Vista performance when using Battery

Hi,

My laptop runs great when I am connected directly to a power line, but is slow when I am on battery power. I have tried both the High Performance and Power Management Off settings, but the problem still persists. I usually leave it on High Performance (I altered the program settings so that when using battery the same settings are applied as when connected; merely the minimum processor state at 100%), and as soon as I disconnect, I see the performance drop (like the aero effects, slideshows, window transitions, etc.). Does anyone know how I can get the exact same performance when I am using my batery as I do when connected to the AC line?

Thanks,

Sony Vaio SZ650N/C

 

From what it seems, your graphics performance goes down the tube when on battery, this is caused by your graphics card clocking down to save power, causing the stuttering, then when it realizes it needs the power, boosts the speeds back up and it works good until the effect is done. The only way to fix this is to go into powermizer or the CCC and set the plan to performance/AC/etc.. Note that this will reduce your battery life if you decide to keep aero and stuff on. But if you don't care whether the UI looks like **** when on battery, then you can download a program called Vista Battery Saver which will turn off all the nice features on battery and reapply them when on AC.

 

It happens to me as well (well, to everyone with Vista).

On "Power saver" mode, yes, the graphics card is clocked down/turned off, but when I chose "High performance" (while on battery), everything runs as it does while on power (unlike your case). Try fiddling with the performance modes in the control panel's "Power Options".

 

I don't notice any difference with aero either with battery or ac set on Performance setting

 

That's what I said, and neither do I, but the thread starter does, hence I asked him to check his settings in "Power Options" in Control Panel.

 

Hi and thanks for the replies. This could very well be a graphic card related issue. I am using the GMA 965 (x3100), but there was only one option in Intel graphic property page for poweroption, and it was to turn on or off Intel Display Refresh Rate Switching Technology. In any case, the perfect word is stuttering, as notyou described. I'll keep trying to fiddle with my power settings, but I really don't think the vista power options are the solution.