Which R9 280X to buy?

[Held657]

I'm using a XFX HD 7970 GHz Edition and I'm pretty happy with the performance. But sadly the card is about to die so i am looking for a new card. Since I think the R9 280X is pretty nice in price to performance and I already have the suitable waterblock I'd go for that. I use custom liquid cooling so my gpu is running at max 55 Degrees Celcius i can overclock like hell. The waterblock is an EK Water Blocks EK-FC7970 Nickel CSQ for the HD 7970 reference design.

So the card I'm searching should have a reference layout PCB and unlocked voltage. I found three cards which I think could fit:

 

1)  PowerColor R9 280X OC TurboDuo (not sure if voltage is unlocked, does anybody know?)

 

2) HIS R9 280X IceQ Boost Clock (not sure if votage is unlocked or PCB is reference layout, does anybody know?)

 

3) Club 3D R9 280X RoyalQueen (As far as I know the PCB is reference layout and the voltage is unlocked, or has anybody made other experiences?)

 

 

These are just the three I had in mind. If someone knows another card that fits my expectations feel free to suggest it.

[theroflcopta]

I'm not sure which specific cards are a reference design and which aren't, but i'd say go for the one with the best warranty that isn't voided by attaching a water block. Also make sure the 280x reference design isnt slightly different then the 7970 design or else you may have to dig and find an old 7970 to use : /

[Held657]

I'm not sure which specific cards are a reference design and which aren't, but i'd say go for the one with the best warranty that isn't voided by attaching a water block. Also make sure the 280x reference design isnt slightly different then the 7970 design or else you may have to dig and find an old 7970 to use : /

 

Of these three manifacturers everyone makes removing the stock cooler a issue of warranty void. And I know no manifacturer that allows it officially. Well the PCB of the HD 7970 and the R9 280X are basically the same, after all they are the same cards. EK Water Blocks lists all my chosen cards as "visual compatible" along with some other R9 280Xs. 

I'd have no problem using a HD 7970 because, like I said, it's the same card. But in Germany, where i live, it's really hard to get one, especially for less than 300€, and then I'd have to find a fitting one. (These R9 280Xs only cost 230€).

So I'd really prefer getting a R9 280X.

[-iSynthesis]

Wouldn't take any of these, i'd go for MSI/ASUS/Gigabyte

[LmeAde2]

I would go with the ASUS R9 280X DCUII http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FT2S4BG. I had it before stepping up to the 780Ti (also DCUII) and it was an excellent card.

[Matriox]

Try a sapphire or gigabyte...Excelent graphics cards

[ColourShift]

Go with Gigabyte cards.

[the ginger gamer]

I wouldn't go with any of them, i like the msi one and it is usually one of the cheaper ones anyway. 

[RazeG3SG1]

Gigabyte is better than the 3 you have listed and it uses reference pcb.

[SkR]

 

i recommend the Club 3D R9 280X RoyalQueen out of those 3

just dont get the Asus R9 280X DC2T or MSI. reason: both have severe artifacting. cause: not all VRAM chips are covered to isolate from heat of radiator  

[Held657]

Guys pls remember THE CARD WILL BE COMPLETLY LIQUID COOLED (including VRAM and VRM)! Things like the cooler just don't matter! And normally I would go with Sapphire or ASUS, but they use custom PCBs that won't fit my waterblock. Gigabyte does defenetly NOT use custom PCBs! And as far as I know they don't use the reference layout, too.
But MSI was a good call -iSynthesis. They actually use the originial reference AMD PCB. I didn't realize that! In that case I would go with the MSI normally. But there are still some doubts I have. I know the HD 7970 reference card had a lot of problems with coil whine (so does my XFX). Is that still the case with the R9 280X and therefore the MSI Gaming? And how well does the MSI Gaming Overclock? Is it voltage unlocked?

Does anybody have experience with MSI Gaming or one of the other three cards I first mentioned in the matter of overclocking and voltage locked / unlocked?

[Lazmarr]

I think that the Sapphire warranty is not void when removing the heatsink although I am not sure if they use reference PCB layout

[MrTiC]

Send a mail to sapphire and ask about the speccs and warrenty ? tell them that you want to watercool the card. Never hurt asking.

[Held657]

Removing the stock heatsink voids the warranty on Sapphire cards. And they don't use a reference layout PCB. I know that Sapphire and ASUS are defenetly not an option. Sapphire PCBs aren't reference design and ASUS even uses wider PCBs than reference.

[Held657]

So the MSI Gaming doesn't have the reference PCB anymore. I was getting tired of it so I bought an ASUS R9 290X DCII and a suitable waterblock for it.