Power Consumption — Radeon R9 290X Review: AMD’s Back In Ultra-High-End Gaming
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Power Consumption
Idle and Multi-Monitor Loads
The Radeon R9 290X’s power consumption at idle is surprisingly high. Even though AMD makes a point of highlighting its ZeroCore Power feature, which does drop the card to a miserly 5 to 6 W, you only enjoy the benefit of this when your monitor is in suspend mode. As soon as the desktop becomes active, power consumption jumps to 20 W with one monitor connected. Connect two and you’re looking at 57 W. Three monitors take you all the way up to 59 W. This means that the R9 290X consumes more power than two overclocked GeForce GTX 780s in SLI with more than one monitor attached.
Hardware Accelerated Video Output
During Blu-ray playback (or other accelerated video work), AMD’s Radeon R9 290X consumes 70 W. This is bizarre, since the Radeon R7 240 does the same thing under 17 W. AMD clearly has some driver work to do still.
Onwards and Upwards: Gaming
After that negative attention, PowerTune kicks in to do the job it’s supposed to do. The technology makes its adjustments so quickly that it’s difficult to express average power consumption using one number. There’s a lot of variation, and the reading changes based on several factors.
Because we can’t be as objective as we’d want, we’re providing a range instead. To achieve this, we left the power limit alone in CCC and lowered the board’s target temperature to 70 degrees Celsius. The resulting cooling performance is about on par with what AMD’s partners offer on existing cards in the same thermal class, giving us a preview of what they might achieve with their own cooling solutions and R9 290X.
Power figures between 185 and 218 W are pretty darned good in the ultra-high-end segment. In light of these results, I think we can forgive the idle numbers we recorded earlier.
When Push Comes to Shove: The Peak Values
If you want to take the Radeon R9 290X to its limits, then you need to push it hard by increasing its power limit and dropping the target temperature. Under those conditions, it’s possible to exceed 300 W. We even saw 335 W from the card, though that’s probably not at all something you want to reproduce.
The 225 W we measured using a compute-heavy load and stock settings can be pushed as high as 295 W by giving the fan more room to spin up and targeting a lower thermal ceiling. Unfortunately, those conditions don’t last. Once the Radeon R9 290X hits its target temperature, power consumption drops considerably. This explains the card’s relatively low performance in our GPGPU benchmarks.
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Radeon R9 290 And 290X Gaming Power Consumption
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Gaming Power Consumption
Benchmark System And Procedure
We collaborated with HAMEG (Rohde & Schwarz) to upgrade our power consumption measurement system.
We record all channels and the corresponding oscilloscope value/curves for our measurements. The very precise and, more important, fast current clamps yield 100 mV/A, making it easy to calculate the power based on the voltage. We also record the supply voltage to multiply its value with the recorded amperage. Depending on the resolution we choose, this procedure yields a very detailed power consumption history. We generally set this to 1 ms, allowing us to capture all fluctuations attributable to AMD’s PowerTune or Nvidia’s GPU Boost technology.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Measurement Procedure | Non-Contact Direct Current Measurement at the PCIe SlotNon-Contact Direct Current Measurement at the External PCIe Power SupplyDirect Voltage Measurement 3.3 V / 12 V |
---|---|
Measurement Apparatus | Oscilloscope:HAMEG HMO1024 Four-Channel Digital Oscilloscope with Memory and Ethernet Remote ControlPower Clamp:HAMEG HZO50 (1 mA-30 A, 100 kHz DC, Resolution 1 mA)Voltage Divider Probe:HAMEG HZ154 (1:1, 1:10), Assorted AdaptersDigital Multimeter:HAMEG HMC8012 |
Bench Table | Microcool Banchetto 101 |
Test Hardware | AMD FX-8350 (Piledriver), Overclocked to 4.5 GHzCorsair h200i Compact Water Cooling Solution16 GB (2 x 8) Corsair Vengeance DDR3-1866Asus 990FX Sabertooth + Modified PCIe Adapter with Current Loops |
Power Supply | Corsair AX860i with Modified Plugs (Pickup) |
Power Consumption While Running A Gaming Loop
«How much power does a graphics card draw during gaming?» and «How much heat does it generate under load?» are the most commonly asked questions once we wrap up our analysis of 3D performance. Our testing is made as real-world as possible by measuring cards that have already been warmed up.
