It sounds as if you are using the iGPU, not the GTX 980m. Set the battery plan to high performance and the Nvidia control panel setting to High-Performance Graphics (same for PhysX).
That definitely helped a bit, however with the 3DMark tests, I'm still getting a lower score than I should (I think). Since digitaltrends test gets a score of 8314 for Fire Strike and 21245 for Cloud Gate while I'm currently getting 14812 for Cloud Gate and 4265 for Fire Strike.
Not sure if this is relatively normal or if I should be getting significantly better results with my setup. Also the physics test on Cloud Gate was averaging around 20FPS. Is that normal? I've set the PhysX to the GTX 980m as well
Also just ran the Fire Strike test on my desktop, which is using the GTX 760 GPU and i7 4770K CPU. Got a score of 6000 on it and maxed out at around 5000 on the alienware. I feel like the alienware should still be getting better scores...even with Fire Strike being as demanding as it is. Any ideas/suggestions would be really helpful! :)
Here are the links to the scores that i just ran again, scores a bit different than what i ran last time but not too much different. Still am not getting the scores this machine should be getting.
Oops sorry forgot to reply to those, I have uninstalled and reinstalled. currently I'm running version 347.52 not on battery either, plugged in and running on high performance.
I currently have BIOS A02, how would I change that to A00?
Installed 347.88 and ran the tests again, slightly better numbers but still a bit off the mark. I'll try flashing the BIOS, next and running them again
Your Cloud Gate scores seem alot better, but that Fire Strike score is concerning. It has a better Physics score, but the GPU score is a bit low compared to other Alienware laptops. It seems as if it is being throttled. I would move on to testing some games. As well, do you have a 240w PSU or 180w PSU?
After flashing back to A00, results were again slightly better. Fire Strike was around 6300 and cloud gate about 19900, I am running 180W so that might be a factor in the lower scores.
I also have a concern about the fan noise? Seems like the fans get pretty loud even when running league, idk if that's normal or what, just thought I'd bring it up since it's a little annoying
I wouldn't be surprised that the fans were running high.
Hmm... I'm pretty much out of ideas. The only thing I can suggest to you is get the 240w PSU from Dell. You should be able to request it from Alienware's Technical Support (there's a support article about requesting the bigger charger, but I don't have the link with me).
I'm having the same problem and I'm extremely upset with this "new" laptop. My Alienware m17x r3 ran Arma 3 better than this laptop (Alienware 17 r2) and it was like 3-4 years old. I lag on plenty of games I play and I have my battery on high performance. I am using my Nvidia card as well. I like how I can't optimize games through Nvidia because my PC can't even handle the recommended settings. The other thing that is really sad is that the CPU comes overclocked already. If you use the factory standard for the CPU setting, I assure you, you will not be able to run any games at all. None of the games advertised with this laptop run well. I can't return this laptop because I bought it on a payment plan so I am stuck now. I'm pretty sure this is just a terrible model and I got scammed. I hope Alienware improves in the future.
Game7a1
4 Operator
•
727 Posts
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April 2nd, 2015 18:00
It sounds as if you are using the iGPU, not the GTX 980m. Set the battery plan to high performance and the Nvidia control panel setting to High-Performance Graphics (same for PhysX).
iToyz
7 Posts
0
April 2nd, 2015 18:00
That definitely helped a bit, however with the 3DMark tests, I'm still getting a lower score than I should (I think). Since digitaltrends test gets a score of 8314 for Fire Strike and 21245 for Cloud Gate while I'm currently getting 14812 for Cloud Gate and 4265 for Fire Strike.
Not sure if this is relatively normal or if I should be getting significantly better results with my setup. Also the physics test on Cloud Gate was averaging around 20FPS. Is that normal? I've set the PhysX to the GTX 980m as well
iToyz
7 Posts
0
April 2nd, 2015 20:00
Also just ran the Fire Strike test on my desktop, which is using the GTX 760 GPU and i7 4770K CPU. Got a score of 6000 on it and maxed out at around 5000 on the alienware. I feel like the alienware should still be getting better scores...even with Fire Strike being as demanding as it is. Any ideas/suggestions would be really helpful! :)
Game7a1
4 Operator
•
727 Posts
0
April 2nd, 2015 23:00
It might be helpful if you post links to the benchmark scores.
You can always try reinstalling the Nvidia GPU driver (uninstall it with DDU and install the latest driver from Nvidia's website).
You're not on battery, are you?
iToyz
7 Posts
0
April 4th, 2015 01:00
Here are the links to the scores that i just ran again, scores a bit different than what i ran last time but not too much different. Still am not getting the scores this machine should be getting.
www.3dmark.com/.../6504100
Game7a1
4 Operator
•
727 Posts
0
April 4th, 2015 09:00
I'm reposting what I posted last time.
You can always try reinstalling the Nvidia GPU driver (uninstall it with DDU and install the latest driver from Nvidia's website).
You're not on battery, are you?
As well, which BIOS version do you have? Try both A02 and A00.
iToyz
7 Posts
0
April 4th, 2015 10:00
Oops sorry forgot to reply to those, I have uninstalled and reinstalled. currently I'm running version 347.52 not on battery either, plugged in and running on high performance.
I currently have BIOS A02, how would I change that to A00?
Thanks again for your help!
Game7a1
4 Operator
•
727 Posts
0
April 4th, 2015 11:00
Install 347.88 from Nvidia's website.
You would just flash A00.
I feel as if they're something else limiting the performance of the 980m.
iToyz
7 Posts
0
April 4th, 2015 12:00
Installed 347.88 and ran the tests again, slightly better numbers but still a bit off the mark. I'll try flashing the BIOS, next and running them again
Game7a1
4 Operator
•
727 Posts
0
April 4th, 2015 13:00
Your Cloud Gate scores seem alot better, but that Fire Strike score is concerning. It has a better Physics score, but the GPU score is a bit low compared to other Alienware laptops. It seems as if it is being throttled.
I would move on to testing some games. As well, do you have a 240w PSU or 180w PSU?
iToyz
7 Posts
0
April 4th, 2015 18:00
After flashing back to A00, results were again slightly better. Fire Strike was around 6300 and cloud gate about 19900, I am running 180W so that might be a factor in the lower scores.
I also have a concern about the fan noise? Seems like the fans get pretty loud even when running league, idk if that's normal or what, just thought I'd bring it up since it's a little annoying
Game7a1
4 Operator
•
727 Posts
0
April 4th, 2015 19:00
I wouldn't be surprised that the fans were running high.
Hmm... I'm pretty much out of ideas. The only thing I can suggest to you is get the 240w PSU from Dell. You should be able to request it from Alienware's Technical Support (there's a support article about requesting the bigger charger, but I don't have the link with me).
cowbone6
7 Posts
0
June 17th, 2015 20:00
I'm having the same problem and I'm extremely upset with this "new" laptop. My Alienware m17x r3 ran Arma 3 better than this laptop (Alienware 17 r2) and it was like 3-4 years old. I lag on plenty of games I play and I have my battery on high performance. I am using my Nvidia card as well. I like how I can't optimize games through Nvidia because my PC can't even handle the recommended settings. The other thing that is really sad is that the CPU comes overclocked already. If you use the factory standard for the CPU setting, I assure you, you will not be able to run any games at all. None of the games advertised with this laptop run well. I can't return this laptop because I bought it on a payment plan so I am stuck now. I'm pretty sure this is just a terrible model and I got scammed. I hope Alienware improves in the future.