ASUS R9 290 @ $428???

[viktOzzz]

WTH...

so many brands of R9 290. though is a reference card, but i think the lower price coupled with the 3 years warranty should make up for it.

Your Online Electronics Store in Singapore | Asus R9290-4 GD5

looks like more options for bargain hunters.. anyone knows if which retail is having it too? perhaps can post up here to share also.

 

[shadow84]

Thats ref cooler.. If u like having a sauna near u, then go for it... But, it would be good for users who wanna enter water cooling scene. Will work with majority of the blocks.

Otherwise, get the powercolour/sapphire. A much better choice.

 

[Ark Law]

$428 is an incredible deal for a home edition nuclear power generator.

 

[viktOzzz]

Thats ref cooler.. If u like having a sauna near u, then go for it... But, it would be good for users who wanna enter water cooling scene. Will work with majority of the blocks.

Otherwise, get the powercolour/sapphire. A much better choice.

precisely, as my own preference is to get a custom cooler, as in all my previous rigs.

been out of gaming for some time, let alone building a rig.

and being asus, i not so scared. i remember the days of the GTX8800, EAH3870, GTX280, etc... haha.. those are heat monsters too.

 

[hengheng220]

Lols the ref cooler even on Idle is still hot and noisy, unless you are going WC, its not worth it at all.

 

[shadow84]

precisely, as my own preference is to get a custom cooler, as in all my previous rigs.

been out of gaming for some time, let alone building a rig.

and being asus, i not so scared. i remember the days of the GTX8800, EAH3870, GTX280, etc... haha.. those are heat monsters too.

Dun understand what you meant by that? Or u implementing that brands other than asus would give problems???

 

[viktOzzz]

Dun understand what you meant by that? Or u implementing that brands other than asus would give problems???

nope. no saying that other brands would give issue. is just that my experience with asus had been a pleasant one. also, they dun have the seal on the screws of the cards to remove the cooler, so it's easy for me to tinkle around with it.

thus, please do not put words in my mouth.

those who knows me well, knows that most of the diy stuff that i use in the past are mainly asus.


cheers

 

[Felfirez]

I don't get it how a reference cooler and a non ref one will make the area around the computer cooler. It's a hot card so heat dissipation is the same for both ref and non ref.

The only downside is noise for the ref design, you can ramp up the fan speed to make the card cooler. Downside for trix and power colour is heat within chassis. I'd suggest this over the other two if noise is not a factor.

 

[hengheng220]

I don't get it how a reference cooler and a non ref one will make the area around the computer cooler. It's a hot card so heat dissipation is the same for both ref and non ref.

The only downside is noise for the ref design, you can ramp up the fan speed to make the card cooler. Downside for trix and power colour is heat within chassis. I'd suggest this over the other two if noise is not a factor.

Not sure if its correct, but a non ref cooler at least blows out the heat more efficient by pushing out lots of hot air out and also cooling the core. While as compared to the ref cooler, it not only pushes lots of hot air out from the core, the core somehow is still not efficiently cooled, resulting in higher temp in the core and also the core will the transfer heat to the air making the case not only have the heat dissipated by the cooler, by also the air which is heated up by the hotter core. Not sure if its correct, but its just my opinion need an expert to fully explain lols

 

[Felfirez]

Not sure if its correct, but a non ref cooler at least blows out the heat more efficient as compared to the ref cooler, hence more heat can be dissipate out of the case as compared to the ref card's core that runs way hotter, making the inside air of the case even hotter, increasing the overall temperature. Not sure if its correct, but its just my opinion need an expert to fully explain lols

Nope. The reference cooler is a blower type which exhaust air out the back of the case. The non ref coolers are exhausting air within the chassis itself. Actually if it's more efficient in getting rid of heat, then the non ref coolers will heat up the room faster than ref cooler theoretically ya? Read up on how the different hsf work.

 

[viktOzzz]

Both types of coolers have their own pros and cons.

Based on our findings along with some hardcore overclockers such as longsiew and such, the reference coolers works best with a push pull. Meaning that there is constant cool air being pushed towards the blower, and the blower exhaust it out.

Non ref coolers, we would have a fan blowing towards it from the front of the casing and have the fan at the side panel exhaust it out.

Of cos, there are some other air flow configuration to get it going. And to us, noise ain't much of an issue as we are all trying to break each other scores for 3D Mark and such.

Fast forward to today, the coolers design have not defer much for the reference cards. Thus, looking at it, I think it is still viable to have to a push pull Confi to lower down the temps if I am going to use the stock heatsink.

 

[hengheng220]

Nope. The reference cooler is a blower type which exhaust air out the back of the case. The non ref coolers are exhausting air within the chassis itself. Actually if it's more efficient in getting rid of heat, then the non ref coolers will heat up the room faster than ref cooler theoretically ya? Read up on how the different hsf work.

Hmmm not really sure cause haven't done much research on it. I'm a plug and play person, so I'm more concern over the noise level as compared to the heat level. But I have to admit doesn't matter which version of the 290 you are getting, it still runs hot as compared to their nvidia counterparts.

