PowerColor Radeon R9 390 PCS+ 8 GB

[DarkOCean]

Even though Batman Arkham Knight is considered broken, If its any indication of the direction games are going

Batman Arkam Knight VRAM usage
1080p @ 4.2 GB
1440p @ 5.0 GB
2160p @ 6.1 GB

This would be the only card able to run it under $350 decently.

Batmam AK is just an unoptimised console port wich make it irrelevant for PC since it was ported so badly.

 

[newtekie1]

I am shocked an overclocked card in the same area as another card will beat said card at its stock settings. Stop the presses

When they are both stock they are equal in performance. When both are overclocked the 970 wins easily while still consuming less power. The fact that the 390 overclocks like shit assures that.

So your saying the drivers are bad and causing it to perform badly? So it will only get better with better drivers in the long run???

Since this is the same card that has been out for a year already, it is pretty much as good as it will get.

there are two slot models of the card

None that are as quiet as a 970 and none that do 0db idle.

 

[Xzibit]

When they are both stock they are equal in performance. When both are overclocked the 970 wins easily while still consuming less power. The fact that the 390 overclocks like shit assures that.

None that are as quiet as a 970 and none that do 0db idle.

MSI R9 390 says, Hi at 0db idle.

 

[newtekie1]

MSI R9 390 says, Hi at 0db idle.

I'm not entirely sure what your point was. That is a 3 slot card.

 

[Aquinus]

DVI ports have no analog VGA signal

Are we seriously calling this a con in this day and age?

 

[Xzibit]

I'm not entirely sure what your point was. That is a 3 slot card.

Well if your gripe is 3 slots look at the Gigabyte R9 390 then

 

[newtekie1]

Well if your gripe is 3 slots look at the Gigabyte R9 390 then

Yeah, and while the card is technically capable of 0db idle, it never gets cool enough to activate.

 

[Xzibit]

Yeah, and while the card is technically capable of 0db idle, it never gets cool enough to activate.

Link please. To verify your claim.

Plus I'm interested in a review of it.

 

[GhostRyder]

Yeah, and while the card is technically capable of 0db idle, it never gets cool enough to activate.

Umm dude, the idle is where this happens and the difference in watts at idle is negligible at best (11 on R9 290 to 9 on GTX 970)...

Since this is the same card that has been out for a year already, it is pretty much as good as it will get.

That was an attempt at a sarcastic response to the person I was quoting not an actual argument

Plus at @Xzibit already beat me to, the Gigabyte is a dual fan 2 slot card on the 390 that has 0db...

 

[represiv]

Even though Batman Arkham Knight is considered broken, If its any indication of the direction games are going

Batman Arkam Knight VRAM usage
1080p @ 4.2 GB
1440p @ 5.0 GB
2160p @ 6.1 GB

This would be the only card able to run it under $350 decently.

PC port is awful. I have 2.0 GB VRAM usage already in game menu after launching the game.

 

[Tatty_Two]

Personally I cannot see any viable argument to those that compare this card to a 970 when overclocked, I have no doubts that a 970 will overclock better and that may well give it a performance advantage BUT in terms of markets and segments 90% of users do not overclock so as an "off the shelf" product will more people buy the 970 of the 390? I really like the idea and innovation (so to speak) behind the 0db at idle and I think it's a real positive move forward but to be honest whether it was zero or 10 I wouldn't hear it in my system and it's likely that a decent proportion of that 90% won't either.

Having said all that, for me who does overclock I would quite possibly still choose the 970.

 

[newtekie1]

Link please. To verify your claim.

Plus I'm interested in a review of it.

I don't have a link, I've just already built a system with it. The fans didn't turn off once when using the computer. They turned off when I walked away from the computer, but what good is that?

Umm dude, the idle is where this happens and the difference in watts at idle is negligible at best (11 on R9 290 to 9 on GTX 970)...

That was an attempt at a sarcastic response to the person I was quoting not an actual argument

Plus at @Xzibit already beat me to, the Gigabyte is a dual fan 2 slot card on the 390 that has 0db...

Here is the thing with 0db idle, for it to be an actual useful feature, it really needs to be 0db "under light load". If the fans kick up the first time I do anything with the computer, then it isn't really working as intended. The point of 0db at idle is that you can do basic tasks with the computer and have zero noise. You can watch a movie, browse the web, write a paper in Word, etc. without the fans spinning up.

Yes, in the strict sense, when the 390 is at idle it uses almost the same amount of power as a 970, and the fans will turn off, even on a 2 slot card. However, you have to look at the power consumption numbers for other low load tasks. That is why W1z includes dual-monitor and blu-ray playback tests, both scenarios are low load tasks. Look at how much more power the 390 uses in those areas compared to the 970. The 970 is still down in the 10-12w range, and the 390 is up in the 75-80w range, which means the fans will stay off on the 970 but won't on the 390.

