M15x 3D Mark Review - Can you help me?

Hi friends!

I just acquired a Alienware m15x (early 2011), with a i7 720qm, GTX 680m 4GB, and 8Gb RAM.

The first thing I did was test it on 3D Mark, but I think the score was very poor.

Can you check it and tell me if its a normal score to a m15x with this configuration?

The link is:

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/7760658


If you guys think I can do a better test with another tool, feel free to say, and I will do it!



Thanks!

 

It's a normal score. You need to change your cpu to a i7 920xm or 940xm if you want better performance. Also you need a 240W PSU and a right angled adaptor if you are upgrading your cpu.

 

Seems notmal to me. The processor might be the reason why the score doesn't go higher as said above.

 

Friends, I just updated my VGA drivers to the lastest version (couldn't do it earlier because I didin't know I had to change the .inf files to install a new driver).

See the new results:

http://www.3dmark.com/sd/3197423


Do you think I can get a VERY greater score changing my processor? How much % we're talking about?

By the way, whats a "right angled adaptor"??


Thanks!

 

That graphics score..what the fu.....
Your gtx 680m is highly overclocked. Better check your temps while gaming or benching.

Changing your processor will mostly double your combined score.

This is a right angled adaptor: http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/any-m15x-users-want-my-l-angled-pin-adapter.773765/

 

Hi friends!

New score after I bought a Samsung 128GB SSD 580 EVO and make a fresh install of Windows 7 Home Premium:

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/7864217


btw, this test was made on a 23'' Full HD screen, the other tests were made on the m15x screen (1600x900).

Chopsy, I dont think my VGA is overclocked, its reaching the stock clock of 758Mhz.

Talking about temps.... I made a stress test with Fur Mark, and saw that, always my vga reach 90 celsius, its underclocks and never go beyond this temp. Its a normal behavior?


Thx!

 

And now my score after I use the right angled adptor.

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/8792238

Impressive result!

 

Yep, that's pretty good. The 920XM is your next upgrade. You have enough RAM.

My framerates doubled in CS:GO when I just upgraded the CPU to a 920XM. It was pretty much unplayable at low settings until I got the 920XM. This is with the stock GT 240M.

 

My bad, I did not look at the test you ran, just at the score. I thought it was the 3dmark11 default bench. Those are great results after the right angled adaptor. Get a 920xm as deadsmiley says and a 240W PSU and enjoy your new beast!

 

Can I ask what this right angled adapter is? Lol, I've been away from these forums for a while.

 

Its simply an adapter that fits on your power cable so that it enters your laptop at a right angle instead of straight.

Right angle adapters add no additional performance inherently. However some people pull the center pin on their adapters to disable communication between their laptop and PSU so that there is no power regulation by the laptop of the PSU.
Additionally the right angle adapter helps lower stresses on the motherboards power adapter and your cable so that they last longer.

 

lol...I figured that's what you guys were talking about, I just was surprised that it can actually improve performance with some modding. I was actually the one who posted about using this adapter back in 2011 on the M15X.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/right-angle-power-adapter.567517/

 

I read earlier you tested with furmark? I really recommend NOT to use that tool. It simply is not a useful benchmarking/stress test tool.
It is well known to simply heat the vrm's to melting point and cause gpu failure. Really dangerous software and no indication of real world gaming gpu usage.

Glad you are enjoying the 680M. The 4GB version you have is still a competent card. I have the 2GB version and it struggles with lack of vram in most AAA titles that comes out now. I recommend clocking your card to 900mhz and bump your vram to 1000mhz for decent gains with zero need for extra voltage and little to no extra heat. After that you can test the limits of what your card can do. Most 680M's hit between 930-1000mhz on stock voltage on the core and between 1100-1200mhz on the vram.

900/1000 is a good start from stock 760/900 that SLV7 vbios gives you. Tweak that baby and it can get close to the 780M/880M thanks to that 4GB

 

King of Interns, Its really sad to read your advice about Furmark only now. I burned my m15x battery using this f******* tool. Forgot that the PSU cable was not connected and run Furmark, after 3 seconds, the laptop turned off and the battery never more charged. I have to buy other.

About the clocks: I will try it and run 3D Mark again. Must check the temps too, its going to 83ºc when playing.

UPDATE: With the core at 900Mhz and the memory clock ate 1000Mhz, I really had an excelent gain in performance, BUT, playing Battlefront on ULTRA settings, I had 89C temp on VGA Its 3C more than the stock clocks, but I think its very hot