What to replace my R9-290 ?

[Mem5]

Hello hardware experts,

I  have a Sapphire Tri-X R9 290 OC, I would like to replace it, for my budget I've seen the R9 290X or the R9 390.

R9 390 is newer, use less electricity, but has less shading units.

I would like to have :
- faster crack speed
- same or less noise than my current (that's why I don't consider R9 290X2 for example)

What would you advice me ?

Thanks a lot.

[epixoip]

I'm not sure where you saw the 390 has less cores than the 290, they both have 2560. In fact the R9 390 is literally the exact same card as the R9 290, it's just a rebrand, so that would not be an upgrade.

Sane options for an upgrade would be GTX 970, GTX 980, GTX 980Ti, or GTX Titan X.

[Mem5]

Sorry for late response.

I was first surprised about your Nvidia recommendations, as I remember it *was* shitty cards.
Then I read your post : http://hashcat.net/forum/thread-3949-pos...l#pid22449 where you put Nvidia cards on top.

So you now recommend Nvidia cards despite AMD ones.

For my budget I would go for a "Nvidia GTX 980 reference design"

Few questions :
- Currently I have 165kh/s for WPA, any hints for the GTX 980 ? Can't find "recent" benchmark
- What about noise and power consumption with -w 3 : more or less than my 290 ?
- How to make difference between reference and OEM card ? Question of brand ? (Gigabyte, MSI, Asus, Pny, Gainward,..)

Thanks again for your help

[stepMode]

- How to make difference between reference and OEM card ? Question of brand ? (Gigabyte, MSI, Asus, Pny, Gainward,..)

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't OEM Card mean its from one of these brands which means these aren't reference design cards? Also that it is possible that these brands sell reference design cards.
To see if a card is reference design just go to the nvidia website and check an image of the card you want. If the card you want to buy looks the same (no fancy cooler etc.) it's most likely a reference design card

[epixoip]

- How to make difference between reference and OEM card ? Question of brand ? (Gigabyte, MSI, Asus, Pny, Gainward,..)

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't OEM Card mean its from one of these brands which means these aren't reference design cards? 

No, the OEMs manufacture the reference design cards, they just didn't design them. You want the card that Nvidia designed, not one that e.g. Gigabyte, MSI, Asus, etc. designed. Doesn't really matter who makes it.

[stepMode]

- How to make difference between reference and OEM card ? Question of brand ? (Gigabyte, MSI, Asus, Pny, Gainward,..)

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't OEM Card mean its from one of these brands which means these aren't reference design cards? 

No, the OEMs manufacture the reference design cards, they just didn't design them. You want the card that Nvidia designed, not one that e.g. Gigabyte, MSI, Asus, etc. designed. Doesn't really matter who makes it.

Actually what I meant, but if I read it again it really sounds wrong. So just listen to epixoip

[Mem5]

Ok
And where will I find THE one Nvidia designed ?

[epixoip]

At your friendly neighborhood computer parts retailer.

[Mem5]

Got it.

And :
- Currently I have 165kh/s for WPA, any hints for the GTX 980 ?
- What about noise and power consumption with -w 3 : more or less than my 290 ?

[epixoip]

Should be able to hit 210-215 KH/s with the 980 while drawing about half the power of the 290. Can't comment on noise.