Cross Fire r9 290?

[CosmicMeteor]

Should I Crossfire 2 R9 290s? What kind of increase inf fps should i expect?
How do you even cross fire? Is it automatic of do I have to config it in my bios or games? If so how?
Also can I even do it with my system? (Willing to buy a new psu)
Here is my build by the way.

[The Crazed Child]

You won't need to change anything in the BIOS, as long as the motherboard is compatible with CFX it will work fine. Because you already have a 290, all the necessary drivers for Crossfire are there so it will automatically detect the second card. From there all you have to do is enable it from the Catalyst Control Center.

 

Just make sure your PSU has plenty of wattage, of course.

 

EDIT: Your PSU will need an upgrade, I would go with at least an 850W unit for dual 290's.

[CosmicMeteor]

You won't need to change anything in the BIOS, as long as the motherboard is compatible with CFX it will work fine. Because you already have a 290, all the necessary drivers for Crossfire are there so it will automatically detect the second card. From there all you have to do is enable it from the Catalyst Control Center.

 

Just make sure your PSU has plenty of wattage, of course.

 

EDIT: Your PSU will need an upgrade, I would go with at least an 850W unit for dual 290's.

Is it worth it?

[CosmicMeteor]

depends on the games you play and the resolution of your monitor

1080p 2 monitors but I plan to get 3 as soon as i get a bigger desk. BF3 BF4 diablo 3 minecraft some MMO's titan fall. Stuff like that. Countless games on steam.

I also record most of my gameplay with fraps.

[SkilledRebuilds]

If your using a single 1080p 60hz panel for your Gaming, it's a waste,as the single 290 is spot on 55-80FPS+ on all games,...so two of them will get you NEAR  'almost double that' for great scaling games.

 

Until you get either a higher refreshing 1080p panel like 120hz/144hz, or a 2560x1440p 60hz+ panel would be great for them, and 2560x1080 or 3840x2160 & Triple screen Gaming.

 

For for 1080p alone, @ 60hz, One is pretty much still overkill with excess FPS above 60fps. (Although 70fps is my personal sweetspot, and the 290 does perform to that by itself)

 

But I wouldn't stop you, if they were cheap enough (gettin close) then I'd grab another myself and then get a new monitor afterwards to justify it.

[CosmicMeteor]

If your using a single 1080p 60hz panel for your Gaming, it's a waste,as the single 290 is spot on 55-80FPS+ on all games,...so two of them will get you NEAR  'almost double that' for great scaling games.

 

Until you get either a higher refreshing 1080p panel like 120hz/144hz, or a 2560x1440p 60hz+ panel would be great for them, and 2560x1080 or 3840x2160 & Triple screen Gaming.

 

For for 1080p alone, @ 60hz, One is pretty much still overkill with excess FPS above 60fps. (Although 70fps is my personal sweetspot, and the 290 does perform to that by itself)

 

But I wouldn't stop you, if they were cheap enough (gettin close) then I'd grab another myself and then get a new monitor afterwards to justify it.

Would I be better getting custom water cooling? I have never done it and I think I would need a bigger case? I don't know. Or maybe upgrade my cpu cooler to a water cooling 1?

[The Crazed Child]

1080p 2 monitors but I plan to get 3 as soon as i get a bigger desk. BF3 BF4 diablo 3 minecraft some MMO's titan fall. Stuff like that. Countless games on steam.

I also record most of my gameplay with fraps.

Triple Eyefinity on dual 290's would be epic. 

[Cheddle]

triple eyefinity is spot on with crossfire r9 290's - and adequate for 4k.

 

must admit I haven't watched your build vid but I ran my r9 290's (stock clocks) with an Antech 750w High current gamer (one 12v rail per card) - for overclocking (the r9 290's clock very well as long as the cooling is good) I would go a a high quality 850 or 1000w.

 

Watch for pcie speeds - the bridgeless r9 290 requires minimum PCIE 2.0x16 or PCIE 3.0x8 on both slots - the difference I see when using PCIE 2.0x4 via chipset is 17,500 firestrike gpu points compared to 20,500 when running PCIE 3.0x8 on both.

[SkilledRebuilds]

triple eyefinity is spot on with crossfire r9 290's - and adequate for 4k.

 

must admit I haven't watched your build vid but I ran my r9 290's (stock clocks) with an Antech 750w High current gamer (one 12v rail per card) - for overclocking (the r9 290's clock very well as long as the cooling is good) I would go a a high quality 850 or 1000w.

 

Watch for pcie speeds - the bridgeless r9 290 requires minimum PCIE 2.0x16 or PCIE 3.0x8 on both slots - the difference I see when using PCIE 2.0x4 via chipset is 17,500 firestrike gpu points compared to 20,500 when running PCIE 3.0x8 on both.

GOOD TO KNOW!

Currently running a Single Windforce 1040mhz R9-290 off my Evga 750w Modular and was thinking about my secondary PCIE 2.0 4x slot and I can guesstimate 3DMark 20500 down to 17500 is too much of a cost for me to allow a second 290 go to waste like that.

Thanks for info mate, knowing I can just get a better motherboard to not limit my future 290 or a more powerful single card... when that time comes.