ROG MATRIX R9 290X Platinum Edition, this is the name of ASUS latest AMD based flagship graphics card. Equipped with an armada of features, equally interesting for gamers as well as overclockers, ASUS is fighting to win gamers as well as overclockers hearts with this card. Other than that there is the very latest version of ASUS' powerful and strikingly good looking DirectCU II cooler. Overall we're really curious now to find out what this thing is capable of and what new features there are.
Earlier this month, ASUS has officially announced two new members of its
Republic of Gamers MATRIX graphics card lineup and, in addition to the ROG
MATRIX GTX 780 Ti, ASUS has decided to also announce the new ROG MATRIX R9 290X
Platinum Edition graphics card which we have a chance to check out in our review
today.
The ASUS ROG MATRIX R9 290X is equipped with AMD's famous 28nm Hawaii GPU
which features 6.2 billion transistors, 2816 Stream Processors, 176 TMUs and 64
ROPs as well as 4GB of GDDR5 memory paired up with a 512-bit memory interface.
As you can see from the GPU-Z screen below, ASUS has decided to keep the GPU at
its reference 1050MHz but we are quite sure that it will be able to sustain that
clock much better than the reference cooled version, mostly thanks to its custom
cooler on top of the GPU, which we will talk about a bit later. The 4GB of GDDR5
memory also remained at reference 1350MHz (5400MHz effective).
The ASUS ROG MATRIX R9 290X features a pretty much same DirectCU II cooler
as the ROG MATRIX GTX 780 Ti, so we are looking at a rather hefty aluminum fin
heatsink with one 10mm direct-contact copper heatpipe, two 8 millimiter
direct-contact pipes and two more heatpipes that measure 6 millimeter in
diameter which should, combined with two fans, including a hybrid CoolTech
multi-directional fan, provide temperatures up to 31 percent cooler then
reference Radeon R9 290X. It also comes with an aluminum backplate which should
keep the backside of the PCB a bit cooler and also provide structural ridgidity
to the graphics card.
The ROG R9 290X Platinum Edition also features a custom PCB with DIGI+ 14-phase
VRM with Black Metallic Capacitors, concrete-core chokes and hardened MOSFETs,
all in order to ensure high stability, extra long lifetime, 20 percent better
temperature endurance and 30 percent less power noise.
This card allowed for a maximum stable
overclocking of 1150 MHz regarding the GPU and 1625 MHz on the memory side. We
used Furemark V1.11.0 Geeks3D benchmark with 15 minutes duration. With these
clocks we had to feed the GPU with 1.15 Volt and the memory ran at stock
voltages.
The ASUS ROG MATRIX R9 290X Platinum Edition also shares a lot of premium,
gaming-oriented and overclocking-friendly features seen on the ROG MATRIX GTX
780 Ti Platinum Edition graphics card including the LN2 Mode / STD (Standard)
Mode Jumper Switch which unlocks restriction on power target, voltage and
overcurrent protections, Memory Defroster switch, which should defrost memory
during subzero overclocking and get rid of memory cold bugs, VGA Hotwire, which
allows you to wire the ROG MATRIX R9 290X to any compatible ROG motherboards in
order to adjust the GPU, VRAM and PLL via BIOS or OS in real time, Clear VBIOS
switch, which allows you to restore default frequencies and voltages with a
single button, as well as the ROG color-coded Load Indicator ROG LOGO which
lights up in different colors depending on the actual GPU load. The ROG MATRIX
R9 290X also comes with ROG Edition GPU Tweak graphics card-tuning utility which
gives you a precise control over GPU, VRM and even fans of the ROG MATRIX R9
290X graphics card. The ROG MATRIX R9 290X also features GPU Tweak Streaming
which allows you to stream your gaming action in real-time.
The memory chips used are made by Elpida and carry the model number
W2032BBBG-6A-F. They are specified to run at 1'350MHz (5'400 MHz effective).
The card ships well bolstered in a foam made mold. Bundled with the graphics
card there are the user guide, the driver CD, two power converters (2x6-Pin-PCIe to
1x8-Pin-PCIe) as well as a case badge. We would have loved to find a few
additional goodies in the box.
For the noise level results, we measured the noise
level using a decibel meter (Voltcraft SL-200) located at 1 meter away from the
graphics card.
