*OFFICIAL* Alienware m17 Owner's Lounge

I am running WinX update 1909 on BIOS 2.5.0. I have been told by Dell Support the temps are normal as long as it is not sustained but I'm pretty sure boiling temps are bad for everything.

 

I'm on 1903, and one BIOS version earlier, 2.4.1 I think. Can you check if downgrade would fix the TS issue?

 

Sorry for the late reply, I was able to downgrade my BIOS to 2.4.1 very easily and installed Intel XTU. Sadly the only options I can tweak are the turbo boost settings and it was limited to the time duration of the boost. I was not able to change the core voltage or the wattage of the CPU. Something I did notice, after I uninstalled XTU I noticed Alienware Command Center was no longer running my game profiles correctly. It also did not change my profile from Balanced to Performance. After a BIOS flash back up to 2.5.0, AWCC found I had a corrupted version of an overclock package and it reinstalled the OC controls which I later found was a lite version of Intel XTU (I found XTU software in the Windows\SysWOW64 folder). I think for now I will keep it stock and see what happens. If the thermals get to crazy I will just contact Dell. I have found under stock settings and using the Performance profile from AWCC my games are running at max settings and I am comfortable with the game play, the fans are the only set back as it sounds like my system is getting ready to fly away. Thanks again @etern4l for your suggestions and assistance.

On a unrelated question, does anyone have any suggestions for RAM upgrades. I purchased my system with 16GB with the hopes of getting 32GB later. Sadly I have not looked at or purchased RAM since 2002, as all of my Alienware laptops never needed RAM upgrades. Now I need to bump it up and I have no clue of which company is better than the other or what voltage of RAM to buy. Sorry to sound like a noob, but I feel better safe than sorry. Sadly I contacted Dell support and they tried to get me to buy their RAM which was gonna cost be $180 for a single 16GB DIMM. So aftermarket here I come.

 

Have you tried Throttlestop?

Get HyperX Impact 2666MHz 2x16GB. Need a matching pair. The memory is about 20% faster than what Dell supplies.

 

So not sure if this will work for everyone but I have found a way to keep my temps down during gaming. I have found if you change the max and min processor states in power settings to 99%, my temps remain in the high 70's to mid 80's with minimal performance drop. I am running a R1 with the i7 9750 and a 2070 GPU. For convenience I created a modified High Performance plan with the 99% changes and set my games to it in Alienware Command Center. I am also running the performance thermal theme to ensure the fans and hardware are running at max performance to avoid slow downs. For those who cannot undervolt, this may be an option for you. I have included pics below with temps and benchmarks. For now I only tested in Horizon Zero Dawn on max settings as it is the game I am playing now and wanted to have fun while testing. Eventually I will try this in 3DMark and other games to see if the temps remain low.

Power Settings Changed:


Horizon Zero Dawn Benchmark Max settings CPU at 100%


Thermals after 20 minutes of game play with max settings and CPU at 100%


Horizon Zero Dawn Benchmark Max settings with CPU at 99%


Thermals after 20 minutes of game play with max settings and CPU at 99%

 

With power plan put to 99%, you lose Intel turbo boost. A awful fix. Only useful if you have damaged fans and need your notebook to check emails.

 

BIOS 2.4.1 still has the Plundervolt mitigation. You need to roll back before then if you want to get undervolting back. I highly recommend Throttlestop over XTU, much better control over the CPU package.

 

I'm on the fence about getting an M17R3 for my son with either the i7-10875H or i9-10980hk. It would appear that the only difference is the base clock speed.

We were going to splurge on the 32GB model as there is no point in getting a "downsized" model you can't upgrade.

The other question was the value of the 4K display... For the minor amount of cost, it would appear to be a decent upgrade.

Lastly, do both the i7 and i9 get the newer heat pipes and cooling system? I thought they were the same no matter which model you go with.

We are sticking with the 2070 8GB (non-Super) as there are not enough benchmark number to tell us that we are going to suffer... and with the AGA, I'd rather put that $$$ towards the next gen system that would have a 3080 capability)

 

The "K" designator means the i9 can be overclocked as it has an unlocked multiplier. I don't believe you'll see any noticeable performance improvement with the i9. They both have the same number of cores, a 200 MHz difference in base clocks, and a less than 10% operational performance difference. I would imagine the price between the two is not so small. Looking at Dell's configuration page, the only benefit to purchasing the i9 would be access to the 2080 Super, which isn't worth it, in my opinion.

 

Agreed.

Depends on what you're son is into. Graphics design, content creation, or watching movies, the OLED is gorgeous. Gaming? It's a great display but not the same as a FHD high refresh rate panel. Also, and I'm not sure if this matters, but OLED displays drain the battery much faster than standard LED displays. If battery life and time away from the wall are important factors, you might want to look at these options closer.

The R3 models moved to a vapor chamber cooling solution, a significant improvement over the R1 and R2 models.

The 2070 is more than enough for gaming in today's market. I'd look harder at the AGA; it is a game changer that only Alienware offers. The difference between TB3 and PCIe x4 is worth it. A 10th gen Intel CPU won't be a bottleneck for a long time.