This high-resolution measurement shows why power supplies can be overwhelmed unless they have ample output headroom. Even if a PSU’s specs suggest it should be able to handle a given card, some very brief (often less than 10 ms), but very high peaks can cause a power supply’s protection circuitry to engage.
Power Consumption: Radeon R9 290
Power Consumption: Radeon R9 290X
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specs and benchmarks in 13 games and 3 benchmarks
AMD started shipping the Radeon R9 290 on November 5, 2013 for a suggested retail price of $399. This is a desktop video card based on the GCN 2.0 architecture with a 28 nm process technology. It has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory with a frequency of 1250 MHz, a 512-bit bus, which provides a bandwidth of 5 Gb / s.
The card occupies 2 slots, connected via PCIe 3.0 x16 interface. The reference version is 275mm long, 109mm wide and 36mm high. The card requires one 6-pin and one 8-pin auxiliary power cables, the claimed maximum power consumption is 275 watts.
Specifications
GPU
- GPU name
- Hawaii
- GPU option
- Hawaii PRO (215-0852020)
- Architecture
- GCN 2.0
- Manufacturer
- TSMC
- Process
- 28 nm
- Number of transistors
- 6200 million
- Crystal area
- 438 mm²
Graphic card
- Release date
- November 5, 2013
- Generation
- Volcanic Islands (R9 200)
- Predecessor
- Sea Islands
- Descendant
- Pirate Islands
- Launch price
- $399
- Market price
- $310
- Data bus interface
- PCIe 3. 0 x16
Frequencies
- GPU Clock
- 947 MHz
- Memory frequency
- 1250 MHz
Memory
- Memory capacity
- 4 GB
- Memory type
- GDDR5
- Memory bus
- 512 bit
- Memory speed
- 5 Gb/s
- Memory bandwidth
- 320 GB/s
Render configuration
- Shader blocks
- 2560
- Compute modules
- 40
- Texture blocks
- 160
- Screen blocks
- 64
- L1 cache
- 16 KB
- L2 cache
- 1024 KB
Rated output
- Pixel fill rate
- 60. 61 HP/s
- Texture Fill Rate
- 151.5 GT/s
- Performance FP32
- 4.849 Tflops
- Performance FP64
- 606.1 GFlops
Graphics
- DirectX
- 12 (12_0)
- OpenGL
- 4.6
- OpenCL
- 2
- Vulcan
- 1.2
- Shader model
- 6.3
Video card design
- Occupied slots
- 2
- Length
- 275 mm
- Width
- 109 mm
- Height
- 36 mm
- Heat dissipation requirements
- 275 W
- Recommended PSU power
- 600 W
- Outlets
- 2x DVI 1x HDMI 1x DisplayPort
- Additional power supply
- 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin
- Board number
- C671-57
- Maximum temperature
- 94 °C
- Maximum noise
- 60. 1 dB
FPS in games
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
(2020)
Better than AMD Radeon RX 470, but worse than NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Laptop GPU.
1920×1080 / Ultra / 24.6 |
2560×1440 / Ultra / 21.4 |
3840×2160 / Ultra / 14.5 |
Valorant
(2020)
Better than AMD Radeon RX 470, but worse than NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile.
1920×1080 / Ultra / 108. 1 |
2560×1440 / Ultra / 88.4 |
3840×2160 / Ultra / 76.9 |
Death Stranding
(2020)
Better than AMD Radeon RX 470, but worse than NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile.
