The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Nvidia Drivers 306.02 BETA

    Discussion in 'Alienware 14 and M14x' started by M11xDude, Aug 27, 2012.

  1. M11xDude

    M11xDude Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    65
    Messages:
    229
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
  2. laz91

    laz91 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    90
    Messages:
    347
    Likes Received:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Will give it a go now and report back tomorrow on my experience
     
  3. laz91

    laz91 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    90
    Messages:
    347
    Likes Received:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Update: So far, after about 4 hours gaming, i have noticed a slight improvement over the 304 beta driver. My temps used to get up to 62-64C and now they cap at 60-62 (though this may be due to 1000 other variables). In terms of performance - maybe a slight fps increase (100-110 --> 105-115 playing SWTOR).

    I would say its worth upgrading because, as of yet, there have been no negative effects.
     
  4. rquinn19

    rquinn19 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    13
    Messages:
    182
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    here's the 64 bit version...nvidia had the dl link pointing to 32 but it worked if you replaced 64 with 32 in the address
     
  5. HansTee

    HansTee Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    24
    Messages:
    146
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Im testing the new beta drivers. It runs stable and increase slightly the performance wh i will use them now.

    Temps when OCing raised a bit even to the 65 C limit which didnt happen before but my M14x is not throttling whyever.

    This is my new record in 3dmarkvantage with these new drivers:

    NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-3610QM Processor,Alienware M14xR2 score: P13830 3DMarks

    I will test with disabled Turbo now.
     
  6. HansTee

    HansTee Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    24
    Messages:
    146
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
  7. Micaiah

    Micaiah Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    1,333
    Messages:
    1,915
    Likes Received:
    41
    Trophy Points:
    66
    Hmm...that's interesting. Has the fan noise decreased since the CPU temperatures are lower?
     
  8. HansTee

    HansTee Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    24
    Messages:
    146
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    CPU temps are the same with the new drivers but GPU temps raised a bit. Before i got max 63-64 C on GPU but maybe its cause of the hot summer we had. So the only clear difference is the id say 5% better performance of these drivers compared to the previous beta drivers.
     
  9. Micaiah

    Micaiah Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    1,333
    Messages:
    1,915
    Likes Received:
    41
    Trophy Points:
    66
    Thanks, if it's not crash prone as 304.78 then I'll give it a try.
     
  10. Savvy.G

    Savvy.G Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    7
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    This new driver has significantly increased my games by 15-20 fps.
     
  11. Micaiah

    Micaiah Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    1,333
    Messages:
    1,915
    Likes Received:
    41
    Trophy Points:
    66
    Did a clean install over 296.16. Optimus works and no more BSODs trying to connect an external display. I'm pleased.
     
  12. bluefalcon13

    bluefalcon13 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    66
    Messages:
    343
    Likes Received:
    25
    Trophy Points:
    41
    Granted I think the minority with an M14xR1, but I rolled back to release drivers to keep adaptive vsync...

    Did I miss something? Adaptive vsync has been missing from most of the beta drivers for the 555m :-(
     
  13. M11xDude

    M11xDude Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    65
    Messages:
    229
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Just installed the 306.02 beta drivers over the stock 296.16 Dell drivers. I picked the Advanced --> 'Clean Install' checkbox and it installed without any problems over the existing 296.16 drivers.

    So far, I've noticed that in TF2, I am going over 100fps now. Before, I would hover around 90fps or so. Definitely feel an improvement in the frame rate.

    Also, my idle temps seem to be a little lower now at around < 40 degrees Celsius now vs. close to 50 degrees before? I'm using the laptop with a NotePal X-Lite cooling pad btw.
     
  14. ori0nn

    ori0nn Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    19
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    So does this help with the gpu throttling on m14xr2? I'm downloading right now.. lets hope for the best
     
  15. laz91

    laz91 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    90
    Messages:
    347
    Likes Received:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Not sure about throttling but it seems to lower temps in general somehow.. After a couple more days testing I get 57-60C whereas on the old ones I was at 62-64 (and it's getting warmer here in Australia so unlikely due to environment. Also getting a solid fps increase (100-110 in swtor up from 90-100). Round of applause to nvidia for this one!
     
  16. DC87

    DC87 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    30
    Messages:
    188
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    31
    When I try to run the installation, when checking for system compatibility the wizard fails, and says the nvidia graphics driver isn't compatible with this version of windows. This graphics driver could not find compatible graphics hardware.

    I have an m14x r1, windows 7 Pro 64 bit and my NVIDIA GT555M is installed sooo not sure why it's giving me this error lol.
     
  17. laz91

    laz91 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    90
    Messages:
    347
    Likes Received:
    6
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Make sure ur not using the link provided on the OP - that is for windows 32bit. Download u need is this one
     
  18. hammerfallts

    hammerfallts Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    156
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Anyone have a link to the driver for the M14x r2? Nevermind ^