So my laptop arrived and I got everything installed. Played a test game for an hour and had the fps on It never went above 400.
@livingforwards If you want a more exact benchmarking you can use Fraps, play with it turned on for a while, then save and exit the game, open the .csv file that Fraps created and check the numbers.
Since 400 FPS is too high they will have be to lowered by turning on vsync, that will synchronise them to your monitors refresh rate which I believe is 60 on your computer. The monitors refresh rate is measured in Hz.
It would be interesting to see a DxDiag report on your computer first, you can find instructions how to do that in my previous post above. After it's finished you can upload all of it to Pastebin and put a link to it in your next reply.
I did find the dxdiag report yesterday and pasted it into a text note. I’m not home right now to get it from the laptop. I also found the NVidia CP and was able to set the frame rate to 600. Still couldn’t run all EPs without lag after that. Spent the rest of the evening adding 5 nraas mods and ellascharmed world.
I’ll share the dxdiag later when I can be on the laptop. The laptop is physically a bit bigger than I can manage so if I can’t get it to run smoothly then my husband wants to send it back and we’ll get me a desktop instead.
@livingforwards - I think there must be some misunderstanding here. The goal for capping the frame rate should be the refresh rate of your monitor. For your model laptop, that is going to be either 60 Hz or 144 Hz, so 60 or 144 fps (although if the latter, then it was also suggested to try 72 fps to see if there is a performance difference). Not 400 or 600, this is not a case where bigger/higher is better. To see your monitor's refresh rate, right-click on your desktop then Display settings > Advanced display settings and it should be one of about six things showing up there, the one measured in Hz.
The game running at way too high a frame rate is not only horrible for performance, but it can damage your system's hardware by making it work way too hard for no reason.
I did find the dxdiag report yesterday and pasted it into a text note. I’m not home right now to get it from the laptop. I also found the NVidia CP and was able to set the frame rate to 600. Still couldn’t run all EPs without lag after that. Spent the rest of the evening adding 5 nraas mods and ellascharmed world.
I’ll share the dxdiag later when I can be on the laptop. The laptop is physically a bit bigger than I can manage so if I can’t get it to run smoothly then my husband wants to send it back and we’ll get me a desktop instead.
@livingforwards Is 600 a typo? Did you mean to write 60 instead?
I think it would be better if you wait with adding third party content until you've got the computer in correct working order, with the right settings applied and proven to have taken effect.
Yes, gaming laptops tend to be a bit big and bulky. My 17" Asus ROG's are 2" thick and weigh around 10 pounds each.
I'm afraid a desktop computer will not be smaller, and I also think it's way too early to give up.
@livingforwards - I think there must be some misunderstanding here. The goal for capping the frame rate should be the refresh rate of your monitor. For your model laptop, that is going to be either 60 Hz or 144 Hz, so 60 or 144 fps (although if the latter, then it was also suggested to try 72 fps to see if there is a performance difference). Not 400 or 600, this is not a case where bigger/higher is better. To see your monitor's refresh rate, right-click on your desktop then Display settings > Advanced display settings and it should be one of about six things showing up there, the one measured in Hz.
The game running at way too high a frame rate is not only horrible for performance, but it can damage your system's hardware by making it work way too hard for no reason.
It's 60 for this laptop, answer from Acer representative/TeamAcer:
OMGOMGOMG Sorry guys, it was 600, I’ve altered it to 60 now and am rechecking the in game fps now. Hope I didn’t give anyone a heart attack! Laptop seems to have forgiven me and my carelessness at least. Luckily I didn’t play on it today yet.
So... in the NVidia control panel, the framerate is set at 60.
Last night the framerate in play stayed under 60. Graphics were the typical slightly choppy Sims 3 look but the game ran without issue and no fans starting up like we’re about to launch into hyperdrive.
Restarted the computer this morning.
Went to play my game this morning and the fan started up immediately. Graphics looked too impressively smooth to be true. Did the fps-on and it was ticking along at 400ish. Closed the game, checked the NVidia settings and it’s still on 60.
Looked at the Intel Graphics Command Center too, also found it was set to 60.
Restarted the computer again.
I’m not enjoying myself because my husband is pushing me to decide if I want to return the laptop. He’s a programmer who doesn’t game online, so he cannot help me re the graphics card. At least I knew the graphics card was important before we bought a gaming laptop. I prefer to not have his help with my computers so that I can keep up with tech changes a bit.
This afternoon I shall look through all the advise here again and start again.
Thanks again for being so willing to help me out here.
@livingforwards Are you playing in fullscreen or windowed mode? Vertical sync only works in fullscreen, although the max frame rate setting in the Nvidia CP should apply either way. If you'd like to play in windowed, or you just don't want to worry about fps running high, you can add another tool to force cap fps. Nvidia Inspector is one useful tool; screenshots and instructions are here, under the second spoiler:
If Inspector is a bit heavy for you, an alternative is RivaTuner Statistics Server, which only has a few options and works quite well. I've never had fps go over its limit while playing, at least not that I've noticed. Unlike the others, RTSS does need to be running while you play, so be sure to minimize it rather than Xing it out. The download is towards the bottom of the page here:
It's pretty easy to set up, but let me know if you need help. The one important thing to remember is to use TS3.exe for an Origin install or TS3W.exe (with the W) for a disc or Steam install.
@puzzlezaddict I think I’m there now. I play full screen, no other windows open, generally offline (no wifi, not just offline within the launcher - otherwise Origin continues to run after quitting the game).
