How does WoW run on your 1737?

Coming from an 7+ year old Dell desktop with a P3 processor, I feel like WoW should be running a little bit better on my new 1737. I've got a T5900 processor, 4GB of memory, 3650 HD GPU, 5400rpm 320 GB harddrive.

I can run the game at max settings, except the new WotLK shadows, even with a full custom UI, and get about 20fps in Zangarmarsh. Without my UI: Shatt on my server isn't densely populated, so I can get up to 30fps, sometimes even 40fps if I'm going through a really dead empty area. In Orgrimmar, anywhere from 30-40fps. Keep in mind, I'm on Bronzebeard, which isn't a crazily high-pop server that I need to wait in queue for an hour. No raid or instance settings yet.

I don't know, I feel like I should be getting a little higher fps, or am I expecting way too much? Are these fps standard for other people with my specs?

 

#1. How new is your 1737 I say return it an get a Studio XPS 1640 It has a much more powerfull GPU.

#2. ATI cards like the 3650 are very dependant and rely on the CPU alot a T5900 2.2ghz with 2MB cache can hold you back

#3. Worst of all is DELL seriously crippled the ATI 3650 its Core Clock and Memory clock are less than other Mobile 3650's Plus they went with DDR2 RAM Some Laptops have ATI 3650's with DDR3 RAM

#4. I run wow WotLK pretty well on high settings but I usually Disable Themes in Vista and get rid of All of Vistas eye candy.

heres a Video of WOW running pretty nicely on an old XPS M1210 a 1737 should be able to run it just as well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffvbF5PZQEE&feature=related



I am thinking there might be a problem with my 3650 because GPUZ under Sensors shows my GPU core clock at 222mhz and my GPU memory clock at 247mhz.

Also the 1737 has ATI power play enabled by default so If you play on Battery it will reduce performace. I just Disable PowerPlay and get a few more frames.

http://www.notebookcheck.net/ATI-Mobility-Radeon-HD-3650.8839.0.html

Notebook check shows the Mobile HD ATI 3650 as nice Mid range Class 2 card, but DELL crippled it so bad it performs as a lower level Class 3 depending on which CPU you have.

 

I ordered it on 12/3, so I'm well past the 21 day return policy.

So basically I should, more or less, be getting better fps? I had that issue where I was getting high fps but there was a lot of stuttering, so I had to adjust the input lag and V-sync settings to eliminate the stuttering.

With the traffic of my server, I think I should be able to get 50-60fps in non-instance combat. Would the Studio XPS you mentioned get me there or is this a global Dell issue and I should just go for a different machine if I want that kind of performance? I know you mentioned elsewhere that I could probably get Dell to take the computer back if I simply said I wasn't pleased with the quality, but is this very likely? I'm not a good bs'er when it comes to making stuff up about the hinges or whatever. =P

There's a Gateway on Best Buy with a class 1 card that's not much more expensive that what I paid for my Studio, but that one seems to have huge issues with Dell, so I'm kind of stuck.

 

I am a bit disapointed with the 1737 especially since it got crushed so quick after ordering it.

If you want gaming you need to go with a Studio XPS 1640

 

But the M86XT is apparently just an ATI 3670 HD? Doesn't seem like it's going to be that big of an improvement.

 

Its actually a significant improvement even though its does not sound like it 3650 to 3670 But when You look at Benchmarks like 3DMark 06 the 3670 gets about 1800 more points

Also the 3650 uses 256MB of DDR2 RAM clocked at 500mhz

the 3670 uses DDR3 RAM clocked at 700mhz

the GPU Core on the 3650 is clocked at 400 and the 3670 is clocked at 600.

 

I will definitively say this. I have all settings turned up on wow without shadows, 1440x900 with some aa turned on, and i'm getting close to 50-60fps all the time, and around 30-40 in dalaran which is highly populated. I have a p8400 processor with 3 gig of ram, but i also have a 7200rpm hard drive, and i'm running vista 64-bit, so the processor can really stretch it's legs. I also frequently alt-tab out of wow to do things as well. I don't turn off any eye candy for vista or anything else. Your crippling factor has to be the processor imho. I'm also running omen, recount, and qh when i'm in game.

Side Note: Also please make sure that you have your power settings on high performance, that will cripple the cpu and video card.

 

If your video card it's to weak you can overclocking it.
PS:If you overclock it check the producers site,there are listed the frequencies of the factory HD3650.

 

Well, I did some tweaking with my WoW settings and cranked the FPS up a bit. Now I'm 40-60fps in most places. I had to turn off Reduce Input Lag, which brought the graphical stuttering back, but it's not as bad as it used to be for some reason.

Can I upgrade the CPU though, since that's apparently holding me back? Or can I send it to Dell for them to do it?

 

What I've heard is that the 3650 GPU is not soldered onto the Studio 17 so you can take it off, its just glued on.

And ATI says the new 4000 series cards fit pin to pin exact with the 3000 series cards.

And they are 55nm and use 30 watts at least the 4650 does so I expect no voltage problems


So eventually everything that has a 3870 will get a 4870

if you have a 3650 you get a 4650

and if you have a 3670 you get a 4670.

If you can get your hands on one.


Going from a 3650 to a 4650 or 4670 will be a huge graphical jump since ATI has said the 4000 series is twice as powerfull as the 3000 series.


Eventually some day I plan to upgrade my 1737 with

#1. 256GB SSD Drive
#2. New T9900 CPU 3.06ghz its 35Watts Monteviniea Core so it will pop right in same 1066FSB, I will have to check but I might be able to even swap in a Core 2 Extreme or Core 2 Quad this new Montevieniea chipset is upgradeable with newer CPU's that aren't even put yet.
#3. 4650 ATI graphics
#4. Maybe 8GB DDR 2 800mhz RAM DELL's say 4GB is the Max but they have said that on other machines and people are running 8Gigs
#5. HDTV Tuner either in my Free PCI Express Mini slot or in my Express Card Slot 54mm.


Easiest of all should be the Solid state Drive and new CPU.

But when they drop in price alot, Good thing is by the end of 2009 the Core i7 will be put even Capella the Mobile versions and Prices of Core 2 Duo Monetveniea CPU's will Drop fast.

 

Wow, that sounds awesome. Make sure you keep us all updated with your upgrades, particularly the GPU one, I'd love to see how that works out.