My Surface Pro 3 (i3) is underperforming and then some

[Tobias Hjorth]

Hi Forum

I plan to use this Surface Pro 3 i3 as a main Workstation. .

I upgraded from the Pro 1 i5 which when used as a stationary I ran in performance mode and as figured I would get around the same performance with this newer i3 profecessor this could be an easy upgrade.

Then the other day I noticed some lags. When I press a typefield I can start typing before anything happens on screen. A behavoir similar to when I noticed when my Surface Pro 1 was in what I named battery saver mode with only 50% performance.

The Pro 3 has only balanced mode so I'm using that and thought this would be a sweet spot between battery saving and performance.

My case is it's underperforming by quite a bit. I just ran 3dMark (Windows store version) and I get around 17-18k way below what it should do and almost a third of what my old Pro 1 would do.

I then ran SuperPI benchmark and managed 33 secs as results my overclocked computer could achieve 10 years ago. It should be at least 10 secs quicker at least. The Pro 1 got around 19 sec.
Am I missing something here? It's relativey Cold where I live and although the fan start running when I'm using my Youtube app I'm not sure the culprit is heat.

 

[VickiFL]

I purchased an i3, and after careful consideration, and using it for a little while, I decided the i5 would be a better choice. I was right. I can tell a big difference in speed, and I wanted to future proof my SP3 by having extra storage.

Maybe you should exchange your SP3 i3 for an i5?

 

[Tobias Hjorth]

Hi Vicki

Yeah I hear ya but that doesn't explain the low performance I'm getting.
With the 3dmark score I'm getting 17-19k it's around half of what it should be. I do acknowledge that the i5 is a faster processor but not by a factor of 3. It should be perhaps a bit faster, in performance mode one would'nt notice it too much I recon but this is just too vast of a span.
I mean 17k in 3D mark is around the same as I'm getting with my LG smartphone.

Edit: 3DMARK states the i3 Pro 3 should be around 34k

 

[VickiFL]

How long have you had this SP3? Can you take it into a Microsoft Store to have them diagnose what may be wrong?

 

[Tobias Hjorth]

I just noticed this CPU doesn't do Turbo Boost It that really why I feels that much slower. Question is can you unlock it?

 

[Tobias Hjorth]

Hi Again Vicky

There is no Microsoft Store in Denmark I'm affraid I bought it of a local dealer. Darn it I was going to use this professionally as my main computer for Adobe Lightroom.

 

[VickiFL]

The i3 doesn't have a turbo boost option, no.

Is there any way you can exchange it for a better processor, at least an i5?

 

[Liam2349]

I just noticed this CPU doesn't do Turbo Boost It that really why I feels that much slower. Question is can you unlock it?

I wouldn't recommend trying. This i3 is newer, but the i5 from the SP1 should perform better.

 

[raqball]

I came from an i5 to an i3 and honestly I notice no difference whatsoever.

I am not seeing any of the issues you are experiencing.

I read somewhere here that the i3 is rated at 80% of the i5 and I don't notice that 20% difference at all..

Typing on mime is fast and fluid and my fan only turns on after very, very heavy use..

 

[kundas1]

I think it might be a placebo affect? cuzz raqball isn't the only one who notices NO speed difference... I think the OP is just ASSUMING that there should be a speed differance

 

[GreyFox7]

According to Passmark aggregate Benchmarks for these CPUs is
i5 3317U = 3094
i3 4020Y = 2254 - 26%

 

[Tobias Hjorth]

Thanks for all your inputs.

Would you guys mind running the windows store 3dmark for me (i3 users) and post you result?

It's very noticeable even when Im managing my wordpress based site. The SP1 flew though, editing posts with very little lag. The Sp3 even in Chrome is sloow, java seems to be taking at least twice as Long.

But hey if my SP1 ran in turbomode when used as a desktop at 2.9ghz(?) and this only manages 1.5ghz it should be twice as slow give or take some and it feels like im literally using my 50% setting from the sp1.

Another thing where is noticeable is when pressing the start button on the installed classic shell, it takes a little for while it to load, perhaps a second. With the sp1 it was instant. Tried running my paint rendering program which seemed to take ages compared to what Im used to.

If it was 20% of the new Sp3 then fine, but this feels like 50% at least.