I went back into the NVidia CP, the frame rate had reset to default even though the grayed out slider was at 60. I turned the vertical sync on, turned the frame rate back to 60 and now I am running the game with the 6 EPs I like best and the fps shows it’s staying under 60.
I’ll check again tomorrow as I want to have CAW installed and able to run too.
Thanks to everyone for sticking with me and helping.
So... in the NVidia control panel, the framerate is set at 60.
Last night the framerate in play stayed under 60. Graphics were the typical slightly choppy Sims 3 look but the game ran without issue and no fans starting up like we’re about to launch into hyperdrive.
Restarted the computer this morning.
Went to play my game this morning and the fan started up immediately. Graphics looked too impressively smooth to be true. Did the fps-on and it was ticking along at 400ish. Closed the game, checked the NVidia settings and it’s still on 60.
Looked at the Intel Graphics Command Center too, also found it was set to 60.
Restarted the computer again.
I’m not enjoying myself because my husband is pushing me to decide if I want to return the laptop. He’s a programmer who doesn’t game online, so he cannot help me re the graphics card. At least I knew the graphics card was important before we bought a gaming laptop. I prefer to not have his help with my computers so that I can keep up with tech changes a bit.
This afternoon I shall look through all the advise here again and start again.
Thanks again for being so willing to help me out here.
@livingforwards How do you do to bring up the Intel G. C. Center? Is it on the Start menu? Was it already installed on your laptop, or did you have to download it from Microsoft Store first, and install it yourself?
Here is an interesting article about the Intel Graphics Command Center at AnandTech. The fourth picture from the top shows where you turn on vsync (at the bottom of the picture). Does it look the same on your Intel G. C. Center?
Comments
@livingforwards If you want a more exact benchmarking you can use Fraps, play with it turned on for a while, then save and exit the game, open the .csv file that Fraps created and check the numbers.
Since 400 FPS is too high they will have be to lowered by turning on vsync, that will synchronise them to your monitors refresh rate which I believe is 60 on your computer. The monitors refresh rate is measured in Hz.
It would be interesting to see a DxDiag report on your computer first, you can find instructions how to do that in my previous post above. After it's finished you can upload all of it to Pastebin and put a link to it in your next reply.
Like this: DxDiag report Or without embedding it if you prefer that: https://pastebin.com/1qaLTDew
I’ll share the dxdiag later when I can be on the laptop. The laptop is physically a bit bigger than I can manage so if I can’t get it to run smoothly then my husband wants to send it back and we’ll get me a desktop instead.
The game running at way too high a frame rate is not only horrible for performance, but it can damage your system's hardware by making it work way too hard for no reason.
NRaas has moved!
Our new site is at http://nraas.net
@livingforwards Is 600 a typo? Did you mean to write 60 instead?
I think it would be better if you wait with adding third party content until you've got the computer in correct working order, with the right settings applied and proven to have taken effect.
Yes, gaming laptops tend to be a bit big and bulky. My 17" Asus ROG's are 2" thick and weigh around 10 pounds each.
I'm afraid a desktop computer will not be smaller, and I also think it's way too early to give up.
It's 60 for this laptop, answer from Acer representative/TeamAcer:
"This Nitro 5 laptop has a 60hz LCD panel."
Last night the framerate in play stayed under 60. Graphics were the typical slightly choppy Sims 3 look but the game ran without issue and no fans starting up like we’re about to launch into hyperdrive.
Restarted the computer this morning.
Went to play my game this morning and the fan started up immediately. Graphics looked too impressively smooth to be true. Did the fps-on and it was ticking along at 400ish. Closed the game, checked the NVidia settings and it’s still on 60.
Looked at the Intel Graphics Command Center too, also found it was set to 60.
Restarted the computer again.
I’m not enjoying myself because my husband is pushing me to decide if I want to return the laptop. He’s a programmer who doesn’t game online, so he cannot help me re the graphics card. At least I knew the graphics card was important before we bought a gaming laptop. I prefer to not have his help with my computers so that I can keep up with tech changes a bit.
This afternoon I shall look through all the advise here again and start again.
Thanks again for being so willing to help me out here.
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/16540301/#Comment_16540301
If Inspector is a bit heavy for you, an alternative is RivaTuner Statistics Server, which only has a few options and works quite well. I've never had fps go over its limit while playing, at least not that I've noticed. Unlike the others, RTSS does need to be running while you play, so be sure to minimize it rather than Xing it out. The download is towards the bottom of the page here:
https://www.guru3d.com/files-details/rtss-rivatuner-statistics-server-download.html
It's pretty easy to set up, but let me know if you need help. The one important thing to remember is to use TS3.exe for an Origin install or TS3W.exe (with the W) for a disc or Steam install.
I went back into the NVidia CP, the frame rate had reset to default even though the grayed out slider was at 60. I turned the vertical sync on, turned the frame rate back to 60 and now I am running the game with the 6 EPs I like best and the fps shows it’s staying under 60.
I’ll check again tomorrow as I want to have CAW installed and able to run too.
Thanks to everyone for sticking with me and helping.
@livingforwards How do you do to bring up the Intel G. C. Center? Is it on the Start menu? Was it already installed on your laptop, or did you have to download it from Microsoft Store first, and install it yourself?
Here is an interesting article about the Intel Graphics Command Center at AnandTech. The fourth picture from the top shows where you turn on vsync (at the bottom of the picture). Does it look the same on your Intel G. C. Center?