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PowerColor PCS+ R9 290X Review: Cool, Quiet, And Priced Right

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  • Gaming
  • Graphics Cards
  • AMD
  • PowerColor
  • Tom's Hardware Top Picks
Last response: in Reviews comments
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May 4, 2014 11:00:03 PM

PowerColor sent over a second 2.5-slot Hawaii-based card. The first was MSI's R9 290X Lightning. This one, the PCS+ R9 290X is both lighter and less expensive. Does PowerColor out-engineer MSI and score an upset, or is the PCS+ simply less capable?

PowerColor PCS+ R9 290X Review: Cool, Quiet, And Priced Right : Read more

More about : powercolor pcs 290x review cool quiet priced

a b 4 Gaming
a b U Graphics card
May 4, 2014 11:36:23 PM

For some reason I thought the pcs+ used hynix.
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a b U Graphics card
May 5, 2014 12:05:20 AM

I just want to point out that this and most 290X's beat a stock 780 Ti. The fact is both 780 Ti and the 290X are trade blows and belong on the same GPU tier. However only one does cost $150 less and come with 4GB VRAM...
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16
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a b 4 Gaming
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May 5, 2014 12:14:57 AM

CaptainTom said:
I just want to point out that this and most 290X's beat a stock 780 Ti. The fact is both 780 Ti and the 290X are trade blows and belong on the same GPU tier. However only one does cost $150 less and come with 4GB VRAM...


Well, since you are comparing a non reference GPU, you should take also a non-reference GPU to compare.
Tom's using Gigabyte's 780ti OC which costs the same as the reference card...

So even the non-reference models are on a different tier as well as their reference...
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5
May 5, 2014 2:37:37 AM

Any chance of measurements in metric as well as imperial?
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-1
May 5, 2014 3:26:51 AM

bemused_fred said:
Any chance of measurements in metric as well as imperial?


Typical translation errors, the original is in metric ;) 
http://www.tomshardware.de/powercolor-r9-290x-pcs-revie...

I will clearify with Chris, that we use both in the future. Metric is worldwide more common :D 
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May 5, 2014 5:11:20 AM

Surprised the benchmark graph show performance at 1080p. Aren't the 290 series kind of wasted at that resolution? I would love to see the results at 1440p or even 4k. I have a feeling the 780ti might not look quite as good in comparison at higher resolution.
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a b 4 Gaming
a c 184 U Graphics card
a b À AMD
May 5, 2014 6:26:56 AM

A stock GTX780Ti is 7% faster at 2560x1440, and 8% faster at 1920x1080 (18 games averaged):
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/EVGA/GTX_780_Ti_SC_A...

With such a HUGE difference in prices, quality, and performance on all top-end cards you really have to do your research.

The R9-290X prices vary from $550 to $780 USD!
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May 5, 2014 7:11:10 AM

photonboy said:
A stock GTX780Ti is 7% faster at 2560x1440, and 8% faster at 1920x1080 (18 games averaged):
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/EVGA/GTX_780_Ti_SC_A...

With such a HUGE difference in prices, quality, and performance on all top-end cards you really have to do your research.

The R9-290X prices vary from $550 to $780 USD!


Thanks for the response! I thought I had seen reviews elsewhere that showed the 290 series really closing the gap, or even surpassing the 780ti at higher resolutions, but perhaps I was remembering wrong. I recently decided to upgrade to a dual-290 setup, but if I had gone with a single card, the 780ti was at or near the top of my list (until the 290x prices came crashing down, that is).

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May 5, 2014 8:38:04 AM

So is the difference between 290x's almost entirely due to cooling (and some OC)? I have someone who wants to sell me a reference 290x for $350, but I have a gtx 770, so it would seem that I would need to buy an after market cooler as well to make it worth my while. Thoughts?
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a b 4 Gaming
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May 5, 2014 10:05:54 AM

That_Guy88 said:
So is the difference between 290x's almost entirely due to cooling (and some OC)? I have someone who wants to sell me a reference 290x for $350, but I have a gtx 770, so it would seem that I would need to buy an after market cooler as well to make it worth my while. Thoughts?

See these articles for after-market cooling options:
Air cooling:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/r9-290-accelero-xtr...

Liquid Cooling:
How to:
http://www.pcper.com/reviews/Graphics-Cards/Using-NZXT-...
And results:
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/radeon-r9-290-and-290x,re...
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1
a b 4 Gaming
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May 5, 2014 10:55:49 AM

If nothing else, I'm happy to see Radeon prices returning to normal.
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4
May 6, 2014 12:04:40 PM

Get the Sapphire R9 290 Vapor-X. This is almost exactly the same thing except that Sapphires card has a LED Sapphire logo that changes color based on heat and looks way cooler. Also, being an owner of the Vapor-X myself, I can tell you that this card has the Hynix Memory. Highly recommend. Also, the temp has never gone over 65C in my small MATX case in a room that is 71F.
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May 6, 2014 12:04:45 PM

Get the Sapphire R9 290 Vapor-X. This is almost exactly the same thing except that Sapphires card has a LED Sapphire logo that changes color based on heat and looks way cooler. Also, being an owner of the Vapor-X myself, I can tell you that this card has the Hynix Memory. Highly recommend. Also, the temp has never gone over 65C in my small MATX case in a room that is 71F.
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May 6, 2014 12:05:19 PM

Sorry. Didn't mean to double post.
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May 6, 2014 12:06:40 PM

Oh also, the Vapor-X card has the same benchmarks as a 290x in Firestrike Extreme, Valley and Heaven. I got it for 460 bucks.
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May 6, 2014 1:24:17 PM

Laytonoid said:
Get the Sapphire R9 290 Vapor-X. This is almost exactly the same thing except that Sapphires card has a LED Sapphire logo that changes color based on heat and looks way cooler. Also, being an owner of the Vapor-X myself, I can tell you that this card has the Hynix Memory. Highly recommend. Also, the temp has never gone over 65C in my small MATX case in a room that is 71F.


