I am amazed...at integrated GPU power!

I own a Sony Vaio that has integrated graphics as well as a dedicated GPU built in.

I was playing COD4, and was getting an average of 30fps at 1280x768 resolution with medium settings.

I thought I was gaming on my nVidia 9300m GS, but after my gaming session, I planned on checking my temps, and found that this whole time I was using my integrated GPU, which is an intel x4500

The intel provides some pretty raw power, which I never expected...my old laptop had a nVidia 8400m GS 64mb ddr3, and it didn't perform as well as this integrated card.

On another note, my dedicated GPU temps are around 69 c, and cpu at 42 c....how is this temp wise? I'm not OC and want to keep this laptop as cool as possible, my old one died of overheating.

 

No reason to be surprised, the x4500 is a nice upgrade from the x3100.
Kind of quiets a lot of people that say integrated graphics aren't for gaming.
It just depends on the game.

 

Yeah, supposedly, the X4500 puts out performance comparable to the nVidia GeForce 8 series cards.

 

Ya those temps seem just fine.

 

Intel's future integrated graphics also sound promising with the multi-core things

 

I'm just in disbelief...this is a modern game, that my old 8400 was barely chugging along at the same resolution with low settings!!

I'm saving power and gaming...2 things I thought weren't possible...LOL

 

In the future we probably could game the whole day on batteries (I hope I'd live to see it)

 

Laptops with both an integrated and dedicated GPU automatically switch. If you checked after you had turn the game off, you were back on the integrated GPU.

Not to say that integrated graphics aren't getting better, but they do have a ways to go, hence the reason laptops are now offered with both options built in.

 

Not with the Z.

I have the Sony Vaio Z590, and there's an actual physical toggle for me to switch back and forth from integrated to dedicated. Its one of the features Sony designed in. I was definitely using integrated because a switch between either graphics card requires no active windows to be open during the switch.

 

how well does it play under 9300M GS?

 

Very interesting, I would have thought a 9300 and 8400 would perform rather similar. Is there much of a difference in gaming performance between the dedicated and integrated GPU's or does it more seem like a feature just for power savings?

 

from what i read there is quite a few different 8400's, i think the 9300 compares to the one with 256mb ram and 128 bit bus.

 

from what i read there is quite a few different 8400's, i think the 9300 compares to the one with 256mb ram and 128 bit bus.

 

thers the GS and the GT, only two

 

Yes the 8400 GT has 128 bit memory while the 8400 GS has only 64 bit. So naturally there is a bandwidth difference of almost 2:1.

 

good to know that the 9300s are a good way to go if you're in the intergrated market.

 

no no no, I dont believe its the x4500 thats playing CoD4 at 30fps, it must be the 9300gs, hybrid graphics switches automatically from intergrated to dedicated under intensive 3d work (games for example) what led you to believe that only the x4500 is doing to job? for one the x4500 scores less than 1000 points in 3dmark06, are you saying my 8400gs is weaker than your x4500?

 

Mmm, I'm sorry to disagree, but 1280 res + Medium + 30fps = a dedicated card's performance. It might switch over during 3d tasks, regardless of what you have it set to do.

My old laptop's 8600 would be just over 30fps at those settings, and the x4500 surely isn't touching that.

 

No self respecting gamer would ever buy a computer with integrated graphics to play games on...

 

I'm very doubtful of your claim.

 

If you have a good camcorder, I'd love to see a video comparing the two gaming experiences on the same machine.

 

I would agree with the last few posts. In fact it is the 9300M which is playing COD 4 with those settings.

 

Its definitely the 9300M GS running COD4 at those settings not the x4500. The x4500 can barely play COD4

 

Use FRAPS to record FPS using what you believe is X4500 and then 9300m GS. Results will probably be identical (or nearly so), telling you its the same card running.

Something else you could do is do a dual screen with GPU-Z running (assuming its like CPU-Z and will automatically display results on the fly) and see if GPU-Z changes.

