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    craptacular team fortress 2 downclocking!

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by subheight640, Aug 25, 2008.

  1. subheight640

    subheight640 Notebook Geek

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    So who else has notebooks that should be able to play team fortress 2 but get horrible fps drops (probably due to heat) while playing? What are your set ups? Has anyone gotten rid of fps drop problems??? Does anybody's TF2 work perfectly?

    My computer:
    Dell XPS m1530
    T7500 2.2GHz core 2
    3 GB DDR2
    Nvidia 8600M GT 256MB DDR3
    Vista Home Premium

    CPU Undervolted 0.175V, from 1.2125 to 1.0375V
    Fan, heatsink just cleaned using a can of air
    Nvidia drivers 174.74
    Motherboard replaced twice

    fps drop/overheat problems continue to arise
    This problem has frustrated me for months and I have yet to find a viable solution!!!



    *EDIT: Problem solved! I didn't undervolt correctly. Now that I have undervolted successfully to 1V, my laptop runs much cooler and the CPU no longer downclocks under high temperatures! Now TF2 works perfectly. Thank you NBR Cooling Central
     
    subheight640, Aug 25, 2008
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  2. 2shot

    2shot Notebook Consultant

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    have you tryed the 175.97 driver from dell
     
    2shot, Aug 25, 2008
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  3. WileyCoyote

    WileyCoyote Notebook Evangelist

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    have you tried to disable powermizer?
     
    WileyCoyote, Aug 25, 2008
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  4. Thaenatos

    Thaenatos Zero Cool

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    This seems to be a common issue for xps 1530 owners. Maybe there are more effected 1530s out there.
     
    Thaenatos, Aug 25, 2008
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  5. TehSuigi

    TehSuigi Notebook Virtuoso

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    Welcome to the club.
    Strangely enough, though, using -nosound when playing made things a lot smoother last night.
     
    TehSuigi, Aug 25, 2008
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  6. mistakiula

    mistakiula Notebook Enthusiast

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    :) I thought I was alone with this issue. I'll try the -nosound thing.
    What's the 'powermizer'?


    Edit: Btw, I tried -noound and it didn't do much. The TF2 in-game FPS meter says my FPS drops to a 7 at one point. Highest I've seen is around 110 which is weird.
     
    mistakiula, Aug 25, 2008
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  7. Harper2.0

    Harper2.0 Back from the dead?

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    try enabling vsync.
     
    Harper2.0, Aug 25, 2008
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  8. TehSuigi

    TehSuigi Notebook Virtuoso

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    Vsync can actually sap performance in some cases, so use the command fps_max 61 to force TF2 to limit itself without vsync.
    (assuming that your LCD screen has a refresh rate of 60 Hz)
     
    TehSuigi, Aug 25, 2008
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  9. mistakiula

    mistakiula Notebook Enthusiast

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    Is this with forcing the vsync off at the nVidia control panel or with it still on?
     
    mistakiula, Aug 25, 2008
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  10. Harper2.0

    Harper2.0 Back from the dead?

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    I'd leave it off in nvidia control panel and turn it on ingame.
     
    Harper2.0, Aug 25, 2008
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  11. usapatriot

    usapatriot Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Laptops for gaming= fail. Never will I make that mistake again.
     
    usapatriot, Aug 25, 2008
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  12. subheight640

    subheight640 Notebook Geek

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    I've tried 4 or 5 different drivers, including 175.97, and all suffer low fps. I'm wondering if people with m1530 actually got it to work perfectly.

    vsync is off but I've also set fps_max 61.
     
    subheight640, Aug 25, 2008
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  13. matmat07

    matmat07 Notebook Evangelist

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    What you could try is to downclock it yourself and lower in game settings. If it's already underclocked maybe it won't do that again.
     
    matmat07, Aug 26, 2008
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  14. subheight640

    subheight640 Notebook Geek

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    Problem has been solved! Turns out I accidentally messed up my undervolt; I've fixed it now and have undervolted to 1 V, and team fortress 2 works better than it has ever!!!

    Turns out, I guess at really high temperatures the CPU was forced to downclock when it got too hot playing TF2, which uses a lot of CPU power. Now my temperatures are an alleged 10+ C lower and TF2 no longer has low framerate drops!!!!
     
    subheight640, Aug 26, 2008
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  15. matmat07

    matmat07 Notebook Evangelist

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    never undervolted mine but I was about to, hope it solve my case
     
    matmat07, Aug 26, 2008
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  16. TehSuigi

    TehSuigi Notebook Virtuoso

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    Same - once I get the time to perform proper stability tests, I begin underclocking.
    ...with a full PC backup just in case.
     
    TehSuigi, Aug 26, 2008
    #16