GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Hey everyone, looking for some input on:
the SAPPHIRE AMD RADEON R9 280 x VAPOR-X cards and the Vapor-X lineup in general.

I'm planning on picking up a workstation soon, so I want to grab a high-end card if possible. Mainly for graphics testing and game dev. Thanks...

Here is some info regarding Sapphire Vapor-X graphics cards.

William Richardson12 said:Hey everyone, I was wondering if you could give me some insight on:
the SAPPHIRE AMD RADEON R9 280 x VAPOR-X cards and the Vapor-X series in general.

I'm planning on picking up a workstation soon, so I'd really like to grab a high-end card. It'll be used for graphics testing and game development. Thanks in advance!

http://www.pcekspert.com/clanak/sapp...r9-280-dual-x/

In the meantime, you should probably consider whether that specific card is even worth the investment first.

The most budget-friendly Vapor-X option is available through $700, whereas you can find other 280X models from $517 (like Club3D) or the Dual-X version from $633. While the Vapor cooling might be superior, the real question is whether that extra performance justifies the price jump...

Keep in mind that $800 already offers something more powerful—the R9 290.

Greetings, everyone! I could really use some collective wisdom regarding a graphics card upgrade. My current card is actually a leftover from an old rig—it’s significantly underpowered compared to the rest of my setup.
Here is what I'm working with:

Monitor: Dell U2412M (1920x1200)
Motherboard: Asus s1155 P8Z77-V LX2
CPU: Intel i5-3570K
PSU: Corsair CX500
Case: Thermaltake Commander MS-III
RAM: 2x4GB DDR3 Kingston 1600 MHz
SSD: Samsung evo Basic 120
HDD: Seagate 640 GB Black budget

Budget: I am aiming to stay around $150—$567 though I might be able to stretch it just a tiny bit more if it actually makes a meaningful difference.
I'll be shopping locally here in Washington, D.C.
Usage: Honestly, I'm not entirely sure how to phrase this. I just want to build a cohesive, reliable, all-purpose home workstation. In terms of graphical load, the biggest hitters will likely be gaming and some CAD-CAM software. That said, this machine isn't a dedicated workstation; I just need to be able to open and tweak things occasionally—so there's no real need to jump to those specialized professional cards. As for gaming, that will probably take the most strain, even though I don't typically lean toward high-intensity shooters or racing sims. I tend to gravitate toward strategy games, adventures, or even indie titles—though I might eventually feel the itch to try out GTA5, so it would be nice if that runs at least with decent settings (not necessarily everything on Ultra!).

The processor isn't overclocked right now, but I was thinking about doing that in maybe a year or so once I feel the need—so please, let me know if you think my power supply can handle that transition. I'm talking about a moderate overclock; I'm not trying to chase world records or anything extreme—stability is my top priority.

From what I've been looking at, my budget seems to fit an AMD R9 270 x or perhaps a slightly pricier Nvidia GTX 760.
Do you guys have any better ideas? What would be the smartest move here?

R9 280 - XFX or Gigabyte. Both have solid reviews. They both have their own pros and cons. You're looking at roughly $550 depending on which retailer you hit up. Gigabyte gives you an extra year of warranty.

Jonathan Mendoza17 said:Hey everyone! I could really use some help picking out a new graphics card. My current one was pulled from an old rig and it’s definitely the weak link in this build.
Here are the specs:

Monitor: Dell U2412M (1920x1200)
Motherboard: Asus s1155 P8Z77-V LX2
CPU: Intel i5-3570K
PSU: Corsair CX500
Case: Thermaltake Commander MS-III
RAM: 2x4GB DDR3 Kingston 1600 MHz
SSD: Samsung evo Basic 120
HDD: Seagate 640 GB Black budget

Budget: Looking to stay around $150.$567 I might be able to stretch it a little if the performance jump is actually worth it.
I'll be shopping locally in Washington, D.C.
Usage: Honestly, I'm not quite sure how to put this. I just want a solid, reliable, all-around home PC. In terms of graphics, the biggest hits will probably be gaming and some CAD-CAM software. That said, this isn't a dedicated workstation; I just need to open and edit things occasionally, so I don't think I need to go for specialized CAD cards. Gaming will likely be the main heavy lifting, though I'm not really into those intense shooters or racing sims. I prefer strategy games, adventures, or even indie titles—though I might give GTA5 a shot, so it would be nice if it runs with decent settings, even if not on ultra.

The CPU isn't overclocked right now, but I'm planning to try it in about a year once I feel the need. Please let me know if my PSU can handle that. I'm just looking for a moderate overclock, not chasing any world records; stability is my main priority.