So, yes, in the strictest use of the term, the Gigabyte 2 Slot card does have 0db idle, it just isn't useful like the 970's 0db at idle. Because if it isn't active when you are actually using the computer, there is no real point to it.

Having said all that, for me who does overclock I would quite possibly still choose the 970.

Even for those that don't overclock, the 970 is the same performance, and is cheaper, and uses less power. The only possible reason would be 8GB of vRAM, but even W1z acknowledges it provides no benefit.

 

[Tatty_Two]

To be honest, they are so close together in 1080P performance and in the UK pretty much priced the same (only looked at non ref designs) on what could possibly be early release price inflation that when things settle in a few weeks it could easily go either way as far as future market share is concerned, even if they remain in the same price segment that 8GB is going to tempt most who are ignorant to it's uses at 1080p.

 

[GhostRyder]

Here is the thing with 0db idle, for it to be an actual useful feature, it really needs to be 0db "under light load". If the fans kick up the first time I do anything with the computer, then it isn't really working as intended. The point of 0db at idle is that you can do basic tasks with the computer and have zero noise. You can watch a movie, browse the web, write a paper in Word, etc. without the fans spinning up.

Yes, in the strict sense, when the 390 is at idle it uses almost the same amount of power as a 970, and the fans will turn off, even on a 2 slot card. However, you have to look at the power consumption numbers for other low load tasks. That is why W1z includes dual-monitor and blu-ray playback tests, both scenarios are low load tasks. Look at how much more power the 390 uses in those areas compared to the 970. The 970 is still down in the 10-12w range, and the 390 is up in the 75-80w range, which means the fans will stay off on the 970 but won't on the 390.

So, yes, in the strictest use of the term, the Gigabyte 2 Slot card does have 0db idle, it just isn't useful like the 970's 0db at idle. Because if it isn't active when you are actually using the computer, there is no real point to it.

The extra energy is from the memory clocks not specifically the GPU as to why the power usage is high at those levels. Thing is, that is still not much for those massive heatsinks in general. Just look at the Asus 3 fan STRIX which is also a dual slot design (Unless I missed something but from each angle I look at it it looks to be a dual slot card) says it keeps the fan off until the temps hit 65c. I have only actually seen one AMD card with the 0db cooler on it (An R9 285 STRIX) and it kept the fan off browsing the web or watching youtube videos. It also bumps the memory speeds up to max when on multi-monitor or Blu-ray (and some other tasks) though it has less VRAM but the results I have seen show a rough 20watt difference between it and the R9 390 at Blu-ray playback (I am going buy techpowerup numbers). So I have looked through some different reviews and result of cards do not really clarify that so ill have to experience it in person more than one 285.

Even for those that don't overclock, the 970 is the same performance, and is cheaper, and uses less power. The only possible reason would be 8GB of vRAM, but even W1z acknowledges it provides no benefit.

Or the higher speed ram at above 3.5gb, most people in this range are looking at either a 1080p card to last them awhile, a 1440p card, or a set of these cards for 120-144hz setups at either resolution which will be more ram dependent. Yes the 8gb is way overkill, but the 4gb is not...

 

[newtekie1]

Thing is, that is still not much for those massive heatsinks in general.

It may not be a lot, but it is too much for them without a fan.

Or the higher speed ram at above 3.5gb, most people in this range are looking at either a 1080p card to last them awhile, a 1440p card, or a set of these cards for 120-144hz setups at either resolution which will be more ram dependent. Yes the 8gb is way overkill, but the 4gb is not...

I'm pretty sure if the 4GB on the 970 is good enough for 4k, then it'll be fine for 1080p and 1440p as long as the card is relevant.

 

[GhostRyder]

It may not be a lot, but it is too much for them without a fan.

We will just have to see if there is a review specifically involving that otherwise ill have to wait for first hand experience because my only experience points to it being more than possible.

I'm pretty sure if the 4GB on the 970 is good enough for 4k, then it'll be fine for 1080p and 1440p as long as the card is relevant.

Then we have differing opinions about that because its not a true 4gb card. I would prefer a true 4gb card like the 390 or 390X (Or for that 290 or 290X) over the 970 especially for longevity considering the recent ram analysis done shows how much memory is getting used on video cards in this day and age compared to a few years ago. We can blame what we want (poor console ports, bad optimizations, etc) however its still becoming part of the PC market. Sorry but that's my opinion on the matter...

 

[newtekie1]

We will just have to see if there is a review specifically involving that otherwise ill have to wait for first hand experience because my only experience points to it being more than possible.

