3D Test Results
We would like to thank Futuremark for providing the 3DMark software for use in this testing.
3DMark is arguably the most popular graphics card benchmarking software known to the world. For more than a decade, users have been using the software made by Futuremark to make and break world records and and to also test overclocks. The latest version simply known as 3DMark includes three tests for DirectX 9, DirectX 10, and DirectX 11 hardware. This version also supports cross-platform benchmarking including smartphones and tablets (Android and iOS) this time around. We used the Fire Strike benchmark (at default settings) and a resolution of 1920 x 1080 for this testing. The R9 290X nearly manages to break the 10K mark which is pretty impressive.
The very successful and very popular Bioshock series has been a wonderful blend of story, characters, and of course high quality visuals. The latest entry in the series, Bioshock: Infinite, uses a modified version of the Unreal Engine 3 and utilizes the DirectX 11 APU. We tested this game using the built-in benchmark with the highest settings available. As you can see this game is more than playable with the R9 290X and averages 100 frames per second.
Final Fantasy has been around for a very, very long time. The beloved RPG franchise has been seen as the most successful video game RPG series of all time. The latest MMO flavor, Final Fantasy XIV, has some unprecedented visual quality, a full range of character variety, as well as some pretty special magical effects. We tested this game using the free downloadable benchmark with the Maximum preset. The result with the R9 290X is a beautiful game with an ultra-smooth frame rate and an Extremely High branded score.
Metro: Last Light is the sequel to Metro 2033, the post-apocalyptic first-person shooter with graphics card consuming visuals that rival the Crysis series. This game uses the 4A Engine which has full support for DirectX 11 and PhysX. We tested this game using the built-in benchmark with all settings at their maximum and PhysX turned off. The R9 290X manages to average 47 frames per second which is comfortably playable.
It is hard to believe but the Tomb Raider franchise has been around for almost two decades. The main character Lara Croft is been a beloved character for a long time that brought action and puzzle solving gameplay into perfect harmony. The latest entry into the series uses a custom CrystalEngine by Crystal Dynamics and utilizes DirectX 11 and DirectCompute for some seriously great looking visuals. We tested this game with the built-in benchmark with maximum settings and TressFX disabled.
The Valley Benchmark from Unigine is a new GPU stress-testing tool from the developers of the very popular and highly acclaimed Heaven Benchmark. This benchmark supports serious Tessellation and brings even the best graphics cards to their knees. We tested this game using the free downloadable benchmark with the Extreme HD preset. The result with the R9 290X is a respectable score and an average frame rate of 62 frames per second.
Now that we have put the R9 290X through the 3D tests, let us see how the graphics card performs with regards to power consumption, operational acoustics, and thermal properties.