Idle Temperature
Temperature
Auto
50%
70%
100%
ASUS GeForce GTX 780
DirectCU II OC
30
29
28
28
ASUS GeForce GTX 780
Poseidon Platinum
32
31
30
29
ASUS
GeForce GTX 780 Ti
Matrix Platinum
37
37
36
34
ASUS Radeon HD 7970
Matrix Platinum
28
28
28
27
ASUS Radeon R9 280X
DirectCU II Top
30
30
29
29
ASUS Radeon R9 280X
Matrix Platinum
30
30
29
29
ASUS Radeon R9 290X
DirectCU II
36
35
34
34
ASUS
Radeon R9 290X Matrix Platinum
37
36
35
34
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 780
GHz Edition
29
27
26
26
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 780
OC V2
30
29
28
28
MSI Twin Frozr Gaming
GTX 780
30
29
29
27
MSI Twin Frozr Gaming R9
280X OC Edition
32
31
30
29
PowerColor Radeon R9 280X
TurboDuo OC
32
32
31
30
PowerColor Radeon R9 290X LCS
29
NVIDIA Reference
32
30
29
29
More is better
Idle, temperature is
taken after 15 minutes @ lowest, 40 %, 50 %, 70 % and 100 % fan speed.
Room Temperature: 25°C
Temperature under Furmark
Temperature
Auto
50%
70%
100%
ASUS GeForce GTX 780
DirectCU II OC
83
71
63
56
ASUS
GeForce GTX 780 Ti
Matrix Platinum
77
77
72
68
ASUS GeForce GTX 780
Poseidon Platinum
90
81
72
62
ASUS Radeon HD 7970
Matrix Platinum
76
70
69
69
ASUS Radeon R9 280X
DirectCU II Top
90
71
64
63
ASUS Radeon R9 280X
Matrix Platinum
77
73
71
70
ASUS Radeon R9 290X
DirectCU II
89
90
85
81
ASUS
Radeon R9 290X Matrix Platinum
88
85
82
78
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 780
GHz Edition
90
80
73
58
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 780
OC V2
90
83
75
63
MSI Twin Frozr Gaming
GTX 780
73
71
63
56
MSI Twin Frozr Gaming R9
280X OC Edition
80
77
72
69
PowerColor R9 290X LCS
46
PowerColor R9 280X
TurboDuo OC
n/A
n/A
74
68
NVIDIA Reference
90
83
76
68
More is better
For FurMark, temperature is taken
after 15 minutes of GPU Burn test at lowest, 40 %, 50 %, 70 % and 100 % fan speed.
We stopped the test when the GPU temperature hit 90°C.
Room Temperature: 25°C
Temperature and
fan speed under BattleField 3
Auto
Temperature
PowerColor R9 290X LCS
(watercooled)
39
MSI Twin Frozr Gaming R9
280X OC Edition
60
ASUS
GeForce GTX 780 Ti
Matrix Platinum
66
ASUS Radeon HD 7970
Matrix Platinum
66
MSI Twin Frozr Gaming
GTX 780
66
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 780
GHz Edition
67
ASUS Radeon R9 280X
Matrix Platinum
68
ASUS GeForce GTX 780
DirectCU II OC
69
ASUS Radeon R9 280X
DirectCU II Top
69
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 780
OC V2
70
ASUS GeForce GTX 780
Poseidon Platinum
71
ASUS Radeon R9 290X
Matrix Platinum
72
PowerColor R9 280X
TurboDuo OC
73
ASUS
Radeon R9 290X DirectCU II
79
NVIDIA Reference
79
More is better
For BattleField 3, temperature and fan speed
values taken are the highest achieved after 1 hour gaming @ auto fan
speed.
AMD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition (PowerColor Matrix P.)
70.75
325
2.18
AMD Radeon R9 280X (PowerColor DC2T)
68.85
321
2.14
nVidia GeForce GTX 650 Ti (PowerColor DC2T)
30.80
151
2.04
nVidia GeForce GTX 580 (Ref)
50.49
254
1.99
AMD Radeon HD 7970 (XFX DD - Ref PCB)
64.27
329
1.95
AMD Radeon HD 6950 (Ref)
36.83
208
1.77
AMD Radeon HD 6970 (Ref)
41.19
252
1.63
AMD Radeon HD 6870 (Ref)
31.88
200
1.59
AMD Radeon HD 5850 (Ref)
30.05
193
1.56
AMD Radeon HD 5870 (Ref)
35.98
232
1.55
AMD Radeon HD 6990 (Ref)
73.44
500
1.47
*Entire system
More is better
Less is better
More is better
The "Performance Index" value is calculated as the sum of all
benchmarks results divided by the amount of games (3DMark and Unigine are not
included into the calculation).
