Windows 7: New laptop (dell XPS 17) - graphics score questions?

I am pretty noobin when it comes to this so bear with me.

I just got a dell XPS 17 laptop,

the laptop comes with a GeForce GT 435m with 1gb video card.



I went to check out the overall 'score' of the laptop and it showed the following

Processor - 6.8
Ram - 5.9
Graphics - 4.3
Gaming Graphics - 6.6
Primary Hard Disk - 5.9

what I dont get is why the 'graphics' is so much lower than the 'gaming graphics'? I went into display on the device manager and there are 2 adapters listed

my geforce and one 'intel HD graphics' - why does it use 2 adapters?

does this have to do why my graphics score is so low? because it is using the worse adapter for that?

Is there anything I can do about that graphics score? i figured the geforce was a decent card and wouldnt have limitations like that?

any help would be appreciated

The system is using the Intel HD graphics chip when at the desktop, when serious 3D power isn't needed. When you run a game or try to do anything intensive enough, the system will use the GeForce chip. This is to save battery life, and I have no idea if you can run the GeForce full time, maybe someone else here is more familiar with that chipset.

Your desktop graphics score would likely be identical to your gaming score, if you wanted to know.

That makes me ask why you are worried about the score, especially when it is as close to a meaningless number as there can be. It is well above what would be needed to run normal in-Windows graphics, yet has a second chip to handle any type of 3D work. Seems like you get the best of both worlds, assuming it doesn't chew up extra battery.

Here are my numbers on my laptop....


I could care less what the ratings are just so it does the graphics I want done.
DON'T BE A NUMBER CHASER! You won't win!

Ok thanks for those pieces of info guys.

I really don't care about the numbers, I just was getting some not-so-great ratings when running the systemlabrequirements site for 'will my computer run it' on certain games and I thought that the 'graphics' score was holding me back. But if that is irrelevant when playing games then I certainly dont care if you guys dont think I should

So this should be able to run things like Fallout 3 at medium settings smoothly ya think?

I can't answer about one specific game, but with a laptop, you really shouldn't have high expectations to use it as a gaming system. If that was your top priority, you should have gone with a tower. I'm sure a new, high end laptop can handle some light gaming, and maybe the latest games at a playable rate...but you will probably come across games that just aren't playable to a level you'd want.

If you go to "Power Settings," go to "Additional Options," then select the "High Performance" power plan, then once you check your WEI, it will say a re-assessment needs to be run, then your gaming graphics score should change.
Be careful for the "High Performance" power plan eats lot of power. My HP Mini 110-1125NR Netbook has a 6 hour battery life when put on the power-saver plan when unplugged, with the high performance plan enabled it dropped to about 3 hours when unplugged.
I recommend the "High Performance" power plan for Desktop systems.

if you mean a laptop as desktop replacement, you could use the high performance setting.. but if you mean a real desktop pc, it does not have power options like the laptops have.. the only settings there are when to turn of screen, make pc sleep, harddrives, etc.. it would not affect wei at all.. unless if your laptop is like mine (Acer 4745G) it has switchable graphics only then would your wei be affected..

and i agree deconfrost if you really want heavy gaming, you are better of with a desktop.. you can easily upgrade your parts anytime your budget permits.. there are gaming laptops however (really top of the line ones) but im not sure if they can support the latest games (don't own one so i can't comment) but im sure they fair better than the most laptops.. your next problem however would be portability.. with a kickass rig like that, i would be surprised if it would last two hours.. if you want uninterrupted gaming, you are better off using a desktop