MSI AMD R9 280X Twin Frozr Gaming OC 3GB Video Card Review & Benchmarks

Updated: October 10, 2013

Test System and Testing

When we originally started the testing the R9 280X actually showed up as a HD 7970GHz Edition card, but after the BIOS flash and new driver the card now shows up as the R9 280X. For these tests we built an entirely new test bed featuring the new Haswell i7-4770K, a SanDisk Extreme II SSD for the BOOT drive and a WD 1 TB drive for game storage. Other parts include 32GB of Patriot’s Viper Extreme memory, CoolerMaster EVO 612 cooler and Samsung DVDRW all mounted on our Danger Den Torture Rack. Although these cards can do more than just game our original review hovers in the gaming arena with a few tests testing other aspects of the R9 280X.

Motherboard: ASUS Maximus VI Hero
CPU: i7-4770K
Cooling: Cooler Master EVO 612
Memory: Patriot Viper Extreme 32GB XMP 1866MHz
PSU: Rosewill Hercules 1600W
SSD BOOT Drive: SanDisk Extreme II 240GB SSD
Storage Western Digital 1TB Black 7200 RPM Hard DRive
Monitor: HP ZR2740W (2560 x 1440)

We tried to run as many of the current crop of games that are floating around at the moment and I think we have a pretty good balance of getting a solid feel for how the card runs in a variety of different situations and games. The thing that kills us as reviewers though is when after a week of testing a day or so before launch they send you new drivers expecting you to just redo all the work you have already done, which is a real pain in the derriere when you feel like you should be finished, but just have to start all over again. To insure we bring you the latest and best scores we did however redo everything just to make sure all was kosher at the end of the review process. All games were tested a minimum of 3 runs and the score balanced to ensure accuracy of the results. One thing to take note of though, you can CrossFire a HD 7970 with a R9 280X so that is something of an interesting turn of things. We will have a full review of that coming very soon.

Continue Reading: Performance Results

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Cyborgmatt is IceFrog aka Gabe

can i haz :c
12wertpos

GIMME GIMME GIMME GIMME
YourBoyTweak

This is pretty interesting. I’m wondering if I’m Better off picking up two of these up to run Versus a single GTX 780. Have you benched marked this yet. what would be a better option elric.

Also in this case this computer is used for a gaming setup on top of game design and coding.
- Supermongole
  
  Better buy two R9 280x ^^
Potus

The benchmarks definitely are in favor of AMD’s 280x, even with it competing toe-to-toe with NVIDIA’s GTX 770 in GAMING (to which it is to compete with) and is a few frames away from GTX 780′s performance. Considering the price-performance ratio, the operating temperatures of running them, the Mantle api, CGN technology, OpenCL improvements, and established Eyefinity Multi-monitor setup. And there is still the 290X which won’t need a physical crossfire bridge connector, supposedly making it a more stable? experience. Hold off on buying until the flagship comes out and gets reviewed, though.
- YourBoyTweak
  
  One thing I’m really interested in is the pricetag for the 290x. I was really amazed by the price of the 280x and if the 290′s price is around 500 with the right power I might be looking into it more
Spc Smith T

love the music, rock on
I just picked up the Asus 7970 direct CU-2 after seeing the price drop today at the store.
Shinkueagle

Yum yum! Old tech or not.. @ $299… I CANNOT complain!!! If I wait until Xmas it might drop $50(wishful thinking) BUT… I am willing to wait! Anyway it goes, I will be upgrading my 2 year old video card soon! =)
yawa77

As stated in the article you can Crossfire it with a 7970. Since this is a rebaged 7970 Ghz Edition does the 7970 your Crossfiring it with have to be a Ghz edition as well?
Zohan

#givemethecard!
http://www.youtube.com/user/DarthRavan2012 Kevin Brennan

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Leo Stamatiou

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Guest

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Rage King

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nasha thedog

I’m still confused about whether crossfiring two of the 280x’s requires a bridge or not. I thought it was only the 290′s that are bridgeless but TOT is making it sound like that’s wrong and a pair of 280′s can go bridgeless aswell. So can they or can’t they?
khangdan1992

#givemethecard Hey why we don’t have any overclocking
UniversalModder

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