Dell XPS Order Nightmare

[dsio]

Been doing some 3D performance testing on this lappy. Its absolutely putting to shame my Athlon 64 / 6800GT machine.

This dual core C2D 2.2Ghz chip, is just a little monster, I really didn't appreciate how much better than the A64 it was. As a comparison, switching WoW to window mode and opening Opera with 20 tabs open on the A64 takes about 20 seconds.

The C2D did it instantly. Just no delay at all.

Max settings in WoW, 1280x800 2X AA, 8X AF, and it averages 55fps according to Cedega, with a minimum frame rate of 42fps in Shat'rath city.

Quake 4 is limited by the video memory, as the 8400M GS only has 128MB of GDDR3, but on low texture quality, frame rates are averaging about ~40fps-50fps, only dropping to 20fps outdoors.

GPU Core temps, while its sitting on my chest in bed, are around ~110C, but the driver doesn't throttle it down until 140C.

[aghastpumpkin]

Just remember that this is a new machine.....every computer slows down after a while.

[dsio]

Originally Posted by aghastpumpkin

Just remember that this is a new machine.....every computer slows down after a while.

err... what?

Its a computer, not a greyhound.

[robbie]

Originally Posted by aghastpumpkin

Just remember that this is a new machine.....every computer slows down after a while.

Typical windows user thinking.

[Gizmo]

Originally Posted by dsio

err... what?

Its a computer, not a greyhound.

He's talking about the famous "Windows gets full of crap after a while" phenomenon.

[dsio]

Oh I see.

Well, yea, I'd expect to /gain/ about 10-30% performance in the next 6 months or so, through a combination of nvidia driver updates (as the GPU is still very new), Cedega updates, and kernel updates to a lesser extent.

No spyware, no malware, no google software, and no vista definately helps performance.

[Daniel ~]

You've already been an enormous help. I'm happy to receive what you have time to give... be sure to spend some time on that laptop! ":O}

[Toro]

I think its time i set up Tri-booting on this system

[aghastpumpkin]

Originally Posted by dsio

err... what?

Its a computer, not a greyhound.

There's no real need to "eh" me and make me feel like an idiot.

[Daniel ~]

There's an easier way to make you feel like an idiot? ":O}

[dsio]

Originally Posted by aghastpumpkin

There's no real need to "eh" me and make me feel like an idiot.

I was surprised by the statement is all, it really has been my experience that as a computer ages, even if its a windows computer, new drivers, performance tweaks, and getting the settings really dialed in tends to increase performance over time.

[Daniel ~]

That's because you give a damn! Most don't and never defrag, or clean files, let alone tweak the swap and refine their drivers. There are windows installs out there that have never been reinstalled...UGH! ":O}

[Toro]

I only reinstall windows and get new drivers when I get a new motherboard

(I REALLY should know better though lol )

[dsio]

Spent some further time tweaking it, and finally got wireless working.

Turns out the mac80211 kernel module is the root of the problem, so I recompiled the kernel to include it, and now the intel drivers work perfectly.

Think im getting close to working sound drivers too, at which point it should all be sweet.

[Daniel ~]

Well since I can now screw Q4 settings up as I please and then just toss a line of code at it to return me to defaults... I've been messy about a bit more.

Have 16XQ and 16X enabled in the Nvidia drivers. Bur Quake still crashes when I turn it on in the game, regardless of my Nvidia settings, Q4 crashes if I try to us antilizing...in game.

The other least thingy is that Q4 in Fedora only reconizes one of my cores, in 2000 Pro in offers and does enable them both!

[keithwalton]

I think aghastpumpkin was refering to the fact that your computer 'seems' so much faster now because its all new and shiney and use of a slower machine is fresh in your mind. The system may not get slower over time but it will seem as so as your old machine fades into a distant memory. Then when you get a new machine again you'll be all wow its so fast gosh isnt that core 2 duo so slow etc.
When things are new they are exciting, once you have explorered all its limits, done everything it can do, you'll then always want MORE

[Favu]

Originally Posted by gizmo

He's talking about the famous "Windows gets full of crap after a while" phenomenon.

That's what I was thinking tbh