Impressive Results, Steep Premium

The invention of the HIS R9 290X Hybrid IceQ was likely inspired by AMD'south reference design for the R9 295X2, which featured a similar closed-loop liquid cooling system. The results are simply as impressive, ending upwardly with a high-cease Radeon that overclocks well and stays relatively cool while generating most no noise.

The R9 290X has always been a potent contender and this HIS version is the best we've seen. The ability to provide on average 12% more performance than a standard R9 290X without breaking a sweat is key here.

At $710, the R9 290X Hybrid IceQ is admittedly pricey, especially when quality air-cooled versions tin be had for as picayune as $480. Paying well-nigh l% more for this liquid-cooled model won't be easy to justify.

Worse still, with the recent arrival of the GTX 980 and GTX 970, fifty-fifty convincing gamers to dump $370 on a plainly R9 290X has go a challenge, largely considering the GTX 970 costs less and delivers similar performance.

Only it's not all bad news for the HIS R9 290X Hybrid IceQ, as its solid overclocking abilities placed it just 4% behind the GTX 980, namely Gigabyte'due south factory overclocked G1 Gaming GTX 980.

Still, pricing is the pressing consequence and with the G1 Gaming GTX 980 selling for $630, it works out to be xiii% cheaper, uses 30% less ability and has proven to exist a legendary overclocker in its own right.

Unfortunately, the release of the R9 290X Hybrid IceQ has been poorly timed by HIS. Had the company been able to launch a few months alee of the high-end Maxwell GPUs, we would have been all over this card.

Back then the overclocked R9 290X would have been competing with the at present discontinued GTX 780 Ti, which is the GPU the R9 290X Hybrid IceQ was clearly intended to battle. Both cards would have sold for around $700, just the R9 290X Hybrid IceQ would have been faster and quieter.

In the terminate, the R9 290X Hybrid IceQ has been outclassed by Nvidia'southward latest GPUs, but if you are in the market for an R9 290X that tin can be overclocked to the max and notwithstanding not succumb to throttling, then HIS' creation will fit the bill. That said HIS seriously needs to reconsider its pricing -- at $700 we can't see more than a scattering selling.

Pros: The bill of fare's liquid cooler lets information technology offer 12% more performance than a standard R9 290X via overclocking while maintaining comfortable temps.

Cons: Information technology costs more twice that of a standard R9 290X while the new Maxwell-based GTX 980 is faster, cheaper and consumes less ability.