Am I expecting too much from my machine?

I have an Alienware M17x. Here are the specs:

• Intel Core 2 Quad Q9000 at 2.0 GHz
• Dual Nvidia GeForce GTX 260Ms
• 4 GB DDR3 RAM

It seems like it should be able to pump out some better frame rates than what it is. For instance, I'm playing BF: BC2 at a resolution of 1280x800 on medium settings with 1xAA and 1xAF and vsync off and only getting about 27 FPS average. Crysis is on medium at a low resolution (not even sure what I have it on) and it's frame rate is so bad it's unplayable. Am I just expecting too much?

looks like you should be getting better imo

I have an Alienware M17x. Here are the specs:

• Intel Core 2 Quad Q9000 at 2.0 GHz
• Dual Nvidia GeForce GTX 260Ms
• 4 GB DDR3 RAM

It seems like it should be able to pump out some better frame rates than what it is. For instance, I'm playing BF: BC2 at a resolution of 1280x800 on medium settings with 1xAA and 1xAF and vsync off and only getting about 27 FPS average. Crysis is on medium at a low resolution (not even sure what I have it on) and it's frame rate is so bad it's unplayable. Am I just expecting too much?

saruman354

Your processor is likely killing the potential muscle behind your graphics cards. An easy way to test this is by upping the detail by a moderate amount; if the framerate stays the same, you're being held back by the processor.

Yes, you are expecting too much from your laptop. GTX260M is not a powerful card at all compared to desktop hardware. Don't ever expect to max out everything even on a good laptop.GhoX

A single 260m is roughly equal to an 8800gt, and two 8800gt's trade blows with a single GTX275. I'm not entirely sure how that isn't considered powerful in your books.

im not sure about this, but cant you overclock alienware laptops? if it is the cpu, this should help

take a look here

[QUOTE="saruman354"]

I have an Alienware M17x. Here are the specs:

• Intel Core 2 Quad Q9000 at 2.0 GHz
• Dual Nvidia GeForce GTX 260Ms
• 4 GB DDR3 RAM

It seems like it should be able to pump out some better frame rates than what it is. For instance, I'm playing BF: BC2 at a resolution of 1280x800 on medium settings with 1xAA and 1xAF and vsync off and only getting about 27 FPS average. Crysis is on medium at a low resolution (not even sure what I have it on) and it's frame rate is so bad it's unplayable. Am I just expecting too much?

MaoTheChimp

Your processor is likely killing the potential muscle behind your graphics cards. An easy way to test this is by upping the detail by a moderate amount; if the framerate stays the same, you're being held back by the processor.

Yes, you are expecting too much from your laptop. GTX260M is not a powerful card at all compared to desktop hardware. Don't ever expect to max out everything even on a good laptop.GhoX

A single 260m is roughly equal to an 8800gt, and two 8800gt's trade blows with a single GTX275. I'm not entirely sure how that isn't considered powerful in your books.

Yes, you are expecting too much from your laptop. GTX260M is not a powerful card at all compared to desktop hardware. Don't ever expect to max out everything even on a good laptop.GhoX

a GTX260M is better than the 9800m GTS my notebook has, yet I can run Crysis/Warhead better than OP can (1280x800, pseudo-very high settings, no AA/AF, FPS ranging from 15-30 FPS). Since I have the same amount of RAM too I'm willing to bet it's his CPU. My CPU is a core 2 centrino @ 2.26 GHz, whereas his is a core 2 quad at 2 GHz. While the C2Q should be better in theory, most games don't make use of more than two cores so he's actually getting worse performance because of that.

On the other hand, it could also be a heating issue. OP, do you have your laptop propped up on anything so that there's airflow beneath the laptop?

[QUOTE="saruman354"]

I have an Alienware M17x. Here are the specs:

• Intel Core 2 Quad Q9000 at 2.0 GHz
• Dual Nvidia GeForce GTX 260Ms
• 4 GB DDR3 RAM

It seems like it should be able to pump out some better frame rates than what it is. For instance, I'm playing BF: BC2 at a resolution of 1280x800 on medium settings with 1xAA and 1xAF and vsync off and only getting about 27 FPS average. Crysis is on medium at a low resolution (not even sure what I have it on) and it's frame rate is so bad it's unplayable. Am I just expecting too much?

