Benchmark Test Configurations
There are many choices that you can make when configuring any of these laptops, and some of the decisions will impact performance to varying degrees. We have three laptops, and all of them are on the higher end of the performance spectrum. The E1705 with X1400 graphics is definitely going to struggle in gaming performance, and the other E1705 is only running with 1GB of RAM which will also have a smaller impact. Beyond that, though, all three systems come with the WUXGA displays, 100 GB 7200 RPM hard drives, and DDR2-667 memory. Here are the specific configurations tested.
| Dell XPS M1710 |
| Processor |
Intel Core Duo T2600 (2.16 GHz 2x2MB) |
| Chipset |
Intel 945PM 64-bit Dual-Channel |
| Memory |
2 x 1024MB DDR2-667 |
| Graphics |
NVIDIA GeForce Go 7900 GTX 512MB (500/1200) |
| Hard Drive |
Hitachi Travelstar 100GB 7200 RPM |
| Dell Inspiron E1705 "7800" |
| Processor |
Intel Core Duo T2600 (2.16 GHz 2x2MB) |
| Chipset |
Intel 945PM 64-bit Dual-Channel |
| Memory |
2 x 512MB DDR2-667 |
| Graphics |
NVIDIA GeForce Go 7800 256MB (250/658) |
| Hard Drive |
Hitachi Travelstar 100GB 7200 RPM |
| Dell Inspiron E1705 "X1400" |
| Processor |
Intel Core Duo T2600 (2.16 GHz 2x2MB) |
| Chipset |
Intel 945PM 64-bit Dual-Channel |
| Memory |
2 x 1024MB DDR2-667 |
| Graphics |
ATI Radeon Mobility X1400 256MB |
| Hard Drive |
Hitachi Travelstar 100GB 7200 RPM |
We did our best to include a variety of benchmarks that will prove useful in determining how these laptops perform. For the gaming tests, we ran all games with and without anti-aliasing. The M1710 can generally handle 4xAA in most games, but the other two laptops have difficulty with that setting. We won't bother including the results from the X1400 configuration with 4xAA, as there's little point in even thinking about it given the single-digit frame rates we experienced. The GeForce Go 7800 does better, but the M1710 is still in an entirely different league when it comes to graphics performance. The flipside is that battery life can be severely impacted with the faster graphics chips, and we'll find out just how much shortly.
One area that is quite surprising is the clock speeds Dell has chosen for the GeForce Go 7800: 250 MHz on the core and 658 MHz on the RAM, with 16 pixel pipelines and 6 vertex pipelines. NVIDIA lists the 7800 Go has having up to a 400 MHz core and 1100 MHz RAM, which would nearly double performance of the E1705 default speeds. However, running at those speeds would likely require more power than even the Go 7900 GTX. Since the XPS line is geared as the gaming option and the E1705 is more for multimedia, sacrificing battery life and temperatures for added gaming power might not be the best way to go. If you search around the Internet, you can find information on trying to volt mod and overclock your Go 7800, though obviously Dell doesn't encourage that sort of behavior.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
34 Comments
View All Comments
NullSubroutine - Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - link
In the article the author mentioned the painfulness of disassembling the laptop system, however I disagree. While not being two thumb screws like on some desktops, after taking apart the laptop (which doesnt void your warrenty, as tell had me disassemble so to take the CD/DVD drive in and out to fix a glitch) after a few times, it becomes a breeze. I can take it apart in less than a minute.I would have liked to have seen the comparison of the 7900 GS vs the 7800. As a early i9400 buyer, I was plagued with the 7800 (didnt realize it wasnt the 7800 Go GTX until after it was purchased), there is some good info on i think its called notebookforums or something on how to overclock your gpu with some volt mods. I could get 485/965 on 1.3 volt mod, but it gets hot, and accept a 450/960 on 1.2v (default is 1.1) the 130watt psu helps (I highly recommend) and you should prop up your laptop. I use two 'crystal light cup packs' under each backside pad; I actually perfer it propped as it is easier to type with the backside elevated a bit.
Unfortunetely, dell isnt shipping the 7900 Go GTX, otherwise you could drop that video card right into an older shipping model of the i9400. You can always slightly mod your case and put the 7800 Go GTX in there...but I'm personally gonna wait (and save money) to get the 7900 Go GTX later, or get the 8800 Go GTX sometime later this year if it is released (dell will offer it for the m1710 and it will fit right into the i9400). But this is only if I really decide to droop myself low enough to switch to Vista....shutters....I really hate MS for making DX10 Vista only.
Also, Dell said the Memron will work perfectly (needing at most a bios update) with either laptop.
ElFenix - Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - link
and what pipe configuration does it have?thanks!
JarredWalton - Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - link
20 pixel, 7 vertex (I think), 375/1000 clocks are typical. I'm not positive what the Dell model has on clocks, as there is some variation, but it should still be quite a bit faster than the GF Go 7800. I figure the GF Go 7900 GTX adds another 20-30% in performance, however, as it has even higher clocks (500/1200 with 24/8 pipelines).anandlurker - Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - link
I'm glad that Anandtech include Source DoD for benchmarking, i love this game but when i bought my $300 7800gt just to play this game, the results were mediocre and rather disappointing for this kinda of price. I hope future benchmark from Anandtech include this game, it's a nice simple multiplayer game that seems to render 7800 series useless(pricewise).JarredWalton - Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - link
The fastest scores I've seen on DODS top out at around 67 FPS with audio enabled. (Overclocked FX-62 running 3.08 GHz.) The game is very CPU limited, at least with any reasonable GPU. That said, I find 40 FPS to be very playable on this particular title, though lots of people want higher frame rates.turkster - Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - link
you dont even need the modified INF drivers, the installed Nvidia drivers that came with my M1710 will allow me fix aspect ratio and set scaling options without any problem.For those interested my M1710 (T2500 2Ghz, 2GB RAM) with 7900GS graphics card scored 3805 in 3dmark06 straight out of the box with no tweaks or new drivers etc. This seems a quite respectable score and puts it considerably ahead of the 7800go. I havent done any further benchmarks yet but my experience so far shows that it is quite capable of playing FEAR at 1920x1200 4xAA perfectly smoothly, similarly FarCry and HL2. As such it would seems like quite a good option for those who cant quite stomach the rather steep price of 7900GTX.
JarredWalton - Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - link
So there is an option to do 1:1 scaling - I've removed the paragraph on this. I would have never thought to look in the drivers for this, and it certainly could be placed in a more prominent position. I guess I'm just used to older laptops that did this via BIOS/keyboard shortcuts. (I'm getting old.... LOL)mrSHEiK124 - Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - link
You actually can have the laptop scale resolution while preserving aspect ratio, you just need to install nVIDIA's desktop drivers w/the modified INF that allows them to run on mobile parts and then you can use the scaling settings built into the drivers.ahmshaegar - Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - link
Now I don't know about the Nvidia-based laptops, but I have the Dell Inspiron E1505 (with ATI x1400 Mobility) and to have the aspect resolution preserved when changing resolutions, there's an option in the control panels (both CCC and the old ATI control panels have the option to preserve aspect ratio when changing resolutions.) I'm guessing that it would be the same for Nvidia.Thor86 - Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - link
So, instead of reviewing DTRs, which it seems no-one really cares about, how about a review of ultra-portables?