Question about M17X-r2 performance

Hi all you on Notebookreview
I am seeking some help from all you Alienware experts in here - hope you can help me!

I purchased a M17X-r2 at saturday the 25th. I've always wanted to become a Alienware owner, but Dell didn't sell them in my country untill now. I am completely crazy about the design of the machine - it's just a beautiful notebook!

At first I was very happy with its performance. Coming from a '09 15" MacBook pro (Dual core 2.8ghz, 9600m gt, 4gb ram), it was very very big difference. Gaming in 1920x1200 with everything on max in BF:BC2, starcraft 2 and WoW was just amazing!
However, I have always, when I received new computers, tested them in PCmark '06 to make sure they were on par with others similar computers (speaking of desktops right now..).
I ran PCmark '06, and PCmark Vantage on my new M17X, and was very disapointed.

My specs:

1.6 ghz, 720qm(running in turbo-mode atm.)
Dual 5870s
4gb ram
-----------------------
PCmark '06 result - 13800 /12455 with CF off
PCmark Vantage result - 6146
-----------------------
Now the big question: Should I expect more from my system?
- Turbo-mode is enabled
- Stealth mode is disabled
- Crossfire is running(some way I can test if it's running like it should? - Never owned a multi-GPU machine before)
- Powercord is plugged in
- The machine is set to high performance
And still it performs like a stock Asus g73 with same processor, but with one 5870 "only" and scores around the same in PCmark '06? I was expecting atleast 15k in '06 before I ran the benchmark for the first time.

I'd rather have the Asus over the the M17X and save a lot of money, if this is my M17X's true performance, if you understand? I can still return my notebook for a full re-fund... But that'd be the last thing I'll do..

Hope you guys can answer my questions. No doubt that this is a killer-machine, because I've read so on this forum about 45439 times Just wanted to know if this is right

/Drazzio

**EDIT** I am on the latest ATI driver/vBios provided by dell

 

Hey theres chiefs,

Your Vantage should be around 12 - 13k.

Try checking in ATI CCC that crossfire is enabled. Try setting everything to default settings again in CCC as well. Then also make sure Catalyst AI is set to Advance mode or at least standard. If it is disabled Crossfire won't run at all. ALso disable Crossfire and then enabled it again. Sometimes it can be buggy.

Also is that 3d mark 06 you were talking about up top chiefs? If so those scores are about right. Yeh thats the range you will be getting. Around the same score I get. So it just seems your Vantage is tanking.

You can also get radeon pro and there is a setting in there to enable a ATi crossfire logo whenever you are in game or using an application.

Also try running 3d mark 06. You should be getting around 12 - 14k there. I have seen some users get some odd scores in vantage like your low score however in 3d mark 06 it was fine. Also in games and stuff it runs great. If thats the case for you chiefs. I wouldn't really worry too much about the benchmark scores.

Also make sure you did a clean install of the ATi drivers.
I guess before you ultimately give up on the performance of the M17x if your still having troubles. Always good to try a reformat and reinstallation of the OS. Thats the last straw though so you know everything is setup properly again as you go through each step.

It seems that Vantage is only tanking for you correct? Games and everything else is running great? If so don't fret to much I guess. But yeh see what you can do to try and get the score back up.

Good Luck!!!

Cheers.

 

Hi Reborn2003

Thank you for your answer

Firstly I'd like to point out that the benches, that I've been using have been 3dmark '06 and Vantage, like you said.. My bad
3dmark Vantage score: ORB - World of Performance
3dmark '06: 13596 (have been getting 139xx)

Shouldn't my 3dmark '06 score be a little bit/much higher than Vantage?

Last night I did reformat the whole system and reinstalled it. I installed all the drivers provided by Dell but still same performance though. I have disabled/enabled everything that the guys from this site have suggested others to turn on/off.
Can't I use the drivers from Ati's website, or are they the same as Dell's?

What's your scores?

 

Note he is referencing PCMARK, not 3DMARK. I will have to run pcmark to see my scores to compare. My 3Dmark is 15400.

 

The only difference between my and your M17x is 4 vs 8gb ram, and 1.6ghz vs 1.8ghz. Would it really make a 2k difference in 3dmark '06? Is 720 combined with dual 5870s bad setup?

 

My scores are roughly the same as yours chief.
For 3d mark 06 i get from 12 - 13k with the new vbios and Dell driver.
When I first got the machine it scored 15k but with the new vbios and driver combo like everyone else the score dropped a couple thousand points.
So no worries on your 3d mark 06 score. It is well within bounds. I just ran a 3d mark bench just before and scored barely above 13k.

Your vantage score was a bit off though however if your performing well in games and other things then it should be ok. For vantage you should be scoring around P12 - P13k. If you run the GPU tests only in Vantage you should be scoring 13 - low 14k.

