Alienware M15x Having Performance Issues?

[Charles P. Jefferies]

Alienware M15x Having Performance Issues?

One of our forum members has discovered a possible problem with the Core i7-powered Alienware M15x. Under full load, the notebook apparently throttles the graphics card which reduces overall performance. Lowering the screen brightness to minimum while under full load eliminates the issue, indicating it may be a problem of the power adapter not supplying enough power.

Forum Link

[ZT3000!]

Dell seems to be having a lot of issues with CPU and GPU throttling across their line of high end computers. Which is unfortunate because I'm really considering a Studio XPS16 because it's one of the few laptops that combines a nice blend of horsepower and high-resolution screens. I've read accounts on the Studio XPS subforum of annoying GPU throttling during gaming cropping up with ATI 4670 equipped with both Core2Duo and i7 processors. Undervolting the C2D, applying quality thermal paste to the heatsinks, and using more powerful power supplies are issues that people should not have to be putting up with in regards to a brand new computer.

[TehSuigi]

Some of us Acer users have been dealing with throttling issues since May 2008, but do we get any press? Nooo....
We also haven't gotten any fixes yet.

[Phinagle]

Acers aren't selling for over $3000 USD and being billed as top of the line performance machines.

[Purlpo]

lol... the Precision M6500 can have a 100(!!!) watt videocard, core i7 55 watt processor, and three harddrives. I wonder what will happen to it.

[Soulsaber]

lol... the Precision M6500 can have a 100(!!!) watt videocard, core i7 55 watt processor, and three harddrives. I wonder what will happen to it.

Melt
(not enough words)

[Phinagle]

lol... the Precision M6500 can have a 100(!!!) watt videocard, core i7 55 watt processor, and three harddrives. I wonder what will happen to it.

Wrong thread?

[Wolfpup]

Hope that's a fluke, as I thought the new m15x was supposed to be well built/cooled.

As far as I'm concerned EVERY computer should be able to run its components at full blast 24/7 with no issues if desired. The idea that computers are sold with hardware with certain supposed specs that can't actually be used is ludicrous to me, yet I've seen people defend it (note I'm not at all singling out this systems, which As far as I know is much BETTER than average-just notebooks in general.)

It's like if a notebook can't actually run (for example) a Geforce 260 and Core i7 820 at full blast, then ship it with lower end parts it CAN run. It's dishonest and weird at best IMO.

My Asus n80nv gets pushed HARD and has been for almost 10 months-running both the CPU and GPU at 100% for roughly 18 hours a day, and it doesn't care...which is as it should be.

[ZT3000!]

I think it's pretty bad that these computers performance jumps around so wildly while gaming, from super-fluent to slide show as the CPU and GPU clocks jump all over the place.

My old Asus G1s didn't have this problem, it just ran full tilt until the GPU melted off the motherboard.

[Angelic]

At least the Sager doesn't have this problem.