[Alienware 17R4 / 15R3] - Disassembly + Repaste Guide + Results

The 3M Super 33+ is the one to get as it is thinner and stretchier, while having the same temp rating of 105C as the thicker one.

My pleasure. Glad you found it helpful.

Cheers!

Absolutely. I have added some more pictures and will continue updating the OP. My goal was to get this guide up as soon as possible.

Still under construction.

 

Thank you really really appreciated!

 

I've repasted a quite of few laptops for people who also didn't want to haggle with it. PM me.

Very welcome! More to come...

 

You are awesome. Thanks for the detailed pics. Going to repaste mine later this week.
Btw, what is the sticker like surface at the second m.2 slot ?

 

I saw people posting the MB with 1080. There are 3 larger pipes, like what they use with 1060.

 

Can u post some pics of the mobo with 1080?

 

good work. thanks a lot.

 

Very welcome. As for the sticker like stuff it's just like this cloth like material stuff? Not sure exactly...

 

I noticed the same sticker on my board. The reason I'm asking is that I'm afraid that an additional m.2 drive might melt the material.

 

Ah...it should be okay, wouldn't worry about it.

 

If anyone want me to repaste their Alienwares (NY area), hit me up on PM and we'll work something out.

 

So i plan on doing this when i get mine, but does repasting with liquid metal void the warranty?

 

@iunlock how tick is the fan? is still 1cm ? are made by forcecon ?

 

It's probably for 1080 config


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

you can do watherver you want, if you dont damage your laptop, you dont void warranty

 

@Neal0790 or you are going to call Dell and tell them you used liquid metal paste ?? how the hek they are going to know you changed the thermal paste ?

 

Can someone explain why the voltage is so different? (Monitoring window, lower right)
In the stock paste (higher temp) snapshot, the voltage appears to be 1676.741 millivolts.
In the repasted (lower temp) snapshot, the voltage appears to be 569.5 millivolts.

Changing the paste should not change the voltage, should it? (Unless it creates a short circuit ...)

The lower temperatures seem due to the lower voltage, and thus less energy, not just due to the heat transmission of the paste.

 

You're safe. Also, the dell technicians they send out don't only work on Dell machines. They are just there to do their task. Unless you demolished your system, they're not going to call HQ and report that you repasted,

 

Lol no, but just in case the thing ****s the bed at some point after and i need to send it in or something just want to make sure there not going to tell me to go screw myself for messing with it.

 

Why don't the three heat pipes go allllll the way across into the fan on the left? Why do only two go through to it? Just curious.

 

Thanks. Sorry. I wasn't so much impatient as I was thinking I'm stupid and missed it!

 

Thank you, Brother. It's greatly appreciated by us all.

 

Looks like you got the massive improvement expected from proper assembly with high quality liquid metal thermal paste. Good job. It looks like the CPU core clocks are lower after repaste. I don't think it would hurt your overall demonstration of the improvement, just an observation.

I haven't read other posts yet, so you may have already answered... was the teardown as easy as you thought, or more of a pain in the butt than expected?

 

Maybe for 1080?

 

most likely

gpu side heatsink could also have a 3rd heatpipe soldered on top



also interesting note to take, the heatpipe config is reversed on this model compared to the r2/r3. now the gpu has a shared pipe instead of the cpu.

 

Indeed. Thanks...The repaste helped a ton. Removing that Dell toothpaste was so refreshing. As for the clocks, I went into BIOS and just set everything to factory default....I then opened up TS and that's when it started to get jumpy. However, as you've said the point of how much it improved is definitely noticeable and clearly displayed.

The tear down was much easier than than the R3, a little less tedious, but more convenient. The mobo still has to be lifted up to remove the two fan cables before removing the heat sink.

 

Haha all good and you're very welcome. The pleasure is mine.

Enjoy!

 

wow what a guide, thanks so much!

for the prying tools, do you need the plastic prick mentioned in the guide or will other bar-shaped pry tools work just as well?

 

Anything will work in ratio to your OCD tolerance levels ....

I would use something plastic and smooth as to not scratch up the laptop.

Thanks and glad you like it.

 

While everyone should get a plastic pick tool for their computer tool kit, in a pinch an old hotel room access card, expired credit card or a similar type of semi-rigid plastic card works well for separating parts with delicate surfaces you don't wish to scratch.

 

I'm in the new York area! I would greatly appreciate it. I don't know how to PM you, for I'm new to this forum.

 

You need a few more post to PM I think.

Click my name and there should be an option to "start a conversation".

 

My 15R3 w/ 1070 and HK is on its way to me. Based on what I've seen so far I feel repasting will be the way to go but I have zero experience with any of this stuff. I don't have any tools whatsoever. I'm willing to buy whatever tools work but I'm a little intimidated by the process. Even with the guide I still have a lot of questions. Do you expect the disassembly will be about the same for the R3? Is this liquid metal material a bad idea for newbies? Even with that electrical tape I still don't understand if there's a risk that the liquid will flow past the tape if the laptop is being transported and flipped sideways, in a backpack etc. Am I totally in over my head wanting to replicate this?

 

Good guitar pics work fine

I actually always used a screen protector application tool I've had for years (came with some sort of invisisield, I can't even remember what product)

 

@iunlock ,The results are great nice work !! not everyone can do a CLU repaste, Gelid should do work for the most of them, Also any info on the fans CFM rating ?
Please do a Fire Strike Ultra and check the GPU Wattage, we can get an Idea on the TDP of this 1070 card, Thanks.

 

if we can get a datasheet from sunon then most likely

 

I found this disassembly video on youtube. Its not very good! but i know a lot of people would wanna watch it.

 

just so i do this properly as it's my first time ever opening up a laptop...

1) what's the best way to apply gelid extreme to the die? i gather since it's not liquid metal, perhaps the amount/thickness/etc. may be different??

2) is electric tape recommended even if i'm not going to be using liquid metal?

3) will applying gelid extreme to the heat sink box in addition to the die improve thermals even more or should i be more conservative?

 

1) 1 thin line for Cpu and two for Gpu. 3/4 long!!

2) NO!!

3) Only Die!!

 

Put a thin line the length of the die on the CPU and on the GPU put a round dot about the size of a pea in the center of the die.

Electric tape is not necessary since Gelid is not conductive.

No need to apply to the heat sink. That's only for the liquid metal pastes.

Edit: Yeah. What @Papusan said.

The method (pea or two lines, etc.) is not as important as coverage. The main thing is to have enough to spread out and cover the entire die. Too much wastes money and makes a mess to clean up later. Not enough doesn't work.

 

They also make great pry (holding) tools...save them keys!

I'll have a video on the next repaste, which will be next week. Also I'll have one for the AW1080 the moment that arrives when it becomes available.

 

Will you make a video for the 15R3 as well?

 

I'll be the one doing that.

 

Great! I just bought a little laptop tool kit on Amazon. I think I probably need a lot more stuff but I'm excited. Look forward to seeing your video!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Yeah that's not an option for me yet. But once I'm able to start a conversation I will reach out to you. Thank you.

 

MoBo with GTX1080. From the Chinese youtuber 毛伸 who posts those series of reviews of 15R3 and 17R4 far before they are delivered to anyone.

 

Thanks. Nothing new. Same waste of space, 2 ddr, 1 nvme. Shame.

 

found the channel on yt but the one he disassembled is a 1070

 

This is the photo he gave me. Not from that video. U can see the difference from 1070 on this photo.

 

Today I was looking at materials to buy and i came across this, can we use this inplace of regular thermal pads, the conductivity ratings are in excess of 400 W/mk