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Gigabyte R9 290 Windforce Underperforming?

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  • Graphics Cards
  • Motherboards
  • Gigabyte
  • Graphics
Last response: in Graphics & Displays
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August 3, 2014 7:49:23 AM

Hello,

I would really appreciate some help as I cannot tell if my graphics card is performing the way it should. I installed it in April and had to flash my motherboard to get in to recognize my new card. I am also not sure it one of my other components could possibly be a bottleneck. It's not that the card doesn't work, but that in more graphically demanding games it doesn't come close to replicating the results from benchmarks for my card.

Here are my specs:

CPU: Intel i5-2500k (not OC'd)

Motherboard: MSI P67A-G45 (B3)

Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4) DDR3 1600

GPU: Gigabyte R9 290 Windforce, AMD Catalyst Driver 14.4

PSU: OCZ Firepower ZX 850W 80 Plus Gold

Monitors: Asus VH226H 21.5" (x2), I also sometimes use my 50" Samsung 6350 via HDMI

Other possibly relevant info:

I only game using a single monitor at 1920 x 1080p (DVI)

This build was from February 2012 and the only changes have been upgrading from a GeForce 560TI to the R9 290 and I had a RAM stick go bad and RMA'd both sticks so the RAM is the same model but brand new (July 2014).

When I changed cards I used Guru3D Driver Sweeper to remove all graphics drivers before downloading and installing the drivers for my new card.

My knowledge level with troubleshooting is pretty basic, so hopefully someone can help me find a solution, even if it means my card is not functioning the way it should.

More about : gigabyte 290 windforce underperforming

August 3, 2014 7:54:42 AM

Are you using your monitors in a dual monitor setup while gaming?
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August 3, 2014 8:00:01 AM

I updated the OP, I usually have two monitors plugged in, but only ever game on one. Both monitors are using DVI.

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August 3, 2014 8:19:11 AM

Pakesaker said:
I updated the OP, I usually have two monitors plugged in, but only ever game on one. Both monitors are using DVI.



Oh, now I see that you included this in the description. Somehow I didnt notice that, sorry. With wich games are you experiencing performance issues?
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August 3, 2014 8:51:46 AM


All games really, but since the card isn't completely non functioning it's only really noticeable with higher end games like Battlefield 4, Crysis 3, Hitman: Absolution, Tomb Raider, Borderlands 2, Sleeping Dogs, Wolfenstein, etc.

Again it's not that they won't run, but it seems like I'm getting around 30% less performance than I should. I mostly play CS: GO so on that game their is obviously no noticeable performance loss but I bought the card to be able to max out or close to it at least for my single player games.
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August 3, 2014 9:51:06 AM

Well, if you got a good cooler I think you should try OC-ing your cpu and see if that makes a difference. If you could get it up to 4.2 Ghz and you still dont have something close to the benchmarks then I dont know what could the problem be, but I'm pretty sure your CPU is not a bottleneck at that point.
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August 3, 2014 10:45:11 AM

I only have a stock CPU cooler so I have never overclocked.
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August 3, 2014 10:47:52 AM

Those all sound like games with a CPU allocated engine.
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August 3, 2014 10:55:44 AM

I guess I just assumed that the stock i5-2500K was still good enough, but I just tried a couple of the games I mentioned while monitoring CPU usage and it definitely looks like CPU is the bottleneck. I suppose I will buy an aftermarket cooler and look into overclocking my CPU.


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August 3, 2014 11:30:38 AM

Good luck, come again if you have more questions.
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