+ check latest stable driver update...

nope, you can just directly install... it gives you 2 options, one option will just do update... if something is not right after update, install with the option 2, it will remove and do clean install...

Actually, most of games will ask you to install the redistribution of the C++. I dont know why. Some will do seamlessly, some will launch another installer... it's normal...

For Assassin's Creed 3, I dont really remember... if you install from Steam, it'll install for you on the first run. but for uPlay, I can't exactly remember...

if you run it on 720p, I think I can guarantee you'll be able to run on the highest settings... I run on that setting with my Y580

ok, maybe not guarantee, but I think high likely you'll be able to run on highest settings...

This post has been edited by mrl: Mar 11 2013, 01:28 PM

your best bet is try to get into safe mode and see if still happen...

or get into task manager and see how's memory and cpu usage is being used...

I rarely check this thread nowadays too

and probably going to be busier once I'm back in Malaysia in a few more days... so, I'll pass....

it's the driver issue... I think Dota2 doesn't support SLI yet...

Right now I'm having issue with my wifi... looks like I'm hit with the issue now once I'm back in Malaysia and it only happen on Win8... I dont remember having this issue with Win7 before... signal reception sucks, speeds keeps on dropping... before this I put the router right beside the table the laptop is on so the signal is always strong... but now I'm back, the router is in the living room and I'm in my room... signal dropping, auto disconnect, speed dropping...

1. I would say CM Notepal U3/U2 is the best bang for bucks.
2. Maybe somebody else can answer this.
3. Stock RAM use 1600MHz. However, you can use 1333MHz, just that you won't be able to squeeze out the best performance out of it since they both will run at 1333MHz.
4.In summary, move your HDD to ODD bay.

Better procs only compare with old version... newer version used the same processor...

but yeah, heat, performance with SLI, Y580 is pawned quite hard actually...

I put my U3 fans right under the vents, one for fan intake vent, one for HDD vent, the other one right below the fan intake vent.

What's your OS? have you update the driver?

as few has mentioned, 5.9 is the lowest one (it's the HDD) and if you want to improve, you need to change the HDD to a better performance unit (or, SSD)

I dont think the framerate loss is from the hardware side. What's your OS? Have you update your driver? also, check if it's played under Intel's iGPU or nVidia. you can force it to run on nVidia too by going into nVidia control panel...

SSD is just like HDD but without any moving mechanical parts. It resides internally though if you fit it into external case, I think you still can use it (correct me if I'm wrong). Advantage of SSD is higher operating temperature (which is a big advantage for Y480/Y580 coz they have pretty high operating temperature) and a lot faster, like A LOT... oh, also you dont worry about your data if your laptop crashed (literally or software crash) coz no moving parts means no mechanical failure... though if you really crashed your laptop you might still want to worry about other hardwares...

brands recommendation, price range, I'll leave it to the experts...

maybe you turned it off accidentally... try check in device manager see if it's working... and also try to hit Fn+Esc...

uhuh... 5.9 is good already... my laptop scores 5.1... but that's win8... I dont know your OS and I'm pretty clueless on how to relate win8 scores vs win7 scores...

What I can suggest is, always force it to run on nVidia for a while... and see if it improves... other than that, update your driver...

as for codec, I would suggest CCCP as it confirmed does load some codec process into GPU... K-Lite doesn't do that AFAIK. If you still having problems, try to force it on nVidia...

and when I mentioned forcing it to run on nVidia, I dont mean specific settings for each apps but force it to run on nVidia globally...