Thinkpad W520 windows 7 performance questions [ Edited ]

[adrianTNT]

Hello.

I am using W520 for some months now and I have to say I am dissapointed with the performance.

I was wondering if there are any tips on improving performance, or maybe this laptop model (or operating system) is known for lower performance.

What I mean is that computer feels unresponsive, opening windows on screen, opening programs, even opening start menu, everything seems delayed especially when compared to my previous desktop computer; 

Previous computer I used was a desktop with core 2 duo Intel (vs i7 lenovo), 2 GB of ram (vs 8 GB on lenovo), 1GB video card (vs 2GB video card on lenovo), all specs are much higher and the responsivness is much worse. I am dissapointed.

It usually performs worse in gaming too, I don't think it should with these specs even if is not a desktop.

Previous computer was running Windows XP pro 32 bit, could this be the only thing that makes a huge difference? 

What I am sure is that I absolutely hate windows 7, that is becase it feels slower and there is no new feature that I like when compared to XP, there are many things I do not like (e.g. the way it handles task bar items).

I tried XP 64 bit on it for a short while, performance was somehow better in windows but I ran into some drivers problems.

My level of dissapointment is this: I am ready to install windows XP 32 bit which only detects 3 GB of ram out of the 8 GB, because I am sure it will run much smoother.

Any advices? Maybe someone with similar model could compare my Windows Performance details with theirs ?

W520 Specs details

--------------------------- 

Windows 7 pro 64 bit

2760QM 2.4 Ghz

8 GB ram

Nvidia NVQ1000M GR (2000MB video memory)

4270CT (motherboard ?!)

 

Edit: I chnaged the graphic cards in bios, it was set to the mode where it detects and automatically slects from integrated graphics and the nvidia card, now I set it to "discrete graphics" which means "always use nvidia" from what I understand.

The Aero desktop performance increased from 5.8 to 6.7, now the HDD is lowest:

[Djembe]

The different operating system could definitely affect the different feel of the system. XP is much less demanding than Windows 7 in terms of system requirements and software footprint. While I found Windows 7 more responsive than XP on my previous computer, I'd imagine that different people have different experiences in that regard.

The piece of hardware that makes the biggest difference in system responsiveness is the storage drive. If you get an SSD, it will make your system feel much faster.

Regarding gaming performance, desktop graphics cards are more powerful than notebook graphics cards, and you got the lower graphics option for your W520. In order to improve gaming performance for your system, you'd have to attach an external graphics card via ExpressCard or swap the motherboard for one with the 2000M (or buy a new system).

[adrianTNT]

Thanks for the reply.

Is the HDD really that much of a difference when it somes to normally using the Windows Explorer interface? 

Note that I edited initial post and after I edited video card options in bios the smallest score is given by HDD indeed. Could this be the problem with the responsiveness feel ?

I got it with 320GB HDD7200RPM Seagate and soon I upgraded to same model/rpm but 750GB.

Will it make a very big difference if I get a SSD for Windows and put the larger one in the CD-rom slot?

[theflyingwing]

Hi adrianTNT!

I was a little bit dissapointet too when I first got my W520 but only a little. But after I did a clean install of an slimed down and tweaked Windows 7 I was very happy even at maximum battery setting. You know there is lot of "waste" software installed on the original one and you can only completly get rid of it if you do a reinstall.

Also if you can manage to get yourself a mSATA SSD or a bigger 2.5" SSD (instead of your HDD) you will see a real speed increase, as mentioned before.

My WMI with only the HDD in Oct.2011 was:

CPU:                       7,5

Memory:                 7,6

Grafics:                  5,3

Gaming Grafics:  6,9

Storage:                5,9

With my mSATA and new Intel Grafics Drivers:

CPU:                       7,5

Memory:                 7,6

Grafics:                  5,5

Gaming Grafics:  6,9

Storage:                7,8

[adrianTNT]

 @theflyingwing can I get more details on your exact HDD, I see you got 7.8 and score 7.9 is max I think.

[ColonelONeill]

If you really wanted to use an XP-era system and still have access to more RAM without using XP64, then try Server 2003.

As for the lag, try running

C:\windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\ngen.exe executequeueditems

Maybe there are uncompiled .NET binaries, especially after Windows Updating after a clean install.

You might want to check if your CPU is being throttled, or isn't able to achieve full frequency (this will happen if you have the battery detached).

FWIW, on my Scorpio Black, Photoshop CS5 x64 cold loads in 8 seconds, warm loads in 3. Acrobat X/Word/Excel/PPT 2010/Maxthon load in < 1 second.

Also curious, what's your AV solution?

[SSDee]

@adrian

The biggest performance boost will come if you get an SSD. It is like day and night.

[Djembe]

Typically, higher-capacity hard drives run faster than lower-capacity hard drives due to increased data density. However, SSDs are considerably faster than even the fastest hard drive, and they will make your system feel much more responsive than the same system with a hard drive. if you use an SSD as a boot drive, you can definitely keep all your other data on a large secondary drive in the ultrabay if you like.

[adrianTNT]

@SSDee I will have a look at SSD drives then, as soon as I get some cash

@ColonelOneill the command C:\windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\ngen.exe executequeueditems said All compilation targets are up to date, I am guessing that part is ok.

Photoshop CS5 x64 loads in 5-6 seconds, I don't have any of the other programs.

Today I also checked the CPU settings in BIOS I think that is what you meant by CPU being throttled, I use it without battery and for cable it was set to performance/un-limited.

AV, you mean antivirus? I use Microsoft Security Essentials because it seems relatively easy on the system.

About SSD... if you get tons of ram, isn't that supposed to make the HDD speed a bit less relevant ? Because it is supposed to have the system cached in ram memory, or not ? I thought the HDD speed only makes a difference when copying/moving or booting.

This unresponsiveness that I feel might be related to keyboard/mouse, sometimes mouse is not smooth when something light is processed, like the system would be at full load but it is not. Do I make sense ?!

[ColonelONeill]

Are you on a 135W adapter? It may throttle the CPU if you don't have the battery attached.

Since you're on a hard drive, give it a full defrag pass using Windows or your favourite defragger.

As for RAM and HDD, they're generally distinct performance metrics; having one won't much help the other. I run a RAM+SD card caching scheme on mine, which lets me preload a lot of stuff onto an SD card and into system RAM to help the drive. A lot cheaper than an SSD, a lot more capacity, and without the exposure to the risk of an SSD dying in a bizarre way.