Crossfire/SLI Shootout

**HeavyG** · 02-21-14, 12:32 PM

So this weekend, I will have not one... but two XFX R9 290X Black Edition cards in my possession! Don't ask me how I got them... but I did.

They are only on loan to me so I can do some testing on them, but I plan on putting them into my green monster and have them go head to head against my GTX Titans in SLI. If I have time, I may try to see the difference with Mantle. I will only have them for a day, so I am not sure what I will get to do with them, but it should be fun either way.

I should have a couple of ASUS R9 290 (non-X version) cards in HeavyG's Lab in a week or so. They have been on back order since January, but I plan on running them through similar tests.

**Kanati** · 02-21-14, 04:47 PM

I know what you will do with them... A R T I C L E S

**iLLusioN** · 02-22-14, 12:45 AM

I'd be interested in seeing the results...especially with Mantle. I won't be getting a new card any time soon, but I'd love to see another informed opinion on Mantle.

**HeavyG** · 02-22-14, 04:42 PM

Probably gonna be either tomorrow or Monday when I get the cards now. I just helped my friend build his box, and now he wants to play BF4 on it. The nerve of some people!!!

Anyways, he actually wants to take advantage of the double XP that is going on, so I completely understand.

**HeavyG** · 03-18-14, 09:21 PM

I still plan on doing these tests. I simply have not had time to dedicate to the tests, and I need to schedule when I am going to conduct some testing as I have to borrow these cards from a friend. I don't want to keep his rig down for more than a day if I don't have to. He is being gracious enough to let me borrow them, so I don't want to keep his cards for long.

Also, I have had some ASUS R9 290 Direct CU II OC Edition cards on back order since early February. I am getting them much cheaper than Newegg and really only want to test them and re-sell them. I will offer them up for $450/card if anyone is interested. Newegg is currently selling them for $529.99, which is inflated due to the limited stock of these cards.

Newegg.com - ASUS DirectCU II OC R9290-DC2OC-4GD5 Radeon R9 290 4GB 512-Bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card

I don't have them yet, but I will let you know when I get them. I only want to take them out, benchmark them, and pass them along to someone that really needs them. Gonna see what Mantle can really do

**HeavyG** · 03-20-14, 02:26 AM

Oh shit...

Clash of the Titans, er... Titans and R9 290Xs? Anyways, may the battle begin!

**salty99** · 03-20-14, 03:55 AM

NICE! Can't wait to see what you find

**HeavyG** · 03-21-14, 07:13 AM

I am trying to finalize my list of games/benchmarks to run for the testing. I would like to use games with an in game benchmarking tool so that I can have an apples to apples comparison between the cards. I also plan on picking a BF4 map and doing some multiplayer testing to get a real end user experience. Here are the games I have chosen so far:

Tomb Raider: Benchmark

Sleeping Dogs + High Res Texture Pack: Benchmark

Hitman Absolution: Benchmark

Bioshock Infinite: Benchmark

Grid 2: Benchmark

Batman Arkham Origins: Benchmark

Crysis 2 + DX11/High Res Texture Pack: Benchmark (3rd party tool)

Battlefield 4: Multiplayer FPS captured with FRAPS