1920×1080 / Ultra / 48.9 |
2560×1440 / Ultra / 38.0 |
3840×2160 / Ultra / 23.1 |
Cyberpunk 2077
(2020)
Better than AMD Radeon RX 5500M, but worse than NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile.
1920×1080 / Ultra / 24.6 |
2560×1440 / Ultra / 23.0 |
3840×2160 / Ultra / 15.1 |
Apex Legends
(2019)
Better than AMD Radeon RX 470, but worse than AMD Radeon RX 470.
1920×1080 / Ultra / 54.0 |
2560×1440 / Ultra / 40.2 |
3840×2160 / Ultra / 24. 0 |
Metro Exodus
(2019)
Better than AMD Radeon RX 470, but worse than NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile.
1920×1080 / Ultra / 29.6 |
2560×1440 / Ultra / 23.0 |
3840×2160 / Ultra / 14.5 |
Red Dead Redemption 2
(2019)
Better than AMD Radeon RX 470, but worse than NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile.
1920×1080 / Ultra / 25. 3 |
2560×1440 / Ultra / 20.7 |
3840×2160 / Ultra / 13.1 |
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
(2017)
Better than NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Mobile, but worse than NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780.
1920×1080 / Ultra / 43.0 |
2560×1440 / Ultra / 33.0 |
3840×2160 / Ultra / 19.0 |
Overwatch
(2016)
Better than AMD Radeon R9390, but worse than NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile.
1920×1080 / Ultra / 82.6 |
2560×1440 / Ultra / 56.7 |
3840×2160 / Ultra / 29.4 |
Grand Theft Auto V
(2015)
Better than NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile, but worse than AMD Radeon RX 5500M.
1920×1080 / Ultra / 50.7 |
2560×1440 / Ultra / 35.9 |
The Witcher 3
(2015)
Better than AMD Radeon R9 Nano, but worse than NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3GB.
1920×1080 / Ultra / 47.0 |
2560×1440 / Ultra / 36.3 |
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
(2012)
Better than AMD Radeon RX 470, but worse than NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile.
1920×1080 / Ultra / 157.7 |
2560×1440 / Ultra / 131.4 |
3840×2160 / Ultra / 118.3 |
League of Legends
(2019)
Better than AMD Radeon RX 470, but worse than NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile.
1920×1080 / Ultra / 295.7 |
2560×1440 / Ultra / 164.2 |
3840×2160 / Ultra / 65.7 |
Benchmark tests
3DMark Fire Strike Graphics: 11860 Better than NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti but worse than AMD Radeon RX 470.
Passmark: 8093 Better than AMD Radeon RX 470 but worse than NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Mobile.
Unigine Heaven 4.0: 1440 Better than NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, but worse than AMD Radeon HD 6770.
Comparison with other graphics cards
Map 1:
Map 2:
Video reviews and tests
Radeon R9 290X in 25 actual games of the end of 2019 + comparison with GTX 1060: Cover your ears — take off!
Radeon R9 290X in 25 Actual Games of Late 2019 + GTX 1060 Comparison: Cover Your Ears, Let’s Take Off!
AMD Radeon R9 290X Monster graphics card!!
R9 290 | Still Melting through Games in 2022!
AMD Radeon R9 290x in 2021. What video card to take on the BU?
Radeon R9 290 — AMD’s UNTAPPED POTENTIAL!
I bought a non-working R9 290 4GB 512bit gaming video card from a guy See what happened Change the cooler
Reflash AMD Radeon R9 290 to R9 290X
Radeon R9 290 4GB + Ryzen 5 1490 game test in 2019 Radeon 90
290X
HOW DOES THIS FURNACE DRIVE! — What is the Radeon R9 290X capable of?
VETERAN MINING AMD RADEON R9290X\Maintenance and test in new games
PowerColor Mini Review AMD Radeon R9 290
If you find a bug or have something to add, write in the comments. Have you had any experience with this video card? Is it worth buying such a card today?
