m9750: performance issues

While I'm rather happy with my m9750, I've been running into performance issues lately for no apparent reasons; I was on Windows XP professional and upgraded to Windows Vista 32 bits, and here are my specs:

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T7600 2.33 GHz (2328 MHz according to 3DMark 06)
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce Go 7950 GTX (2x, SLI enabled)
Memory: 4,00 GB (2560 MB reported)

I just ran a 3DMark06 bench with all default settings (1280x1024), and here is my score:
3DMark Score: 2588 3DMarks
SM 2.0 Score: 1047
SM 3.0 Score: 1086
CPU Score: 888

GPU-Z reports the current stats:
Core clock: 575 MHz (both cards)
Mem clock: 700 MHz (both cards)
Temperature (while idling): 80.0°C (Card 1), 85.0°C (Card 2)
Driver: Forceware 175.16

Vista reports:
Power plan: High speed
Processor: Intel Core 2 CPU T7600 2.33 GHz running at 2.32 GHz

Are these scores perfectly normal? I can barely run Crysis on low quality.

 

Did you change all of the drivers from their XP version, to their Vista one ?

 

Not Normal. Call CS.

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Alienware-Area-51-m9750-Notebook.5535.0.html

 

I actually put Vista on a separate partition on my RAID 0 array, and yes, I use their Vista 32 bit version.
My score got pumped up a little bit after rebooting (seems like it ddoesn't get the SLI correctly before rebooting), here it is now:

3DMark Score: 4170 3DMarks
SM 2.0 Score: 2042
SM 3.0 Score: 1988
CPU Score: 844

That's still not very high. Can I just call CS and say "my system is performing low please take it" or something?

 

@Ashena - Follow my SLi guide (stickied in these forums or in my sig). It will walk you through how to download drivers for your M9750 which should clear up a lot of issues it is having. I get around 7600 - 7800 marks with my notebook in my sig.

 

Yeah, your guide was the first thing I followed when I installed new drivers. My SLI is enabled, and I uninstalled 174.16/ran driver sweeper after before installing 175.16.

The CPU thing strikes me though; it's rather low already, and now it started downclocking.

 

I'm gonna take time out of exam studying to run 3dmark06 for you and let you know the exact scores I get

Edit: It's running through the tests right now.
Edit 2: It's on the CPU test now, nearing the end.

 

3DMark Score: 7191 3DMarks (Hmm kind of low for me)
SM 2.0 Score: 3444
SM 3.0 Score: 3213
CPU Score: 1625

It seems like your laptop is running on "half power". My cpu score is double yours even with my 2.0Ghz Core2Duo.

I'd call tech support and see what they can do.

 

I get around 7600 on my m9750 . Your 3dMark score is definitely lower than it should be. You can rule out Vista as the cause since I also am using Vista Home Premium. Your GPU temps look normal and it is not downclocking so I don't think it is a graphics card problem.

 

Im running a very similar set up.
D/loading benchmark now. Will edit later.

 

I don't get a lot of difference when running 3DMark06 in XP. I'd post on the official alienware forums, but they're closed for Alienware Europe customers.

 

on my system i get 9016 points... thats a really Low CPU score dude.. btw XP kills Vista in terms of SLI, i tried both believe me

 

Little update of my score, better yet still low.
Hardware:
Intel Core 2 CPU @ 2.33 GHz
nVIDIA 7950 GTX (x2)
Drivers:
Forceware 175.16, SLI enabled

3DMark 06 Score:
6424 3DMarks
SM 2.0: 2792
SM 3.0: 2658
CPU: 1943

Attached my hardware monitoring log file for this test to this post (.hml, open with RivaTuner Hardware Monitor); Feel free to check/compare if you can.

 

from what i see here, SLI isnt working at all.. did you enable SLI from Nvidia control panel? your CPU score is normal now, but the GPU score is the score of 1 GPU only

 

Well according to both the nVidia CP and GPU-Z the SLI was enabled and both cards were running under full power mode (567/702).
Disabling SLI clocked both cards down to 200/398 (gets back to 567/702 when running a 3D app). I'm going to run another bench to compare.

 

With SLI disabled:
5314 3DMarks
SM 2.0: 2209
SM 3.0: 2123
CPU: 1923

 

Powermizer is downclocking your GPUs to 200/398. I see that with power mizer on. Disable it and it should return to 576/702

 

@Ashena : You should have a deaht card...
Bad news...

 

You should have a deaht card...
Bad news...

 

Got 7702 (3381/3444/1987) on XP SP2 in factory state (All drivers from the support CD and updates from the official website). Looks like I'll have to send it in then.

 

well now its normal dude.. thats a normal score, with the right driveryou should getting above 8k

 

yes, like brainer stated, that's a pretty standard score with the original Alienware drivers. If you can manage to install the newer ones, your score should increase.

 

Well I get a lower score with the 167.58 (can't get past 7,5k) and SLI enabled. Odd.

 

because that driver suck, try the driver of tweakforce.com, find the 175.63 mobile driver

 

I tried the 175.63 drivers from tweakforce today. I was using the 174.74 drivers from laptopvideo2go.

My 3dmark06 scored dropped from 8900 to 8500 and I am seeing 10fps less on average in both UT3 and Assassin's Creed. Any suggestions?

 

sweet jesus.. mind posting your setup? if you are using SLI 8700gt's then that driver isnt any good for you, otherwise thats totally wierd

 

CPU: Intel t7400 2.16 Ghz
GPU: Nvidia 7950GTX SLI
HDD: 2x Hitachi 200 gig 7200 rpm raid 0
Ram: 2gb 667mhz
OS: WinXP pro SP3

I was a bit surprised at the drop myself. I reinstalled twice just to be sure and got the same exact results. However, my temps on the gpu's has dropped by 5 degrees c.

 

well the driver does drop the temps.. but the performance going down is extremely wierd, everyone else tried it had notable improvement, are you sure you did use driver sweeper/cleaner before installing it?

 

Called a few days ago, got some "Your computer is working, thanks, bye" yet no improvements. Can't reach 40 FPS on Call of Duty 4 maxed.
I tried reseating the GPU cards, the ram and the SLI cables, no effect.
I'm thinking of getting the other DX10 cards, but I'm not sure it's worth it.
Am I being paranoid?

 

Ashena,

I don't get 40fps with Call of Duty 4 maxed. It just appears that SLI doesn't work with it (at least in my experience with the 7950 cards). I use the following settings:

Resolution: 1400x900
No AA
No Shadows
No Depth of View

Everything else max and it runs real smooth. Turning on shadows introduces noticable choppiness that irritates me. Also, I have Vista ultimate and XP SP3 on 2 seperate hard drives and both work about the same. (Better performance in XP with other games.. but the same performance between XP and Vista in CoD4)