Lower 3dmark11 scores with the intel 4000 disabled?

This seems wierd to me. If I run the 3dmark11 benchmark on my m17x r4 (with 680m), I get 6250-6320. If I do the FN F7 and disable the integrated graphics, I only get 6040-6100, as I recall. Why in the world would having the integrated graphics disabled cause a lower score? I thought the 680m was doing all the work anyway.

 

Maybe you should check it again, coz I think its the other way around, higher scores with just running on 680m, and lower with intel 4000 enabled

 

No, I am positive about what scores went with what configuration. Do you have an m17x r4? I would like others who do to check for themselves.

 

It might be due to the need that the computer has for the optimus technology. Can other m17x R4 users provide their scores as well?. We would really appreciate that.

 

C'mon people! I know you m17xr4 owners run 3dmark11. Alienware rep wants to get more results. Sounds like an issue that they want to look out. Why not help them make YOUR laptop work better!? Post'em!

 

I've just cleared the first test, with Intel off.

And i got 5880 ... is that ok ? 3610 and 7970 , no OC.

AMD Radeon HD 7970M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-3610QM Processor,Alienware M17xR4 score: P5880 3DMarks

 

Seems normal. A little bit higher than my stock score:

Core - 850 / Memory - 1200
AMD Radeon HD 7970M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-3610QM Processor,Alienware M17xR4 score: P5778 3DMarks

Core - 950 / Memory - 1500
AMD Radeon HD 7970M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-3610QM Processor,Alienware M17xR4 score: P6618 3DMarks

Graphics switching disabled, though I'm not sure this thread applies to us AMD folks. There is a benchmark thread stickied, though. That may be a good place to look.

 

Thanks, but now we need the same test with the intel enabled alongside the 7970m. Also, this is probably just a 680m optimus issue, but it is good to compare with the 7970/intel integrated graphics too. Lastly, does the 3610 cpu have the same integrated graphics as the 3820?

Thanks!

 

They both have Intel HD 4000 GPUs with 650Mhz base clock. The max dynamic frequency is 1100Mhz on the 3610, and 1250Mhz on the 3820.

 

Just got one to test with, but I need to install the drivers first. I'll post in a few minutes with results.

Btw, How are you disabling the iGPU? there's no way to do this with Nvidia cards in the M17x r4.. At least not that I know of. The manual switchable graphics work only for AMD cards now

 

Function+F7 disables Nvidia card too, Device manager confirms there is only one graphics card after restart.

That was weird, but I am having the same experience as OP. Below are the scores with Intel HD4000+GTX 680M:
P6149 3DMarks
and GTX 680M only with Intel disabled actually gets lower score:
P6063 3DMarks

I was running 3D Mark Advanced 1.0.3.0 on Performance (P) (1280x720) mode, all default settings. System info Alienware M17x R4: i7-3610QM, 8GB RAM, 1080p screen, GTX 680M, 120GB Corsair Force GT SSD+500GB HDD, Killer Wireless N. The laptop is not overclocked in any way yet and I am using the latest official driver 302.77 for graphics card.

 

[Fn]+[F7] would "disable" the discrete GPU (Nvidia GTX 680m), therefore, showing only the iGPU (IntelHD 4000) card in the device manager. However, optimus will try to use the discrete even if it was "disabled" when running graphic demanding games. Now, if you unplug the AC adapter it's a whole different story, and you'll notice a significant drop in your regular fps.

 

I have the opposite experience - if I press Fn+F7 Intel GPU disappears as per attachments. I found this out by trying to get higher WEI score and figuring out the way to use GTX 680M for test rather than Intel HD4000. I was not aware it should turn off nvidia card.

 

Got it, here's what happens:

Second picture, according to switchable graphics, you're running on discrete card, Intel card doesn't appear on the device manager as it's not being used.

First picture, you "should" be running the integrated, however, Optimus won't let the Nvidia card "deactivate", therefore, leaving it inactive until necessary, but not disabled.

Not 100% sure of what may be giving you the few extra fps, maybe some slight influence caused by the Intel HD?

 

Also I have noticed just now that when I turn the Intel graphics on I am getting an error in Event Viewer for almost every second. It reads:
'ACPI: ACPI BIOS is attempting to write to an illegal PCI Operation Region (0x4), Please contact your system vendor for technical assistance.' If I turn Intel HD 4000 off, this error is gone. I tried re-installing drivers from dell website for first Intel, then nvidia, but issue is still there. I also updated my BIOS from A04, which was what my laptop was shipped with to A05 and that did not change a thing.

OP, sorry for hijacking your thread, but would you mind checking if you are getting the same error in event viewer on Administrative Events please?

 

Did you re-install both drivers this way?

Optimus Units: Correct Video Card driver install / uninstall procedure

 

Yes, I even tried newer HD4000 driver from Intel website, but still the same. I followed the whole procedure now with default drivers from dell website and event log is error free up to the point I install Nvidia driver. As soon as system is restarted I am getting that same error every 2-3 seconds and that persists all the time system is running. I am not sure if that is related, but I have upgraded my hard drive to Corsair Force GT SSD, moved 500GB HDD to a second slot, did a fresh install of Windows 7 and installed all the drivers from dell website.

 

Really? Function F7 does it. It gets rid of the Intel 4000 in the devices after a forced reboot. When on battery power the m17x tells me to do the Function F7 again so that the integrated graphics can be used. Surely my gtx 680m m17x r4 isn't the only one able to do this?

Luis,

While I appreciate your presence on this forum helping out, I must say I am shocked and disappointed that an Alienware Tech Rep doesn't even know how the m17x r4 system works pertaining to switchable graphics.

While I am not familiar with the event viewer, I did find it under admin tools and opened it up and I am not finding any errors listed there as you are.

Okay, here's fresh scores from today:

Discrete graphics only (gtx 680m): 6036

Both Discrete and integrated graphics: 6298

No overclocking, all stock for the tests.

 

I see what happened, for some reason I wrote iGPU instead of discrete on this first post. As you can see my explanation on the next post referring to the Nvidia card instead.

Sorry for the typo, may have confused things a bit.

Slight performance increase while the integrated chip is active may be because it's taking load off the GPU, allowing memory from the integrated to be used. Yet again, this is just my guess

 

don't want to hi-jack this thread but instead of making a new thread maybe i could ask my question here that's somewhat related to the topic.
I Received my AW r4 yesterday and it's an amazing machine.
I have the 7970M with my machine and when i go to press fn and f7 to only use the 7970M, after the reboot both Intel and the 7970M go missing and don't show in my display adapters, and when i go to disable the Intel 4000 in the display adapters, laptop starts lagging heavily.

 

Try the latest drivers from our support site, maybe there was an automatic update that somehow messed up with that.