If the x4500 was able to truly perform that well, then there'd be no need to have a dual x4500 and 9300m

 

yeah I think its the 9300 gs you are using. Why don't you run some benchmarks with 9300 gs supposedly off using only the x4500 and with the 9300gs on.

 

I'm not too familiar on the hybrid graphics on the Sonys, but would be possible to remove the 9300M GS' drivers and try to play COD4 again? If you're getting crappy performance now, then you know the system was switching over to the nVidia.

 

IGPs perform pretty well these days. Heck my 3200 IGP maxes all the games I play with ease.

 

Ok, what I did was disable the 9300m GS through device manager, and then I made sure I was on Stamina Mode on my Z, and I was still getting the same average FPS of 30

 

no Way !

i HAVE A SONY VAIO SR19XN ( latest model/drivers etc) with X4500 and i can say for sure it wont give you 1280x768 or 1280x800 at medium 30 fps ! sorry pal , i wish ...but no! IGP are good for work and old games , period!

My Vaio is only for work ( great performance on the road - 5h to 6h ) but very weak for games) .
best 3dmark scores i could get for the 3d_2005 version are 1400, for the 2006 version around 1000....
Very weak as you can see, COD4 at 30 fps ? as i said , i wish ...but no!

 

While this should have been enough, you never know. I'm not sure whether Windows is capable of something like this, but I know that on my ThinkPad T61 if I turn the Wireless radio off at the switch, it doesn't matter - Linux will say "Bugger that nonsense!" and turn it back on if I try to connect to a wireless network, regardless of the physical switch's position.

Needless to say, since your experience are inconsistent with a)the experiences of others, b)the synthetic benchmarks of the card (not that those mean anything) and c)the technical specifications of the card itself, further investigation is required before any judgment is passed.

 

There is only one way to solve this!!

Someone with a non-hybrid graphics laptop which has an integrated X4500 GPU needs to install and run CoD4 and confirm the results.

Go!

 

I totally concur, but at the same time *laughs hysterically*... there is no I believe that the x4500 plays COD 4 that well.

 

I think this should solve the mystery, although I'm not sure if this only applies to NVIDIA chipsets:

" * HybridPower™ Technology
HybridPower technology unleashes graphics performance when you need it, and lets you switch gears to a lower-power mode for longer battery life and quieter operation when you don’t. This reduces system power consumption dramatically and extends battery life by up to 20% longer."

http://www.nvidia.com/object/geforce_9300m_gs.html

 

that doesn't provide any answer to the questions that were raised on this thread. i'm pretty sure Sony Z allows you to switch from integrated to dedicated graphics without restart. and i think it's funny how ppl are still arguing about this. let's quickly analyze the situation.

OP stated that he didn't realize until after he finished the game that he was running under integrated.

1) we know he didn't change the setting before playing the game.
2) we know that he obviously didn't notice the drop in performance or he wouldn't have continued on playing as he did.

based on what he said i think we can safely assume playing under X4500 gave same performance as 9300M GS. which only means he was playing under 9300M GS

if OP honestly thinks X4500 gave those kind of performance then he should be able to get even better performance running under 9300M GS. so go try and see for yourself.

 

it switches to the dedicated card when gaming, i thought it was quite obvious...

 

The argument is that we don't know if the system automatically switched to the dedicated graphics card during gameplay or not, so the best way to solve this is to try running the game (or any intensive game, in fact) in a window rather than full screen, so that at the same time you can use tools to check which GPU is active.

 

The vista driver model used to not support different video drivers to be active, so there would be the need to restart. Also in which level you did that? There are levels that my go7600 gets about 80fps, but in the levels with lots of grass I get more like 20fps. No shadows, normal dynamic lights and glow off. the other settings on and textures at extra,large,large.
If the 4500 gets performance on par with the ati 3200 in this game, I would believe him.