Oh btw according to your explanation of the ref cooler is a blower type that exhaust through the back of the case meaning that more heat from the gpu will be exhaust out of the case ma then making it heat up the environment more isn't it??? Or am I wrong again lols

 

[KingJio]

Both types of coolers have their own pros and cons.

Based on our findings along with some hardcore overclockers such as longsiew and such, the reference coolers works best with a push pull. Meaning that there is constant cool air being pushed towards the blower, and the blower exhaust it out.

Non ref coolers, we would have a fan blowing towards it from the front of the casing and have the fan at the side panel exhaust it out.

Of cos, there are some other air flow configuration to get it going. And to us, noise ain't much of an issue as we are all trying to break each other scores for 3D Mark and such.

Fast forward to today, the coolers design have not defer much for the reference cards. Thus, looking at it, I think it is still viable to have to a push pull Confi to lower down the temps if I am going to use the stock heatsink.

i thought push pull means having fans on both sides of a radiator to direct airflow in a single direction?

 

[KingJio]

Hmmm not really sure cause haven't done much research on it. I'm a plug and play person, so I'm more concern over the noise level as compared to the heat level. But I have to admit doesn't matter which version of the 290 you are getting, it still runs hot as compared to their nvidia counterparts.

Oh btw according to your explanation of the ref cooler is a blower type that exhaust through the back of the case meaning that more heat from the gpu will be exhaust out of the case ma then making it heat up the environment more isn't it??? Or am I wrong again lols

i think he meant that it works like a psu, draw air in from the case/bottom and expelling it out the back (and not into the case itself)

 

[cenedra]

how hot does the R9 290 ref runs?

I was using my 4870 since 2008, just changed it last month

that card runs at 70+ degrees on load, and it lasted me 6 years (and its still in 100% working condition, but way too old to run modern games).

I think GPUs at 70+C load is find, since mine was able to withstand it for so long.

 

[Asslann]

how hot does the R9 290 ref runs?

I was using my 4870 since 2008, just changed it last month

that card runs at 70+ degrees on load, and it lasted me 6 years (and its still in 100% working condition, but way too old to run modern games).

I think GPUs at 70+C load is find, since mine was able to withstand it for so long.

Cant remember is 85 or 95. And this is normal.

 

[viktOzzz]

i thought push pull means having fans on both sides of a radiator to direct airflow in a single direction?

Our push pull Confi for these reference cooler previously, is to have a fan around 10cm away from the card, push the air towards the vga card, and let the vga blower exhaust it out.

My method is more kiasi, as I make a tunnel with those elcheapo casing plastic fan duct or tunnel, those squarish plastic extendable stuff u find on the side panels of such casing previously, and have another fan at the hdd bay area bring air in from the front of the casing, guiding it to the 2nd fan that is in front of the vga, and viola, a cheap way of guiding cool air all the way to the vga.

Also, we would not forget to swap out all the stock thermal paste for arctic silver or ceramic previously.


For those who are concern about the noise level, it is most prob adviseable not to go for the ref cooler.

 

[Felfirez]

Our push pull Confi for these reference cooler previously, is to have a fan around 10cm away from the card, push the air towards the vga card, and let the vga blower exhaust it out.

My method is more kiasi, as I make a tunnel with those elcheapo casing plastic fan duct or tunnel, those squarish plastic extendable stuff u find on the side panels of such casing previously, and have another fan at the hdd bay area bring air in from the front of the casing, guiding it to the 2nd fan that is in front of the vga, and viola, a cheap way of guiding cool air all the way to the vga.

Also, we would not forget to swap out all the stock thermal paste for arctic silver or ceramic previously.


For those who are concern about the noise level, it is most prob adviseable not to go for the ref cooler.

I don't think it'll be as disturbing as people thought it would. During gaming you're either on headphones or speakers . With the case on the floor I doubt you'll be distracted. Unless of course you manually ramp up the fan to more than 40%.

I'd still recommend this over the trix. Not worth the $70 more IMHO.
.

 

[shadow84]

If u limit the fan speed, it will not be adequate enough to cool the core. It will reach thermal thresholds faster and will start to throttle down.

At least, non ref coolers will take a longer time to reach that as it is more efficient in cooling.

Also, as for heat output, dun really matter since non ref dumps the heat out of gpu and into the case. But, if you have a rear fan, it will take out most of the heat out of your case. Just a matter of one step process or two steps process.

If user is concern over heat, then get nvidia cards which limits to 85C degrees instead of 95C degrees. Or get a low end card which dun produce much heat. Solve all problems.

 

[crystalnox]

how hot does the R9 290 ref runs?

I was using my 4870 since 2008, just changed it last month

that card runs at 70+ degrees on load, and it lasted me 6 years (and its still in 100% working condition, but way too old to run modern games).

I think GPUs at 70+C load is find, since mine was able to withstand it for so long.

Exactly, I don't care if my card runs at 50c or 85c. As long as it lasts for whatever duration i intend to use it for, I'm a happy customer.