Horrible Lag on Alienware

**Swiss Bob** · August 19, 2012, 10:30 AM

I recently bought an AlienwareM14x, hoping to play Shogun 2 as well as many other games that my previous system could't handle. So far they have all worked great, except Shogun 2.
I have every single graphics option set to lowest (including screen res, texture quality, unit detail, shadows are off, etc.) except for unit size which is set to ultra... and if even one unit is on the screen it lags horribly. so much so that it is pretty much unplayable. The GFX settings are so low that the game looks worse then Rome... and it performs awful.
I'm baffled as to what causes this... as Medieval 2, Empire and Rome run crystal smooth on high-highest settings. I've spent hours looking for reasons online and haven't been able to find anything that's worked, so I decided to just post. Anyone have any answers/input?

**irishron** · August 19, 2012, 10:38 AM

Post your dxdiag.

**Swiss Bob** · August 19, 2012, 11:00 AM

Right.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

**A Barbarian** · August 19, 2012, 01:07 PM

S2 probably uses the wrong graphics card. I guess u have a built-in Intel and a discreet one.

**irishron** · August 19, 2012, 02:07 PM

No dedicated graphics card is why. Everything including graphics is going through the i5.

**Swiss Bob** · August 19, 2012, 02:29 PM

Ok thanks for response!

So... what are my options?

**irishron** · August 19, 2012, 02:31 PM

You have none unless Alienware has an ugrade policy to add a dedicated graphics card.

**Swiss Bob** · August 19, 2012, 02:56 PM

Oh ok.... Bummer.

Is this problem gonna be present with Rome II?

**irishron** · August 19, 2012, 03:04 PM

The way CA keeps upping the graphics with each new release, I'd plan on worse.

**Arandir83** · August 19, 2012, 04:11 PM

Alienware definetely HAS dedicated gaming graphics card. I bet the game is just not using them. That's why other games run fine.

I have heard of other people having issues with alienware about the game not using the gpu but the cpu instead, for graphics.

There must be a fix, simple fix, for that, because I bet money your laptop has a dedicated graphics card.

**irishron** · August 19, 2012, 04:42 PM

It's not in the dxdiag.

If it does not show up under Display Devices, It will most of the time show up under System Devices. What is it supposed to have according to your bill of sale listing all the components you paid for?

**vinh834** · August 19, 2012, 05:37 PM

Woah, even though Alien-ware is not the best out there price wise, it at least has to have a dedicated GPU

**Crazyeyesreaper** · August 19, 2012, 10:21 PM

not really the cheaper Alienwares just use HD graphics seen it on alot of the cheaper smaller variants, checking in device manager may list the GPU if its their under Display Adaptors

you should see Intel HD family or w.e and if their is an unknown device then you have another GPU its just missing a driver if you see nothing than all you have is the Intel HD series which is pretty much garbage.

**Stellarnight** · August 19, 2012, 10:48 PM

Hi mate

I have an Alienware m14x myself and i can play Shogun 2 on Ultra Settings.

I would suggest the following things to try:
1) Upgrade your Nvidia Card to the latest Version as on the Nvidia Website itself.
http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

2) Upgrade your Sound Drivers as well as the Intel HD drivers.

3) Make sure your Battery Option is not on Power-saver. Click on the Battery symbol on the bottom right of your taskbar and make sure it is set to Balanced.

4) Go into your steam folder and locate the Shogun 2.exe. Right Click on it, and highlight the "Run with Graphic Processor" and choose "High-Performance Nvidia Processor"

5) If you have not updated Shogun 2 to the latest patch, do so. An older Version Shogun 2 did have problems with Optimus Tech Cards which the Alienware 14x uses.

6)Lastly, right-click on your desktop and click on Nvidia Control Panel.
On the left Panel, you should see the tab "3D Settings" (If you dont, that means you have not upgraded your drivers)
Click "Manage 3D settings from the drop menu" and then select "Program Settings" tab.
Add the "Shogun 2.exe" from your steam folder and then make it use the Nvidia Processor.

Thats all i can give you. I hope it works for Shogun 2 is a brilliant game!

**Crazyeyesreaper** · August 19, 2012, 10:52 PM

yea probably Optimius tech screwing things up now that i think back this isnt the first time ive heard of it causing issues.

**Arandir83** · August 20, 2012, 08:18 AM

Yes, that is what has happened to many other people.

As Crazyeyesreaper says, it's not the first time

**Superghostboy** · August 20, 2012, 09:12 AM

Why you dont told us the model number of your Alienware M14X?

For example: Item model number: AM14X-5283SBK

Under that number is to see easy if you have a Nvidia Geforce or not! Or use System Tools like GPU-Z to see if a other Graphiccard is build in!

**Histle** · August 21, 2012, 11:13 AM

Yup, you need to know exactly what kind of graphics adapter you have. If you have only onboard graphics, you're going to have a hard time running any modern games, and it will only get worse as time goes on, because they are constantly upgrading graphics to keep people buying new hardware!

**last_name_left** · September 01, 2012, 07:58 PM

If you have a discrete GPU you should have NVidia panel in 'Control Panel', which has an option to 'select adapter for each program'.

Once that is switched on, you can right click any .exe and choose which GPU (gfx) to use - intel or ...probably GeforceM or something. Choose GeforceM, innit.