AMD fanboys: Help me decide between these AMD graphics cards?

[Alir]

I know little of AMD card besides the fact that AMD have mantle.

 

To keep this short, can anyone give me any suggestions on how to decide among these AMD cards?

 

http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/parts/video-card/#qq=1&i=39&r=12288,8192,6144,4096&H=1,3&O=1,4&sort=a7&s=1002,1003,1004&C=6,19

 

Some things I'm considering:

1. Watercooling and overclocking - I would ideally want a card from a manufacturer that doesn't void your warranty for watercooling

I may or may not do this but give me some suggestions for the best cards that fit in this category

 

2. I want to play very demanding games like battlefield 4, Crysis and the even more demanding: Minecraft.

I hope to also play at for 4K (at some point in the future). ...Point being that I want a decent graphics card that you can throw lots at without it slowing down.

 

I don't know anything about AMD cards, so tell me about the best series in the list that are like the gtx 770 - in performance and 5h!7

 

I obviously won't take the first card which you guys recommend, but would like some perspective from someone who knows something about AMD cards.

 

Oh and I'll have an i5 haswell refresh, probably overclocked as well so don't worry about the card being bottlenecked by my cpu.

 

And while I remember:

3. I'd prefer it if I don't spend too many £100s because an MSI gtx770 4gb is less than £300 and I'm considering AMD in case I can get a similar performing card for a cheaper price.

[Jodomcfrodo]

I would get the Asus DCUII 290 from that list.

If I was going to get any AMD card it would be the tri-x 290 or 290x.

[MbV93]

R9 290 is all you need to know. it destroys the GTX 770, it is also better than the GTX 780 and it's also less than 300.

[Cloud92]

I'm a gigabyte fanboy so I'd get a r9 290. But If I were to choose it would be either gigabyte or vapor-x

[TheKDub]

- Snip -

[Alir]

I would get the Asus DCUII 290 from that list.

If I was going to get any AMD card it would be the tri-x 290 or 290x.

eeek the tri x has orange on it.

could watercool it though.

 

does the tri x allow you to watercool and overclock without voiding warranty?

^edit:ignore

Also the ASUS 290 one is sick! As in the reviews look pretty promising! I'll check it out!

[Guest]

@Alir if you're looking for a manufacturer that will respect your warranty you only have a select few options.

 

I believe Club3D allows you to OC and use a custom cooler on their cards, as long as you don't physically damage the card through doing so, and you ship it back to them with the original cooler mounted properly in case of an RMA. I think XFX does so too.

 

R9 280 ~ GTX 760

 

R9 280X (which I have) ~ GTX 770. There's very little reason to get the GTX 770 unless a) it's on sale; b ) the 4GB version is on a massive sale; or c) you really need Nvidia PhysX. For me the R9 280X is more than $50 cheaper than the GTX 770 which performs similarly. The 2GB GTX 770 also has minor problems with limited VRAM in certain demanding games, which the 3GB R9 280X doesn't run into. As long as you choose from better coolers such as Sapphire's Vapor-X/Toxic/Dual-X or XFX DD or Powercolor Turboduo, you should be fine with temperatures.

 

I have the first generation R9 280X Vapor-X (which is really just a rebranded HD 7970 Vapor-X (Toxic), the dual-fan version), and it comes with aggressive clocks and fan settings, but I set the fan speed to run at 38% all the time and it's surprisingly quiet while keeping the GPU under 68°C all the time. I don't think you can get it anymore, because it's been replaced by the triple-fan Vapor-X, but the Dual-X works as well.

 

I'd stay away from Asus if I were you; their higher end DCII R9 cards seem to have problems with artifacting, even though the card performs quite well.

 

EDIT: Get the R9 290 if you can. If the 280X ties the GTX 770, the 290 destroys the GTX 770 for a similar price.

[gundershot]

Don't get ASUS AMD cards, the coolers are mostly designed for Nvidia, they don't work so well on AMD. The Tri-X, Vapor-X and PCS+ are my favourite AMD coolers.

[Alir]

http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/asus-video-card-r9270xdc2t4gd5

 

How would that compare against the R9 290? And what about the gtx 770? As in where would these be ranked against each other?

[MPX309]

Get the 290. . . my fire strike score (stock clocks)

[TheKDub]

How would that compare against the R9 290? And what about the gtx 770? As in where would these be ranked against each other?

 

Oh shit, not sure how that got onto the list, didn't really pay attention to the model, just expected them all to be 290s.

[Aniallation]

I know little of AMD card besides the fact that AMD have mantle.

 

To keep this short, can anyone give me any suggestions on how to decide among these AMD cards?

 

http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/parts/video-card/#qq=1&i=39&r=12288,8192,6144,4096&H=1,3&O=1,4&sort=a7&s=1002,1003,1004&C=6,19

 

Why is there barely any vendors available in the UK?