I was more wondering about the value of getting the 290x for $350. I could buy an after market cooler for $50-75. I'm just not sure if it is a worth while upgrade.
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a b 4 Gaming
a b U Graphics card
May 6, 2014 1:40:50 PM

These types of cards have the benefit of being factory OC'd and cooled. Generally speaking, if you swap the cooler and personally OC your card, you void the warranty. If that's a big deal for you, then the 3rd-party boards might be to your liking.

For total upgrade worthwhileness ( is that even a word/term? ) what kind of resolution are you going for? Most of the top-end cards are complete overkill if you're not playing above 1080p. If you're not using 1440p or triple displays, I wouldn't bother going above a GTX 770 / R9 280.
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May 6, 2014 2:06:54 PM

After buying a pair of those, I can only recommend them. They are quiet as hell and perform incredibly.

I am questioning Toms review about the temps. Temps on Hardwarecanucks are showing something entirely different giving the PCS+ the best temps of all the 290x cards offered. A wooping 63C... even mines have never reach up 67C...
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May 6, 2014 2:08:20 PM

Quote:
I just want to point out that this and most 290X's beat a stock 780 Ti. The fact is both 780 Ti and the 290X are trade blows and belong on the same GPU tier. However only one does cost $150 less and come with 4GB VRAM...


Not to forget the only viable 4k option right now in Crossfire.
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May 6, 2014 2:29:36 PM

Sapphire aftermarket cards = Hynix memory
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May 6, 2014 2:49:06 PM

Vapor X 290x coming soon.
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May 6, 2014 2:55:50 PM

I disagree on the the r9 290 being ever kill on 1080p. If you have a 144hz monitor you need a 290 or 290x. The difference between 280x and 290 is 10 fps in most games. I dont recommend 290x over 290.. thats a rip off. 290 is great on my 144hz. Thats the difference in fps between 780 and 780ti.. 10 fps in most games and the ti is 200+ more dollars.
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May 6, 2014 3:41:50 PM

Laytonoid said:
I disagree on the the r9 290 being ever kill on 1080p. If you have a 144hz monitor you need a 290 or 290x. The difference between 280x and 290 is 10 fps in most games. I dont recommend 290x over 290.. thats a rip off. 290 is great on my 144hz. Thats the difference in fps between 780 and 780ti.. 10 fps in most games and the ti is 200+ more dollars.


I don't agree with your reply, but I have a similar point of view concerning the 780 TI. The 780 TI as a single card have no reason to exist right now because other single card option can render 1440p really well. Also, if you put 2 in SLI, they are getting destroyed at QHD by two 290x that cost 300$ less. It's the most powerful single gpu card, but it is not the best option in SLI and it cost way more.

Still, going 290x CF make sense over 290 CF at QHD.

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May 6, 2014 4:44:37 PM

my bro owns the 290 pcs+ and he has hynix.
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May 6, 2014 5:50:42 PM

I was only talking about single GPU. I ordered both the 280x and the 290 (non X) to decide which I wanted to keep. The 290 was around 10 FPS better then 280x in everything at 1080p. So yes.. the 290 as a single card is totally worth it at 1080p. The 290 is worth it over the 280x in 1080p. Most people buy single cards.. not CF or SLI.
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May 7, 2014 1:40:13 PM

so is this review for the 290 or the 290x? best pricing for the 290x is still like $550, and that's newegg/microcenter pricing. i don't remember the 290X hitting $700, or were they?
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May 7, 2014 7:51:58 PM

oh yeah the 290x was 700 and 290 maybe 600ish on newegg and amazon probably 3 months back. I waited and waited and got a 290 vapor x finally for 450 a week ago. It just broke unfortunetly and I had to return it to amazon. Pink trees and other weird lighting things in games. Good news is I get to keep the 3 digital games that came with it.
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May 9, 2014 8:59:39 AM

"Haste makes waste"

That´s how I would finish an ASUS R9280X DCII TOP review!
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May 9, 2014 9:09:12 AM

"Haste makes waste"

That´s how I would finish an ASUS R9280X DCII TOP review!
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May 13, 2014 6:44:43 AM

PowerColor PCS+ AMD Radeon R9 290 4GB GDDR5 OC 2DVI/HDMI/DisplayPort PCI-Express Video Card AXR9 290 4GBD5-PPDHE
Amazon com price $459.99 & FREE Shipping

GTX 780 Ti goes for 680 to 1065 at Amazon com

Also no 4k gaming test ? Isn't that where the AMD card would shine compared to the Nvidia card ?
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!