AMD R9 290 4GB Graphics Card Review

A Closer Look

The AMD R9 290 looks more or less identical to the R9 290X. In fact we can’t tell any difference from a quick glance as it measures in at the same 11.5 inches and uses the same cooler. The stock cooler design is a bit of an acquired taste and in most cases people will opt for custom cooled designs because reference coolers are always bad, and this one is certainly no exception.

The rear of the PCB again is pretty similar to the R9 290X with an incredible density of components. The main thing that stands out for me is that it is black, which is always nice.

The card has a dual slot profile like we’d see on just about any high end reference card these days.

The main exhaust vent is at the rear of the card but this additional top vent also exhausts heat when the card is operational.

We see the same 6 and 8 pin combination as the R9 290X and AMD partners will probably opt for dual 8 pins for maximum overclocking headroom.

The BIOS switch is also featured again, but as we mentioned earlier on the R9 290 both switch positions offer identical BIOSes. However, having two BIOSes is always good if you like to tweak and use custom ones and need a backup/spare.

The bottom is plain and enclosed.

The end has a few intake vents for the blower style fan.

The rear I/O features dual DVI, HDMI and Display Port. Eyefinity 6 is supported with an MST DisplayPort Hub