Graphics adapters, or video cards if you will, are arguably the fastest improving technology inside of a personal computer. When I built my first PC from scratch back in 2003, my first upgrade was a video card. That single experience of customization is what led me from gaming on a console primarily to a PC. When I found that the games I had already been playing for some time could perform and look even better, my excitement and love for tinkering with electronics grew exponentially.
In recent years, the amount of horsepower and performance that can be utilized from graphics cards has become simply astounding. From large memory buffers and really high clock speeds to extreme bandwidth numbers and overclocking potential, the technical standpoint of graphics cards is simply stunning in its rise to the real power behind a gaming machine. It seems like just yesterday that HD was all the buzz and here we are on the brink of UHD 4K gaming already. Provided that NVIDIA and AMD continue to innovate, developers will surely seek to push the envelope of gaming both graphically and performance-wise to new levels of fidelity and realism.
It has been some time since Funky Kit has reviewed a graphics adapter, however that will surely change thanks to manufacturers such as GIGABYTE, who were kind enough to send us over their Radeon R9 290X OC WINDFORCE 3X video card. This particular iteration of the R9 290X sports some upgrades from GIGABYTE in the form of overclocked core and memory speeds, a switchable dual-BIOS, and of course the ever-popular WINDFORCE 3X custom cooling.
When the original reference Radeon R9 290X was released, most everyone praised the performance and price-point that the graphics card had to offer. However, it was also hampered by its noisy operation, high power consumption, and thermal throttling due to high temperatures. Will the Radeon R9 290X OC WINDFORCE 3X from GIGABYTE solve these issues and take a great graphics card and turn it into the beast it was really meant to be? The answer is simply, yes. Without further delay, let us begin the review!
I would like to thank GIGABYTE for providing the review sample. This is a snippet from what GIGABYTE has to say about themselves on their website:
| GIGABYTE: Leader in IT Innovation
GIGABYTE was founded in 1986, establishing our uncontested position in continuous technological innovation. By focusing on key technologies and achieving strict quality standards, GIGABYTE has been regarded as an innovative and trusted motherboard leader in the globe. To keep pace in a rapidly changing world, we have offered a comprehensive product line covering Motherboards, Graphics Cards, PC Components, PC Peripherals, Laptops, Slate Devices, Desktop PCs, Network Communications, Servers and Mobile Phones. We are dedicated to building up a full-range digital life, responding promptly and sonorously to consumer needs and desires. Values in Consumer Experiences To”Upgrade Your Life” is the idea behind GIGABYTE which conveyed our core values of innovation and inspiration. We keep staying one step ahead of consumer needs, ensuring marvelous consumer experiences with products delivering performance, endurance, craftsmanship, and friendly interfaces. Our innovative designs and exclusive patents have constructed numerous valuable records and enhanced brilliant reputations with the public, including Ultra Durable™ 5 Technology, G1 Killer Gaming Motherboards with AMP-UP Audio Technology, Dual Port Thunderbolt™ Motherboards, WINDFORCE™ 5X SOC Graphics Cards, 2X Copper PCB, 24 Phase Power VRM Design and so forth. Furthermore, we continue to inspire consumer desires with products in multiple values, that include 15.6″ Ultrablade Gaming Laptop P35K and 11.6″ Tablet Padbook™ S1185. The P35K, with the swappable DVD-ROM/HDD slot, efficiently maximizes its storage capacity in the incredibly slim body of 21mm only. And the S1185, with its magnetically attached keyboard on the go, could be easily turned into laptop mode usage just in a snap. Services with Customer Satisfaction To offer professional and valuable services, GIGABYTE has built up a complete service network with hundreds of customer service centers, maximizing customer satisfaction around the globe. The delivery of customer experiences has been transformed into tangible and understood customer cares with online technical support and customer-friendly warranty program. We are customer-oriented from the very beginning of product development to the end of value chain. To achieve customer satisfaction, we not only deliver products in top quality but offer anytime-anywhere access of services and create new connections to customers with close, rapid and responsive services. Power of Continuous Inspiration As a Taiwan’s Top 20 Brand valued at over US$133 million, GIGABYTE has continually developed advanced technologies and innovative adoption to provide new ways of enhancing customer experiences. With over 10 thousand awards from media and authoritative organizations around the globe, GIGABYTE has gained reputation as a pioneer in motherboard and VGA innovation. As Asia’s Top 100 Tech Company in 2011 and with 100% award-winning of Taiwan Excellence, GIGABYTE has been delivering consistency and accuracy in response to consumer desires. In future, GIGABYTE commit to strengthening our unique position with key technologies, advanced innovations, quality assurance and customer services, leading pace to desires of consumers and the whole world beyond our door. |
