Not impressed with 680M

So after months of having my MS-16f3 with 680M I decided to play BF3 with it. I'm really not impressed. I have everything on low and it would still dip down to unplayable rates, le4ss than 35 FPS. Temps look fine, the card just couldn't handle anything other than running through an empty hallway.

Maybe I have a unlucky card.

 

do you have MSI afterburner, whats the GPU utilization when the frame rates are low?

 

I do. I run it to keep an eye on the temps. Next time I play, I'll add that to my OSD.

 

Are you sure it's using the 680M? It should be fine with BF3. Do you have something less than a 3610QM or something odd like a 5400RPM HDD and 4GB system RAM?

 

For a 500$ gpu... its better be good...

 

Um.... less than 35 fps on low? Either it's running on igpu or your card is defective...

 

<-- very happy with 680M

 

even with 4gb RAM and 5400 RPM hard drive it should still pump out decent frames. i tried to run bf3 once with 4gb ram on 675m, and it gave me pretty much same performance as 8GB RAM, though i have a SSD

 

Yeah, the GTX 680M is the worst card ever made.........................

 

Make sure it's set up to use the 680M and not the intel GPU

 

THIS. Sometimes applications will launch inexplicably using onboard graphics instead of the Nvidia GPU. Dunno why it does that. So I went into the Nvidia Control Panel and forced it under Global Settings to ALWAYS use the Nvidia processor.

 

Why not try running GPU-Z to monitor and see the actual utilizations (core clock speed and memory etc.).


...i.e.





That GPU-Z image is monitoring my TW2 on the highest graphic setting at 1080p minus uber sampl., AA, Bloom (yuck!) and motion blur. NVidia Contr Panel is set to High quality image, Ambient Occlusion enabled to quality. Here are screenshots without Vertical sync for actual FPS. I'll get some BF3 Ultra sometime maybe,..

 

Something's up with your system/card/drivers. I used to max out BF3 on 580M SLI and a single 680M is simply faster than two 580Ms. Make sure its not the 'built in' intel gpu running, install the newest drivers and run some 3d mark runs to see if the cards performs as expected.

 

You sure you are not running integrated Intel GPU?

 

I do not think it is about the graphics card. It may be due to nvidia control panel. Can you try go to Nvidia Control Panel and at the Manage 3D settings there should be something like preferred graphics card or GPU. Here, you should choose GTX 580M.

 

Also make sure your system is set to "high performance" power setting and not "power saver" or "balanced". But yes does sound likely an Optimus issue where it is using the IGP.

 

680M run BF3 on MAX settings 1080p +30FPS minimum.
As suggested you are running intel gpu or something

 

use the link in my sig if you don't know how to whitelist the game properly.

 

Quite the response.

I have it/had it on high performance.
It's linked to nVidia card with optimus (orange light stays on when playing.)
It's not alwats at low frame rates, but it happens a lot. Especially when playing close quarters.
GPU usage is at 97% when it happend tonight.
306.97 driver

I also get kicked quite often. "Connection from server timed out"
Pingtest gives me an A and speedtest is in my sig

 

So here is a blip of a log file I just created. Sorry the colums dont line up. It took awhile for it to happen tonight, around 15 min.

00, 23-11-2012 21:58:15, Hardware monitoring log v1.4
01, 23-11-2012 21:58:15, GeForce GTX 680M
02, 23-11-2012 21:58:15, GPU temperature ,GPU usage ,Core clock ,Memory clock ,Memory usage ,Framerate

