Should I fear the 'random black screen' when purchasing the R9 290?

[gaz]

So I am buying my first desktop pc - and my first ever build - in about a month. I have spent a lot of free time looking in to different components and their performance/qualities as I was totally unfamiliar with the whole pc-building before.

 

Soon it was time to look for a good GPU! I was mostly looking at the gtx 770 but it soon came to my attention that the small little beast machine R9 290 was similar to the 780 in performance, and somewhat cheaper(!). This lead me to really consider the Sapphire R9 290, since it has a very good cooler, and I looked in to reviews and forum posts about the card.

 

What I discovered has somewhat swayed me of the thought of buying one. Random black screens are appearing for many users, resulting in numerous RMAs and even going over to NVIDIA. I have asked around for tips and recommendations at work and everybody has recommended staying away from AMD GPUs and sticking to the counterpart due to reliability, software support, game support and what not - followed by multiple horror stories about AMD's cards.

 

 

I just find AMD too hard to turn down and I have not yet given up my hope. Power vs. price and the R9 290 is a clear winner. Should I really fear the random black screens and go with NVIDIA or am I getting bullshitted?

 

 

Thanks in advance.

[SpyRosL]

It's true that most problems come from AMD cards but that doesn't have to be you.Call it bad luck,call it AMD,whatever.

I think you should get the 290 because it's so much more powerful that the 770 and if you can't afford the 780.

 

Sapphire model is one of the best coolers on the market.

[Enderman]

Get it. If you get the black screens there are thousands of others that have the same problem and most of them find some way or another of solving it. If you have an issue with your 290 just come to us on the forum and we will be glad to help.

[Altecice]

The vast majority of black screens where caused by the ref 290/x's overheating. Get a non-ref and you will be fine.

[Oshino Shinobu]

If AMD were as bad as you and your colleagues seem to be making them out to be, they would have gone out of business long ago. The majority of R9 290s will be fine, but some may have an issue with black screens, blue screens or just plain and simple not working, but Nvidia cards can have the same problem, it's just the luck of the draw. You're much more likely to get one that works fine than one that doesn't.

 

Just go for a nice non reference cooler version and you'll be fine, rather than listening to people that say to stay away from one brand because a minority of people have had problems.  

[Guest]

[RainbowPee]

I haven't had a black screen so far. So yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah.

[Bagmup]

I must be the luckiest AMD user ever, never had a driver problem, never had a black screen with my 290.

[Bloodkil933]

I must be the luckiest AMD user ever, never had a driver problem, never had a black screen with my 290.

I second this, never a single issue. It was also reference, but put under an NZXT G10 and a Cosair H55 and it's excellent.

[Sonefiler]

Should be fine.

Although you should get a PowerColor pcs+ r9 290 instead

[GloriousPain]

/Snip

AMD cards are no less reliable than Nvidia you hear that it's just a heaping load of manure...They have next to nothing todo w/ the graphics cards you recieve they simply design chips and reference model cards then companies like Asus actually manufacture the cards and usually edit the cards heavily first 

-Driver wise they're just a bit more difficult to install than Nvidia because they don't have paragraphs of instructions they expect you to know how todo it

-Black Screen issues only time I've ever seen that is on a card that's been used for Mining or F@or the likes or previously OC'ed to hell

-efficiency if your worried about that you better have a 80+ Platinum or Titanium PSU of 1000w it makes more of a difference than a simple 290 vs 770

-issues with heat it's called just underclock the card you'll get slightly less performance but with AMD your all ready getting so much more for your money does it matter? I mean a 290 price wise matches the 770 and trades blows with the 780 

I reccomend the Sapphire TriX or Vapor X but I've only heard good things about the PowerColor PCS+ and the Gigabyte Windforce is cheap and better than average

[SlaughterSmurf]

So I am buying my first desktop pc - and my first ever build - in about a month. I have spent a lot of free time looking in to different components and their performance/qualities as I was totally unfamiliar with the whole pc-building before.

 

Soon it was time to look for a good GPU! I was mostly looking at the gtx 770 but it soon came to my attention that the small little beast machine R9 290 was similar to the 780 in performance, and somewhat cheaper(!). This lead me to really consider the Sapphire R9 290, since it has a very good cooler, and I looked in to reviews and forum posts about the card.

 

What I discovered has somewhat swayed me of the thought of buying one. Random black screens are appearing for many users, resulting in numerous RMAs and even going over to NVIDIA. I have asked around for tips and recommendations at work and everybody has recommended staying away from AMD GPUs and sticking to the counterpart due to reliability, software support, game support and what not - followed by multiple horror stories about AMD's cards.

 

 

I just find AMD too hard to turn down and I have not yet given up my hope. Power vs. price and the R9 290 is a clear winner. Should I really fear the random black screens and go with NVIDIA or am I getting bullshitted?

 

 

Thanks in advance.

Nvidia cards are more reliable from what I have seen THIS GEN! AMD has better Price/performance. The tradeoff for Nvidia is a bit less bang for the buck, but you are a lot less likely to have a dud card.

[WyvernAbstracts]

Ive had personal expirence with over 10 and cards in the past two years (friends/family/work) and never have any if them failed

[VortexS]

Never heard of this problem, and I have a 290X. But don't worry, if this happens it's a faulty card so you have warranty.

[Silent_Xaxal]

My issues only came about whenever running voltage higher than 12.