[Alienware 17R4 - GTX 1080] - Everything You Need to Know...Now and Later.

When you bend it, nobody will be able to tell that you did.

Actually the arm gets bent by screw pressure, so technically you're just adding more bending to an already bent surface.

 

Nice. You're gonna have temps like mine. Ice cold.

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HI guys,
Just wondering if it's true about dell releasing a Vbios for the 1080 that will unlock its full potential performance ?
Also what are you temps like,my GTX 1080 gets to 61 degrees under full load with Liquid ultra is this a decent temp , not really seen any one else posting so not sure?

 

What kind of full load? Sounds nice and cool to me

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I ran heaven benchmark for around 50 minutes is it true that dell with release a performance boost bios for the 1080?

 

Yes frank azor said this but I wouldn't hold your breath. May be released by end of this month

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Wtf?? The 1080p and 4k panel don't have gsync? But if the all manufacfurers includes gsync in this resolution since 2 years ago!!!

 

Then get QHD. 1080p is a stupid call with a gtx1080

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Stupid is qhd and 4k in 17,3 inch panel...

1080p witch 1080gtx = more perforance for more time, also a TN panel is cáncer nowadays.

All manufacfurers includes gsync in this resolution, alienware doesn't because they are stupid.

 

Was very appreciative to find this info before purchasing my 1080 A17. @iunlock will you PM me about me sending mine to you for pasting and tuning services? I'm too new to the site to pm you directly.

 

I disagree.

Just because one has a 4K panel doesn't mean that it is ran at 4K, nor do I even condone it unless it is for content creation type of work.

My native and go to resolution is QHD all around. I even run only QHD on my 4K external monitor as I prefer that over 4K. It is much preferred over a 1080p panel which IMO is old news.

I don't like being able to see pixels / pixelation of any kind. LOL...

Yes, having a 4K panel on a small screen with a gtx 1050 or something is a waste, but if the user is into watching 4k content...well I guess it'll do, but then again they should be buying a larger screen if watching 4K content right? LOL

I've seen some fantastic 1080p panels at 17.3" that are of the 120Hz breed with great color representation. Those are great for games and of course I'd take the faster FHD panel over a slower 4K panel for gaming, however, this largely depends on the users preference as well.

Some people can handle the slower panels just fine and still top the boards on games. *cough* ... I play OW for giggles on my XPS 15 / 4K / GTX 1080 and do just fine...

The best balance point right now is the QHD/TN/120Hz on laptops right now....unfortunately.

However, fortunately once you calibrate the screen the panels come to life to get by easily for content creating... as for gaming, it'll smash any game and be just fine.

We all know the downfalls of TN and as a stepping stone we know of the newer wva-TN panels, which might not be a huge leap, but it helps.

Also, to be fair, the last time I've checked, I don't know anyone who games at 178 degrees from the panel LOL....so the whole TN viewing angle argument to me is pretty moot; for gaming. The reality is, it works just fine.

The whole idea of having a 1080p with a GTX 1080 or heck even those laptops that have GTX 1080 SLI with 1080p panels is pretty silly to me...here's why...

When your cruising at 150-200fps... what's the point of trying to gain more frames when you wouldn't even be able to notice a difference even if there was a big chunk of change at those fps rates? It's just wayy overboard, hence why a 1080p is = why even when you have all that horsepower?

One doesn't need to max out all their settings either as some of those are irrelevant on QHD and 4K panels. There are some great videos online that explain this and why turning those on is just a waste...it had to do with some of the aliasing settings, where on a a 1080p panel you'd have to turn it on, but on a QHD / 4K it's pointless due to the smaller pixel size.

At any rate, whatever floats ones boat at the end of the day...

But IMO 1080p is old news with the more powerful graphics cards. The only relevant thing here is...IPS... but we can count on better panels in the near future.

The new Acer X17 4K @ 144Hz is assuring....

Soon enough...

PM Sent.

 

Spot on and exactly the point I was trying to make also...

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For over 30 degree drop level three reposting is a must. . Even if Alienware gets the temp down so it will not throttle.

 

Reading the first post I was wondering if now, after some time and several repasted systems anyone would change the recommendation.

I just got a 17r4 with a 1070 and I think it is a great unit. Love the qhd screen @ 120hz and don't mind that it is TN. I think it is way better than 1080p especially for work - I'm an animator and at 1080p Mayas interface is really cluttering the viewports. 1440p is wonderful for that.

I do want my system to be reasonably silent. So I was wondering how much noise difference there is between a 1070 with conductonaut vs. the 1080 also repasted. Does anyone have some insight or the ability to compare.

I don't need the cpu to be max oced but it would be nice to be more in the 120fps range when gaming! It does not need to be whisper quiet, just not have the fans run full blast.

 

when the system is under load the fan will spin at over 4k rpm and they both got same fans so noise will be the same. After a while, you get used to the fan noise.