 

This is the #1 go-to AMD card for me http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161459&cm_re=r9_290-_-14-161-459-_-Product

 

My sig, bro

[Alir]

Why is there barely any vendors available in the UK?

 

This is the #1 go-to AMD card for me http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161459&cm_re=r9_290-_-14-161-459-_-Product

 

My sig, bro

 

i think its because the uk doesn't have as much of a computer-building-enthusiast community. Or maybe I'm wrong. I dunno. lol

 

Is it possible to get that card in black or red?

[Alir]

I hate newegg. They have awesome offers with free games. But their lack of respect for the UK is clearly race-related. lol anyways

[Alir]

@Alir if you're looking for a manufacturer that will respect your warranty you only have a select few options.

 

I believe Club3D allows you to OC and use a custom cooler on their cards, as long as you don't physically damage the card through doing so, and you ship it back to them with the original cooler mounted properly in case of an RMA. I think XFX does so too.

 

R9 280 ~ GTX 760

 

R9 280X (which I have) ~ GTX 770. There's very little reason to get the GTX 770 unless a) it's on sale; b ) the 4GB version is on a massive sale; or c) you really need Nvidia PhysX. For me the R9 280X is more than $50 cheaper than the GTX 770 which performs similarly. The 2GB GTX 770 also has minor problems with limited VRAM in certain demanding games, which the 3GB R9 280X doesn't run into. As long as you choose from better coolers such as Sapphire's Vapor-X/Toxic/Dual-X or XFX DD or Powercolor Turboduo, you should be fine with temperatures.

 

I have the first generation R9 280X Vapor-X (which is really just a rebranded HD 7970 Vapor-X (Toxic), the dual-fan version), and it comes with aggressive clocks and fan settings, but I set the fan speed to run at 38% all the time and it's surprisingly quiet while keeping the GPU under 68°C all the time. I don't think you can get it anymore, because it's been replaced by the triple-fan Vapor-X, but the Dual-X works as well.

 

I'd stay away from Asus if I were you; their higher end DCII R9 cards seem to have problems with artifacting, even though the card performs quite well.

 

EDIT: Get the R9 290 if you can. If the 280X ties the GTX 770, the 290 destroys the GTX 770 for a similar price.

 

Don't get ASUS AMD cards, the coolers are mostly designed for Nvidia, they don't work so well on AMD. The Tri-X, Vapor-X and PCS+ are my favourite AMD coolers.

 

 

What's artifacting? I'll look it up but if anyone can quickly sum it up that would be awesome. - EDIT: Nevermind.

I still don't really understand what's wrong with ASUS' AMD fans??

 

What about the 290X: http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/part/xfx-video-card-r9290xenfc

It's by XFX as well so I can watercool without voiding my warranty?

 

i'm assuming 290X is better than 290 correct?

[GloriousPain]

/Snip

Look at Windforce, PCS+, or TRI-X 290s should be about equal to a 780 a bit above in BF4 W/ Mantle and such 

[Alir]

ok I probably won't need to worry about overclocking these high performance cards by looking at their reviews. Though I'm slightly concerned about them overheating inside the h440s - I'll have sp fans at the front if that helps.

[Alir]

So how many people agree on that ASUS AMD cards overheat, causing 'artifacting'? Not to start an argument

[thekeemo]

mineraft actually depends on the cpu more than the GPU

[Alir]

mineraft actually depends on the cpu more than the GPU

 

lol i know

[Tacitus]

Get the PowerColour PCS+ from OCUK, it's £300 and comes with a 2400mhz 8gb kit of RAM from AMD, which AFAIK retails for around £70. It's a great deal imo.

 

EDIT: it also uses a reference PCB so it is watercool ready!

[Gauzl]

R9 290 is all you need to know. it destroys the GTX 770, it is also better than the GTX 780 and it's also less than 300.

No, the 780 is better then a 290, it's the 290x that's a little bit better then the 780.

[Alir]

Get the PowerColour PCS+ from OCUK, it's £300 and comes with a 2400mhz 8gb kit of RAM from AMD, which AFAIK retails for around £70. It's a great deal imo.

 

EDIT: it also uses a reference PCB so it is watercool ready!

 

link???

 

And  i'm assuming that's watercool with a DIY system thingy? - with separate parts?

I'm only really planning to watercool with the kraken g10 since I've never built a system let alone trust myself not to screw up with the pipes and rads. lol

[MbV93]

No, the 780 is better then a 290, it's the 290x that's a little bit better then the 780.

 

Well maybe the 290 loses by 2 to 5 frames when the 780 is overclocked but they're in the same level of performance and the 290 is way cheaper, that is what I'm trying to comunicate. The 290X is not a little bit better, it is balls to the wall more powerful than a 780.

[Alir]

This?

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-166-PC

 

now all i need is £300. lol  I'll be building the rig later this year since I need the money first