The Radeon R9 290, the AMD's new flagship GPU, offers the weapon of choice for gamers who demand the best. It's based on the new 28nm Hawaii GPU architecture and introduces the support for DirectX 11.2, capable of rendering reality-redefining imagery in the hottest titles. With a massive number of stream processors and a gigantic 4GB GDDR5 memory, this GPU delivers the performance you need for smooth gameplay at extreme settings. The new CrossFire technology allows you to build a multiple graphics card configuration without the use of interconnect bridges. With Ultra Resolution Gaming you will leave HD in the dust by gaming on displays much, much larger. A rich set of AMD innovative technologies are included, such as App Acceleration, AMD PowerTune, AMD ZeroCore, and AMD HD3D technology. With these technology advancements, you'll get more than one way to elevate your gaming experience.
Built for CrossfireThe card features the next generation CrossFire support for up to four graphics cards with no interconnect bridge required.
MantleThere’s optimization, and then there’s Mantle. Games enabled with Mantle speak the language of GCN architecture to unlock revolutionary performance and image quality. (Application support is required.)
AMD TrueAudio TechnologyAMD TrueAudio technology brings the world’s first programmable audio pipeline marking a new frontier in realism for PC gamers. AMD TrueAudio technology empowers game developers with a programmable audio pipeline on the GPU, inviting them to put their unique artistic fingerprint on in-game audio in the same way that the programmable graphics pipeline brought unfettered artistic vision to PC graphics. Enabled games can feature more realistic environmental dynamics, a richer tapestry of sound effects, breathtaking directional audio and more. AMD TrueAudio technology enhances audio realism by simulating the human brain’s perception of real-world sound, working in concert with the user’s existing audio hardware to recreate a lifelike experience.
See More, Win More!The card is capable to turn your computer into a super gaming machine. Enjoy the latest 3D games with stunning graphics and effects that your enemies cannot match! Get an immersive experience with AMD Eyefinity! Expand your game across up to four displays, while your opponents have one monitor. Along with all-new support for stereo 3D, universal bezel compensation, and brand-new display configurations, take the unfair advantage over your opponent and win more with surround sight.
More Graphics, Less Power!The new architecture of the card gets more usable processing power for your money, enabling better frame rates in the latest games at high resolutions. In addition, with AMD ZeroCore Power and AMD PowerTune technologies, you can optimize the balance between performance and power consumption of your system by adjusting the engine clock during runtime of the card. Manage the power and keep your wallet loaded!
AMD App AccelerationImprove performance of everyday tasks such as Web browsing, office applications, and video rendering.
Pros: Less coil whine than my first sample. Exceedingly fast card. IMO better IQ than my GTX 780 (in BF4).
Cons: Getting expensive, not sure I would buy one of these if I can get a GTX 780 for less. Loud when under full load if stock fan is used. Will not be modded to an R9 290X (my Powercolor can)
Overall Review: My first card had terrible coil whine, see review below. My second card had less coil whine and now that I have both my R9 290's under water I am finally a happy man. These cards tear through anything, currently I am hitting over 16,000 in Firestrike (R9 290's in CF), a single card will do around 9,000. In Unigine valley I am seeing just over 110 fps. I have an Intel i7 3770K running at 4.6ghz. I am only playing BF4 right now and I can say that there is less texture shimmering with the CF R9 290's than there was with my GTX 780. I am experiencing no runt frames with these cards in CF. I game at 2560x1440 and am seeing around 75-105 fps in BF$ at ultra with 4xFSAA enabled. Extremely happy with this VGA solution. I had no issues buying these with stock coolers as I had water blocks to use, however for people that are using stock cooler you will miss out on a lot of potential power as these cards would throttle to 830mhz from the 947mhz as they approached 94C. I am sure that a third party air cooler would help. I can run my cards 24/7 at 1100mhz core and 1350mhz memory. These cards are getting extremely expensive and had to find due to all the coin miners buying them... If you can get one, buy it, however at $529 I might just recommend an overclocked GTX 780 like the EVGA Classified instead.