Got me a np8662!

Specs:

Q9000
6GB RAM
GTX 260M
160 GB SSD
1900X1200
blu-ray

Highlights:

1) I had a rush order with xoticpc that was placed Tuesday and received on Friday (today).

2) Currently only have 2 GB...4 GB was out of stock. Should get it "soon".

3) As mentioned in a previous thread, sales contact was very informative, professional, and worked with me to spell out my options.

4) I wanted the base proc, but as stated in other threads, they were out due to the Intel proc refresh, which is totally understandable. Q9000 was my only option if I wanted the PC by today (which I did).

5) My only bugaboo is why they were out of stock for 4 GB RAM. My personal opinion is they keep some in stock, with this being a fairly new release they may have had a run on these lappys, and they probably run lean and mean so keeping huge quantities on hand isn't practicable from a business perspective...buy hey...I've only had the thing for 5-6 hours and something has to be wrong, right?

I'll run vantage, 3DMark, orthos, etc once I get the last stick of RAM. Any other benches I should run?

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't M860TU support only 4GB RAM maximum?

 

nope, can put 8 GB in there but it is insanely expesive + due to chipset limitations only 6.8 GB will be recognized (even if you have 64 bit OS)

 

The full 8GB will be recognized.

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=326827

has this been "fixed" from the np8660 to the 8662? or are you just playing with me from a terminology point of view?

 

you could do the crysis benchmarking tool?

 

Congrats on your purchase. I've had this notebook for a week and I am loving it.

 

what do you mean...."out due to intel proc refresh?"

 

intel is refreshing the processors so many resellers are out of stock until this new batch of cpu's arrive

 

REallY?? Is there a link to the specifics of this refresh? its all new to me....when will it be completed...

 

The P8600 is out. The P8700 becomes the base processor.
The T9550 is out. Replacement unknown.
The P9600 is out. Replaced by the P9700.
The T9900 is in as top dog. T9800 presumably out.
Q9000 is still an option.

 

so i've got some unofficial benchmarks i thought I'd share (i'll post with screenies once I have the last stick of RAM ...only have 2 but will be at 6 soon).

I switched out the q9000 for a Q9200 QAVS 2.4G 12MB cache. Currently with 2GB RAM, 160 GB SSD, 260M running on Vista Ultimate...using the latest 185.85 drivers from nvidia.

3DMARK: 10762 up to 10850'ish (forgot to screen capture that last test)
SM2.0: 4673
SM3.0: 4530
CPU: 3275
vantage: 7795 (i'm waiting t run this again as I may have inadvertently run the 32 bit not the 64 bit). I'm running out of email addresses so I'm holding off until I get the RAM

HDTune:

Transfer rate: Min: 152.7 Max: 206.7 Avg: 196.6
Access Time: 0.1 ms
Burst Rate: 93.1 MB/sec
CPU Usage: 30.2

Temps:

I ran CPU Genie all night and the max temps I got on the cores were: 72,71,69,71. My idle temps have been in the high 30's very low 40's. Right now with hardware monitor running, word open, and a browser I'm at 37,42,42, 38. That IC7 Diamond thermal paste kicks butt.

Can seem to get a SSD HD temp...in HDTune the temp doesn't show. Any thoughts?

Summary:


I was really hoping to crack 11k on the 3DMark06, but so far haven't been able to do it. Maybe the additional memory will do it (i know those tests aren't really RAM intensive, but maybe worth a few additional pts...how many? I'm not sure).

I also tried the NVIDIA Performance tool to OC the 260, but my scores actually went down. I only used the one setting balmore had in his post which since i'm not flashing my bios to change volting problably meant my card throttled back during the test as those were some hefty changes (800/1000/1625 i believe?)

