When do you utilize your hybrid video capabilities?

I know that the hard core gamers will argue about this, but those of you with the SZ, when do you turn on the NVIDIA card? When do I create conditions that warrant the extra processing power and power draw on my battery?
1. During internet usage do any typical sites or site formats require the power?
2. When watching DVD's is there any difference between onboard processing and switching to the card when watching on my Vaio screen?
3. At what level of gaming does NVIDIA usage noticeable make a difference?
4. When you are using your SZ while it is plugged in, do you typically power the NVIDIA card or leave the selector on stamina?
5. When you switch to batteries, do you consciously switch to stamina or leave the NVIDIA selected for some reason?

TIA.

 

1. During internet usage do any typical sites or site formats require the power?

Typical sites? No.

2. When watching DVD's is there any difference between onboard processing and switching to the card when watching on my Vaio screen?

No again (to the best of my knowledge).

3. At what level of gaming does NVIDIA usage noticeable make a difference?

Anything above Solitare.

4. When you are using your SZ while it is plugged in, do you typically power the NVIDIA card or leave the selector on stamina?

Stamina.

5. When you switch to batteries, do you consciously switch to stamina or leave the NVIDIA selected for some reason?

Stamina!



Point 3 is obviously the chokepoint here. I am an occasional computer gamer, so having the option to run applications that require 3D rendering is a big big plus in my book.

 

1. No
2. No
3. I have No idea, but any game I'm sure.
4. Nvidia
5. Stamina

 

1. During internet usage do any typical sites or site formats require the power?

No

2. When watching DVD's is there any difference between onboard processing and switching to the card when watching on my Vaio screen?

No

3. At what level of gaming does NVIDIA usage noticeable make a difference?

Sims 2
Roller Coaster Tycoon 1 on Stamina

4. When you are using your SZ while it is plugged in, do you typically power the NVIDIA card or leave the selector on stamina?

Nvidia gets hot even if you type so I stick with Stamina.

5. When you switch to batteries, do you consciously switch to stamina or leave the NVIDIA selected for some reason?

Stamina on battery for sure. I try using Nvidia on a 3 hour lecture and it only last for 2.5 hours.

 

"Nvidia gets hot even if you type so I stick with Stamina"

I have played Call of duty2 for hour or more and my computewr never got that hot.
I can hear the fan but this lappy hardly ever gets warm even doing heavy tasks.
I check my temp with Lavalys and it stays pretty cool .
GPU- avg - 48-51
HDD - avg -27-30
Cor1- avg - 35-42
cor2- avg - 37- 43
CPU - avg 42-45

 

I keep the thing on Speed whenever I'm plugged in.
Otherwise, it's Stamina for me.

 

How? I try playing Sim2 and it got pretty hot on the bottom left corner.

According to RivaTuner, Nvidia went up to 65 and CPU 51-55.


I don't know if there is some kinda problem with my fan but it doesn't always seem to work. Under VAIO management, I have power management OFF. The fan did not seem to change at all.

Is there something wrong with my fan?

 

Mine is on speed all the time. Only rarely do I go to battery, then it's stamina.

I use ObjectDock and some Screen Savers that look like crap though GMA.

I can also say that it never gets really hot while playing games (NFSMW, Quake4, CoD2, Unreal). Iv'e never noticed it get hotter than 52C through the NVIDIA Display > Laptop Display > Temp after hours of gamming.

 

Is your fan up to max?
This has to be one of the coolest running laptop I have ever had.
As much as I like my Cheap Compaq, that one could cook an egg after watching a movie.


Its been running for close to 4hrs with excel,internet,outlook,solitare.

 

Right now I am doing my project and according to Notebook Hardware Control, my CPU is at 44C and HD at 34C.

I have CPU Fan Control at level 5, but I can't feel any air coming out! Why is that?

I have FireFox, Word and MSN on.

 

So, SZ hybrid capabilities is only useful when playing games. However, in fact SZ is not comfortable to play games, considering the small screen. So SZ is expensive.

 

I think the screen is great for playing games.

The hybrid capabilities are potentially useful for things other than playing games. Someone mentioned screensavers and UI apps that take advantage of the dedicated graphics --- if you're planning on upgrading to Vista, the non-basic versions will demand dedicated graphics for the frilly bits. Then there are also programs that take advantage of 3-D rendering, shading, etc.