80, 23-11-2012 22:15:00, 76.000 ,66.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,564.652 ,60.158
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:01, 76.000 ,67.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,564.652 ,60.158
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:02, 76.000 ,66.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,564.652 ,59.172
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:03, 75.000 ,66.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,564.652 ,60.158
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:04, 76.000 ,71.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,565.637 ,60.158
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:05, 76.000 ,67.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,558.457 ,59.172
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:06, 76.000 ,79.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,563.852 , 60.158
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:07, 76.000 ,83.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,556.453 ,60.158
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:08, 76.000 ,78.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,570.836 ,59.172
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:09, 75.000 ,51.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,553.188 ,59.281
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:10, 76.000 ,98.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,548.188 ,42.406
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:11, 76.000 ,97.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,562.398 ,55.227
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:12, 77.000 ,98.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,563.297 ,56.213
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:13, 75.000 ,38.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,563.297 ,54.241
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:14, 74.000 ,43.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,563.641 ,22.660
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:15, 74.000 ,35.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,563.617 ,23.324
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:16, 73.000 ,45.000 ,640.161 ,1800.000 ,563.645 ,21.696
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:17, 73.000 ,44.000 ,640.161 ,1800.000 ,563.270 ,22.682
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:18, 71.000 ,44.000 ,574.838 ,800.000 ,563.676 ,22.967
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:19, 75.000 ,98.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,563.676 ,47.337
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:20, 76.000 ,98.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,563.656 ,59.172
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:21, 76.000 ,98.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,563.656 ,59.172
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:22, 76.000 ,98.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,563.656 ,60.158
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:23, 76.000 ,93.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,563.656 ,56.213
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:24, 76.000 ,96.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,563.742 ,56.311
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:25, 76.000 ,93.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,563.742 ,58.185
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:26, 76.000 ,95.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,563.797 ,56.213
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:27, 76.000 ,94.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,563.855 ,56.213
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:28, 76.000 ,93.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,563.855 ,55.227
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:29, 76.000 ,93.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,563.855 ,55.227
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:30, 76.000 ,92.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,563.855 ,55.227
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:31, 76.000 ,88.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,563.699 ,56.213
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:32, 76.000 ,50.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,561.230 ,53.254
80, 23-11-2012 22:15:33, 76.000 ,76.000 ,770.806 ,1800.000 ,562.145 ,61.144

 

Looks to me like

Going along fine.
Background process eats cpu or cpu throttles.
Gpu clocks down as its not being fed data fast enough to bother running at full clocks.
Cpu goes back to normal or background process clears.
Gpu clocks back up.

 

CPU is 3610. I could post monitor/post temps tomorrow if you think it's relevant.

 

Huh. Your temps are fine and all of a sudden it drops your GPU usage down..this is definitely not the way this GPU is supposed to behave that's for sure, so please don't take it as the norm.

Might be a problem with Optimus or your driver's graphical settings? Did the laptop arrive pre-installed? If so, who was the company you bought it from? Have you installed everything yourself? I'm asking this because this might be a case of a missing Intel driver or somesuch.

Can you please post your NVIDIA Control Panel's graphical settings? Perhaps someone triggered Supersample or way too high AA settings? I doubt it, otherwise it wouldn't fluctuate like that, but still worth taking a look.

Anyway, if this keeps happening, I suggest taking it back for a checkup. Perhaps the CPU is not cooled properly and drags everything down or a similar issue might be the case. Whatever it is, don't keep using it like that, you paid a high sum for this beast and like I said, it is definitely not the way it should behave.

 

....But I think as a norm though for the 680M; ...Even at stock speed, it WILL play BF3 on Pure Ultra 1080p res. in Multiplayer of 24-64 players.

Just now, with a slight OC (893/2005) Ultra setting, I was getting 35 as lowest FPS (in middle of explosion), average of mid 40's to 60 FPS with v-sync on at Norshal Canals with 48 players in team death match. Everything set high on NVidia Control Panel. 68-69*C max GPU temp.

I'm quite impressed.. Oh I'm still using an old beta 306.02 driver. Maybe I'll get the latest one.

I think during gaming, the 680m is always at P0 state, and should stay 711 core.. Is the OP at 80*C playing BF3?..

 

Yup, awesome card. No overclock over here and every game (except Witcher 2 with Ubersampling on) runs on maximum settings without tweaking or giving it a second thought. It simply works.

 

Mm. Could be realtime virus checker, something that suddenly creates a lot of disk-activity. Or cpu moving off boost outside scheduled tasks completing.

Guess it might be the system panicking from too little power from the power supply as well.