MaoTheChimp

Your processor is likely killing the potential muscle behind your graphics cards. An easy way to test this is by upping the detail by a moderate amount; if the framerate stays the same, you're being held back by the processor.

Yes, you are expecting too much from your laptop. GTX260M is not a powerful card at all compared to desktop hardware. Don't ever expect to max out everything even on a good laptop.GhoX

A single 260m is roughly equal to an 8800gt, and two 8800gt's trade blows with a single GTX275. I'm not entirely sure how that isn't considered powerful in your books.

[QUOTE="MaoTheChimp"]

[QUOTE="saruman354"]

Your processor is likely killing the potential muscle behind your graphics cards. An easy way to test this is by upping the detail by a moderate amount; if the framerate stays the same, you're being held back by the processor.

[QUOTE="GhoX"]Yes, you are expecting too much from your laptop. GTX260M is not a powerful card at all compared to desktop hardware. Don't ever expect to max out everything even on a good laptop.saruman354

A single 260m is roughly equal to an 8800gt, and two 8800gt's trade blows with a single GTX275. I'm not entirely sure how that isn't considered powerful in your books.

Yes, you can usually replace the CPU in a laptop. However, it's usually not worth the cost. If you're interested though here's what newegg has as far as laptop intel CPUs go. It's not much though.

[QUOTE="MaoTheChimp"]

[QUOTE="saruman354"]

Your processor is likely killing the potential muscle behind your graphics cards. An easy way to test this is by upping the detail by a moderate amount; if the framerate stays the same, you're being held back by the processor.

[QUOTE="GhoX"]Yes, you are expecting too much from your laptop. GTX260M is not a powerful card at all compared to desktop hardware. Don't ever expect to max out everything even on a good laptop.ticktocktick201

A single 260m is roughly equal to an 8800gt, and two 8800gt's trade blows with a single GTX275. I'm not entirely sure how that isn't considered powerful in your books.

I don't have it propped. That seems like a good idea though. And I've never tried overclocking, but I'm a little scared. What's involved in it?saruman354

Then that's probably your issue right there. Gaming laptops get extremely hot and the components will start to throttle once they get too hot. Even propping up the laptop with bottlecaps will dramatically reduce your temps.

As for overclocking, I really wouldn't advise you to do that with a laptop CPU. Like I said, gaming laptops get hot enough as it is. Overclocking them is just asking for trouble. Not only that but the overclocks you could get on a laptop are very limited and, imo, not worth the effot/voiding your warranty/risk of destroying your laptop. At best you'll be able to bump it up a couple hundred megahertz.

It's not on any power saving modes. What would you recommend I prop it up with? I was just going to use a book or something.saruman354

Haha, I still see it. Must of listen to you and retired for the night.

Haha, I still see it. Must of listen to you and retired for the night.

Bikouchu35

:P

I had to keep the luck for atleast one night.

[QUOTE="saruman354"]I don't have it propped. That seems like a good idea though. And I've never tried overclocking, but I'm a little scared. What's involved in it?gameguy6700

Then that's probably your issue right there. Gaming laptops get extremely hot and the components will start to throttle once they get too hot. Even propping up the laptop with bottlecaps will dramatically reduce your temps.

As for overclocking, I really wouldn't advise you to do that with a laptop CPU. Like I said, gaming laptops get hot enough as it is. Overclocking them is just asking for trouble. Not only that but the overclocks you could get on a laptop are very limited and, imo, not worth the effot/voiding your warranty/risk of destroying your laptop. At best you'll be able to bump it up a couple hundred megahertz.

I agree with the concept here, but it requires proof through testing. I suggest the OP runs HWMonitor to monitor the maximum temperatures seen while in-game.

Would anybody suggest overclocking? I've been doing some research and it seems like I can get it up to 2.4 stable

what geforce drivers are you using.