AMD Radeon R9 290 290
Video Card Overview The Radeon R9 290 video card is AMD’s newest generation flagship of the ninth series. This is a mid-range gaming video that is perfectly balanced in terms of technical parameters, which will quite pull most modern video games at maximum, ultra-high settings. Was released in 2013. Average cost in Europe — 280-290 dollars.
Overview, Specifications
Radeon R9 290 is a gaming graphics card released on the new Hawaii processor. The crystal is manufactured using a 28-nm process technology. Contains 6.2 billion transistors, and its area is 438 mm². Unlike the AMD 290X, which has a bar frequency of 1000 MHz, this model has only 945 MHz. The amount of memory is 4096 megabytes. Connected to a 512-bit bus. Operates at a frequency of 1.250 MHz, which provides a throughput of 320 GB / s. Has support for all new features: TrueAudio, DirectSound 11.2 Tier 2.
In terms of technical parameters, the AMD 290 can be compared with the Nvidia 780 graphics adapter, although in some parameters it is inferior to its competitor. In addition, this model is not much different from the AMD 290X, although compared to the latter, the Boost frequency was reduced, the number of stream processors was cut from 2.816 to 2.560. The number of clock units is 160, while the number of raster operations pipelines (ROPs) is also 64.
Model | Radeon R9280X | Radeon R 290 | Radeon R9 290X | HD 7990 |
Main components | ||||
GPU | Tahiti XTL | Hawaii | Hawaii XT | Malta |
Number of transistors, million | 4313 | 6020 | 6020 | 2 x 4313 |
Process technology, nm | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
GPU clock speed, MHz: High State / Boost State | 850/1000 | 947/ND | 1000/ND | 950/1000 |
Stream Processors | 2048 | 2560 | 2816 | 2×2048 |
Texture blocks | 128 | 160 | 176 | 2×128 |
ROP | 32 | 64 | 64 | 2×32 |
Video memory: type, size, MB | GDDR5, 3072 | GDDR5, 4048 | GDDR5, 4048 | GDDR5, 6144 |
Memory clock: real (effective), MHz | 1500 (6000) | 1125 (5000) | 1125 (5000) | 1500 (6000) |
Memory bus width, bit | 384 | 512 | 512 | 2×384 |
Interface | PCI-Express 3. 0 x16 | PCI-Express 3.0 x16 | PCI-Express 3.0 x16 | PCI-Express 3.0 x16 |
Image output | ||||
Interfaces | 2 x DL DVI-D, 1 x HDMI 1.4a, 2 x DisplayPort 1.2 |
1 x DL DVI-I, 4 x Mini DisplayPort 1.2 |
||
Max. resolution | VGA: 2048×1536, DVI: 2560×1600, HDMI: 4096×2160, DP: 4096×2160 |
VGA: 2048×1536, DVI: 2560×1600, HDMI: 4096×2160, DP: 4096×2160 |
||
Typical power consumption, W | 250 | ID | ID | ID |
The Radeon R9 290, like the 290X, received a VID interface, thanks to which you can quickly, accurately adjust the voltage on the GPU, as well as a telemetry channel through which PowerTune receives voltage data from analog sensors.
R9 290 PCB same as R9 290X. The frame buffer is made up of SK Hynix H5GQ1h34AFR-R0C microcircuits with a nominal clock frequency of 6 GHz. The components are powered according to the 5+1+1 scheme (GPU, memory chips, PLL).
The specifications of the video adapter show the maximum frequency of the GPU, but in practice it can be limited by the power consumption limit and core temperature. Another variable is the fan speed limit: if the GPU temperature cannot be kept within the normal range at a given cooler speed, the frequency will be reduced. Therefore, if you manually adjust the PowerTune settings, you can give priority to either the performance or acoustic parameters of the video card. give priority to either performance.
