8600m GS - did I score poorly?

on 3dmark06 i only get 2194...

is that low? normal?

I'm running a new notebook. 2gb 667, t7100 1.8 ghz, 100gb sata, 256 meg 8600m gs.

please answer.

 

A little low. 2400-2700 is what I hear for that card. Make sure you have newest drivers and get rid of bloatware.

 

Yea, not looking good I think something closer to 2500 should be your goal. You tell us much about your system why not tell us what system you have? Also OS might matter.

Edit: Oh and Lithus must be getting tired picking up all the "dust bunny's" as you are the janitor of NBR. This might do better on the gaming hardware section. Ha ha Lithus

 

What notebook do you have? If it's an underclocked version such as in the dv9500t or the F3sv, then that's a normal score.

 

Eh, getting too jaded to provide full answers. So I'll just clean up the messes.

 

woo. thanks for the replies.
its windows xp pro sp2. clocking speeds are at default 500/400 (seems to be the natural stock of all 8600m gs cards)

the brand is hasee, a chinese brand. as im over in china right now.
Any drivers you care to suggest? right now im using fairly recent drivers.
163.14

 

EDIT: What is bloatware? how do I remove?

 

Its the software manufacturers usually include with the computer, basically trial version software. I don't remember any of their names specifically, but its good to do a fresh install of vista to get all of it removed. Even when you uninstall it traces of the software will sometimes be there.

Also make sure you get rid of Norton thats a huge memory and resource hog. And isn't all that great of getting rid of viruses Nod32 or Avast! is good.

Hope that helps

 

I've tried vista once - never again, it was incompatible with so many of my devices/programs - i even saw a drop of 25% performance wise in benchmarks.

Thanks rpa. I've got a clean install of XP with little loaded on it.

 

update your video card driver and I guarantee your pts will raise 300-400 pts

 

ya, update drivers, try the modded drivers for xp from laptopvideo2go.com

stock my score is around 2500 in 3dmark 06
overclocked using 158.45 vista 32bit i get almost 2700 (core @535 and mem@422)

 

GooD let us know if updating your drivers helps

 

No, you have an underclocked version. Either it's using DDR2 memory (like in the dv9500t) or it could be undervolted (like in the F3sv). Again, what laptop do you have? Stock nVidia clocks for the 8600M-GS are 600/700.

 

Again, what laptop do you have?
Hasee - L710T is all I know.

my clocks are telling me 500/400.

Going to install 2 diff drivers and see what results I get. Will post back later.

 

You have a DX10 card. Using xp, which uses DX9c almost seems moot to have an 8 series card, but then again, can the 8600GS even handle the DX10 features at this point? XP might be the better choice.

 

Thanks. I tried 2 drivers...both from laptop2go. 101.29 gave me a score of 2104, and a decrease of 10% in performance wise in FEAR.

so I then tried the 158.27 and my results for 3dmark / fear more or less stayed the same.

Soon I'll try the latest driver from laptop2go - 163.75. Maybe this will help.

"overclocked using 158.45 vista 32bit i get almost 2700 (core @535 and mem@422)" thats impressive. Which OS gets you the best results? Vista or XP?

 

XP generally gives the best results. Also, you should be able to push your overclock much higher than that, as the stock core is 600mhz and DDR2 mem should be able to go up to 500 or 550.

 

stock is 600??? mine is only 500/400 .

just went to laptop2go - saw in top right "latest xp 32 bit driver" 163.75 - has given me no real change. I'm still in 2100's ! =(

That's 4 different drivers I've tested, the only drivers listed on my manufacturers website are outdated and do not help. (there no different to the driver that the notebook came with.)

The problem might simply be my card is under clocked.... What do you guys think?

 

Yes, your score is perfectly normal for those clock speeds.

 

But isn't it underclocked for a reason? like avoiding overheat?

 

The memory is underclocked for a reason, or rather, the memory is at stock clocks for the cheaper DDR2 they decided to use rather than nVidia's spec'd GDDR3. However the core should be able to be clocked back up to stock without any problems.

 

So if its undervolted, is there a way to restore it to normal volts?

