Just received M4300 / 7700 - 4GB Ultrabright screen

Performance is awesome (CPU)

Screen is awesome (very happy, best screen I've ever seen)

Graphics is disappointing. It has the nvidia fx360m. It rates 3.2 for vista aero and 4.3 for 3d graphics.

I do Microsoft WPF development and I always run the british library page turning app to see how things work. It's at the URL:

http://ttpdownload.bl.uk/browserapp.xbap

If you try to use the "move" function, it pretty much stinks. When I run it on my old travelmate 8200 with ATI mobiity radeon x1600 it runs much better on that. You'd think that dell could do better with 18 months more time. My desktop graphics card is a Nvidia 7900 GS which is much faster than both, just for comparison.

The slow graphics may drive me to returning the computer. have not decided. Does anyone know if it is bad nvidia drivers and that maybe they will get upgrades? Is the older ati chip that much faster all other things being equal?

Thanks for any thoughts on this.

 

of course m4300 is one of the best workstation laptops and i think the quadro gpu would perform better with OpenGL programs, Aero uses DirectX wich is better on GeForce. Try to make a benchmark using cinebench and maya tool.

 

Here are results. Anyplace I can compare this to other systems?

CINEBENCH 9.5
****************************************************

Tester : Peter Kellner

Processor : Dell Precision Notebook M4300
MHz : 2.2
Number of CPUs : 2
Operating System : vista

Graphics Card : nvidia fx360m
Resolution : 1680x1024
Color Depth : high

****************************************************

Rendering (Single CPU): 371 CB-CPU
Rendering (Multiple CPU): 714 CB-CPU

Multiprocessor Speedup: 1.93

Shading (CINEMA 4D) : 444 CB-GFX
Shading (OpenGL Software Lighting) : 1638 CB-GFX
Shading (OpenGL Hardware Lighting) : 3071 CB-GFX

OpenGL Speedup: 6.93

****************************************************

 

I just ran this on my old travelmate 8200 and got the results below. You are right that OpenGL seems much better on my new computer. Is there any hope for vista being faster? what are the issues around open gl and microsoft?

CINEBENCH 9.5
****************************************************

Tester : peter kellner

Processor : travelmate 8200
MHz : 2.0
Number of CPUs : 2
Operating System : vista

Graphics Card : ati radion 1600
Resolution : 1680x1024
Color Depth : <fill this out>

****************************************************

Rendering (Single CPU): 296 CB-CPU
Rendering (Multiple CPU): 553 CB-CPU

Multiprocessor Speedup: 1.87

Shading (CINEMA 4D) : 344 CB-GFX
Shading (OpenGL Software Lighting) : 239 CB-GFX
Shading (OpenGL Hardware Lighting) : 148 CB-GFX

OpenGL Speedup: 0.69

 

just curious, what screen choice did you make?


Edit: nevermind im dumb

 

yours sounds good, nvidia hasn't optimized yet the drivers for OpenGL chech your driver version and download the latest update:
http://www.nvidia.com/page/partner_certified_drivers.html

here are some results:
no1:
Processor : Core 2 Duo E6600
MHz : 2.4Ghz
Number of CPUs : 2
Operating System : XP Home SP2

Graphics Card : nVidia 7900GS
Resolution : 1280x1024
Color Depth : 32

****************************************************

Rendering (Single CPU): 402 CB-CPU
Rendering (Multiple CPU): 745 CB-CPU

Multiprocessor Speedup: 1.85

Shading (CINEMA 4D) : 472 CB-GFX
Shading (OpenGL Software Lighting) : 1814 CB-GFX
Shading (OpenGL Hardware Lighting) : 4490 CB-GFX

OpenGL Speedup: 9.52


no2:
Machine : Core 2 duo 6700
Mhz : 2.66
OS : XP PRO SP1
GFX Board : Geforce 8800 GTS
Tester : NDK-3D


CPU Benchmark
rendering(1CPU) : 443 CB-CPU
rendering(xCPU) : 829 CB-CPU
Multiprocessort speedup : 1.87x

Graphics Benchmark
C4D Shading : 532 CB-GFX
OpenGL SW-L : 1965 CB-GFX
OpenGL HW-L : 4134 CB-GFX
OpenGL Speedup : 7.77x

8 series gets lower because of the driver.

 

How will the graphics be using Flash, Xara and other web design programs?

I am anxious to hear about the weight and dimensions (is it a thick computer). Where are the USB ports located? Cooling fans? Sound Quality? Volume controls?

Can you take pictures and post?

I was planning on ordering the M4300 this week. Your comments on all aspects world be appreciated.

 

these benchmarks are just to comapre m4300 with others form desktops

 

Thanks 3D - I was definitely out of my realm on that particular point.

Sure hope to get more info on this one.

 

no prob we are still waiting for reviews.