ASUS Radeon R9 280X DirectCU II TOP Video Card Review

Final Thoughts
There are many different choices when it comes to choosing a Radeon R9 280X, so would the ASUS Radeon R9 280X DirectCU II TOP Video Card be one of our top choices? I would have to say most definitely! Let’s start out with the basics that most people are going to look at when it comes to this card. First off it is overclocked, that means you are going to get more performance out of the card. The factory overclock on the GPU brings it up to 1070 MHz, while the memory also gets up to 6400 MHz (effective). That is compared to 1000 MHz and 6000 MHz on the reference R9 280X.

Next we have the DirectCU II cooling system. The reference cooling system on AMD’s R9 cards is just horrible. Not only are they extremely loud, but they don’t keep your GPU that cool at all. The DirectCU II cooling system is made up of two different fans, 5 large copper heatpipes that make direct contact with the GPU and a large aluminum heatsink. In our testing this cooling solution did very well, better than most that we have seen on other video cards. Not only that it was very quiet, even during our Furmark burn-in test.

Those are the two big selling points of this card, but there is much more “under the hood” of this card. The DIGI+ VRM uses digital voltage regulators to minimize power noise by 30%, enhance power efficiency by 15%, widen voltage modulation tolerance, and improve overall stability and longevity by 2.5 times over reference. As we pointed out earlier in the review the card features concrete alloy chokes and solid capacitors. These will provide 20% cleaner power and a 2.5X longer life span than typical components you find on other cards.

ASUS also has done a great job with their GPU Tweak software. It easily allows you to monitor and fine tune the card to your liking. You are able to save profiles, load profiles and see all of the information about your card.

When it comes down to it is this the most powerful R9 280X out there? No. Is it a good choice? Very much so. The most powerful R9 280X that we have reviewed has been Sapphire’s R9 280X Toxic, which currently sits at $399. The ASUS card that we reviewed today is priced at $379. Both have their good and bad points, it comes down to how much you want to spend and what you are looking for. Overall ThinkComputers gives the ASUS Radeon R9 280X DirectCU II TOP Video Card a 9 out of 10 score and our Recommended Award!

rating9 10 small TC award recommended small

Pros:
– Factory overclocked
– DirectCU II cooling system
– DIGI+ VRM
– GPU Tweak software included
– Made with quality components

Cons:
– Hard to find in stock

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