MSI Radeon R9 290(X) gaming/lightning card club

[eidairaman1]

The normal clock is 977/1250 so if you raise the core up to anywhere like 1007,1017/1027 in multiples of 10mhz and the memory in increments or 50MHz then it seems to work well.

Weird but that's what I've been finding. any number not in the multiple of 10mhz from 997 and up just crashes the higher you go but memory seems to like the 25/50 mhz bump.

Idiots that design these aftermarket cards need a kick to the nut bag imo, like the sane goes.... keep it simple stupid

Reminds me of the bonded clock cycles on old motherboards before they separated the clock signals for AGP from the chipset etc. But Hey You found the Nuance of that card, i wouldnt be surprised if its like that across all brands lol.

Youd probably say get a bigger monitor but Im keeping the one Ive had for sometime, just getting a Displayport to VGA Adapter for it

 

[fullinfusion]

probably is the same because the past hour I've been doing 997,1007,1017,1027,1037..... and just finished at 1107 and with less volts and shes scoring well, really well. The gpu didn't finish I did till tomorrow but hey I may still poke around a bit tonight.

 

[eidairaman1]

great, keep it up

 

[fullinfusion]

Id like other owners to do the same test so we can make sure it's not just my hardware but all gpus from msi that react the same way.

Ha watch all the onlookers go run some tests and post the shit outta the valley , heaven and 3dmark runs before I get my other card back lol

Time to edit the OP

 

[Lopez0101]

I've been running mine at 1000/1300 and haven't been having issues lately. I'll set it to 1007 and see how it goes. Setting the memory anything over 1300 and I get a lot of crashes. Wish my cooler was working as good as yours! Once I get a hairdryer (so I can remove the warranty sticker without destroying it) I plan on reapplying the TIM to see what I get. Ordered some better case fans as well, card can still hit 94C with the case open in some games.

 

[eidairaman1]

im Out later- got work THrough Saturday too

 

[fullinfusion]

I've been running mine at 1000/1300 and haven't been having issues lately. I'll set it to 1007 and see how it goes. Setting the memory anything over 1300 and I get a lot of crashes. Wish my cooler was working as good as yours! Once I get a hairdryer (so I can remove the warranty sticker without destroying it) I plan on reapplying the TIM to see what I get. Ordered some better case fans as well, card can still hit 94C with the case open in some games.

I can run the same but clock higher and see. I found the key to these buggers so test it for me please.
Also The tiny sticker on the X mount covering the tiny screw? don't worrie about it. I've already talked to a few MSI rma guys and it's no problem AS LONG AS YOU SEND IN THE DEFECTIVE CARD BACK THE WAY IT CAME!

you can change tim or coolers and your warranty is not void as long as the card is just like it was from factory even though there are signs of a sticker being messed with.

I can post a shit load of screen shots but you get the point.

I have never been able to go over 1100 mhz without voltage set to 160Mv and be stable, now i run lower voltage and higher clocks and with every 10MHz pump it's scaling and not retarding the score

 

[buildzoid]

I can run the same but clock higher and see. I found the key to these buggers so test it for me please.
Also The tiny sticker on the X mount covering the tiny screw? don't worrie about it. I've already talked to a few MSI rma guys and it's no problem AS LONG AS YOU SEND IN THE DEFECTIVE CARD BACK THE WAY IT CAME!

you can change tim or coolers and your warranty is not void as long as the card is just like it was from factory even though there are signs of a sticker being messed with.

I can post a shit load of screen shots but you get the point.

I have never been able to go over 1100 mhz without voltage set to 160Mv and be stable, now i run lower voltage and higher clocks and with every 10MHz pump it's scaling and not retarding the score

I read that all R9 290(X) cards have a golden ratio of core clock to memory clock. Someone managed to get 1335mhz/1775mhz on an R9 290X with Elpida RAM and 1.55V core voltage after figuring out the ratio. For my card it seems like they like a ratio of core*1.36= memory clock but I still need to test some more because it seems to break down at around 1200/1632 @ +200mv. Right now both of my cards run at 1100mhz/1500mhz on +62mv. I'm also gonna see if you findings apply to my cards and post here about it. Also the Golden ratio is unique to each card.
BTW Could you open this thread to all R9 290(X) designs since the other R9 290(X) thread is pretty much dead.

 

[vega22]

http://hwbot.org/submission/2536789_marsey99_3dmark___fire_strike_extreme_radeon_r9_290x_6091_marks

+100 mv

 

[DZZRtt]

BTW noticed that the backplate and ram heatsink are pretty hot too. Can you guys check? Finger method should work .
Fusion can you you post your rig pics? Or describe you cooling setup. It seems like your R9 290 Gaming are coldest R9 290 ever

p.s. and, mate, stop thanking me for every forum post i made . Or I'll get 1/1 post thanks ratio sooner or later

 

[vega22]

mine does too if it gets no airflow dzz

 

[DZZRtt]

Ok, thanks marsey.

 

[sweet]

For anyone who has trouble OC the mem with 290x Gaming.

Flash the ASUS 290x ref bios. And never go MINING with it.

Credit to Gibbo at overclockers.uk. I had never been able to get 1500 MHz with my Hynix memory before finding this tip.
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=25699092&postcount=12

 

[td911]

R9 290 been running 1100/1300 using AfterBurner. Haven't tried to go higher or messed with voltage.