Temperature, power consumption
Performance
Below is an overview of graphics cards from each manufacturer.
Radeon R9 290 Testing
The R9 290 was originally intended to be similar in performance to the GeForce GTX 770, but as a result, the video card has been upgraded to rival the GTX 780, as evidenced by numerous tests.
Before the release of the Radeon R9 290, AMD decided to boost performance by changing the fan speed limit from 40% to 47%. The original limit of 40% corresponds to the so-called Quiet Mode Radeon R9 290X, but the actual speeds differ: 1987 rpm for the R9 290X at 2172 rpm for the R9 290.
Under increased loads, the core temperature approaches the allowed 95 ° C , which is considered normal for a Hawaii processor. But at the same time, the fan can no longer spin faster, which leads to active “throttling” of the frequency. During a test run in the game Crysis 3, a drop to 851 MHz was noticed from the original 947 MHz.
Given that the frequencies of AMD 290 and 290X differ by only 5%, the power figures for both video cards are almost the same.
Performance, gaming tests
3DMark 2011, focused on DirectX 11, did not support AMD’s ambitious plans: the Radeon R9 290X was ahead of the GeForce GTX 780, but the R9 290 lags behind in some respects. The newer version of 3DMark also found a noticeable difference between the R9 290 and R9 290X. At the same time, the AMD 290 significantly outperforms the GeForce GTX 780 and practically reaches the GTX TITAN.
The victory of the Radeon R9 290 over the GTX 780 came at the cost of running the cooling system at high speeds. But if you limit the fan speed to 40% of the nominal value, according to the benchmark results, overclocking the cooler did not have a significant effect, and only in some tests did it lead to a slight increase in frame rate. However, this was quite enough to establish an unconditional superiority over the GeForce GTX 780.290X has a very noticeable effect on performance both in synthetic benchmarks and in real modern video games, including in 4K resolution.
Radeon R9 290 peak processing power (4.9 TFLOPS) is 87.5% of R9 290X (5.6 TFLOPS). The GeForce GTX 780 is roughly related to the GeForce GTX TITAN (89%), and the difference between them in video games such as: Battlefield 3, Far Cry 3, Tomb Raider, Crysis 3, Metro: Last Light, Unigine Heaven 2, Batman: Arkham City is practically non-existent. Users can safely set games at maximum settings.
If we talk about the overall performance of the tested model in games, then it will be enough to get acquainted with almost all the new products both in the multi-monitor configuration mode with a total resolution of 5760 x 1080, and on displays with a resolution of 2560 x 1600.
SAPPHIRE R9 290 4GB
SAPPHIRE R9 290 4GB graphics accelerator — model with «reference» cooling system. Occupies two slots for expansion cards. The video card has a reference frequency scheme without the use of any factory overclocking, which means that all overclocking is carried out by users.
The SAPPHIRE R9 290 4GB GDDR5 video adapter is equipped with AMD Hawaii PRO graphics chip, which is manufactured in 28nm process technology. Includes 2560 universal shader processors, 160 texture units, 64 raster units. Depending on the load and heating, the clock frequency of the graphics core changes dynamically, reaching a maximum of 947 MHz.
Video Card Interface Panel Port Set:
- 2 x Dual-link DVI-D;
- 1 x HDMI;
- 1 x DisplayPort.
HDMI, DisplayPort connectors support 4K Ultra HD (4096×2160) image output. In AMD Eyefinity mode, via the DisplayPort interface, special adapters can connect four monitors, TVs, using all connectors of the interface panel directly.
PCB height is 112 mm. The length of the video card is 290 mm. In the center is a graphic chip equipped with a metal frame for safe installation and removal of the cooling system. The power subsystem of the video card is built according to a seven-phase scheme: five phases for the graphics core, one for the memory and one for the PLL. To power the graphics adapter, in addition to the PCI Express 3.0 x16 slot, two additional 6- and 8-pin PCIe connectors are used.
