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More speed and maintained temperature stability
More speed and maintained temperature stabilityAMD released the Radeon R9 285 as part of its Radeon R9 Series Graphics last September
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More speed and maintained temperature stability
AMD released the Radeon R9 285 as part of its Radeon R9 Series Graphics last September. So now is a good time to put it to the test with the latest and the highest graphically demanding games available.
A little background on the R9 series, this model stands between the Radeon R9 280 and the Radeon R9 290 in terms of price. As for performance, you can judge for yourself after reading this article.
We started the test by picking one of the brands that released graphics cards with Radeon R9 285 in it. It supports the latest Microsoft DirectX 12 that was just released last March, and 4K (two times better than Full HD) resolution for monitor. Along with 2GB DDR5 video memory, it achieves a high level of smoothness for demanding PC games that all gamers want and love. The choice was the PowerColor R9 285 TurboDuo.
For the test, we put this card in a PC with AMD FX 8350, 8GB RAM and 128GB SSD. But before we go out and play, it's better to do a little benchmark for base results.
Low-noise annoyance
Even though the Power Color R9 285 Turbo Duo uses dual-fan, the sound was surprisingly quiet. Thanks to the TurboDuo Professional Cooling System inside, gamers could play comfortably at night without disturbing anyone.
Heat is one of the biggest problems when playing a demanding game, but both fans did their job excellently. While playing, the highest temperature measured was around 70 to 75 degrees Celsius.
High score in 3DMark
The Sky Diver mode is intended to try out gaming laptops and mid-range PCs. When we tested this using Sky Diver mode in 3DMark, the final score was 17086 with approximately 56.8 frames-per-second (FPS); this really high score means that all games that you can play in gaming laptops or mid-range PCs will also run smoothly using this card.
Second test was the Fire Strike mode. According to Futuremark, the company behind 3DMark, this is its most ambitious and technical benchmark ever; featuring real-time graphics rendered with detail and complexity far beyond what you will find in other benchmarks and games today.
The result was also satisfying. Reaching a score of 6511, this Radeon R9 285 proves itself on-par with most high performance gaming PCs that get 9131 in test results. A high 30 to 38 FPS guaranteed gamer will enjoy a smooth experience while playing.
After the initial base result, it was time to put it out in the real world. By real, we mean use it to play mainstream games that offer, and demand, a high-end graphic performance.
FIFA 15
When tested using 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution, no problems occurred while playing the game. When Multisample anti-aliasing (MSAA) was set to x4, which is the highest setting available, the gameplay did get less smooth, but the quality of graphics was still incredible.
We also set 'no limit on FPS' and no wonder it could sometimes reach 120 FPS when playing. We got a life-like movement from the players on the field, which is nice. But if you want to set it at 60FPS only, it's up to you. Just remember that the card is able to perform better than that.
Battlefield 4
Next, we tested it with Battlefield 4.
Intended best as an online game, it's also better to pair it with a high-speed Internet connection for a better experience. Why? Because even with Ultra Quality set on settings, the Radeon R9 285 was still able to reach 55 FPS.
No matter how many graphic details there were on the screen, the refresh rate was very stable. So, as most gamers say, never blame your gear.
Need for Speed Rivals
After sports and shooting, it was time to test it on a racing game. Need for Speed Rivals is the latest release from the Need for Speed franchise and, like previous releases, it is also considered to be the best benchmark in racing games.
Locked at 30FPS, the card was able to reach maximum frame-rate at all times, even on the most crowded track. No more stutter or lag whenever the cops or fellow rivals showed up.
Tomb Raider
We are talking about the latest Tomb Raider game, not the 1996 version.
With the help of the Radeon R9 285, Lara Croft got even prettier. Whether she was walking, jumping or falling from the mountain, you could always admire the beauty and smoothness of her movements. And yes, you can admire Lara too. But to get that result, you will need to set the graphic quality at Ultimate. The good news is; you can.
From the in-game benchmark, we get 60 FPS max and 46.4 FPS on average for graphics performance.
So, there you have it. The choice is always yours. But a little tip for you, if you think the Radeon RS 290 is too much for your budget, this Power Color Radeon RS 285 Turbo Duo is, hands down, the best alternative out there.