Temps top out at ~73-74.

 

[TheGoat Eater]

My 290X Lightning has ran like a champ without a hiccup @ 1200/1600 since I got it . I am going to be trying to get some new BIOSes from MSI for when I bench next - which is when I get my cascade cooler that is being reworked presently before my friend is shipping it

 

[fullinfusion]

Ok do to a few requests, thread open to all R9 cards of any vendor. Thread title changed but #1 post page will only provide BIOSes for msi cards. Let's see what all the other cards like and dislike.

@DZZRtt I'll post some pictures on cooling this weekend and also remove any thanks

Cooling was achieved by changing the thermal paste but only after using arcticlean on the cooler and HS with MX4 paste... I can't stress this enough but if you guys change the MSI paste and don't use AClean your temps will shoot through the roof. MSI must cut wax into there paste and it leaves something behind the human eye can't see, but arcticlean see's it and removes it, and no! Isoprop alcohol, even the 99% stuff don't remove the wax or whatever it is.

 

[Lopez0101]

@fullinfusion I didn't use anything but Iso and a little scrub with some fine steel wool on the cooler. My temps improved with PK-3 vs. stock, but a specialized cleaner my have done more.

 

[fullinfusion]

@fullinfusion I didn't use anything but Iso and a little scrub with some fine steel wool on the cooler. My temps improved with PK-3 vs. stock, but a specialized cleaner my have done more.

Yup I see what you did and sounds great but...
The cleaner is a citrus based solution and actually goes down to the microscopic level and lifts while it eats the paste to have a perfect clean surface down to the microscope level of looking at all the imperfections.

ISO alcohol at 99% which I used in the past to.clean CPU/gpu and blocks and other coolers worked great but for a proper clean you need an aacid type based liquid.
Ever use a paste that was a real pain in the ass to clean off? Well my icd24 which was tossed in the trash lol and the AS5 when cured, both took a bit of work to clean off. The Articlean solution #1 bottle just took 3-4 drops and when let sit for 60 seconds turned both paste into... Hmm how can I say it, a wet bad of shit tbh.. It just broke the Tim down to a liquid and one wipe with a make up remover pad took it all off. I'm kinda a clean freak and I did the 1st step once more just to make sure it was all gone, then #2 solution was used to prep the surface and WOW is all I can say. I think I spent 7 or $8 bucks on that cleaner and there's enough to do over 100 clean UP's at least and well worth the money. That stuff is a gift from the PC gods IMO

 

[eidairaman1]

GRRR, waiting to get a Videocard is such a drag (290 Sapphire Vapor-X) no sense in getting the 290X model from MSI or Sapphire

 

[fullinfusion]

I was actually going to stop in at memory express in Winnipeg tonight on my way home and buy one to test but I lost to the flip of the coin. Now if I only seen your post I'd gone and got it just to make you Grrrr even more

But its ok I got some top secret new ram to toy with later.

 

[eidairaman1]

I was actually going to stop in at memory express in Winnipeg tonight on my way home and buy one to test but I lost to the flip of the coin. Now if I only seen your post I'd gone and got it just to make you Grrrr even more

Well I just got my Lady a Rosewill Apollo RK-9100xBBR MX Brown Keyboard, that feels as nice as my Roccat RYOS MK Brown keyboard (keypresses that is), by the way a product recommendation is the RAVPOWER Power Bank (Flashlight, USB Charger)

I also got a Startech.com Display Port to VGA Adapter

 

[Raovac]

I was actually going to stop in at memory express in Winnipeg tonight on my way home and buy one to test but I lost to the flip of the coin. Now if I only seen your post I'd gone and got it just to make you Grrrr even more

But its ok I got some top secret new ram to toy with later.

Ha, Memory Express is my store of choice here in Calgary One great store with good pricing.
If the wife knew what I have spent there she'd cut off my.............

 

[fullinfusion]

Ha, Memory Express is my store of choice here in Calgary One great store with good pricing.
If the wife knew what I have spent there she'd cut off my.............

Brother I here 100% what your saying. I must drive 2 hrs to Memory express in Winnipeg but it's worth it to get the hardware NOW lol!

 

[Lopez0101]

Hmm, anybody else notice how much their R9 (MSI R9 Gaming) sags under the weight of the cooler? I was curious if it affected the temperature at all and I noticed 1-2C decrease just by pressing up on the corner, farthest from any support from the case. I figured this just might be increasing pressure against the GPU, so I tried pressing with same force on the cooler above the GPU and say hardly any change.

So, any suggestions on how to brace the card at the far edge to keep it from sagging? I was thinking maybe some ziptie contraption, but I was wondering if there is anything more elegant that doesn't require a case made with some sort of bracing system.

 

[Raovac]

Hmm, anybody else notice how much their R9 (MSI R9 Gaming) sags under the weight of the cooler? I was curious if it affected the temperature at all and I noticed 1-2C decrease just by pressing up on the corner, farthest from any support from the case. I figured this just might be increasing pressure against the GPU, so I tried pressing with same force on the cooler above the GPU and say hardly any change.

So, any suggestions on how to brace the card at the far edge to keep it from sagging? I was thinking maybe some ziptie contraption, but I was wondering if there is anything more elegant that doesn't require a case made with some sort of bracing system.

I don't have to worry about sag in my case the MB lays horizontal.