[Dunhamzzz]

The latest driver for the Intel GMA 500 (Dell Mini 10 and Dell Mini 12) for Windows 7 has been released.

The update is available through a normal Windows update under "optional updates", if your mini is update like mine was, it will be at the top of the list of optional updates above about 3 dozen language updates I haven't installed.

This is the first driver release that is tailored for Windows 7 so greatly improves performance for Aero and related features. The graphics performance section of my Windows Experience Index went up to 4.1 after installing the update. However, I have to say, I am still unable to watch smooth Youtube HD on my Mini 10 with this update which is rather disappointing, and even though I apparently now have a high enough rating to use Windows Aero, I certainly didn't for very long as its still undesirably sluggish.

Feel free to post your Windows Experience ratings, as I have vastly different ones between my Mini 10 and my Mini 12 and I really don't think I should!

[Dunhamzzz]

Here are my WEIs, after the update. Both 10 + 12 have Atom Z530 and GMA 500, Mini 10 has HD screen which is the only difference hardware-wise besides the disks.

Mini 10 index:

Processor: 2.3
Memory: 4.4
Graphics: 4.1
Gaming: 2.5
Primary Disk: 5.2


Mini 12:

Processor: 2.2
Memory: 4.3
Graphics: 2.9
Gaming: 2.5
Primary Disk: 4.4

Overall is calculated b the lowest score for some bizarre reason.

[bsoplinger1]

Originally Posted by Dunhamzzz

The update is available through a normal Windows update under "optional updates", if your mini is update like mine was, it will be at the top of the list of optional updates above about 3 dozen language updates I haven't installed.

I case you don't know it, you can left click each of those languages and pick "hide update" and then you won't see them anymore

[bmcclure937]

Someone else posted this information this morning, not sure if you wanted to give them some credit as well...

They posted about 4 different threads on it within 3 minutes, so I merged the threads and I think they are now in General Discussion.

[adavis99]

Originally Posted by Dunhamzzz

The latest driver for the Intel GMA 500 (Dell Mini 10 and Dell Mini 12) for Windows 7 has been released.

The update is available through a normal Windows update under "optional updates", if your mini is update like mine was, it will be at the top of the list of optional updates above about 3 dozen language updates I haven't installed.

This is the first driver release that is tailored for Windows 7 so greatly improves performance for Aero and related features. The graphics performance section of my Windows Experience Index went up to 4.1 after installing the update. However, I have to say, I am still unable to watch smooth Youtube HD on my Mini 10 with this update which is rather disappointing, and even though I apparently now have a high enough rating to use Windows Aero, I certainly didn't for very long as its still undesirably sluggish.

Feel free to post your Windows Experience ratings, as I have vastly different ones between my Mini 10 and my Mini 12 and I really don't think I should!

Youtube is CPU not GPU intensive. Until flash is able to offload to a GPU, don't expect a graphics driver to improve video performance.

:cheers:

[wjones23]

will this help with not being able to use Directv2PC? As of now, this application states the video card drivers are not HDCP compliant.

Thanks and great site!

[sammyboy405]

not sure what im doing wrong.. but I cant get more than 1.9 on the index scale..

[noggin]

Originally Posted by adavis99

Youtube is CPU not GPU intensive. Until flash is able to offload to a GPU, don't expect a graphics driver to improve video performance.

:cheers:

Yep - improved GPU drivers only offer marginal improvements to Flash stuff at the moment, as unlike many other players, Flash is CPU decoded with no major H264/VC1/MPEG2 hardware acceleration from GPUs.

There have been demos of nVidia hardware Flash acceleration on the Ion platform recently - no idea if Adobe are working with Intel for their GPUs as well.

(The Ion with an Atom does a great job with 1080p Blu-ray and 1080i HDTV stuff, but currently struggles with even 720p Flash)

[holmes4]

When running the Windows Experience Index test, set the power profile to "High Performance", and it's best if you start this before the CPU has had a chance to heat up. Ventilation underneath helps a bit.

[xaktoman]

Well folks, think again. In fact, the GMA 500 is capable of simultaneous decoding of two (yes, two) 1080p streams, 3D graphics, and DirectX 10.1 – and all that in a 2.3W power envelope (at least in the US15W “Poulsbo� chipset).

Check it out:
The Truth About the Performance and Capabilities of Intel’s GMA 500

If what the Intel chumps said about Pine Trail not supporting 720p/1080p well is true, and if Intel's final GMA 500 drivers don't show us some serious improvement for Aero and vidz, I vote for a rebellion!