 

Yeah, I know in theory they are capable of the same noise .
But, I had a 15r3 before. Repasted with LM. Even under load it never hits the last two fan settings, using a diy cooler not even the last three. Granted I did not really OC the cpu, just made sure all cores run at full speed 3,6 (6820).

I was wondering if "that" threshild was comparable between the 1070 and 1080.

 

Hello, @iunlock - is 1gram of the Thermal Griz paste sufficient for re pasting both the proc and the gpu? My thoughts are that while I am under the hood, I may as well upgrade as much as possible. What would be the full on list of parts? I have an Amazon list together but cannot link an image file here... details below. Not sure if i should be going for the Grizz paste or the liquid metal... but it seems that alienware made a fix to units shipping out after December 6th.. mine was ordered on 11/21/2016 and shipped out on the 25th, so I think i missed this window. Would it be best to start with their factory enhancements (send it in for warranty), or would this process be far better anyhow and sending it in be a waste of time if the goal is to have it run as cool as possible?

I think it might be better just hire you
What is the best way for us to discuss?

Really appreciate you and the forums efforts..! Giving me hope... Never even noticed all of my performance issues were related to temperature. The housing does a decent job of hiding how hot it is in there!

• Fujipoly / mod/smart Extreme X-e Thermal Pad - 100 x 15 x 0.5 - Thermal Conductivity 11.0 W/mK by mod/smart

• Fujipoly / mod/smart Extreme X-e Thermal Pad - 100 x 15 x 1.0 - Thermal Conductivity 11.0 W/mK by mod/smart

• 2 Pairs 3M Nitrile Foam Coated Comfort Gloves for Electrical and Maintenance work by 3M

• Eaxer 56-Bits Precision Screwdriver Set, 63 in 1 Magnetic Screwdriver Set, Professional Smart Phone Repair Tool Kit for iPhone/ Tablet/ Computer/ Macbook and Other Electronics by Eaxer

• ArctiClean 60ml Kit (includes 30ml ArctiClean 1 and 30ml ArctiClean 2) by ArctiClean

• 3M 06132 Super 33+ Vinyl Electrical Tape by 3M

• Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut Thermal Grease Paste - 1.0 Gram by Thermal Grizzly

Edit:
Wanted to add that I spoke with Alienware support and they're replacing my heat syncs and motherboard - i'll update the new temps in a few weeks. Currently showing 12c+ differential and 2 cores at 99c, gpu topped out at 86c in alienware's stress test tool (i'm pretty sure it was 86 at most.. the support rep was alarmed with both results).

stay tuned!

Update:8/2/17
So they had me send the laptop in to replace the heat sync only. Painless enough. It dropped the temps by about 6c. Still experiencing throttling and temps between 94-99c (depending on house temp).
Average is around 86-90c for the CPU AFTER dell initial repair.

They're now scheduling a technician to come to my house to replace the heat sync again. No clear answer on if anything has changed with the design or anything Soo.. I'll update after that. I'm 90% that my only solution is to repaste and change the pad heights on my own.
TBD

 

Hi all i am a proud owner of a alienware 17 r4 /1070 since may of this year. The Alienware is going banana's when i play World of Warcraft it blows like a windstorm when its only reaching max 60c. What the weird part is that my laptop is not hot at the fans or anything but on the keyboard. Anyone have this issue? I already contacted dell there gonna replace the motherboard and heatsink does anyone experienced this before?

 

I think you need to update your bios.. usually the Dell support app I guess in the system tray will walk you through those steps. Can always go on their website, too. I remember mine was super loud at first but became much more hot afterwards. I guess they allowed more heat so it doesn't throttle? Blind leading blind here though

Is your gpu temp at 60 or is your cpu? I know In overwatch (if you're using in game blizzard advanced system stats) it only displays the GPU temp

 

iv just bought the r4 17 1080 qhd 6820hk.

then i read about these thermal issues!

i called tech support, they said they would 100% fix any problems.

they also said they have not had many with these issues.....

 

Hello - they say the same things to me and after replacing the motherboard and the heat sink twice, i'm now up in temperature @ 99c and 100c on the cpu package.
they're recommending replacing the heat sink again and now we're seemingly in a loop.

 

@iunlock if I buy an alienware from Dell and get the 3-4 year extended warranty will sending my unit off to you to do your custom heatsink mods mess with my warranty at all?? Thanks in advance.

 

Repasting and the mods do not void the warranty. PM me for further details. Cheers.

 

We will definitely be in touch in the near future...i saved your email you sent me I'm just waiting a bit to weigh my options. It was extremely difficult to do, but I've narrowed it down to 3 options at the moment. 1 is obviously the alienware, 2 is the EVOC 16lg gtx 1080, and 3 is the MSI gt75vr. Money isn't really an issue on this purchase I've wanted a gaming laptop for years now and I've finally convinced my wife to let me buy one haha...so I'm going all out. No expenses spared.

 

Good for you it was very similar to that for me as well. I have no regrets!!

 

Now that 2 years have passed since the Alienware 17 R4 was released, I was wondering if Dell has managed to fix the cooling problems yet. I know they haven't redesigned the entire laptop, but maybe they improved the cooling system by enhancing the upper cold plate arm?

