GPU performance
Moving on to the GPU, where Trinity should perform better, the 'Radeon HD 7000-class' GPU does well. It's only fair to compare its performance against laptops that also feature an integrated GPU and doing so shows it to be much faster than the four Intel-powered laptops that each use HD 3000 Graphics. Indeed, it's faster than a discrete GeForce GT 525M, as found in the Dell XPS 15z.
The Radeon HD 7660G also puts up a good showing in Just Cause 2, hammering the Intel HD 3000 Graphics and keeping the discrete GeForce GT 525M and IGP-and-discrete HP Pavilion's graphics at bay. It takes a mid-class GeForce GT 555M mGPU to outdistance the performance exhibited by Trinity's integrated graphics.
We run only a few games in our regular laptop reviews. All samples are then returned to the manufacturer, and this means it becomes very difficult to provide additional numbers. However, looking further into Trinity's graphics performance we ran a number of extra gaming tests at the laptop screen's native resolution of 1,366x768. They're presented, below, in table format.
| Benchmark | Quality Settings | Performance Score |
|---|---|---|
| 3DMark 11 | Entry Preset | E1725 |
| Performance Preset | P1076 | |
| Extreme Preset | X376 | |
| Aliens vs. Predator | 1,366x768, Low, 0xAA, 4xAF | 29.8 fps |
| 1,366x768, Medium, 2xAA, 8xAF | 18.2 fps | |
| 1,366x768, High, 4xAA, 16xAF | 14.4 fps | |
| Battlefield 3 | 1,366x768, Low Preset | 28.6 fps |
| 1,366x768, Medium Preset | 23.8 fps | |
| 1,366x768, High Preset | 18.1 fps | |
| DiRT 3 | 1,366x768, Low, 0xMSAA | 62.0 fps |
| 1,366x768, Medium, 2xMSAA | 43.4 fps | |
| 1,366x768, High, 4xMSAA | 35.1 fps | |
| Just Cause 2 | 1,366x768, Low, 0xAA, 4xAF | 45.3 fps |
| 1,366x768, Medium, 2xAA, 8xAF | 30.0 fps | |
| 1,366x768, High, 4xAA, 16xAF | 17.6 fps |
All of the above-referenced games are playable at a healthy 1,366x768 resolution, though the amount of in-game eye candy will have to be adjusted to maintain playable framerates in some of the more demanding titles. For example, DiRT 3 is eminently playable with medium-quality settings, while AvP and Battlefield 3, and Just Cause 2 need to have their respective in-game detail turned down in order to maintain an acceptable frame-rate.