In terms of performance, SAPPHIRE R9 290 is about 6% ahead of NVIDIA GTX 770, but 9-12% behind NVIDIA GTX 780. At the same time, gaming tests showed that most new video games on displays with a resolution of 5760 x 1080 and 2560 x 1600 runs steadily at maximum settings. During overclocking, we managed to increase the GPU frequency to 1190 MHz (25%;) which can be called a very good result. The video memory frequency was fixed at 1400 MHz (+12%).
The main advantage of this model is a high degree of performance in computer games, which allows you to assemble a completely balanced gaming system that will satisfy both professional gamers and beginners. Minus — a high level of CO noise.
ASUS RADEON R9 290 OC
ASUS Radeon R9 290 OC (R9290-DC2OC-4GD5) is a well-balanced gaming video card suitable for comfortable gaming at maximum, ultra-maximum settings.
The model is equipped with a DirectCU II open-type cooling system with two Everflow fans, a massive aluminum heatsink with five heat pipes. Direct contact technology is used, while three out of five tubes are involved in the heat sink.
The main advantages of ASUS Radeon R9 290 OC include:
- high performance;
- fresh GPU architecture;
- relatively low cost;
- quality power system.
Disadvantages: modest configuration, average CO efficiency, increased noise at maximum load.
The length of the graphics accelerator is 287 mm. Two DVI-D connectors are responsible for image output — HDMI, DisplayPort.
The hinged elements of the printed circuit board are located as tightly as possible, which is explained by the large dimensions of the graphics processor, as well as a large number of different microcircuits, and a complex power supply system. The BIOS switch is located on the top of the PCB. Available performance or quiet modes.
The AMD Hawaii processor has a very large core surface area and is equipped with a protective metal frame. 2560 universal stream processors, which are located in the core package, provide maximum video performance. The frequency of the graphics chip of the video card is increased compared to the reference, it is 1000 MHz.
When the video card is loaded at 100% using the MSI Combuster utility, the AMD Hawaii video chip warmed up to 81 degrees Celsius. The level of heating in the load shows that the installed DirectCU II CO does not look as confident on AMD Hawaii as the cooling systems in similar video cards from other manufacturers. During overclocking, the frequency of the graphics chip increased to 1150MHz, the memory frequency to 6000MHz.
In gaming tests, the model showed excellent results. ASUS Radeon R9 power290 OC is enough for a comfortable game in such heavy projects as Metro Last Light, Hitman Absolution.
GIGABYTE Radeon R9 290
When planning to assemble a high-performance gaming system, users can choose the GIGABYTE Radeon R9 290 graphics accelerator, which attracts with good value for money. Thanks to a high degree of performance, you can run your favorite modern video games at maximum, ultra-high settings without dropping FPS.
Based on the revolutionary GCN architecture, the GIGABYTE Radeon R9 290 is equipped with an excellent, efficient Windforce 3X cooling system that keeps the temperature of the device low even at maximum graphics settings and at the same time provides almost silent operation. AMD TrueAudio technology will allow you to get the highest quality, clear, surround sound.
The video card model is quite massive and weighty, which is explained by the size of the CO and the casing made of metal. The heatpipes and cooling shroud protrude slightly from the PCB. At the same time, thanks to the well-thought-out design of the casing, the weight is distributed more evenly. The cooling system consists of three branded 75mm fans and a massive radiator, consisting of two sections, interconnected by five heat pipes with a diameter of 5 and 8 mm.
Video memory size — 4 GB. There is support for SLI / CrossFire, CrossFire X, DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.5 modes. Interfaces for connecting to monitors are represented by two DVI connectors, one HDMI and Display Port.
Extreme profiles were used in the benchmarks on the Intel i7-3930K, 4 GHz processor. In Crysis 3, Metro Last Light Redux, Sleeping Dogs, Tomb Raider 2013, and other modern games at maximum FPS settings, the FPS is confidently kept at 70-80.