I've used the card, the moment you put any kind of load on it, it goes over 60°C and the fans kick on. Open a browser, the fans kick on, start watching a movie, the fans kick on. Even on the 3-slot cards they can't keep the fans off under light load like the 970/980 cards can. Even the card in this review only sits at 50°C when idle, in an open test bench. Put it in a closed case and it will idle hotter, and be right at the verge of that 60°C mark.

Not that it really matters, like Tatty said, the fans spinning slowly aren't a big issue. In fact, I'd rather they just stay on but spin slow enough they were basically silent when in a case. The slight change in sound of them spinning up, even on my 970s, is more distracting than just spinning at a constant speed. The difference is my 970's fans only spin up when I'm doing something that has audio that covers the change(playing a movie/game) while the 390 does it just opening a web browser and surfing, when my room is otherwise silent, so the fans spinning up is more noticeable.

Then we have differing opinions about that because its not a true 4gb card. I would prefer a true 4gb card like the 390 or 390X (Or for that 290 or 290X) over the 970 especially for longevity considering the recent ram analysis done shows how much memory is getting used on video cards in this day and age compared to a few years ago. We can blame what we want (poor console ports, bad optimizations, etc) however its still becoming part of the PC market. Sorry but that's my opinion on the matter...

It isn't really poor console ports or bad optimizations or whatever, it is just how some game devs handle textures. Some of them only load the textures that are needed for the scene into vRAM, others load every texture they possible can into vRAM even if most of them aren't needed for the current scene. The games that only load the textures needed(like Witcher III that only use <2GB@4K) stay very reasonable with vRAM usage. The games that just cram as many textures as possible are the ones that use 6GB of vRAM even though they are running at only 1440p. And those games don't really show a performance impact when run on a card with 4GB(or 3.5GB if you must) because it just means those textures that aren't used anyway aren't loaded.

 

[darkangel0504]

No PhysX, CUDA

 

[btarunr]

No PhysX, CUDA

No Mantle, no TrueAudio.

 

[Assimilator]

Then we have differing opinions about that because its not a true 4gb card.

Please, explain what a "true 4gb card" is, and how the GTX 970 isn't a "true 4gb card".

No Mantle, no TrueAudio.

PhsyX and CUDA have far more adoption and use than (respectively) an API that was killed off after a year, and an API that nobody uses.

 

[Fluffmeister]

I know Mantle is dead, but what games use TrueAudio?

 

[Xzibit]

Mantle API is being used in Liquid VR initiative

 

[AlphaGTX]

Hi everyone...

AMD 300 series is new but i think that is not whole gamer want from AMD.let give you more information :
Nvidia work on new structure as we know is call (Maxwell) and release it in new Series of graphic cards and most important release 900 series of their cards and something change in whole PC Gaming because this new series was FAST , CHEAPer than big cards such as (TITAN) and have more performance than them , less heating than the old series. i mean AMD just push itself to release.we expect more than that from AMD after 1 year advertising about 300 series.

OK Never mind now let's talk about R9 390 PCS :
this cards is new release from POWERCOLOR and i think they just think about future gaming in this card and any other of 300 series of AMDs.
i mean 8 GB VRAM maybe sounds not really smart but in future we will see games need more values of VRAM and no doubt about it in next 2 or 3 years game's recommendation change to higher values.
anyway this card look good for gaming as other cards if we want rate this card simply we should say like this :

in some games :
970 < 390 < 980 < 390x

and in many games:
970 < 390 < 390x < 980

 

[GhostRyder]

Please, explain what a "true 4gb card" is, and how the GTX 970 isn't a "true 4gb card".

A card that can use all its ram at an optimal speed. The gtx 970 has the 3.5gb segment running at a theoretical speed of 192gb/sec while the .5gb is at a theoretical 28gb/sec. That's the biggest reason even GPUz reads on the sensors 3.5gb because the card blocks that segment in normal scenarios.

PhsyX and CUDA have far more adoption and use than (respectively) an API that was killed off after a year, and an API that nobody uses.

Sure, because there is no one using the mantle API...oh wait there are some games using it. PhysX adoption is also pretty miniscule (and has been for years) at this point so the only thing of the two that have higher adoption rates are Cuda and OpenCL with Cuda leading by a decent margin.

I know Mantle is dead, but what games use TrueAudio?

First one that hits my mind was Thief. Plus the api is not dead, it's been moved to new projects because DX 12.


meh, the 8gb is overkill in most scenarios unless you pair up two of these cards. I think that is understood but we might need more in the future the way things are going.

 

[Ruru]

No VGA

If VGA is important, maybe you should use some ancient GPU instead. Moving away from ancient analog connectors is nothing but a good thing.