The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Is this 3dmark score too low?

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by amik777, Jan 25, 2009.

  1. amik777

    amik777 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    95
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Hi Folks,

    I just got a clevo M860TU based laptop and used 3DMark06 to benchmark it. I got roughly 6500 - what I thought was a very low score for a pretty powerful machine. What do you think? I have the following specs:

    Screen: WSXGA
    Processor: Core 2 Duo T9600 2 X 2.80 GHZ
    GPU: Nvidia GeForce 9800M GT
    RAM: 4GB Kingston 1066Mhz DDR3 SODIMM
    OS: Vista Premium 32 bit (tested it on 64, the score was even lower)
    HD: Seagate 320GB @ 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA

    I ran it on the trial version of 3DMark06 with the default settings:
    Resolution: 1280X1024
    AA: None
    Filtering: Optimal
    HLSL VS TARGET: 3_0
    HLSL PS TARGET: 3_0
    Repeat Tests: Off

    All opinions are welcome!

    PS: apologies for double posting this, I wasn't sure where best to post it.

    A.
     
    amik777, Jan 25, 2009
    #1
  2. Althernai

    Althernai Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    919
    Messages:
    2,233
    Likes Received:
    98
    Trophy Points:
    66
    Yes, that score should be much higher. What drivers are you using for the 9800M GT?
     
    Althernai, Jan 25, 2009
    #2
  3. scythie

    scythie I died for your sins.

    Reputations:
    79
    Messages:
    959
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    That is pretty low. Try running GPU-Z while 3dMark06 is running and check if your GPU isn't downclocking during testing.
     
    scythie, Jan 25, 2009
    #3
  4. amik777

    amik777 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    95
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    This is what it says in the driver details under Vista's Device Manager: 7.15.11.7602
     
    amik777, Jan 25, 2009
    #4
  5. sgilmore62

    sgilmore62 uber doomer

    Reputations:
    356
    Messages:
    1,897
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Are you sure you are not running 3dmark vantage? Thats a pretty good score, and probably what you should be getting for the vantage test. If it is 3dmark06 your machine should be getting 11,000.
     
    sgilmore62, Jan 25, 2009
    #5
  6. JosePerez

    JosePerez Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    27
    Messages:
    329
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Also check if you're on powersaver... You need to be on Perfomance... And always plugged in...
     
    JosePerez, Jan 25, 2009
    #6
  7. amik777

    amik777 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    95
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Yepp, it's 06. 11,000 huh? I've been having problems with it since I got this thing so I think it's a hardware issue.
     
    amik777, Jan 25, 2009
    #7
  8. sgilmore62

    sgilmore62 uber doomer

    Reputations:
    356
    Messages:
    1,897
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    3DMark06 comparison results:

    3DMark06 represents the overall graphics performance of a notebook. Higher numbers indicate better performance.

    Notebook 3DMark06 Score
    AVADirect Clevo M860TU (2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9600, Nvidia 9800M-GT 512MB) with updated drivers
    10,335 3DMarks

    AVADirect Clevo M860TU (2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9600, Nvidia 9800M-GT 512MB) with default drivers
    4,670 3DMarks

    http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=4601

    Try the 179 drivers http://www.nvidia.com/object/geforce_notebook_winvista_179.28_beta.html
     
    sgilmore62, Jan 25, 2009
    #8
  9. amik777

    amik777 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    95
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    I was plugged in and shut off all extra programs running.
     
    amik777, Jan 25, 2009
    #9
  10. amik777

    amik777 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    95
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Cheers everyone, I was running on full power and the high performance power plan. I will update the drivers and give this another try. Otherwise, it's going back to the manufacturer :(
     
    amik777, Jan 25, 2009
    #10
  11. 660hpv12

    660hpv12 Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    63
    Messages:
    1,031
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    make sure you are on high performance mode, check your temps make sure the card is not downclocking, I take it you are using the default 3dmark settings, the score should be at least 2000 point higher. and make sure you get the drivers updated
     
    660hpv12, Jan 25, 2009
    #11
  12. plasma.

    plasma. herpyderpy

    Reputations:
    1,279
    Messages:
    2,870
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    You tried the latest drivers?
     
    plasma., Jan 25, 2009
    #12
  13. amik777

    amik777 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    95
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Just updated to 179.28 drivers for Vista 32 bit and it was running on high performance mode. My results are:

    6466 overall
    2701 SM 2.0 Score
    2479 SM 3.0 Score
    2565 CPU Score

    Any idea where the faut could lie?
     
    amik777, Jan 25, 2009
    #13
  14. amik777

    amik777 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    95
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    It also identifies my GPU as Generic GPU and not the 9800M that is in it. Could there be a problem with that?
     
    amik777, Jan 25, 2009
    #14
  15. Althernai

    Althernai Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    919
    Messages:
    2,233
    Likes Received:
    98
    Trophy Points:
    66
    Download GPU-Z and see if it correctly identifies your GPU and drivers. Then go to the Sensors tab of GPU-Z and check off the boxes that say "Log to file" and "Continue refreshing this screen while GPU-Z is in the background". Then leave GPU-Z running and run 3dmark06 again. When it is done, look at the sensor log file that GPU-Z generates and observe what frequencies the video card is operating at.
     
    Althernai, Jan 25, 2009
    #15
  16. amik777

    amik777 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    95
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Was just doing that as you posted this actually. I think the problem is the heat, my card got up to 96C at a few points. I lifted up the laptop and held it midair to increase the airflow and the score for that test was 8600. The clock speed was at 500/799 pretty much throughout except at a few points when I think the tests were switching or they were running the CPU tests. Then the speeds dropped to 275/301.

    96 is bad, isn't it?
     
    amik777, Jan 25, 2009
    #16
  17. scythie

    scythie I died for your sins.

    Reputations:
    79
    Messages:
    959
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Yup, that's very high. It's definitely downclocking because of high temperatures. Send it back and get a new one.
     
    scythie, Jan 25, 2009
    #17
  18. amik777

    amik777 Notebook Geek

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    95
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Good thing I still have 1 more day to return the thing. Cheers everyone.

    A.
     
    amik777, Jan 25, 2009
    #18