Thinkpads Forum

I've heard online that some people have been recieving W500's with the HD 3650 instead of the v5700. Are those cases relatively isolated, or are they a widespread problem with the new systems? I'm thinking about getting the W500, but I want to get the specs i pay for.

They are essentially the same chip. The 5700 has a few extra OpenGL features enabled and a special ISV certified driver. Since they are basically the same part - lots of tools report that the 5700 is a 3650 - but it's not.

Someone in another thread said that the V5700 is shipping with Radeon drivers.

That is a crock! I need CAD drivers because I plan on using the W500 for heavy CAD applications!

Paul386 wrote:Someone in another thread said that the V5700 is shipping with Radeon drivers.

That is a crock! I need CAD drivers because I plan on using the W500 for heavy CAD applications!

i doubt radeon drivers would even install without modification.   i know nvidia locked down their cards years ago and would be surprised if ATI was any different.

erik wrote:

Paul386 wrote:Someone in another thread said that the V5700 is shipping with Radeon drivers.

That is a crock! I need CAD drivers because I plan on using the W500 for heavy CAD applications!

i doubt radeon drivers would even install without modification.   i know nvidia locked down their cards years ago and would be surprised if ATI was any different.

gaming drivers have always installed on a workstation card but not the other way around (you cannot install workstation drivers on a gaming card). I don't think ATI is worried about people buying the more expensive workstation card and then using it for gaming....

My driver version is 8.503.2-080623a-066625C-Lenovo

Clearly a special build for Lenovo. Does anyone with a T500 have their driver number?

(Now that I look on support - there is only 1 driver)

Version 8.503.2-080623a-066625C

* (New) Initial release for ThinkPad R400,R500,T400,T500,W500.

There is an update - but I have not installed it yet.

admittedly, i've never tried to install 8800GT drivers with my FX 3700.   the only 3D "game" i play is solidworks 2008.

i haven't heard of the W500 coming with radeon drivers installed.   the discussion at forums.lenovo.com all talk about fireGL drivers.

erik wrote:admittedly, i've never tried to install 8800GT drivers with my FX 3700.   the only 3D "game" i play is solidworks 2008.

i haven't heard of the W500 coming with radeon drivers installed.   the discussion at forums.lenovo.com all talk about fireGL drivers.

I intend to use the W500 with CATIA V5R16 and V5R17. I am hoping for exceptional performance. The workstations I use at work have the Nvidia G41 which is equivalent to the FX5500 series gaming cards and came out quite some time again, but the CATIA performance is much better than my home PC which has a 8800GT. So it seems like the key is simply having those OpenGL drivers.