From what I've seen, my budget fits an AMD R9 270 x or maybe a slightly pricier Nvidia GTX 760.
Do you guys have a better idea? What would be the smartest move here?

For that budget, you can get THIS , which beats both of those options. 🙂 Regarding the overclocking, you should be able to pull off a modest OC on that power supply.

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly! Looking at the specs, both cards seem like absolute beasts—my only real hesitation is going to be the power draw.

Gigabyte R9 280 3GB WF3 OC

Power requirement 600W(with one 6-pin and one 8-pin external power connectors)


XFX R9-280A-TDFD

Requirements
External Power - 6-pins : 1
External Power - 8-pins : 1
Minimum Power Supply Requirement : 750 watt
XFX Recommended Power Supply : XFX 850W PSU

I know manufacturers tend to be a bit dramatic when they list these requirements—it's almost a tradition at this point—but are we absolutely certain that my Corsair CX500 can actually handle all of that? Also, just a quick side note: I'll have to use an adapter to connect these to my PSU since I'm currently working with those 4-pin connectors. Do you think using an adapter might cause any issues with system stability?

Jonathan Mendoza17 said:Thanks for the quick reply. On paper, both cards look great, but I'm a little worried about the power draw...

Gigabyte R9 280 3GB WF3 OC

Power needs: 600W (requires one 6-pin and one 8-pin external power connector).


XFX R9-280A-TDFD

Requirements
External Power - 6-pin connector: 1
External Power - 8-pins : 1
You're going to need at least a 750 watt power supply.
XFX Recommended Power Supply: XFX 850W PSU

I know people tend to go overboard with their demands around here, but are you guys actually certain about that... Corsair CX500 Could it handle all that? Also, I'll have to use an adapter to connect this to the PSU since they're 4-pin. Is that going to cause any stability issues?

That's just nonsense... Isn't it a little weird that XFX would recommend their OWN 850 W power supply specifically for THEIR own graphics card? It costs a fortune... $267? 🙂 That Corsair CX500 will handle it just fine, don't sweat it. People always go overboard with this stuff; the GPU is only going to pull about 200W max, maybe even less, yet they’ll suggest an 850W unit... Honestly, you could probably run two of those cards in Crossfire on a 750W setup and be good. If you're planning on overclocking, though, it might be worth grabbing a new power supply just for peace of mind, even if the current one should hold up during an OC.

At stock settings—assuming you aren't overclocking—that card pulls about 250W. Since your power supply delivers 38A on the 12V rail, giving you 456W, you should be in pretty good shape there. As long as you aren't running a power-hungry processor or pushing it with an overclock, you probably won't have any issues at all... but just to be sure, what kind of CPU are you rocking? Is it overclocked? And what else is in the rest of your build?

Larry Ortiz5 said:At stock settings (assuming you aren't overclocking), that card pulls about 250W. Your PSU provides 38A on the 12V rail, which totals 456W—that's plenty. As long as you aren't running a power-hungry CPU or pushing an overclock, you should be fine 99% of the time. So, what processor are you actually using? Is it overclocked? What else is in the build?

Like I said in my last post, I've got an I5 3570. And there's no way the 280 pulls 250W. My entire system barely hits 300W during a stress test with it, so the card itself definitely isn't crossing 200. CLICK

Alright, alright, you guys have officially sold me 🙂. Honestly, it felt a little too good to be true at first, but I just had to double-check everything to be absolutely certain.

@Larry Ortiz5/">@@Larry Ortiz5
I actually laid all of that out in this post here.

So, looking at the options, this Gigabytica approach seems like the most interesting way to go—it’s got a certain charm to it. I think I'll spend the rest of the day digging through some reviews for both the XFX and Gigabyte cards—just to be thorough, you know?—and maybe wait to see if anyone else weighs in with a fresh perspective. If not, I'll probably make my move tomorrow. Thanks so much to everyone for the advice; I really appreciate the input! 🙂

Jonathan Mendoza17 said:Alright, alright, you guys convinced me. 🙂 It sounded too good to be true, but I just wanted to be absolutely sure.

@Larry Ortiz5/">@@Larry Ortiz5
I already laid all of it out in this post.

So, that Gigabyte option seems like the most interesting way to go. I'm going to spend today digging through reviews for both the XFX and Gigabyte cards to see what's up. Maybe I'll wait a bit to see if anyone else chimes in with an idea, then I'll head out tomorrow to grab one. Thanks everyone for the advice. 🙂

Don't forget, the Giga comes with an extra year of warranty and better cooling, so it's probably worth the extra cash over the XFX. 😉

Honestly, it doesn't matter which one you pick. In my book, both of these are top-tier options among the R9 280 lineup.

