*OFFICIAL* M17x R3 Owner's Lounge Thread - Part 3

[bahnzii]

+1
I'm looking for a 580m and the updated heatsink.
Do we have to order OEM from Dell or can we use the Clevo cards and flash to Dell bios?? Any discount Dell parts suppliers??
It seems we need to use the Dell backplate from what I've read.

[bigtonyman]

+1
I'm looking for a 580m and the updated heatsink.
Do we have to order OEM from Dell or can we use the Clevo cards and flash to Dell bios?? Any discount Dell parts suppliers??
It seems we need to use the Dell backplate from what I've read.

yea that's what it seems like. I really need to find a 6990m heat-sink because it looks like my 460m heat-sink was causing it not to be detected.

[ravenite72]

Does any one where I can get thermal pads and the little nylon washers for the heatsink? Should thermal pads be used on video cards? Thanks

[bigtonyman]

Does any one where I can get thermal pads and the little nylon washers for the heatsink? Should thermal pads be used on video cards? Thanks

you should be ok with the stock ones. but you can get aftermarket ones to replace them and it might lower the temps on your gfx card a bit idk.

[BlakeE450]

My M17x r3 appears to simply run hotter than everyone elses I've seen. I've had Dell replace the GPU twice, the fans twice, the heatsink twice, and the processor twice (although the second time was a free upgrade they gave to me). I've also had them repaste both the GPU and the CPU each time they've come to service the machine. They also replaced the white pads under the GPU every time it needed to be removed.

My point is, the GPU simply runs hot. I'm aware that this is pretty much a given with this high-end hardware, but it shouldn't get hot enough for the card to freak out and clock the core down to precisely 73MHz (from being 620MHz). (If anyone is curious about that temperature, it's 78C exactly.) The effects of this drastic downclocking would be obvious.

My solution to keeping the system from reaching that temperature (which it would normally do within 5-10 minutes of anything GPU intensive) has been to use my iPad's Smart Cover in "triangle-form" to prop up the back of the machine for superior airflow. Other than that, using the machine on my lap has also seemed to work, as my legs are rather scrawny and don't prevent airflow.

However, these two solutions aren't always practical or options in the first place - so I'd like do to something to solve the issue the right way; by doing what I can internally to lessen the heat-production of the GPU as much as possible without compromise to performance.

To my knowledge, the only way to do that would be to repaste with a better thermal compound, and change the pads underneath the actual GPU. If there's anything else that can be done, I'd love to hear it!

What are the best (being most heat-preventative) thermal compounds and pads avalible?

I couldn't tell you what brand is already in the machine currently for either the pads or the compound... but I'd imagine it's whatever Dell supplies its on-site technicians with.

Thanks!

[Mechanized Menace]

I can recommend Tuniq TX-4 and FujiPoly High Performance Thermal Pads .5MM.

I have achieved amazing temps with the above. TX-4 can be a little difficult to apply, but I just leave it near a light bulb for 20 minutes then spread it with the included card it's pretty thick so it will look like you are putting to much on. Also, You should find out what size thermal pads if it is .5mm or 1.0mm.

Fujipoly High Performance Thermal Pads 1.0MM

I used this video as a guide.

[inap]

yea that's what it seems like. I really need to find a 6990m heat-sink because it looks like my 460m heat-sink was causing it not to be detected.

do you have a picture of the heatsink, i've tried a few versions and they all perform about the same for me. i think i have a spare heatsink of the 6990 that i will sell off soon if your interested.

[BlakeE450]

I can recommend Tuniq TX-4 and FujiPoly High Performance Thermal Pads .5MM.

I have achieved amazing temps with the above. TX-4 can be a little difficult to apply, but I just leave it near a light bulb for 20 minutes then spread it with the included card it's pretty thick so it will look like you are putting to much on. Also, You should find out what size thermal pads if it is .5mm or 1.0mm.

Fujipoly High Performance Thermal Pads 1.0MM

I used this video as a guide.

Thank ya!

I'll go about getting those two items and I'll report back with my temperature differences.

[bigtonyman]

do you have a picture of the heatsink, i've tried a few versions and they all perform about the same for me. i think i have a spare heatsink of the 6990 that i will sell off soon if your interested.

no I don't but I had to send my 6990m back because I thought it was dead because the laptop couldn't detect it. The seller put it in both an m17x r-3 and an m15x and the card functioned fine I really don't know what the differences are between the heatsinks, but that's the only thing that I could come up as the issue. somebody was having a similar issue and when dell replaced the heatsink it worked fine. ill post a pic of my heatsink and maybe somebody with a 6990 could compare theirs to mine.

[inap]

i have 2 different models that i can take a pic for you to help compare. but i they both look the same to me when i take the black tape off the heatsink. i should have some pics up in 30 mins or so.