Toshiba P750 with Nvidia GT540 performance problem

[mjf]

I'm looking at buying a Toshiba Satellite P750/02J Notebook (i7-2630QM) with an NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M w/Optimus 1GB at a good sale price.
The WEI graphics gives 4.9!!! The system seems stuck on the Intel graphics and it is difficult for me to confirm a more realistic figure in the store.

Now for the dumb question. Any suggestions what might not have been configured correctly.

 

[badger906]

That sounds about right to me. A GT540 isn't the most powerful mobile GPU around.

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[mjf]

I believe the issue has to do with NVIDIA Optimus. The performance I think is more to do with the Intel graphics. I would expect the NVIDIA to benchmark ~6.
So who knows how to force the NVIDIA GPU to be the principle Graphics unit. Or if you like over ride the Optimus control passing over to the Intel processor.

 

[badger906]

While I can't comment on a fix, and I'd doubt the bios would have an option to turn it off either.

I will say not to get hooked on the windows experience figures.

In the past I've had gpus on vista that got the highest number (5.9) back then.

And I still couldn't play some games maxed out, as a poorly optimised game or one that just doesn't work on some combinations of platforms is going to perform poorly regardless

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[mjf]

I don't think it is considered a slow garphics card. See here
http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-GT-540M.41715.0.html
"The NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M is a fast middle class graphics card for laptops"
It also says:
"Furthermore, the 500M series supports Optimus to automatically switch between the integrated graphics card from Intel and the Nvidia GPU. However, the laptop manufacturers need to implement it and it cannot be upgraded."

so is this switching a forced condition and ultimately is this Graphics card a poor match for what I thought was a good i7 based Toshiba laptop?

(PS: I know little about graphics cards & gaming but I want the laptop to perform in this area if needed)

 

[badger906]

At the end of the day like I said windows score doesn't matter.

If it plays the games you like at a setting your happy with who cares what windows tells you its capable.

I've pribably bought around 100 games since vista and its scoring process. Never have I once use the scoring index to determine what I can play.

If the "optimumbojumbo" does as it says it will switch between the 2 gpu's. So wouldn't worry.

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[mjf]

I get the point about not totally relying on WEI but it makes running an in store benchmark difficult. I would have expected the WEI graphics test to have communicated to the NVidia card "it's time to do your stuff".
At least my own built system (see specs) GTS450, i7 2600k gives a graphics WEI of 7.2.

Appreciate your persistence with the answers. Even though the deal was $992 inc 3 pack of Norton 360 I'll probably pass it up. It's the first time I've come across this Optimus issue but some quick reading suggests it can cause problems not switching when you want it to.

Note: I've been talking about Graphics not Gaming Graphics performance. So I would have tought the WEI did mean something since you are measuring desktop performance for Windows Aero.

Further Comment: After a bit more investigation I gather Optimus can be a problem that is sometimes overcome with a driver upgrade. But it seems to still remove too much control from the user. SO I've decided not to touch an NVIDIA card with Optimus at this stage.

 

[mjf]

Thanks badger but I'm assuming no other input re the Nvidia Optimus issue???

 

[badger906]

will i had never heard of it till you mentioned it however ive been doing some research, and it appears that the Nvidia and intel parts of the chip are "integral"

So turning it off, isnt possible. it basically puts the Nvidia part of the card to sleep and wakes it when more demanding apps require it.

Try updating the drivers, apparently they arent so easy to find, and i can only find reference to issues dating back to 2010.. so unless your laptops been sat on the shelf a while, id have thought youd have later versions than the people complaining int he past lol.