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.

    Want to achieve better GPU performance, but not want to resort to overclocking

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by thinkpad knows best, Jun 17, 2010.

  1. thinkpad knows best

    thinkpad knows best Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    108
    Messages:
    1,140
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    I've updated to IMO some good nVidia drivers, (197.16), and i can run GTA 4 at 1280x720 with ENB series (0.79 SORA) with the new sky effects and all the other ones, high settings, at 20-30 FPS on my Quadro FX 2700M, i run Crysis Warhead at 20-30 FPS fairly smooth at all gamer and some enthusiast settings, and 1440x900 (surprisingly not as system crushing i assumed it to be, contrasts with GTA 4), but GTA 4 seems a little sluggish and choppy, and i'd like to achieve the best GPU performance without going the easy way and just overclocking to compensate for inefficient GPU performance i may have. I've searched for the best methods of increasing GPU performance, but i just get the general stuff that i thought everyone did, like clearing temporary files and registry, defragging, up to date drivers, nothing more advanced.

    Can people here make a list of the best non-hardware based performance increases for me? I have no idea where to start, since i've moved past all the usual stuff, but i just want to maximize my GPU usage efficiency overall, and devote as much pure uninhibited GPU performance to when i game.
     
    thinkpad knows best, Jun 17, 2010
    #1
  2. namaiki

    namaiki "basically rocks" Super Moderator

    Reputations:
    3,905
    Messages:
    6,116
    Likes Received:
    89
    Trophy Points:
    216
    Any difference if you disable Aero?
     
    namaiki, Jun 17, 2010
    #2
  3. thinkpad knows best

    thinkpad knows best Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    108
    Messages:
    1,140
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Did that all the time in my old T61p to squeeze out more performance, the GPU didn't ever seem to struggle any more or less with it disabled or enabled while gaming, IMO, but i'm not as sensitive as some gamers.
     
    thinkpad knows best, Jun 17, 2010
    #3
  4. Pitabred

    Pitabred Linux geek con rat flail!

    Reputations:
    3,300
    Messages:
    7,115
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    206
    Disable AA and AF. Other than that, lower the system settings. There's not much you can do to seriously speed up a GPU other than overclocking and using the best driver set.
     
    Pitabred, Jun 17, 2010
    #4
  5. Galdere

    Galdere Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    39
    Messages:
    120
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    It's possibly that your CPU is lacking for GTA 4 more than your GPU.
     
    Galdere, Jun 17, 2010
    #5
  6. classic77

    classic77 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    159
    Messages:
    584
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    This. 10char.
     
    classic77, Jun 17, 2010
    #6
  7. lozanogo

    lozanogo Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    196
    Messages:
    1,841
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    ^ Yeah, keep lowering everything 'till you reach the resolution. If it still plays bad then it is the CPU... I mean, it is GTAIV ...
     
    lozanogo, Jun 17, 2010
    #7
  8. LaptopNut

    LaptopNut Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    1,610
    Messages:
    3,745
    Likes Received:
    92
    Trophy Points:
    116
    To get the best performance in GTA IV, you need to be on patch 1.0.04 as well as a reasonable CPU. I also recommend you install Realizm IV 6.2 and use one of the Microsoft WHQL Drivers such as 198.05.
     
    LaptopNut, Jun 17, 2010
    #8
  9. funky monk

    funky monk Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    233
    Messages:
    1,485
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    55
    That doesn't really make any difference when gaming unless you run in windowed mode.
     
    funky monk, Jun 17, 2010
    #9
  10. Retto

    Retto Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    54
    Messages:
    404
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30

    Other then drivers and updated vbios's there isnt any magical non hardware method of increasing your GPU's output. If there was no one would ever overclock lol. But yea GTA is more CPU intensive then GPU.
     
    Retto, Jun 17, 2010
    #10
  11. thinkpad knows best

    thinkpad knows best Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    108
    Messages:
    1,140
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Not saying i experience bad performance in it, just a little sluggish with ENB series.
     
    thinkpad knows best, Jun 17, 2010
    #11
  12. LaptopNut

    LaptopNut Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    1,610
    Messages:
    3,745
    Likes Received:
    92
    Trophy Points:
    116
    Have you disabled Night shadows?
     
    LaptopNut, Jun 17, 2010
    #12
  13. thinkpad knows best

    thinkpad knows best Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    108
    Messages:
    1,140
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    No since i don't like patch 6.
     
    thinkpad knows best, Jun 17, 2010
    #13
  14. lidowxx

    lidowxx Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    169
    Messages:
    801
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I second this, try different drivers(official drivers, DOX's drivers etc) and usually a better driver can make a difference.
     
    lidowxx, Jun 18, 2010
    #14
  15. key001

    key001 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    776
    Messages:
    657
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    31
    you could try the following:
    -turn off vsync
    - set render frames ahead to 0 or 1
    - enable AF optimization (unless you disabled AF)
    - enable trilinear optimization
     
    key001, Jun 18, 2010
    #15
  16. sean473

    sean473 Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    613
    Messages:
    6,705
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    sean473, Jun 18, 2010
    #16