I also tried Riva Tuner but that didn't seem to do much either (there's the work around where you type in the driver number (18585) in the power user tab in the RivaTuner \System field. I tried low power 3D, performance 3D but it didn't seem to affect my scores. Not sure I want to go the Nibitor route, but we'll see. Anyone have any other thoughts on what to try?

k9hydr4 - who's been a big help getting me off the ground - said I'd get over 11k with xp, but i'm holding out for win7 (no RC for me).

If anyone has any other ideas, links, of things to try let me know. I haven't disabled any ancillary services or Vista functionality so that's probably a start (anyone care to list the main ones that'd be great).

Lastly, in terms of impressions now that I've had the lappy for almost a week:

1) I love the performance to portability...very powerful notebook for 7 lbs and change.
2) I like the fingerprint / password thingie..
3) Don't like the mouse pad...probably the worst I've used. It works fine, just not ergonomically friendly and the mouse buttons are "the suck". I prefer the tracking ball in the keypad approach.
4) I loaded up BisonCam but my screen / eyeshot vew is black...doesn't show any image? Houston do we have a problem? If so...what's the remedy?
5) eSATA...will it work, or won't it?!?!?! Tune in next week for the exciting conclusion.
6) 1 dead pixel, but i'm not sure I really care...its way off to the side.

Lastly, thanks to Gophn as well for some assists too.

 

Guys,

I've gotten Rivatuner to work...but my GPU temp hits a max of 76 degrees. What is the temp tolerance of the 260m?

 

Anything under 85c is safe.. It shouldnt reach high 80's though

 

Nice 3dmark scores you got there. You can try undervolting the cpu too if you want lower temps (but yours are fine).

Is the 76 degrees with an OC or just base clocks? If oc'ed, I'm curious to see your 3dmark scores, and if not oc'ed, then oc it and go run 3dmark xD

Check out the vista tweaks page in the OS subforum. Has lots of useful tips.

 

My 260M maxes out during gaming in GTA IV at about 77C and it is slightly over clocked. If you play GTA IV, you might want to try some other drivers than 185.85.

 

I'm just amazed that the 260m for the power it has. Idles so low. My 9800m GT idles at the lowest 50c. But now I installed VistaGlazz it idles a bit higher at 55-59C. But I don't care. It's pretty. You guys should try it

 

The 76 is from Rivatuner set to 3D Performance ...and i am using cpugenie to undervolt the cpu...those temps are pretty sweet given its a q9200.

IIRQ my base q9000 stock everything was getting in the high 9000's for 3DMark06. I re-ran it again last night with the main config identified above, once I figured out that Rivatuner was working properly, and scored a:
3dmark: 10874
SM2.0: 4687
SM3.0: 4497
CPU: 3347

I haven't done any OS tweaks, nor am I running at my proper RAM amount yet which is why I'm waiting to run Vantage again, and I've been told the 185.85's aren't mature drivers yet, so...11k may still be achievable.

Lastly the eSATA drive from RiDATA which is 32GB is sweet...plug and play. Only a matter of time before larger / cheaper drives come out so I'm glad I went with an internal SSD as well even though its only 160GB.

HDTune results for the RiData device in the eSATA port are as follows:

Transfer Rate:
Min: 72.2
Max: 88.3
Avg: 80.6

Access Time: .2ms
Burst Rate: 127.8
CPU Usage: 3.2%

 

So seems to be QAVS has temp sensors? GypsyDRB can you post a screen of HW Monitor and Core Temp?

 

kaltmond..will do (as soon as I can kick the wife off the laptop!). It definitely does have temp sensors.

2 other notes:

1) I'm surprised more people aren't excited about the throughput on the e-SATA device. I've installed iTunes, MSOffice, etc on it and they run fine. You won't be installing Cyrsis on it, but it appears to be a HUGE plus from a storage expandibility perspective.

I didn't think it was as much a step up from USB as it really is...

2) i went back and applied the IC7 diamond to the graphics card / heat sink as well and man that stuff dropped temps a minimum of 4-5 degrees over the AS-5.

