GM965 vs. PM965

Question

Ok, I'm a little confused. I've been reading how the gm965 chipset is the one with the integrated intel graphics and the pm965 has the Nvidia 8400m gs on the Inspiron 1420. However when I scanned my system it told me I have the gm965 with the Nvidia 8400m gs video card...what does this mean? I also recently upgraded to 4GB of RAM and my stupid Vista Experience thingy didn't go up at all from it's reading at 2GB. I'm not overly concerned as I've noticed a very nice bump in performance but was wondering why it didn't change the experience reading...I'm kinda new to laptops and am trying to learn/understand as much as I can.

medion · Answer

Here ya go:   GM965 has intel integrated graphics interface (they don't have to be enabled, but the interface to intel integrated graphic option exists).    PM965 does not have any part of Intel integrated graphics.   There are a few other minor differences that are performance-tweak-related and minor featuresets, but as far as most people are concerned, the two chipsets are identical, w/ only the graphics being the difference. (intel integrated can't exist w/ the PM).   You've got a GM965 series w/ Nvidia chipset, so that's what counts ;)   Regarding your RAM question, did you have Windows re-evaluate your Windows Experience Index score? You'll have to run a new test each time you change your hardware or drivers, for it to be correct.

tigerwolf7 · Answer

Plus it's going to go by your weakest part, which is probably your GPU. In that case, your score wouldn't increase by adding more RAM (and most of that RAM can't really be used anyway).

detoxtom · Answer

I understand the chipset issue now. When I was talking about the RAM not increasing my Index score I meant it didn't increase the RAM component of it. As far as not being able to use most of it goes I'll be getting use out of 1.5 GB of the extra 2GB of the upgrade as I'm aware that Windows reserves some ram for hardware/software requirements and only reports 3.5GB. However what I've been reading is that whatever amount of RAM is installed windows still assigns the same amount of RAM to those requirements so the RAM is being used, just not available and having two identical sticks of 2GB RAM gives me Dual Channel and the most RAM I could possibly use. I've read alot about how just because windows only reports 3.5GB people are saying the extra .5 is just wasted. Not true. Vista SP1 will report installed RAM correctly.

tigerwolf7 · Answer

Well, technically it is actually wasted. Windows needs address space for hardware, etc. It isn't actually storing anything in the space it can't see.

Basically even to get above 2GB it's having to steal address space from other thigns.

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GM965 vs. PM965

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