ArmA II / OA Benchmarks on Laptop

[asuseroako 17]

Hi folks. ArmA fan here from the Philippines! I'm new to this forum so please be kind. I hope I posted this thread on the right section. :)

While most of ArmA 2 gamers out here are perhaps gaming on their desktop rigs, there are also those like me who play ArmA 2 on laptop/ notebook.

Let us share our ArmA 2 laptop settings in this thread. It would be best if we could provide a video proof of the laptop actually doing the benchmarks and showing all important settings so we could clearly establish the average FPS. It is way better than just stating without proof that 'my laptop can do 100 average FPS with all settings maxed out'.

Aside from the Video settings, maybe we can also provide salient info like laptop model, CPU, GPU, RAM, HDD, OS, and other important notes. With these pool of information arranged in an orderly manner, ArmA 2 laptop gamers can assess how (good or not that good) a system performs given the Arma 2 video settings.

Allow me to start with my laptop settings...

Laptop:

(model MS-1656)

CPU: Core i7-720QM (EIST, C-States enabled, Turbo Boost up to 3.02 GHz)

GPU: ATI Mobility Radeon HD5850 1 GB DDR5 (OC'd to 810/1020 MHz)

RAM: 8GB DDR3 (Transcend JM1333KSN-4G x 2)

HDD: 500GB SATA (Hitachi 5400 RPM)

OS: Genuine Windows 7 Professional x64 SP1

ArmA 2 Video Settings 1 (OA average FPS = 39, A2 average FPS = 37)

Basic

Visibility: 2503

Quality preferences: Very High

Interface resolution: 1680x1050

3D resolution: 1680x1050 (100%)

Advanced

Texture detail: Very High

Video memory: Very High

Anisotropic filtering: Disabled

Antialiasing: Disabled

Terrain detail: Normal

Object detail: Normal

Shadow detail: Normal

HDR quality: Normal

Postprocessing: Disabled

Aspect ratio: 16:10 wide

Vsync: Enabled

ATI Catalyst Control Center Settings

ATI Overdrive = Enabled (810 MHz GPU clock /1020 MHz memory clock)

Standard = Use Custom Settings

Smoothvision HD Anti-Aliasing = 8X (using Box filter)

Smoothvision HD Anisotropic Filtering = 16X

Catalyst AI = Disabled

Mipmap Detail Level = Quality

Wait for Vertical Refresh = Performance

Anti-Aliasing Mode = Super-sample AA

Video demo of settings 1

Z_3tb7FD4_8

Video Settings 2 (OA average FPS = 35, A2 average FPS = 32)

Basic

Visibility: 2236

Quality preferences: Very High

Interface resolution: 1680x1050

3D resolution: 1680x1050 (100%)

Advanced

Texture detail: Very High

Video memory: Very High

Anisotropic filtering: Very High

Antialiasing: High

Terrain detail: High

Object detail: Very High

Shadow detail: High

HDR quality: Normal

Postprocessing: Disabled

Aspect ratio: 16:10 wide

Vsync: Enabled

ATI Catalyst Control Center Settings

ATI Overdrive = Enabled (810 MHz GPU clock /1020 MHz memory clock)

Standard = Use Custom Settings

Smoothvision HD Anti-Aliasing = 2X (using Box filter)

Smoothvision HD Anisotropic Filtering = 2X

Catalyst AI = Disabled

Mipmap Detail Level = High Quality

Wait for Vertical Refresh = Always Off

Anti-Aliasing Mode = Super Sample AA

Video demo of settings 2

K2vJpTVGbRE

Other notes

I'm running Operation Arrowhead game version 1.59.79384 and using video settings 2. I only play Single Player missions. The benchmarks used were Operation Arrowhead E08 and Arma 2 Benchmark 01. Videos filmed using a Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 point-and-shoot digital camera. Of course Fraps captures the stunning visual details of the game but FPS is compromised per personal experience. Tinkering with the ArmA UI settings and Catalyst Control Center settings does produce varied results. I am also launching the game with a -cpuCount=4 -exThread=7 parameter.

