M4600 Firepro M5950 Underclocking and Overclocking in 60Hz

I've purchased my M4600 recently, realising that the powerplay was faulty with 60Hz. Which bought me to this post:http://forum.notebookreview.com/dell-latitude-vostro-precision/598598-firepro-m5950-gpu-does-not-idle-poor-battery-life.html

I know this maybe a daft fix, but I figured out how to control the voltage of the M5950. Not sure if anyone care to "manually" toggle between two profiles, as the PowerPlay is obviously broken.

Download:
8.85.7.8-VW-WHQL-111219a-131807C-Dell_setup_ZPE (Latest Dell Drivers)
Sapphire Tweak Utility v4.3.0

Disable PowerPlay within Catalyst Pro Control Center, and disable ULPS.

Okay.... here's the fun part....

++++++++++++++++Energy Saving++++++++++++++++
Trixx settings:
GPU Clock : Any value (Doesn't matter)
Memory Clock : Any value below 899MHz (The VDDC and GPU is locked to ultra saving mode)
VDDC: 1100
-------------------------------------------
Idle Sensors Value (Idling duh)
GPU Core Clock = 100 MHz
GPU Memory Clock = 151.6 MHz
VDDC = 0.900V

Load Sensors Value (Playing game)
GPU Core Clock = 100 MHz
GPU Memory Clock = 151.6 MHz
VDDC = 0.900V

Hardware acceleration (Adobe Flash such as watching YouTube Video)
GPU Core Clock = "Trixx setting"
GPU Memory Clock = "Trixx setting"
VDDC = "Trixx setting"
++++++++++++++++Stock++++++++++++++++
Trixx settings:
GPU Clock : 725 MHz
Memory Clock : 900 MHz
VDDC: 1100
-------------------------------------------
Idle Sensors Value:
GPU Core Clock = 250 MHz
GPU Memory Clock = 900 MHz
VDDC = 1.100V

Load Sensors Value & Hardware acceleration
GPU Clock : 725 MHz
GPU Memory Clock = 900 MHz
VDDC = 1.100V

++++++++++++++++Overclocking++++++++++++++++
Check outhttp://forum.notebookreview.com/dell-latitude-vostro-precision/655556-precision-m4600-oc-session.html

Trixx settings:
GPU Clock : 870 MHz
Memory Clock : 1100 MHz
VDDC: 1100
-------------------------------------------
Idle Sensors Value:
GPU Core Clock = 300 MHz
GPU Memory Clock = 1100 MHz
VDDC = 1.100V

Load Sensors Value & Hardware acceleration
GPU Clock : 870 MHz
GPU Memory Clock = 1100 MHz
VDDC = 1.100V

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Currently there isn't a fix for the PowerPlay unless you got a new panel? But for now I'm happy to just toggle between profiles.

I will update this later for controlling the VDDC correctly. Hope this helps anyone, for now. Having too much fun playing around with my M4600

[Edit: "Do this at your own risk, don't blame me if your M4600 catch on fire. "]

Had to say that encase I get blamed for everything LOL

[Edit: External monitor will have a slight flicker, when changing Memory clock due to shifting voltage. ];

[Edit: Hardware acceleration such as Adobe Flash Player, will use Trixx Settings even with GPU Memory Clock below 899 MHz]

[Edit: 26-06-2012 The HD 6700M series driver from the AMD 12.7 beta doesn't allow voltage changes. The overclocking profile 3DMark06 = 13132 3DMarks, not much different to the M5950 drivers. Disabling the PowerPlay would lock in low power mode, unless you bypass setting using Hardware acceleration mode:
Idle & Load
GPU Core Clock = 100 MHz
GPU Memory Clock = 151.6 MHz
VDDC = 0.900V

Hardware acceleration
GPU Core Clock = "Trixx setting"
GPU Memory Clock = "Trixx setting"
VDDC = "Trixx setting"

 

How is the battery life with the energy saving settings?

 

I'm currently using a 9 Cell battery with 2% wear, WiFi browsing the internet with the lowest brightness

10% of battery life = 23 minutes, est. total uptime 3 hours and 50 minutes

20% of battery life = 48 minutes, est. total uptime 4 hours

I don't normally run in battery mode, wonder if this help.

 

That's great, up to 4 hours on discrete! Not bad at all!

 

After 20% I was bored and watched youtube, activating a different clock speed and voltage. But you get the picture...

30% of battery life = 1 hour, 15 minutes, est. total uptime 4 hours and 10 minutes

Seems alright for light use .. haven't had it that long.. Less than a week, so please feel free to say your battery time

 

Here 3DMark06 results for the profiles, just to show the differences in power

++++++++++++++++Energy Saving++++++++++++++++
3DMark Score 1905 3DMarks

++++++++++++++++Stock++++++++++++++++
3DMark Score 11379 3DMarks

++++++++++++++++Overclocking++++++++++++++++
3DMark Score 13187 3DMarks

[Edit: Don't bother installing the 6700 drivers, look at first post];

 

I'm not sure how well the one you've tried works, because I haven't used it, but I have used ATI tray tools, and it allows me to manually toggle between different clock/voltage profiles. Personally, I use settings of 85/130 core/mem on the GPU for battery saving and 900/1000 for overclocking.

 

sodaant: I've tried this software before, for my desktop. But for some reason the ATI Tray Tools v1.7.9.1573 cannot set any overclocking settings.
0.900VDDC is called "Unsafe"
Any changed with the clock and memory speed are never saved....
May I ask what drivers you using, or perhaps I forgot something?

Do you have ATI Control Center installed?

 

I got it to work, it just not exactly easy to set-up.
set-up installation
*must have disable PowerPlay.. somewhere

Check that you have ATI Control Center with PowerPlay on
Tools>Option>Advanced>Untick "Use overclock limits"

Don't edit power play when ATI-Tool is open..... cause your system will freeze with a blue screen.

Thanks sodaant much better control over the GPU, I will probably makes some profiles for people to use.... later


Energy Saving Undervolting
GPU Clock : 100 MHz
Memory Clock : 150 MHz
VDDC: 799

 

After doing more testing ATI Tool Tray is annoying, on every start-up you have a error stating that it cannot connect to low level drivers, even when it's installed just that the service cannot be started. Using UEFI Windows 7 Pro 64Bit .

Must disable ATI Tool Tray On screen Display as it reduced performance and having to use the bloated catalyst control centre. And maximum 1000MHz memory speed, prevents me using a stable overclocked settings. As 900Mhz and 1000MHz is unstable, I really like the voltage change but that's it...
Low power underclock is very stable:
GPU Clock : 100 MHz
Memory Clock : 151.6 MHz
VDDC: 799

But if anyone else want the best voltage control than this is it...