Synthetic Graphics Performance
We don't place a lot of stock with the performance results generated by Futuremark's 3DMark applications, and really the HP laptop isn't designed with gaming in mind -- at least not if you go with the GMA X3100 integrated graphics. What we did find very interesting, however, was that the Intel graphics chip was able to complete all of the 3DMark benchmarks without any noticeable problems -- beyond the expected "seconds per frame" results in some of the more complex tests. There's still a lot of work to do on Intel's side of things with regards to drivers, however, and it appears that 3DMark06 is one of the few applications where SM3.0 support is working.
While graphics performance is obviously at the bottom of the Core 2 Duo pack, it is at least somewhat interesting to note that the GMA X3100 appears to be able to outperform the AMD Radeon Xpress 1150. Then again, considering the Radeon Xpress 1150 is slightly slower than a X300 SE discrete graphics card, the performance level we're talking about isn't much. 3DMark06 does require SM3.0 for a couple of the tests, and since the Radeon 1150 doesn't support that feature it is further penalized. Still, the ability for the X3100 to complete all of the 3DMark benchmarks give us some small measure of hope when it came to actually playing games....
We don't place a lot of stock with the performance results generated by Futuremark's 3DMark applications, and really the HP laptop isn't designed with gaming in mind -- at least not if you go with the GMA X3100 integrated graphics. What we did find very interesting, however, was that the Intel graphics chip was able to complete all of the 3DMark benchmarks without any noticeable problems -- beyond the expected "seconds per frame" results in some of the more complex tests. There's still a lot of work to do on Intel's side of things with regards to drivers, however, and it appears that 3DMark06 is one of the few applications where SM3.0 support is working.
While graphics performance is obviously at the bottom of the Core 2 Duo pack, it is at least somewhat interesting to note that the GMA X3100 appears to be able to outperform the AMD Radeon Xpress 1150. Then again, considering the Radeon Xpress 1150 is slightly slower than a X300 SE discrete graphics card, the performance level we're talking about isn't much. 3DMark06 does require SM3.0 for a couple of the tests, and since the Radeon 1150 doesn't support that feature it is further penalized. Still, the ability for the X3100 to complete all of the 3DMark benchmarks give us some small measure of hope when it came to actually playing games....
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JarredWalton - Friday, June 22, 2007 - link
They shipped the notebook with an ABG adapter (test setup on page 7). Of course, I don't have an N network right now anyway... GbE all the way, baby!nsparadox - Friday, June 22, 2007 - link
Hey Jarred,You wrote the entire article in the passive voice. Could you please try to write in the active voice?
crimson117 - Friday, June 22, 2007 - link
I would prefer the future perfect voice.JarredWalton - Friday, June 22, 2007 - link
Can't say I was necessarily 100% awake while writing it. Sorry if it was too passive for you. Perhaps in a perfect future I will manage to rewrite things better, maybe?bldckstark - Friday, June 22, 2007 - link
Thanks for the article guys, I am sure many other AT readers appreciate the work you hav put in on notebooks recently.I would like to see some more tests done on what I like to call "real world" notebooks. The ones I see most people buying for mobility purposes. These usually have 10 - 13" screens and have everything this HP has except the horrid battery life.
I just bought my wife a Lenovo notebook with a Vista business, Intel C2D, 2GB ram, DVD burner, 3 USB 2.0, 1 Firewire, Express card slot, flash memory reader, webcam, fingerprint reader, 6 cell battery and a 12.1" screen for only $1250 after rebate. This one gets 255 minutes of battery life and weighs only 4.4lbs with the 6 cell.
A friend at work has a 10" screen notebook that gets over 8 hours of battery life. He carries it around like a pad of paper all day.
I know several people with convertibles that love them, and they all have 12.1" screens.
My point is that if it has a 15.4" screen it is really a DTR, and should be outfitted like one. Not like a high mobility at the same price, worse battery life, and 50% weight increase. Please try to squeeze some of these into your testing in the future.
JarredWalton - Friday, June 22, 2007 - link
We actually have a smaller Tablet PC that we're in the process of reviewing. I think part of the problem is that companies are afraid we'll tear into the lappys that don't have great gaming performance or whatever. Hopefully, we'll be able to do more ultraportable laptop reviews in the future....