..apart from that, I think your logic has a few holes in it... although your conclusion about price is spot-on.

 

When I was running Vista on my SZ I was using it in the NVIDIA mode. I totally forgot to check what happened to the benchmark scores after switching back to stamina. So I would assume that aeroglass and such may have difficulties in Stamina mode. Though I have heard no evidence of this on this forum. With the hybrid switched to NVIDIA, it excelled in all of the benchmark tests.

Is it expensive? YES. But I have not been able to find a less expensive notebook with the same capabilities and WEIGHT.

 

Quoted for truth.

 

Also... Anyone who isn't going to game and use graphic intensive ap's should consider buying the lower end SZ's. Whats the point of getting all the core2duo, nvidia card and 2m ram if you're only going to use word, excel and internet. Seriously there is no need for the dual graphics card in this case. I personally think this laptop is perfect for my application where I would like to game when away from home... But want portability. I really wonder how many people use this laptop for the nvida card... how many people put it to the max.

The dual graphics card is one of the best features IMO. I only wish I could have normal brightness and still have a long battery life on stamina. Only time will allow this with new technology... as of now I think sony is doing a good job and is totally logical to have 2 graphics cards. I'm sure in the future they will come out with something even more efficient.

BTW I always have speed on when plugged in. And always have stamina when on battery mode. When gaming I might as well plug it in... Actually some lower games can even use stamina...

World of Warcraft plays quite well with all graphics up at max... even gaming wireless. The nvidia is totally capable for any current games on the market.

 

Not really mc003, the Nvidia chip is not all about gaming. Not everyone who buy this laptop with hybrid video capabilities use it for games.

I notice some difference when I was using Adobe Premiere during playback. I occasionally feel some lag with Intel graphics during video playback when inserting sounds and effects. With Nvidia graphics, its much smoother.

 

yea thats why I said games or graphic intensive ap's. I was just generalizing...

for normal use I don't see huge use for it tho... (i.e. office, internet, dvd)

 

If I have the laptop plugged in: SPEED
If I am using strictly battery power: STAMINA <- VAIO Ultimate Battery mode

I have been playing NFS Carbon on the laptop, and I'm amazed at the detail level I could play the game at. However, when I started running traffic simulation on my laptop, I could really feel the lag. I'm planning on getting an extra 1G ram this xmas and determine the level of improvements afterwards.

 

While playing WoW in speed mode, the top left corner(cpu) and battery area get REALLY hot on my SZ. Note that I usually have the laptop on my lap while playing in my bed. The fan is working at max speed and is fairly loud for a laptop. I'm surprised to hear that others think that this laptop runs so cool. In normal use I guess it runs pretty cool. The bottom does still get warm though.

 

ch28kid - You should try out roller coaster tycoon 3. That will really put the nvidia to work. That game looks 10x better than RCT-1.

Neoguri - Glad to hear your post. I was also wondering why people said this computer runs cool. Then I figured that most of the people who say this are not running very graphic intensive games/ap's. When I was playing WoW on my lap w/ all settings to the max it also gets very hot on my lap. To the point where it can be unbearable. I bet if you turn it to stamina and use normal ap's then it will be running cool like how others claim.

 

OMG same here.

Everytime I use it on my bed, Sony knows and turns on the fan. That is so weird.

 

Do you have your bedsheets on ur lap? If you notice... This will increase the heat cuz sometimes it blocks the fan output. best thing to do is get a laptop cooler or put a book between ur laptop and sheets.

 

I don't put my bedsheets on my lap, and I make sure that the vent isn't blocked. I have been considering putting some AS5 on the cpu but haven't gotten around to it.

 

I think if you use the "NOTEBOOK" on anything but a flat solid surface you will have a cooling problem. Every time I go into the Sony Style and ask about a laptop they are quick to say these arn't "laptops" anymore cause of cooling issues and they don't want to be liable for overheating probs. They are now called notebooks.

Plus, I have to tell you all using you laptop/notebooks on anything with fibers like blankets, carpets, pants... your getting abnormal amounts of fibers/dust in those vents and over a short amount of time the computer will be hot all the time.
If you take your comp apart regularly like me you'll really notice.