Remember, it's on a laptop and... as for average FPS results anything over about 15 FPS is acceptable and anything over 30 FPS is considered really good. Source

Feel free to post your laptop settings and findings as patterned above. Thank you. :cool:

Edited July 5, 2011 by asuseroako
Added RAM info and some other notes

[EDcase 87]

Hi and welcome.

What are CPU and GPU max temps when playing ARMA?

[dmarkwick 261]

Those MSIs look nice. I've been considering a cheaper laptop to play OFP on, but the new MSIs look like they can handle quite a bit more :)

[asuseroako 17]

Hi and welcome.

What are CPU and GPU max temps when playing ARMA?

Thanks Sir for the warm welcome.

I tried 'Village Sweep' mission and per HWInfo log, max was 90C CPU and GPU temp. Hot. I should have tried it with my room aircon unit on and a laptop cooler.

HWInfo log

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?y84cxkes40c4eja

CPU using 144 FSB (3.02 GHz turbo boost) , GPU @ 810Mhz/1020MHz (default is 625Mhz/1000MHz), using ArmA settings 2 on first post.

Those MSIs look nice. I've been considering a cheaper laptop to play OFP on, but the new MSIs look like they can handle quite a bit more :)

I hope they sell units with 7200RPM HDDs here in the Philippines. Pardon me Sir for this silly question: OFP as in Operation FlashPoint? Fun to play (on my ASUS T101MT netvertible)

[dmarkwick 261]

I hope they sell units with 7200RPM HDDs here in the Philippines.

I can't even seem to get any of the newer models here in the UK, I have seen sources that ship from the USA but I really don't wish to suffer the vagaries of shipping, faulty equipments, returns, and all the taxes that incoming products are subject to.

Pardon me Sir for this silly question: OFP as in Operation FlashPoint? Fun to play (on my ASUS T101MT netvertible)

Such politeness :)

Yeah Operation Flashpoint, more specifically the new 1.99 release. I had quite forgotten how great that old game is, and it still outshines even ArmA2 in some areas. I noted that my main PC can handle OFP using about an eighth of it's resources, and still give superb performance. I got to thinking that a cheap laptop would be an excellent toy for this purpose seeing as my main PC is at work and I don't have one at home. But looking at the capabilitites of the new MSI GT780 and it's reasonable pricepoint got me to thinking... :)

[EDcase 87]

I tried 'Village Sweep' mission and per HWInfo log, max was 90C CPU and GPU temp. Hot.

Ouch, yeah a cooler sounds like a good idea.

Great to be able to play ARMA on the move ;)

[ratoa 10]

There are other options that do nicely too like the newly released ASUS G74, MSI GT/GX780 and the brand that I'm leaning towards Clevo/Sager X7200

Edited July 8, 2011 by ratoa

[t1bbo 10]

Hi Noobs & Old Soldiers alike

Sorry for pasting here, nobody experienced seems to check the noob thread!!

Your Forum is legendary - so i want to test it out...

I am new to Arma and PC gaming.

Something I think would really help me and all other Noobs is a "10 things to do" or "the 10 Essentials" for when you first buy the game. Hopefully it could be put up as a stickie or something?

e.g.:

1: Buy the game off Steam/BIS online becasue XYZ....

2. Download patch ABC..

3. Update / install patch by doing DEF...

4. Use LAUNCHER (???) version AAA... install it by doing....

5. Check that you are doing this, that and the other...

6. INSTALL Mods ABC as these are essential...

7. and so on...

I already know I am going to be highly active in here, i know i can play well (was 7th in the world on Operation Flashpoint on Xbox...I know, I know...) and any support to get me up and running would be great!

Dice has already sent me the keyboard plans and a manual.

Anything else worth doing?

Thanks guys & girls (?