New Dell MX4400 - low 3dmark 2006 ?

Hello guys,

I have recently got a new Dell MX4400 with the following key specifications:

CPU: Intel T9800 @ 2.93Ghz 1.067Ghz FSB
Ram: 4GB @ 800Mhz DDR2
Graphics: Quadro FX 1700M - 512MB

With this setup, I am only getting around 5800 on 3dMark 2006. I see people with worse CPUs and FX770Ms getting 5300s so I'm sure there is something wrong. I have the latest drivers installed however 3dMark 2006 still recognizes my graphics card as "Generic VGA". Can this be a problem? Or 5800 an average score with my setup?

I'm really confused, any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

5800 is about right i think. I hope you're not expecting too much of the FX 1700....it's basically the same card as the 770m just with higher clock settings....and higher temps too. Not sure about the Generic VGA though, i'm pretty sure mine was recognized correctly. Did you install the 185.85 drivers from nVidia or the latest drivers from Dell?

 

It's possible to get the drivers directly from Nvidia?

Edit: I just searched the Nvidia website. While I wasn't able to find the driver for the FX 1700M the last time I've been searching for them on the German Nvidia website, I now instantly switched the location to USA, and there it was.

 

Thanks, so I guess 1700m wasn't a huge upgrade from 770m. I am using the drivers that I downloaded from Nvidia's website after I received the laptop. Not exactly sure about the version number since I am not near the laptop but I'm sure they are 185.85 if they are the latest.

 

Another question.

When I run 3dmark 2006 on AC supply with 100% charged battery I get 5800 as I said. When I run 3dmark 2006 on battery without the AC supply, I get around 5100. I don't remember any setting that I can set to provide maximum performance at the cost of battery life so is there an option that I can change?

 

Search the forum for PowerMizer.

 

Wow, what have I been missing. Thanks a lot for the pointer.

 

Hmm, it turns out I had already disabled Powermizer on Nividia control panel (since I am using XP64) so that tweak was already in effect. I still lose at least 800-900 points on 3dMark when on battery

EDIT: I tried TechPowerUp to observe GPU clock speeds on/off AC and before/after running 3dMark2006 and no, the problem is not Nvidia because the clock speeds are the same. The problem is something else, either the bios, or the CPU, something that downclocks on battery, but I don't know what.