Edit: Saying one has better cooling is a bit of a stretch. 🙂 The XFX model has an unlocked voltage, whereas the Gigabyte one is locked. That means the VRMs on the XFX might not "overheat" quite as much. Usually, XFX and MSI are known for having pretty wild VRM temps. But hey, if you keep your voltage low, you can get those VRMs sitting around 65°C while gaming. Meanwhile, the Gigabyte card doesn't even have VRM sensors.

Chris Robinson25 said:I suppose it might not matter much which one you pick. In my opinion, both seem to be top-tier options among the R9 280 lineup.

Edit: I guess the cooling situation is actually worth discussing. 🙂 The XFX model has an unlocked voltage, whereas the Gigabyte version stays locked. This might mean the VRM doesn't "overheat" quite as much on the XFX. Generally speaking, XFX and MSI are known for having somewhat high VRM temperatures. However, some users tend to keep their voltage quite low, so the VRM might hover around 65°C during gaming. On the other hand, the Gigabyte card doesn't seem to have any VRM sensors at all.

I was hoping to get some advice regarding a configuration. I noticed everyone here is quite active...

Carl Nelson5 said:I could really use some advice on my build. I see you guys are pretty active here...

Look, I'm definitely no pro when it comes to building PCs. But I do remember this one specific card because I ran into a similar headache when I was picking out parts myself.

Chris Robinson25 said:Honestly, it doesn't matter much which one you pick. In my book, they're both top-tier options among the R9 280 lineup.

Edit: Actually, the cooling situation is worth a bit more discussion—it’s not quite a wash. 🙂 The XFX model has an unlocked voltage, whereas the Gigabyte one is locked down. This implies the VRM might not "overheat" quite as aggressively on the XFX side. That said, XFX and MSI are both somewhat notorious for running pretty hot VRMs. Of course, if you're the type of user who keeps the voltage dialed way down, you might see those VRM temps hovering around a cool 65°C during gaming sessions. Meanwhile, the Gigabyte card doesn't even feature VRM sensors at all.

I don't know, they really are incredibly similar. I just did a little digging, and both of these cards are quite beefy in terms of length. The Gigabyte version clocks in at 11.22 inches, while the XFX is 11.61 in. My case officially supports cards up to 12.5 inches, but man, managing the cables might turn into a bit of a fun little puzzle.
I'm still leaning slightly toward the Gigabyte, but I haven't quite made up my mind yet.

You honestly can't go wrong with any of them. Just to add to what’s already been said, the Windforce model runs a tiny bit cooler, while the XFX Dual-Design is slightly quieter. But I want to emphasize that we're talking about a very marginal difference here—nothing substantial.

By the way, take a look at the power consumption using an identical configuration—this one features a different OC model with an Intel Core i5 3570K.

Check out this deep dive over at Legit Reviews regarding the Sapphire Dual-X. It’s a solid breakdown if you're looking to get into the weeds on performance and cooling.
Check out this deep dive over at Bit-Tech regarding the XFX graphics card lineup. It’s a solid breakdown if you're looking to get into the weeds on performance and build quality.

So, you're feeling calm now?

Jonathan Mendoza17 said:Honestly, they’re pretty much neck and neck. I took a closer look, and both cards are actually quite beefy when it comes to length—the Gigabyte model sits at 11.22 inches, while the XFX 11.61 is just a hair longer. My case is officially rated for cards up to 12.5 inches, so they'll fit, though managing the cables might turn into a bit of a hobby in itself.
I'm still leaning slightly toward the Gigabyte, but I haven't fully committed yet.

Forget both of them. You already mentioned you have some wiggle room in your budget, so why not just stretch a little further and grab something with more raw power than those two?http://www.bestbuy.com/graphics-cards...-280x-dxf-oc-b

Dennis Carter3 said:Forget both of them. Just stretch your budget since you already said you could, and grab a higher-tier card than those two. Check out this review on the Sapphire Dual-X R9 280X DXF OC:

🤦

Why is that? $100 Is a measly 2% performance boost really worth it? You can't just fly in here throwing around nonsense like that...

Adam Moore3 said:🤦

Why on earth would anyone do that? $100 Are we really making decisions based on a measly 2% performance bump? You can't fly high on logic that thin, folks...

If you look at the numbers, the 280x is actually up to 15% faster than the standard 280. When you weigh that against how much slower the 270x is compared to the 280, it basically boils down to getting what you pay for. And honestly, for a brand new R9 280x, the price is pretty reasonable...
Personally, though, I see it as throwing money away when you can pick up a used one with a solid warranty for around $1100$433—and let's be real, GPUs are the fastest-moving target in tech.
In this specific scenario, going used opens up a lot more color in terms of options.