Performance/Price
Graphics Cards
Performance Index
Price (€)*
Performance/€*10
ASUS Radeon R9
290X Matrix Platinum
n/A
n/A
n/A
ASUSGeForce GTX
780 Ti Matrix Platinum
n/A
n/A
n/A
AMD Radeon HD 7790
33.44
91
3.67
AMD Radeon HD 7870
50.53
143
3.53
AMD Radeon R9 270
50.00
144
3.47
AMD Radeon HD 7850
42.39
124
3.42
AMD Radeon R9 270X
53.85
159
3.39
nVidia GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost
40.87
121
3.38
nVidia GeForce GTX 660
47.37
144
3.29
nVidia GeForce GTX 650 Ti
30.80
100
3.08
AMD Radeon R9 280X
68.85
241
2.86
nVidia GeForce GTX 760
56.63
199
2.85
nVidia GeForce GTX 660 Ti
53.55
193
2.77
AMD Radeon HD 7970
64.27
232
2.77
nVidia GeForce GTX 670
62.00
228
2.72
AMD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition
70.75
260
2.72
nVidia GeForce GTX 770
70.92
266
2.67
nVidia GeForce GTX 580
50.49
190
2.66
AMD Radeon HD 6870
31.88
126
2.53
nVidia GeForce GTX 680
68.36
291
2.35
nVidia GeForce GTX 780
81.66
415
1.97
AMD Radeon HD 6950
36.83
205
1.80
PowerColor Radeon
R9 290X LCS
91.19
577
1.58
nVidia GeForce GTX 780 Ti
90.53
582
1.56
AMD Radeon HD 6970
41.19
310
1.33
AMD Radeon HD 5850
30.05
260
1.16
AMD Radeon HD 5870
35.98
335
1.07
AMD Radeon HD 6990
73.44
708
1.04
nVidia GeForce GTX TITAN
85.05
832
1.02
Gigabyte GeForce GTX 780 Ti GHz
104.63
613
N/A
* 06/01/2014
More is better
Less is better
More is better
For the price we took the lowest price available on geizhals.eu.
With the ROG MATRIX R9 290X Platinum Edition, ASUS
has created a high-end graphics cards, which comes with quite a long
feature list. In this regard we liked the new real-time streaming
feature for gamers and memory defrost, which is being triggered by
flipping the LN2 Mode switch as well as the VGA BIOS clear button an VGA
hotwire. This card is a really good combination and it will please
high-end gamers as well as overclockers. Memory defrost is actually
quite a tricky and unique thing, since ASUS decided to place heating
elements in close proximity to the memory chips, which makes sure, there
won't be cold bug issues related to the memory. Overall the card also
looks strikingly good and build quality is on a very high level.
Especially the DirectCU II cooler, which recieved a black paint job is
simply gorgeous.
The latest version of ASUS' DirectCU II cooler is
definitely capable, althought not the very most sophisticated when
compared to the competition. Nevertheless the results gathered show this
cooler can prevent the R9 290X from throttling, which is actually an
achievement. When it comes to noise levels the card is subjectively
speaking very silent in idle and under load it can still be described as
silent.
- Cooling
- Noise levels
-
Not inaudible in
idle
Performance
+
-
The overall performance is very good since the ROG
MATRIX R9 290X Platinum Edition
does not throttle like the reference cooled R9 290X graphics cards.
Unfortunately there is no factory
overclocking on the GPU and the memory, but still this card performs
better than other R9 290X graphics cards.
A closer look at power consumption reveals that the figures shows they
are rather high, but perfectly in-line for a R9 290X card. In idle the
ROG MATRIX R9 290X Platinum Edition from ASUS pulls a little bit more
power than the reference card but under load the ASUS card, shines with
almost 25 Watt lower power consumption.
- Performance
Recommendation / Price
+
-
So far the new ROG MATRIX R9 290X Platinum Edition
has not been listed yet, meaning we don't know about the price yet.
Since the feature list is rather long we expect a premium on top of a
reference R9 290X of about 50 to 75 Euro. In such a case the card
wouldn't be cheap but still worth its money. Overall this is a card we
can definitely recommend to enthusiast gamers and we're curious to see
what overclockers around the globe are going to squeeze out of this
thing.
- Enthusiast
The ROG MATRIX R9 290X Platinum Edition
from ASUS receives 4.5 out of 5 stars.