I'm looking to buy the 17 R4 with a GTX 1070 and i7 7700HQ, but I'm still wondering if the temperatures and noise will be acceptable. I've read that the GTX 1080 version uses larger heatpipes. Could I perhaps put that cooling system on my laptop, and repaste along the way?

Also, if the cold plate is sitting at an angle, is it actually possible to use liquid metal thermal paste, do I need to insulate the sides of the chips, and what can I use for that? (Lives in Europe)

 

Hoping this is the right thread to post this question (and theory):

I have a Alienware r4 w/1080GTX.

Question:
If i purchase the graphics amplifier is it possible to have dual 1080GTX running using the internal and external?
I have an Acer Predator G-Sync monitor but the internal card can not consistantly hit the required frame-rate to sustain g-sync'd display (even w/intel disabled and Nvidia Profile Inspector correction).

Theory:
While the internal GPU cooling is not optimal i suspect replacing the stock NVMe Toshiba drive would alleviate some of the issues.
I have not yet done so as my local Frys is out of stock on the 1Tb 960 drives.
The Toshiba drive averages 61c w/o load.
The second NVMe drive i added (Samsung 960 512Gb) averages 29c w/o load.

The Toshiba heat in the confines of a laptop would spread to other devices.

All the above may be covered in this thread (i am currently search through the 8 pages).

 

You cant run an SLI setup with the AGA. When you use the AGA the internal GPU will be disabled automatically.

 

Thank you for the quick reply!


Just read that about the external + internal not working.

Next question (which may be outside the scope of this thread):
Can two cards be used in the graphics amplifier?
If so, can the PSU be upgraded like a standard desktop PSU (to accomodate dual 1080s).

 

Only a single card. Its just a single pci express port.

 

Sorry for Necroing this thread, but I just want to let everyone know that putting Gallium (Liquid Metal Paste) on your CPU/GPU die is the dumbest idea I've ever heard.
Gallium Induced Failure of a Heat Sink


Now imagine what it does to the bond wires on your CPU/GPU die. Gallium destroys every non ferrous metal, including copper and aluminum. ie. all heatsinks.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...-compatibility-with-copper-heat-sinks.800890/

I think the reason why you're all having so many issues is BECAUSE of using Liquid metal paste.
The short term thermal benefits are not worth it.

 

it only destroys Aluminium. Copper is okay copper only turns silver but beside of this LM and copper are fine

 

Yeah im not a fan yet of LM as well. People there say its barely an issue but science papers do say galium affects copper and creeps into it.

 

it does, but the process Gallium-Copper and Gallium-Aluminium are 2 different chemical reactions

 

Froma what i understood it just takes longer?

But in general my thinking regarding thermals in laptops. If a normal repaste cant keep the laptop running at acceptable thermal it is not worth my time.

 

I don't have a problem to invest time tuning my notebooks to get the best cooling possible.

I've read a few articles about gallium now and got different information. One says these are 2 different reactions, other say its the same...

Fact is: its way slower and even if it is the same reaction it is so slow that you don't need to worry about.

I had LM 2 Years on my AW17R1 now and all I could see was, that the copper turned silver. 5 min polish with steel wool and it was copper again.

 

As others have mentioned, LM/Gallium on copper is very different than having it on aluminum, which is an obvious no go.

When using LM, one has to take all the precautions in making sure that it is the correct amount and remains on the die(s) of the chips.

If someone is having issues with LM overflowing, then that is a whole separate issue; one that does not discredit LM for it being the best thermal solution for optimal cooling.

 

I have been trying to PM iunlock to find out about the repasting service but haven't received a response. Can someone let him know also on discord jujitsu1#1145

 

How are your temps effecting fan profile ? I did the LM repaste and got temps of the 1080 and 7820 down but the fans seems to have a mind of their own. At full load (any game or bench) for a minute or two the fans go from idle to "normal" speed. I say normal as it at a level my M18 was when under load in a game. And as soon as GPU goes over 65 °C the fans kick in at full speed and stay there. Max temps for 30-.40 min gaming stay at CPU average 67-69 and GPU at 63-65°C. After closing the app the fans will say at full speed for about 2-3 min even when temps for the CPU and GPU are already at 44-46°C. I know is compact and all but damn the m18 kicked to almost full speed around 78°C and even then the fan were changing speed to keep temps at a OK limit. On the R4 however it seems like anything over 65 is bad.

Been monitoring other temps and all seem to be OK but fans still think they need to be at full speed around 65°C. Perf mode is off in bios and in app and fan perf mode is also off in bios.

 

If we do not install Intel XTU or Dell OC control or TS, or anything similar, are the fans and the power profiling all done by the BIOS? Does Windows also use the BIOS for its Power Plans or does it use its own drivers that override the BIOS? In the end, when the fans are loud or we are not happy with some performance, where should we look to? A Windows driver maybe, a Windows update, a newer BIOS maybe?