Asking suggestions about settings for gtx 980m

[simonsnow]

Asking suggestions about settings for gtx 980m

I read a number of Witcher 3 benchmarks suggesting gtx 980 could perform average 58-62 fps at high graphic setting + postprocess all on + hairwork off. But mine is somewhat 54-60 fps. Some places are even 45-50 fps. I suspect it has something to do with my drivers. I use GeForce game ready driver version 361.43 for 980m and Intel graphic driver version 20.19.15.4312 for my Intel HD graphic 530 card. Are my drivers up to date? Or is it other problems?

 

[Lieste]

The 980M is not quite the same as the 980. It is a lower TDP, lower performance version for mobile devices. An excellent option, but not the full equal of a full sized card.

The difference in performance looks to be in order for the relative raw performance at first blush. (Memory size and clock, and CPU also impact frame rate, and these are often lower on mobile devices to improve the power/temperature performance of the mobile device).

 

[plzlol]

There are several version of 980 for laptop:
- the 980M was released in 2014 and is pretty good in terms of performance especially for a laptop, equivalent to a 960 or 970 desktop.
- the 980 (NOT M) laptop version, released a bit later last year and much closer to the desktop equivalent
Depending on which version you have you can activate more or less features. Your configuration is pretty good and you achieve 60fps (max). If you need to be constant 60fps (min), there are several guides on google that you can check to see which option will gives you fps boost while not compromising too much on visual quality.
Your drivers seems up to date, and BTW, intel drivers have nothing to do with 3D games because you will render using the nvidia card.

 

[SigilFey]

I read a number of Witcher 3 benchmarks suggesting gtx 980 could perform average 58-62 fps at high graphic setting + postprocess all on + hairwork off. But mine is somewhat 54-60 fps. Some places are even 45-50 fps. I suspect it has something to do with my drivers. I use GeForce game ready driver version 361.43 for 980m and Intel graphic driver version 20.19.15.4312 for my Intel HD graphic 530 card. Are my drivers up to date? Or is it other problems?

Your performance is surprisingly great, actually. I'm running a desktop GTX 980 ti and get roughly the same performance as you're describing at Ultra settings, Hairworks OFF. In general, most "m"obile versions of GPUs can put out about 75% of the power of their desktop equivalents.

That seems to be screaming performance for a laptop. What's the make/model?

 

[simonsnow]

Your performance is surprisingly great, actually. I'm running a desktop GTX 980 ti and get roughly the same performance as you're describing at Ultra settings, Hairworks OFF. In general, most "m"obile versions of GPUs can put out about 75% of the power of their desktop equivalents.

That seems to be screaming performance for a laptop. What's the make/model?

Nothing special, just Alienware 15 R2 with 980m. I hope Witcher 3 can be more optimized in the future. I can get 50- fps when surrounded with water (Ford in White Orchard for example) and stable 60 fps in the somewhere of Novigrad, and there is a clear visual difference with there fps. But Witcher 3 is more than awesome as it is, so nothing to complain.

 

[SigilFey]

Nothing special, just Alienware 15 R2 with 980m. I hope Witcher 3 can be more optimized in the future. I can get 50- fps when surrounded with water (Ford in White Orchard for example) and stable 60 fps in the somewhere of Novigrad, and there is a clear visual difference with there fps. But Witcher 3 is more than awesome as it is, so nothing to complain.

If the varying FPS is bugging you, use NVInspector to lock the frames at 50. As long as there is no big shift in FPS (about 5 FPS up or down), the game will feel like it runs smoothly everywhere. It's the sudden dip from 60 all the way down to 50 you're noticing, whereas 45-50 is actually quite smooth.

That's what I'm doing with Fallout 4 right now, anyway. Got it locked at 50 FPS: lowest 49.32 / highest 50.02. Melted butta.

 

[thelostdunmer]

Don't install the latest nvidia geforce driver 361.43. It has serious performance problems with Witcher 3 patch 1.12. I reverted to 359.06 because with the latest driver noticeable lag is evident to a point it's no longer playable.

Don't forget to delete your old witcher 3 settings, and do some tweaking like transferring physx to cpu and disabling nvidia streamer service, nvidia network streamer service, shadow play.

And tone down your postprocessing to low with just images sharpening a notch up. I'm playing on an old three year old rig gtx 560 ti and dual-core 3rd gen I3 3220 just fine. In fact I'm on my 6th playthrough pending blood and wine.

 

[SigilFey]

If 980 users are having issues, I recommend rolling back to 353.30 or 355.82.

I'm using the latter (mostly because...other games...:blushing But 353.30 gave me the best overall performance of any driver so far for my GTX 980 ti.

EDIT: You know...by "other games", what I really mean is: Batman: Arkham Knight. And I don't know why I'm so fixated on this game...I haven't played it in weeks...but I'm somehow locked in the mindset that I MUST finish it. And every time I boot it up, I end up wasting soooooo much time just aimlessly picking fights with mobs of rioters...

...never get anything done.

 

[Mugsey]

Hi All,
Simon (or anyone else) I seem to have the same machine as you but cannot get the game to stop crashing. If you would be kind enough post your settings or direct me to another source I would be thankful. I am running an Alienware 15 r2 gtx 980m, windows 10. I am not a tech person but have updated the Bios and graphics card drivers. Done many of the things that were mentioned in the main post (turned off Nvidia add on etc.) Any help would be great. Thanks to any and all
Mugsey