Sapphire Radeon PULSE RX 590 8GB
Based on AMD Polaris architecture and manufactured with 12nm process technology, the AMD Radeon RX 590 graphics card is specced with 2304 Stream processors, 8GB GDDR5 memory and 256-bit memory bus. A performance-class graphics card, the Radeon RX 590 empowers gamers who play anything from the latest MOBAs to the most popular AAA titles in Full HD and beyond, and also delivers the power to drive you into the next level of immersion of the world of VR gaming and entertainment.
This SAPPHIRE Radeon PULSE RX 590 8GB model is built using premium quality components for robust quality and durability. An aluminum backplate gives this card a solid look and enhanced structure rigidity. And its Dual-X cooling solution features two powerful yet quiet fans, which completely stop spinning at low load or idle status.
Powered by Polaris
The 4th generation of Graphics Core Next architecture is the modern, future-proof foundation of Polaris GPUs. It brings energy-saving solutions of Radeon Chill, native support for crucial next-generation API features and latest display technologies, like HDR and Radeon FreeSync 2.
Enhanced Sync Technology
Liquid-smooth gameplay, more accessible than ever before
AMD Radeon FreeSync technology puts an end to choppy gameplay and broken frames with fluid, artifact-free performance at virtually any framerate. Behold the next breakthrough in PC gaming performance.
Dual-X Cooling
SAPPHIRE Dual-X cooling keeps the temperatures under control. A quiet duo of 92 mm fans with advanced airfoil section blades works to dissipate all the heat. With dust-repelling dual ball bearings, Dual-X ensures exceptional reliability.
Intelligent Fan Control III
Enjoy the silence! Under light workloads, the fans won’t spin at all. They restart when you fire up a new game. This ensures your GPU stays cool.
Quality Components
Rest assured that gaming on SAPPHIRE Pulse remains stable no matter how long your session lasts. We’re using industry-leading components that are engineered to last, maintain great power and minimize coil whine.
200,000 Hour Capacitors
High-polymer, aluminum capacitors offer outstanding reliability.
Tough Metal Backplate
The all-aluminum backplate provides additional rigidity that guarantees nothing bends and dust stays out. It also helps cool your card by increasing heat dissipation.
VR Friendly
The SAPPHIRE PULSE graphics cards come with Dual HDMI ports, specifically designed to work with VR.
Beautiful and Stylish
With sleek, elegant contours and unique styling these cards have been designed to suit any build.
Pros: -FAST, not Titan or Vega fast obviously but for my purposes, it's awesome -Surprisingly quiet most of the time -Feels well-built (see below though)
Cons: -First one was defective but replacement seems solid -Size, not really suitable for mini-ITX
Overall Review: So I finally pulled the trigger to upgrade my Radeon R7 240 2Gb that I've had for quite a few years, and I landed with this Sapphire paired with a Ryzen 7 1700. Initially, I installed the Sapphire in my ITX case (Fractal Design Nano S), but that first card became really hot under load and wound up being defective. I was a little concerned by the lack of any significant clearance between this card's fans and the bottom-mounted PSU in that case. Not wanting to have the form factor affect my card's cooling, I switched to an mATX case (and board eventually, not related to the card though) so there is plenty of airflow across the card. Given the TDP of these Radeons coupled with their size, I just don't think they are suitable for ITX builds...in mini ITX cases. You'll probably want to go for something that runs cooler. Now in my mATX case on a mATX board, the card is a gem -- runs fairly cool and quiet, with the case fans giving off more noise than the GPU fans. I played XCom2 to test it out, maxed out the settings on 1980x1024, and it didn't bat an eye. I'll crank the resolution up to 4K. It's amazing the difference this card makes compared to the R7 -- it seriously looks like a new game. Win10 feels snappier, too, when just on the desktop. As for my comment about build quality, the card does seem solid, maybe because of the substantial shroud that Sapphire put over the fans. I was a little dismayed when I pulled out the replacement card that Newegg sent and saw that the bottom of the metal brackets was bent at a 30 degree angle from straight. While I was able to bend them back, it's not comforting to know that the metal is soft enough for that to happen and for me to bend it without any tools! Hopefully I won't be touching the card again anytime soon. I'll also say that the RMA process was fairly easy, if slightly frustrating. I had to send the card back UPS Ground, shipping paid by Newegg, but it went back to California and not the New Jersey warehouse where the card originated. That meant waiting nearly a week for the truck to motor across country from Maryland, but once it arrived, the replacement was approved immediately, with the new card reaching me two days later. Thankfully I had my old card to keep the system running. Since I had a defective card and am not convinced that the build quality is as good as it should be, I took a star from the review. Bad cards happen, I understand, and performance-wise, I couldn't be happier.