 

No. <filler>

 

wow. well, thats what happens when you buy the cheapest brand notebook available in china.

I could have got the exact same specs + a 8600m GT for the same price from Dell USA - sadly they don't ship to China.

Anyways, I've tried overclocking the core, it won't let me. I've tried 3 different programs. Ntunes wont install, rivatuner / atitools / powerstrip all show my clocks but do not allow me to adjust them.

Or I can adjust them but they instantly reset to default. I've tried with so many drivers its not funny..... might be something in the BIOS I need to change?

 

No, it's the fact that some drivers have issues with overclocking on mobile cards. Try cleaning you current drivers and installing the factory default ones, then see if you can overclock. If you can, you know it's a driver issue (as opposed to a BIOS issue).

 

Please don't rely on software that won't give you information that you can actaully relate to the real world.

 

well, i got to thinking, when u were running 3dmark o6, was your laptop plugged in and was it set to max performance in power management? also was everything under nvidia control panel @default?

 

i havent changed anything in nvidia control panel. so im assuming its on default.

yeh, the power plug was in. I dont see a max performance option, but I did have it set to "always on".

And someone told me the score i got in 3dmark06 was normal for my current clocks.

OK. I've tried stock drivers and it won't allow me to overclock. Must be a bios issue...

 

My F3Sv scored in that range too so its definitely normal.

 

thats weired, we both have the same setup(120HD is the only diff) except i am on vista. Y is in't the same score?

 

I wonder what's the point of this underclocking

 

hmm less heat i suppose and perhaps little bit more bat life(correct me if i am wrong)

 

Yes, if your GPU ran at full speed all the time, you would have absolutely horrid battery life, and your components would die (due to heat) much faster.

 

I see. Well, I'd love to set the fan speed to max constantly.

And overclock this video card so it can perform as it should be!

Please advice.... =)

 

MY MISTAKE. I'VE TESTED STOCK DRIVERS PROPERLY AND AM ABLE TO OVERCLOCK.

Now, my question is - How much can I overclock before I break something? lol

I think atitools is a good way to test... but am not sure how to use that program.

 

Ah! Something just scared me.

I set my clocks from 500/400 to 600/425 - Ran FEAR, did a benchmark test using a tool in FEAR. And 15 secs into it my whole screen froze....then went black. I restarted and fortunately everything was fine.

Hmmm....

 

Nudge... Bump!

 

I don't know much about that particular card, but are you sure you set it to the NORMAL clocks and you didn't OC it?Because your card just crashed(don't worry, it's not broken). Usually that's what happens when you oc it too far. And i'm not sure about nvidia, but all mobile gpus should have a powersaving system that underclocks it when on battery. You must turn it off before you alter the clocks

 

You need to test clock speeds in small increments, you can't just bump it up 100/25 like that and expect it to necessarily be stable. What were your GPU temps with that OC?

 

I set my clocks from 500//400 to something like 650/525 and it's always stable, the GPU reaches about 80C

 

My temps? Idle were fine. 60's... in-game temps: no idea - my card crashed before I could check.

What was said about the memory on my card? it being the cheaper ddr2 - and others having proper gddr3? Can someone tell me more about that.

Even without overclocking I've seen my gpu as high as 86.
Perhaps I shouldnt OC...?

 

It's very likely you have DDR2 memory, which will likely be unstable at clocks above 550mhz, or maybe even 500mhz. Those with GDDR3 memory will be able to stay cool and stable up to 800mhz pretty easily, maybe even 900mhz.

And 86C isn't a bad GPU temp if that's under full load. I'd start by just OC'ing the mem, maybe by 5 or 10mzh at a time, and watching your temps. Use something like a game, 3dmark06, or ATI Tools to check for stability.

 

good advice. Last question,

how can i check my ram to see if its ddr2 / gddr3?

 

As far as I know there's no 100% accurate way to tell, aside from perhaps disassembling your laptop and examining the video memory for part numbers. If your card can't stay stable very high above 400mhz on the memory, it's a pretty good bet that you have DDR2.

 

Thanks for all your help.
And for the record, I do have an overheating problem after gaming for 2 hours or so. Which I rarely do, oh well. Thanks all!