Yes, you are expecting too much from your laptop. GTX260M is not a powerful card at all compared to desktop hardware. Don't ever expect to max out everything even on a good laptop.GhoX

what geforce drivers are you using.

streetridaz

Ok, I'm having a serious problem now. I used the Nvidia Control Panel to increase the FSB of my CPU and now my computer is doing something weird. It starts up and I can log in, access BIOS, and everything. But once my desktop starts loading, it goes for a few seconds and then it freezes. Help please

Ok, I'm having a serious problem now. I used the Nvidia Control Panel to increase the FSB of my CPU and now my computer is doing something weird. It starts up and I can log in, access BIOS, and everything. But once my desktop starts loading, it goes for a few seconds and then it freezes. Help please

saruman354

Hit F8 on startup and boot up in safe mode. You should then be able to uninstall the utility.

[QUOTE="saruman354"]

Ok, I'm having a serious problem now. I used the Nvidia Control Panel to increase the FSB of my CPU and now my computer is doing something weird. It starts up and I can log in, access BIOS, and everything. But once my desktop starts loading, it goes for a few seconds and then it freezes. Help please

MaoTheChimp

Hit F8 on startup and boot up in safe mode. You should then be able to uninstall the utility.

[QUOTE="MaoTheChimp"]

[QUOTE="saruman354"]

Ok, I'm having a serious problem now. I used the Nvidia Control Panel to increase the FSB of my CPU and now my computer is doing something weird. It starts up and I can log in, access BIOS, and everything. But once my desktop starts loading, it goes for a few seconds and then it freezes. Help please

saruman354

Hit F8 on startup and boot up in safe mode. You should then be able to uninstall the utility.

[QUOTE="saruman354"][QUOTE="MaoTheChimp"]

Hit F8 on startup and boot up in safe mode. You should then be able to uninstall the utility.

General_X

So just uninstall all my nvidia drivers?

that is a bit low for a gtx 260 even if it's a mobile version.

Ok, so my computer is up and running again. I booted in safe mode and deleted the nvidia drivers. I'm downloading the new drivers now, but Nvidia control panel is not recognizing my GPU. When I open up the device manager it only shows one Nvidia 260M and it is an exclamation point on it. What do I do?

Get speedfan and check the temps.zbdyx

Ok, so my computer is up and running again. I booted in safe mode and deleted the nvidia drivers. I'm downloading the new drivers now, but Nvidia control panel is not recognizing my GPU. When I open up the device manager it only shows one Nvidia 260M and it is an exclamation point on it. What do I do?

saruman354

Laptops heat up fast especially with gaming, so make sure to get a good external fan to keep it cool. Personally, I use Cooler Master's Notepal Infinite. You can also try heading over to Laptopvideo2go, read through the discussions and do some searches for your videocare/laptop,and experiment with their Forceware drivers because from my experience I've noticed cards run on certain drivers better than others. Another thing I'd suggest is to do a bit of overclocking, but make sure you do a lot of research first because it's easy to get your card fried if you make a mistake.

According to this the link below you should be getting 51 fps on high settings. It is also considered 5th place of class 1 laptop video cards so the type of performance you are getting is not normal. It also states that the laptop must have very good cooling for the cards to perform optimally.

link

According to this the link below you should be getting 51 fps on high settings. It is also considered 5th place of class 1 laptop video cards so the type of performance you are getting is not normal. It also states that the laptop must have very good cooling for the cards to perform optimally.

link

dracos9000

Your graphics card should be powerful enough for a game like BF : Bad company 2, I run this game on high settings 1280x800 resolution on a laptop and get around 30-45 fps. it has a 4650 Ati~

You could try re-installing the operating system and then again install the latest GPU drivers for you card.

Your graphics card should be powerful enough for a game like BF : Bad company 2, I run this game on high settings 1280x800 resolution on a laptop and get around 30-45 fps. it has a 4650 Ati~

You could try re-installing the operating system and then again install the latest GPU drivers for you card.

maggiisthebest