MSI R9 290X GAMING 4G GPU sports 512-bit CPU, GDDR5 memory, dual coolers

MSI has finally released two top of the line graphics accelerator cards, the R9 290 and R9 290X GAMING 4G. MSI’s version of the flagship GPU that uses the AMD Radeon R9 290X engine, this card sports dual fan and heat sinks called the MSI Twin Frozr IV to cool it down.

The R9 290/290X comes with a 512-bit CPU that normally operates at 1030MHz but can be jacked up to 1050MHz in overclock mode. It comes with up to 4 Gigabytes of GDDR5 memory with an impressive clock speed of 5 Gigahertz. If that’s not enough, this beast supports Crossfire so you can more than one powering your rig.

The card weighs in at over 1 Kilograms, which is not surprising for a card of this caliber. While the official MSI website states that the maximum resolution is at 2560×1600, we know from various reviews and from the press release that the card runs comfortably well in 4K UltraHD mode.

Note that there are three variants of the MSI R9 290X. There’s the 4G, 4GD5, and the 4GD5 BF4 version. We are not sure what the difference is between the 4G and the 4GD5 version. Familiarity with MSI products leads us to believe that “4G” refers to 4 Gigabytes of GPU memory. Perhaps “D5” refers to the DDR5 memory, though all of the variants come with GDDR5 memory installed. What we are certain of, however, is that the BF4 version comes with a copy of BattleField 4.

In the same light MSI has also released the MSI R9 270X GAMING video card, available in 2GB and 4GB variants.

All MSI R9 290/290X and R9 270X GAMING GPUs use PCI-E 3.0 standard as well as 6-pin and 8-pin power connectors. These cards support DirectX 11.2, OpenGL 4.3, and the much talked about AMD Mantle technology.

Full press release follows

MSI R9 290 GAMING 4G and R9 290X GAMING 4G now available

The long expected MSI R9 290 GAMING 4G and R9 290X GAMING 4G are now available. Packed with all of the power and features to drive UltraHD gaming resolutions the MSI Twin Frozr IV Advanced now ensures your card runs cool so you can enjoy maximum performance because AMD’s PowerTune technology enables the R9 290 GAMING 4G and R9 290X GAMING 4G to run at their highest clock speeds. With support for the latest industry standards and thrilling new technology such as Mantle support in Battlefield 4. Thanks to the bundled MSI GAMING App gamers can quickly switch between three pre-sets including a silent mode optimized for power efficiency and an overclocking and OC Mode to get the most power out of your graphics card, without worrying about learning how to overclock. The R9 290 GAMING 4G and R9 290X GAMING 4G have been designed to give you a gaming experience that delivers you true next-gen performance for ultra HD resolutions without sacrificing on thermals to kickstart your gaming rig for 2014.

Stay cool in combat

The MSI Twin Frozr IV Advanced has been completely customized for the R9 290 GAMING 4G and R9 290X GAMING 4G to deliver the best thermal experience. The design uses a larger copper base for heat absorption and the heat pipes are in contact with a bigger part of the heat sink and exposed to more airflow to ensure the highest performance of the GPU because of optimal temperatures. Combined with the dual form-in-one heat sinks that add both cooling ability and structural reinforcement the R9 290 GAMING 4G and R9 290X GAMING 4G stay cool and safe.

Optimized for Gamers

The new R9 290 GAMING 4G and R9 290X GAMING 4G are packed with features that benefit every gamer. AMD TrueAudio technology allows far more realistic positional audio and the added benefit of surround sound over connected displays. Mantle allows game developers to directly speak to the GPU optimizing GPU performance. This can all be displayed in a glorious UltraHD / 4K resolution as the new R9 290 is leading in performance at 4K resolutions. This can be easily connected through the DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort connectors. Up to six dedicated displays can be connected to the R9 290 GAMING 4G and R9 290X GAMING 4G for an amazing Eyefinity experience.

MSI R9 290/290X GAMING 4G Technical specifications

MSI R9 270X GAMING 4G available now

Leading international motherboard and graphics card maker MSI has just released the newest addition to the GAMING family, the R9 270X GAMING 4G. With today’s latest PC games, you get more if you’ve got more. Battlefield 4 is a great example of one of today’s most impressive titles that utilizes more than 2GB of VRAM at Full HD resolution (1080p.) Other titles include graphical powerhouses like Far Cry 3, Crysis 3, Skyrim, Max Payne 3 that were launched over the past few years and 2014 promises to deliver even more graphically intensive games.

The MSI GAMING benefit

MSI’s GAMING series is designed to provide gamers with quality they can rely on. For Graphics Cards this means you get the best thermal solution and components to make sure you stay cool and stable no matter how long your gaming session is. The Twin Frozr IV Advanced is remarkably silent while maintaining excellent temperatures while the Military Class 4 components are designed to remain stable in extreme conditions. The MSI Gaming App puts the gamer in control with a choice of Silent, Gaming and OC modes to utilize performance or silence based on the need of the gamer.

MSI R9 270X Technical Specifications