 

A friend with a Sony Vaio SZ with the hybrid graphics system had to restart the system when switching to the dedicated graphics card through the switch on the notebook. So if this guy is starting up into Windows with the switch already on Stamina and games with it then I believe him. However if he starts the system with the switch to speed and then switches to stamina then maybe not. And I read a recent review stating that the X4500HD got about 1.1k in 3dmark06 so I believe him when on his gaming statement.

 

* The Z can switch between Stamina and Speed modes (integrated vs. dedicated graphics) on the fly without a reboot, unlike the SZ. The battery and compartment have been redesigned and the battery doesn't have that little bit of jiggle like the SZ.

edit: i hope i'm wrong because my next notebook will be an ultraportable

 

The X4500HD does get 1.1k in 3Dmark06, but the X4500MHD gets 900. There will be a higher clocked version, but its not here now.

From what I read, X4500MHD can get 25 fps in CoD4 with 800x600 Low settings.

 

The X4500 and 9300M GS give me about the same performance, but the 9300M GS averages about 35fps.

I'm getting these FPS using the console command:

/cg_drawfps 1

How do I run COD4 in a window? I do have GPU-Z downloaded

When I first experience this, I was playing backlot and strike mostly. I didn't really play overgrown, or downpour.

I have shadows off, lights and glow off, water detail low, model details normal (medium), textures on manual, specular map and resolution map on normal (medium), and every other settings is either off or on low.

I did start the system in stamina, and I had thought I put it on Speed before beginning but I didn't

How do I know if I have a X4500HD or X4500MHD?

Here is a screenshot of GPU-Z on my Z:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showpost.php?p=3882994&postcount=2925

 

Simple, M in the X4500MHD means mobile. If you got a mobile chipset then you have a variant of the X4500MHD(I say variant because different mobile chipsets have different IGP clocks).

I was just responding to the other guy saying X4500HD gets 1.1k. X4500MHD doesn't, at least not the current version since its clocked lower. The particular version of the X4500MHD you have, which is GM45 chipset, scores around 900.

GPU-Z is really not accurate(at least for Intel IGPs). I have a feeling they almost pull the data off rumor sites. The GM45's GMA X4500MHD is clocked at 533MHz for example not 475MHz. These programs do not always pull data off the chip, it merely recognizes the chip and assumes the specs.

That's encouraging if X4500MHD really pulls off 30 fps even with that settings. It's certainly an improvement over the X3100 that barely manages 20 at 800x600 all low.

 

there is a simpler way of sorting this if the x4500 can play cod4 at those setting there would be no need for the other graphic's card!!!

 

Yeah I was like "wait what?" on being able to play Cod4 well.

but whatever the x4500 is decent for integrated. doesn't hold a candle up to dedicated

 

Do you really think your running ONLY X4500? I'm sorry to tell you this but current X4500 can not run the COD 4 with constant 30 FPS. It's not matter or maybe, might... It's simply yes and no question and the answer is no.

X4500 is supposed to 2 times faster than x3100. Current X3100 can play COD 4 with lowest setting = 20 FPS or less.

 

Anyone else have just a laptop with only the 4500 to confirm? Make things a lot easier lol.

 

My old man just bought a Sony VAIO FW170J. What settings am I supposed to run it in?

Oh yeah, it gets ~1050 in 3DMark06 with a P8400 (1280x768).

 

I don't think i'm the only person who has a X4500, but I am wowed by all the other people that do own X4500 posting in this thread agreeing/disagreeing with me.

-__-"

honestly, that would be the easiest way. I'm sure someone else must own COD4 and X4500 with similar hard drive, and CPU speces to test this.

 

my ocked 8400M GS along with T7500 cld manage 2050 in 3DMark06......try playing Crysis on the X4500MHD with everything on low.....mine cld manage around 25FPS at 800x600

 

SONY VGN-SR19XN IGP 4500HD , COD4 at 1280x800 (native res) < less than 15 fps - very bad - at least for me ; at 800x600 still less <25 fps ...
in 3dMark 06: 940marks.