 

It came as a barebone system, but the 680M was already installed.
If you tell me which setting you're interested I can tell you what they're set to. I don't want to type it all out. I haven't touched the settings though, so it's all default.

It's steady at 76c before it drops down to 74c

No antivirus running

 

3d mark 11 scores
without turbo
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-3610QM Processor, MS-16F3 score: P6105 3DMarks

with turbo
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/5025994

 

are you running throttlestop?

also do disable origin in-game. Open Origin > Origin > Application Settings.. > In Game > Uncheck "Enable Origin In Game"

 

No. I didn't think it was necessary.

I just disabled origin in game. I'll let you know if it helps any next time I play.

 

How much RAM? Assuming at least 8GB, right?

 

At OP: Are you able to play like Norshal Canals with 12-24 players at 1080p Ultra setting and be playable, 30-60 FPS? Or even the campaign.














At stock clocks:









Setting, but this one is OC'ed.

 

16gb 1600mhz

I can try tonight when im able to play

 

Interested? I actually laughed at this. Look, my 680M works just fine, you're not really doing me any favors, here

I hope you'll get it fixed soon enough, though.

 

So let me get this straight.
You offer a suggestion.
I follow up on your suggestion, by asking for more specific details.
Somehow you think I'm trying to troubleshoot your GPU?

ok got it.
Thanks for your help

 

Sure, I'll help you get this straight: you have an issue, you are offered a suggestion, and then you throw conditions around as if it is you who are offering the help and not the one with the issue.

But hey, any time, buddy.

 

Your mixture of the Avatar and those cute bears hugging makes me uncomfortable

 

obviously there was some miscommunication somewhere. I'm not here to argue about it.

thanks for your suggestion

 

To me it looked like your 3610QM either isn't powerful enough to feed the GTX680M when playing BF3 multi or is running at 2.3GHz on all cores at certain moments.

 

The 3610 is plenty powerful for one 680m. For SLI you might need more power.

 

Intel Core i7-3610 QM + GTX 680M (893 / 2005), ..BF3 Norshal Canals TDM with 58 players, Ultra setting, v-sync on, 1080p, NV CP all high quality etc. Max GPU temp. of 69*C and 63-65*C Max CPU temp. I'm liking the Motion Blur effect of BF3..

 

I turn off all that motion blur stuff because to me it hinders my situational awareness.

 

My Motion Blur is set to half and it does make scenes not static (lack of a better word). It makes things seem real.. I try to make the game run silky smooth to not hinder me in anyway.

I've lowered my Mouse sensitivity a bit too.

This whole BF3 thing has distracted me from my Diablo 3, lol. I haven't played BF3 for like 4 months. I just miss TDM I guess.

 

I played a little earlier today on the same map but only 24 players. I had it set to Ultra and it dipped down to 35 once or twice, but I expected that.

My problem is that is happens randomly and Im not sure why.

My system is similar to yours.
3610
16GB 1600MHZ
680m
1080p

 

As others also mentioned before, just set your NV CP to defaults, but set to single display performance mode and under power management put on prefer maximum performance. The options on the NV CP does tax the FPS on my games too like TW2 and BF3.

You have to try to OC at least to 854 core and maybe +100 MHz on memory, then play Ultra setting @ 1080p. This setting is Very Heavy compared to the 580M, 560M.. It should help smoothen things. I myself will not play it on stock clocks to be even competitive but with the highest gfx I want.

Also, I will Never play Without V-Sync On. All games have screen tearing in different levels. V-sync is a God's Gift..

Increasing memory also increases the bandwidth of the GPU. I noticed the effect of this during my OC'ing the 460M and it seem to stabilize the FPS to a nice average and consistent, anticipated dips.

 

What do you mean by this? Increased amount of vRAM? In no way does increased amount of video memory increase the bandwidth. It's all based on the bus width and speed of the RAM. More RAM only helps with very high resolutions. 1GB vRAM is more than adequate for any mobile GPU out there, running at 1080p.

 

I am pretty sure he means OC'ing the Memory..

 

Also 2GB is the ideal amount in my opinion as titles can trip a tad over 1GB.

 

My card has 4GB of ram.