 

Oh wow I really need a QAVS now. I was going to get a Q9100 instead, only because I thought the current batch of Q9200s didn't have temp sensors.

But dang I need to sell my T9800 first.

 

Temps from HWMonitor and CoreTemp

http://picasaweb.google.com/DRBakke/Desktop#5343539329450799922

Note the upper range in the HWMonitor reflects temps after a 3DMark06 run.

Also...I finally got 3DMark06 over 11k. Still don't have my 4GB stick of RAM, nor have I done any Vista tweaks...and also no coolr...just sitting on the table.

 

the lower end ranges of temps are actually higher than what i was seeing...when i went back to apply the IC7 diamond on the GPU...obviously i had to re-apply on the CPU...and I don't think my effort this time was as good as the 1st.

 

Okay...finally got my last stick of RAM, dusted off some newbishness and finished running the tests I'm going to run (tired of tests). In the end, I can't seem to get much higher than 11.1k for 3DMark06...if anyone has ideas on how to get to 11500 safely please let me know...

I'm still operating in the newb because I don't have a place to host images, so if you need "proof" at the end is a link to a word doc with screen captures...best I could do.

to recap...

System Specs
1920x1200 native screen
q9200 @ 2.4Ghz running cpugenie
OC'ed 260M
160GB SSD
6GB RAM
VISTA Ultimate
185.85 drivers

No cooler plate was used...1st test was on my wood desk at home...2nd test on another wood table in a room that had higher ambient temps than the 1st test.

Scores:
Vantage: 8431 in x64 run (i think i could've gotten this one a bit higher, but meh...ran out of valid email addresses to try more

3DMark06 / 260M clocked to 570/1141/870 using RivaTuner in early June maybe even before I got the other RAM stick:
- 3DMark Score: 11161
- SMS 2.0: 4844
- SMS 3.0: 4543
- CPU: 3497

3DMark06 / 260M clocked to 625/1250/830 using nvidia performance tool today,6.12.2009:

- 3DMark Score: 11109
- SMS 2.0: 4981
- SMS 3.0: 4720
- CPU: 3012

Temps on this run from Hardware Monitor:

CPU'S:

Value: 43/49/49/47
Min: 41/47/47/43
Max: 77/74/70/71

GPU:

Value: 49
Min: 47
Max: 74

I don't know why my 3DMark06 score today was lower given higher core and shader clocks. I also don't know why my cpu scored lower on todays test.

I have not done anything with over/undervolting the GPU and would like to know people's thoughts on the max OC achievable with this card w/o changing the voltage. I think a previous poster got up to 650 on the core clocks but had to undervolt. Below is the link to the screen captures.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/fmmuw2fr2jh/8662 BENCHMARKS.docx

 

lol, glad that generated a lot of interest. I guess I'll take my 11k and go play ETW.

Cya'll when the next laptop purchase comes around.

 

Did you try to undervolt your CPU?
Cos mine qx9300 gives:
Min: 36/37/37/38
Max: 71/72/71/70

And even right now, with couple steps back on voltage (@1.112V) I have:
Max: 67/67/69/69

You can save some cpu & shared temps for system by that.

Also, do you have results of 3D Mark w/o OCing your GPU?
I have ~10900 with non OC.

 

with the q9000 out of the box (2GB memory) i was getting in the 9900's range. with the 9200 and no OC'ing I was getting in the 10600 range with no OC. My temps in earlier runs were similar to yours (using cpugenie) however the ambient temp during the latest tests was much higher than the 1st tests I was doing + I don't think the reapplication of CPU thermal compound the 2nd time around was as good as what I did the 1st time. May need to re-do it eventually.

----had a bit of a breakthrough----

using 600/1500/900 i got:

3DMARK06: 11645
sm 2.0: 4907
sm 3.0 5006
cpu: 3473

ran this on atitool (the beta one that you can see if there are any artifacts)....only ran it for 78 minutes, but there were no artifacts...and temps were similar to previously posted.