NP8954 GTX 1070 MAX-Q --> GTX 1070 UNLOCK

Here I am, back at it again! So, I returned my Acer Predator as I was just not happy with it. I ended up buying the Sager NP8954 with it's i7-8750h/GTX 1070 MAX-Q, I put 16gb of DDR4 3000 in it, along with a 960gb SanDisk SSD, and a LiteOn 512gb NVME.

Now, they have finally updated nvflash to flash Pascal, although we can't flash modified bioses in windows for Pascal yet, I found something quite interesting. So, our vbios are approx 166 KB, which are very different from 9/10ths of all GTX 1070 bioses. I believe all MAX-Q bioses are 166 KB, but most GTX 1070 bioses are 255 KB. But, after doing quite the bit of research I have found a couple computers that have full GTX 1070 bioses, in 166 KB form.

The best part, is that I found one from an Alienware r15, and this one is modified from Dell from the factory. The GTX 1070 has a TDP limit of 115 watts from most manufacturers, but from Alienware, it has a TDP limit of 125 watts I found in the mobile Pascal vbios editor. Fantastic, that is more than enough for the cooling systems of our laptops.

The computer still thinks it is a MAX-Q chip, but if you take a look at my GPU-Z screenshots, that will show otherwise. My now default clocks are 1480 default and 1695 boost. Factory on the MAX-Q is 1215 default and 1379 boost. Superposition benchmarks now show full 1070 performance. On top of this, our vbios have the lighter 80 watt TDP version. I have found the 90 watt TDP version as well, flashed and works too.

I have no problems keeping it cool running the Alienware bios at 125 watt TDP. I also run my i7 undervolted by -150mv and run hyperthreading off. I picked up a couple fps from that too.

If you choose to do what I did, you may only do so at your own risk as I am not responsible for any problems or damage that your computer may have.

Flashing was super easy, you have to use the modified version of nvflash you can get from here with board ID mismatch disabled, as it does think you are flashing the wrong bios. https://www.techpowerup.com/download/bios-modding/

And I used this bios https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/205682/205682 to flash my card to a full GTX 1070 with the 125 watt TDP.

https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/206356/206356 GTX 1070 MAX-Q 90 watt TDP (stock clocks 10 watt upgrade)

https://www.techpowerup.com/vgabios/205176/205176 GTX 1070 115 watt TDP (real GTX 1070 clocks)

Now once again, I have not tested any others besides the Alienware and the 90 watt TDP Max-Q bios on my computer, and if you choose to do anything with your computer I am not responsible if anything goes wrong.

I am still kind of a noob on this forum, being off and on. If the links aren't allowed, just let me know! This should be big, and not only for just us. In theory any max-q card can be flashed to a real GTX 1070 now.

 

Warning for people,
doing the same as OP will likely kill your notebook over time. The VRM's cannot hanndle 125W TDP over longer periods of time and will likely burn, much like the Gecube cards.

 

Yes, that's part I'd the reason a prema boos was scrapped IIRC. Some work to the VRM cooling at least is worth looking at.

 

I have taken a look at cooling measures, and all VRM's are under the factory cooler. I have done a couple modifications, along with fresh paste and fresh pads. I am currently looking into how to undervolt along with flash modded bioses so we can undervolt.

 

The GPU is designed to work with the power budget. Undervolting would result in higher performance but still at the new power target.

 

That is true. I have now found my max undervolt using MSI afterburner, so I will see how things roll over the next few weeks. I also turned hyperthreading back on, as now with the 125w bios it is restricting the CPU from the max system wattage. Gained another 150 points in Superposition.

 

Just keep a close eye on it.

 

Not just VRM's, due to bigger load your capacitors can blow up like on the gecube card. As I said, you boosted the TDP well beyond the specs and breaking your notebook is very likely going to happen in a couple of months, same with all the gecube cards.

 

I want to flash a modified Vbios of my 1070 which is set to 150watt tdp from 125 as its power limiting almost all the time
is there anyway to bypass the system in Nvflash?? tried a couple didn't work

 

The files can be modified yes, but they can't be flashed yet without a hardware programmer until a certificate check bypass version of nvflash is released for Pascal.