R9 290 Showdown - Vapor-X R9 290 vs PCS+ R9 290

[Guest]

[ZacDaMan72]

We get PowerColor in New Zealand!?!?!

[frontliner]

We get PowerColor in New Zealand!?!?!

 

Yeah, Techworld are the only stockists. If you really want a PowerColor card and its not in stock at Techworld, I'm sure Scott can get it for you.

[Guest]

We get PowerColor in New Zealand!?!?!

http://www.newegg.com/global/nz/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131549&cm_re=powercolor_290-_-14-131-549-_-Product

Newegg NZ

[ryanmmax]

Your conclusion is flawed, and is clearly biased. As an owner of the PCS+ I was curious and by the end I realized that your opinion is not based on your review or experience with these cards.

1. You justify vaporX cooling performance on a lower fan speed.

2. You ignor fan speed for the sound test.

If your going to use fan speed as a justification for cooling and negate the cooling performance gap then you must do the same for fan noise.

Now the performance, cooling, and noise are all equal. The only difference is features.

WTF! You put 80$ of value on a light??? This is a 250-350$ card that's 20-30% more for a color changing light!! Oh and even if your card is visible, with the massive cooler it should never change colors!!

[asim1999]

http://www.newegg.com/global/nz/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131549&cm_re=powercolor_290-_-14-131-549-_-Product

Newegg NZ

Love the reviews

Simple and straight to the point with no BS

keep it up!

[silentanarchy]

Your conclusion is flawed, and is clearly biased. As an owner of the PCS+ I was curious and by the end I realized that your opinion is not based on your review or experience with these cards.

1. You justify vaporX cooling performance on a lower fan speed.

2. You ignor fan speed for the sound test.

If your going to use fan speed as a justification for cooling and negate the cooling performance gap then you must do the same for fan noise.

Now the performance, cooling, and noise are all equal. The only difference is features.

WTF! You put 80$ of value on a light??? This is a 250-350$ card that's 20-30% more for a color changing light!! Oh and even if your card is visible, with the massive cooler it should never change colors!!

Fan speed is irrelevant because if one runs a lower speed at the same temp and its quieter. Then it's the quoted cooler.

[ryanmmax]

Watch the video... The pcs is louder, cooler, and at a higher fan speed.

He attributes the better cooling to the higher fan speed, but not the loader volume.

He argues that if the vapor x was running faster it could achieve the save cooling. By the same argument; if the PCS was running slower it could achieve the same quietness. His argument is flawed.

As such the only measured or observed distinction is cosmetic.

[Guest]

Watch the video... The pcs is louder, cooler, and at a higher fan speed.

He attributes the better cooling to the higher fan speed, but not the loader volume.

He argues that if the vapor x was running faster it could achieve the save cooling. By the same argument; if the PCS was running slower it could achieve the same quietness. His argument is flawed.

As such the only measured or observed distinction is cosmetic.

I have used both cards for weeks on end and with the default fan curve the Vapor-X is the quieter card for sure.

The PCS+ does cool very well but it requires higher fan speed to do so, compared to the Vapor-X, hence more noise too.

It might not show it as well in the video but IRL I can 100% say that the Vapor-X is quieter, lower fan speed is also a great plus for those who are going to overclock as it gives them more room to run a super aggressive fan curve.

Also no if you drop the PCS+ fan speed down it goes up quite a bit in terms of temps, at the same speed as the vapor-x it would be about 8 or 9c hotter.

For example if I ran the Vapor-X at 100% fan speed and the PCS+ at 100% and benched them, the Vapor-X would have lower temps.

I stand by what I said in the video, it my not portray it as well as possible, and as I said, the PCS+ is the best card if all you care about is performance, but the Vapor-X is the all around best R9 290.