Found a screenshot on Notebookcheck.net that shows the 4GB as dual-channel. However, I'm not sure how reliable this is as the software used is also showing the tablet as having a Intel HD4600 which is wrong. The 128GB/4GB is the model for me then. The upgrade to 8GB RAM is just too costly for the benefit in my opinion.
Gaming Battery Life?
- Thread starter Orren
- Start date
I've also found out (according to the Notebookcheck.net review) the device loses a lot of its GPU power (60%) when not plugged into the mains? Is there no way to force it to work at full power on battery? This is disappointing as if true the device won't be able to play any games at all when I'm on the train.
DragonGamer
New Member
Discused that with the testers on notebookchek.net (in the german comment section sicne the original article is german) and tested that on my device multiple times and in every case the 3D Mark benchmark (APP version) results in exactly the same power, no matter whether the device is plugged or not! http://www.notebookchat.com/index.php/topic,43558.15.html (there's also a screenshot down there)
I highly assume they had the device on "balanced" or something like that, although they state that wasn't the case. Or maybe something entirely different went wrong, I don't know...
In every case the graphic unit has three different "states" which you can assign freely to whatever custom powerplan you want.
In 3D mark the lowest position the performance was only 30-35% below the "high performance" result. Unfortunately I don't have that software the benchmarks have be done on notebookcheck, so maybe the difference is higher there...
Asked once over here Five little questions and some information about someone to verify my results (maybe actually with a game since so far I didn't get to play much) but so far none did... When you have your device it'd great to see a test from you too
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Pochowandpoch
Member
My testtings are:(performance)
Surface Pro 2 + mode balanced = CPU 80% - GPU 90%
Surface Pro 2 + mode balanced + plugged in = CPU 100% - GPU 100%
Surface Pro 2 + high performance = CPU 100% - GPU 100%
Surface Pro 2 + high performance + plugged in = CPU 100% - GPU 100% (logically)
My testtings are:(Battery life)
Surface Pro 2 + high performance = Games PC + Wifi + Playing online -> 1 hour/38 min
Surface Pro 2 + high performance = Games PC + Wifi Off + Airplane mode -> 1 hour/50 min
Surface Pro 2 + high performance = Emulators + Wifi + Playing online -> Even for test
Surface Pro 2 + high performance = Emulators + Wifi Off + Airplane mode -> Even for test
Surface Pro 2 + balanced mode = Games PC + Wifi + Playing online -> 1 hour/42 min
Surface Pro 2 + balanced mode = Games PC + Wifi Off + Airplane mode -> 1 hour/55 min
My testtings are:(Brightness)
Balanced mode and High performance
Minimum brightness = 65
Maximum brightness = 73
Note : All testings are approximate calculations,the use of an operating system depends heavily on the use.
Greetings.
Surface Pro 2 + mode balanced = CPU 80% - GPU 90%
Surface Pro 2 + mode balanced + plugged in = CPU 100% - GPU 100%
Surface Pro 2 + high performance = CPU 100% - GPU 100%
Surface Pro 2 + high performance + plugged in = CPU 100% - GPU 100% (logically)
My testtings are:(Battery life)
Surface Pro 2 + high performance = Games PC + Wifi + Playing online -> 1 hour/38 min
Surface Pro 2 + high performance = Games PC + Wifi Off + Airplane mode -> 1 hour/50 min
Surface Pro 2 + high performance = Emulators + Wifi + Playing online -> Even for test
Surface Pro 2 + high performance = Emulators + Wifi Off + Airplane mode -> Even for test
Surface Pro 2 + balanced mode = Games PC + Wifi + Playing online -> 1 hour/42 min
Surface Pro 2 + balanced mode = Games PC + Wifi Off + Airplane mode -> 1 hour/55 min
My testtings are:(Brightness)
Balanced mode and High performance
Minimum brightness = 65
Maximum brightness = 73
Note : All testings are approximate calculations,the use of an operating system depends heavily on the use.
Greetings.
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jollywombat
Member
Great testing, thanks for taking the time to chart all that out.
Are all of your benchmarks done with the 8GB model? I thought I was ready to buy and now I'm (stupidly) back on the worrying 4GB won't be enough. With the integrated GPU and Windows 8 taking RAM there must only be around 2 - 3 GB left for a game.
I'm also a games design student so I may use it lightly for 3DS max/unity however most of that work will be done on my PC so I don't worry about that too much in regards to RAM.
Does anyone here game on the 4GB version?
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Pochowandpoch
Member
My model is 4GB - 64 GB mSSD + Hub USB 3.0 + HDD 1Tb USB 3.0 + Controller Xbox 360.
My Surface Pro 2
Greetings.
That's good news! Thanks for the reply. I take it you think the 8GB is not worth the extra cost then?
Pochowandpoch
Member
In my opinion not worth (8GB of RAM the better it would come to a core i7),the 4 GB of RAM are sufficient for core i5 4200U,on the Intel HD 4400 GPU have enough with 512 Mb for the games.(Not as powerful as much RAM sue)
Is my opinion.
Sorry for my english Orren.
Greetings.
Is my opinion.
Sorry for my english Orren.
Greetings.
Thanks for your help! Love the benchmark tests as well, they are really helpful.
