is too high when using high voltage, so I tend to run the core clock at just 1150MHz for normal usage)...so yea the card is total fine for stock clock, but I got duff Elpida memory that can't clock beyond 1400MHz without black-screening.
 
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DazQ87 said:
VTX R9 290 (x-edition not a 290X)
A few teething problems, needed a BIOS update to get the card working, with a few blackscreen issues in certain games which were fixed with the 14.1 beta drivers. Not needed to send the card back although I was tempted at one point.
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Hi Daz, what BIOS did you update with? Might keep BIOS flash on the back burner if my replacement card has the same issues as my first card.
 
I have tested five all together, two of which I own.

None of them have had to be RMAd.

There is no doubt the black screen issue is a serious one and I feel the AIBs/AMD need to check their quality control. Though I feel reading around the web it is the exception rather than the rule as there are plenty of R9 290/X owner threads where the vast majority have no problems.
 
Marine-RX179 said:
To be honest I think some of the issue is to do with some compatibility issue between some motherboard and certain type of the cards (so the card is not always solely to be blamed), and then there are factors such as PSU that are used as well.

*snip*.
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In some cases I'd say that's true.

My mining rig with three Sapphire Ref 290's would regularly crash after 30mins-3hrs (kernel 41), sometimes just at the desktop with a Gigabyte z77x-up4 (tried reinstalling windows 4 times...).
Now that I've changed to an Asus Z77-V Premium, it's been rock solid and mining away solidly for the last couple of days and no issues gaming with an OC either.
 
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Reference Sapphire 290 here. Crashed a few times while watching youtube, but hasn't happened since I turned off hardware acceleration. No issues with any game so far.
 
Well you asked for one thing and most of the replies are another (my card works great etc).

I told you when we spoke look at the other cards when you mentioned them (not me).

I know there is a jump in money but is the 3-4month of crap you have had an no enjoyment from PC worth £100ish?

I now post here on topic as you have edited the OP to include other choices.
 
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