Please help me decide: AMD R9 280 - 280x or 290 Video Card

mentos

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Mar 15, 2011
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Hello,

I'm interested in upgrading my 6950 to either a R9 280, 280x or 290 series video card.

I game at 1080p.

I will not be upgrading my cpu for some time as it's still fine for everyday use. Right now on ncix.com I can get a visiontek 290 card for $369 w/free shipping. I wasn't looking to spend that much but seeing as it's on sale and just $50-60 more than a 280x, I'm willing to spend it if the extra performance is noticeable.

http://www.ncix.com/detail/visiontek-radeon-r9-290-947mhz-8e-99345-1046.htm

Firstly, will there be a noticeable difference between all 3 cards at max setting with a 15 2500k cpu and 1080p gaming?

Secondly, if not, what brand and version R9 card do any of you experienced guys recommend for my cpu/res for max setting gaming?

I only play FPS like BF4 and Wolfenstein New Order etc.

Thirdly, is it worth waiting for the next generation of graphics cards? I've been out of the loop for a few years. When is the next generation of cards supposed to drop? I don't mind waiting if it's in the next 3-4 months.

Thank you for any input!
 

Poprin

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Dec 13, 2012
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Well I can only speak from my own experience with one card. I currently run a Powercolor TurboDuo 280x 3gb. I bought this as it was in many reviews the quietest 280x but not the fastest. Now I would say the performance is very good, benchmark wise it thrashes the GTX 560Ti it replaced. However it one HOT mother. I've had to play with it using MSI afterburner, undervolted it slightly and reduced the max output by about 5%. That appears to have done the trick, it's only lost about 5fps in Furmark but with the custom fan profile it hovers around 65c in long DOTA 2 / CIV5 sessions but in stuff that requires some umph it will hit 80c. Which is actually ok because it can hit 90c without issue and throttles back at 85c. Also even with the fans at around 70% it's pretty good. Idling it is silent and in games like DOTA it doesn't make enough noise to be noticeable. Anything where it is hitting 70c+ though you can of course start to hear it.

So if you are buying one of these cards make sure you have a well ventilated machine, they are hot hot hot!! If I had my time again I think I would have just purchased the GTX 760.
 

Nodyjoe

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Apr 20, 2014
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Well Poprin is right the Radeon Cards Do run hot if OCd and the GTX 770 would be overkill in BF4 and Wolfenstien playing at 1080P with 60+ FPS, But the AMD cards are optimized for BF4 and will acheive Higher frame rates than the Nvidia counter parts. i would go with the radeon R9 290 as a little bit of Future proofing and if you do OC it will out preform the 290x. i dont know when the next Gen cards are coming out.
 

doctorgiggles

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Feb 14, 2014
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i have 2 R290s and they get CRAZY hot...its usually the TOP card that gets hot had to remove one cause of the heat these guys put out.but when i was gaming on them it was great. Even gaming on 1 its great...
 

doctorgiggles

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Feb 14, 2014
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I asked a question about my 290s and the heat some someone said that the GTX 970s are out and they are about 330 or some odd dollars and run very cool. Might want to check that out if you would like i go either AMD or Nvidia dont matter to me as long as it does what i want them to do ya know.