Others have fixed the vantage score by uninstalling the ATi drivers and then resinstalling them fresh again. You can use Dells ATi driver. It is definitely recommended. The latest one.

To do a fresh driver install you simply uninstall ATi drivers CCC and then reboot into safe mode. Run driver sweeper and CC cleaner. Then reboot back into normal OS mode and install the new latest ATi GPU drivers.

Make sure Catalyst AI is set to advanced as that works best for running these types of benchmarks.

The other chief here has the 820QM processor and 3d mark is very CPU bound and intensive therefore they will score a slightly higher 3d mark score.

Cheers.

 

Yep chiefs a 2k difference in 3d mark 06 is very easily pulled off and common. The difference in CPU is where it counts most in 3d mark 06 benching. 3d mark 06 is heavily reliant upon the CPU. If you want to test the GPU properly use Vantage. Run the GPU tests only and you should be scoring around 13 - 14k.

Also depending on system processors and background things it can make up the difference in 3d mark 06 scores. Also the driver influences the score a bit too. Like for example the older dell drivers from back in march seemed to perform better for 3d mark 06 however the recent newest dell drivers have dropped the score from 1 - 3k for different people running it. So it is not meant to alarm anyone but that is just how it is. Nothing big or serious to worry about.


Cheers.

 

Thank you for your answer, yet again reborn2003

I am getting 14155 in the GPU test in 3Dmark Vantage, and 10716 in the CPU test = P13104
I made a mistake in my first post by running the PCmark Vantage benchmark, and not 3Dmark Vantage, I suppose that's why my score was so low.

I am very happy with my machines performance, but as mentioned earlier I am coming from a '09 MacBook pro, so I suppose every gaming laptop would outperform it I can play Starcraft 2, BF:BC2 and WoW in max settings in 1920x1200, so I'm quite happy. Just thought my scores was a bit low compared to others M17x, therefore my post here.
Probably going to install a Intel 920x in my machine in a near future.. Seems like it's performing much better

 

Sure thing chiefs. No worries.

Yeh if you get the 920XM CPU in the future your 3d mark 06 score will be boosted dramatically. You will be seeing scores of 18k - 20k. It is a very super CPU for these machines. I was thinking about purchasing one in the future as well perhaps. As prices keep going down and when the new sandy bridge stuff comes out I'm sure the XM CPUs will get even cheaper.

Enjoy the notebook and all its gaming goodness.

Cheers.

 

I run becnhmarks with a ton of processes in the background, inluding Norton 360 and various other background programs to test real life performance. I usually get the following:

Vantage: 13100ish
3D Mark 06: 14100ish

Your scores are fine.

 

Thanks mate! It is a killer machine! Just have one question more When I started my alienware up for the first time, the windows 7 theme was a black alienware theme. Now that I've reinstalled the system, that theme is gone. How do I get it back? the original windows 7 theme is abit boring

 

Thanks for the info. Now I know there's nothing wrong with my system

 

Ummm the themes, Yeh once you format they will be gone. There should be a few links around here on this forum from users where you can dl them again.

I think there should be some on the M17x WIKI page. Lets see.

Here are some wallpapers Wallpapers - Alienware M17x Wiki

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/403837-m17x-lighting-fx-themes.html

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware/406867-m17x-alienfx-themes.html

http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-m17x/487802-m17x-alienfx-themes.html

Also I think there was a theme on the Dell support site for windows 7.

I'm not sure which one you wanted but do a quick search here or on google and I'm sure you will find what your looking for chiefs.

Enjoy.

Cheers.

 

It's none of those The one I'm searching for is the standard alienware theme that were on the machine at start I can't find it anywhere :/

 

Just adding my scores...
3DMARK VANTAGE SCORE {P14800}
GPU SCORE 14713
CPU SCORE 15066

 

guys help me out..
i just bought a M17x
specs are as follows
I7 940 xm
5870 xfire
8Gb DDR3
640Gb x 2 raid O
..
the problem is
my 3d mark is like 10565!!
gpu is 14675
cpu is 5742
my pcmark vantage is also very low !!
and i hav severe shuttering problems with my crysis !! please any help will be extremely helpful

 

Hi and Welcome,

Make sure your not in stealth mode chiefs.
Use the top right speedometer looking symbol. To enable and disable Stealth mode. Check crossfire is on as well.

Cheers.

 

your cpu is a xm series but your score is only 5k on cpu it should be like 20k. what bios are you on make sure it is the latest and use throttle stop to increase your multipliers and you can OC in bios

 

Help....I replaced a hard drive this week and did a clean windows install. Latest drivers and VBIOS and BIOS from dell support. My FPS when running furmark with crossfire enabled is 124 average and with it disabled its about 85.

The use my machine for Second Life, and with crossfire enabled it is to slow to use. With it disabled it is fine. Second life used to work fine with crossfire enabled so I must have mucked up something in the re-install....any Ideas?