*OFFICIAL* Alienware "Graphics Amplifier" Owner's Lounge and Benchmark Thread (All 13, 15 and 17)

It would outperform the GTX980m by quite a lot actully, the PCIe 3.0 4x link wouldn't be saturated even with a GTX980Ti, a PCIe 2.0 4x however, would. (it already is with a GTX970)

 

A GTX980 or higher, realistically, a GTX980Ti or a Titan X would make more sense.
To give you an idea, the GTX980M is roughly equivalent to a GTX970 in terms of performances.
Of course this means anything slower than a GTX970 wouldn't make any sense at all.

 

That's because, unlike what Alienware reps claim, the signal isn't pushed to the panel, it is pushed to the Intel iGPU which then pushes it to the panel (that's why it still uses the (buggy) Optimus technology). In fact, every single video output on the laptop is hard wired to the iGPU (which is really lame, considering that prevents you from using features such as 3D Vision or GSync through the laptop's HDMI or DisplayPort outputs, in fact the only way is to go through an eGPU...)

This is also why a lot of people have driver issues running new GPUs like the GTX980Ti with the GA, because the desktop GPUs drivers aren't originally designed to run along with Optimus

I blame this on bad engineering.

 

The GS30 has the option for Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200, which is capable of medium gaming at lowered resolutions (no miracles though). It's mainly aimed at students/professionals who don't game outside anyway, but want a desktop-like experience at home - removing the need to sync data between a laptop for work, and a desktop at home. That said, it sucks as I mentioned earlier (the necessity for add-ons make it akin to a desktop anyway).

Although what you said about the Alienwares are true (and make that all recent games - tested), they are heavy bricks to lug around (I'm not even including the power adapter). While I like lugging my AW15 and dominating HP and Apple crapbooks on the go, I know other people who (still) feel the weight and price-tag are excessive. In a budget limited scenario, there are only 2 options - AW15 base model (with an overkill chassis for a dual-core i5) or an AW13.

Comparing my AW15 to an AW13 in-store, I have no doubts the latter has a much better form factor travelling to uni daily. Individuals have different needs - for a normal person with a budget, I'd think mobility would rank higher than a high-end desktop GPU (and you'd need that to push the x4 interface). I love my AW15, but it barely balances well on most uni flip-out desks.

 

You make a good point, personally though, if I need to work on the go, I just grab my surface pro 3, it's a lot lighter and got a better form factor than the GS30 or the AW13 by far.

Envoyé de mon SM-N910F en utilisant Tapatalk

 

The 17R2 is actually very practical in its thin form factor & touch screen. Coming from an AW18, the practicality is night & day difference between them. I take the 17R2 to school & work with a smile on my face. IMHO, buying an Alienware laptop is never worth it unless you are getting a quad core CPU. Don't even bother with dual core crap. Just my two cents.

 

Exactly, I have a Surface Pro 3 for this reason (mainly for writing and prototyping). But let's face it, any serious games are off the table for that. It can't do any serious gaming without throttling to hell and back. An AW13 is still quite capable of gaming, more so than the GS30 by far.

I know where you are coming from - I had nice thick laptops too! That's why I horrify others by swinging my AW15 around like a pancake, it's all relative. I did touch on that dual-core thing earlier, and yes, quad is better (and its starting model costs more) without a doubt.

Since I like testing AAA games between my AW15 and SP3, I find the SP3 with its dual core quite capable (considering integrated gfx) if not for the godawful throttling due to heat (I used the USB fan fix for that). So remove that heat, slap on a dedicated card and you get the AW13. Different solutions for different people - not everyone is the same.

 

I've been navigating though the BIOS; it's very different from the AW18. I assume you are using A05... Where exactly is the overclocking option.?. I don't see it anywhere. Don't want to mess with XTU (yet).

Edit: My CPU from factory with the 240W Power Supply on Performance mode runs at 3.9GHz (without the GA being connected)... Guess this one is binned REALLY good!

 

Hi @ everyone,
I've read all 46 pages..took some time But gave me lots of information. THX!!!

Anyway I have 3 questions about the GA.

- I want to place a non-reference design card (2 slot design) in it.
-> loudness of fan

Therefore it is important for me which direction are the fans of GA working?
Properbly the front fan (mentioned as noisy one) will suck the air in the GA?!

1. But whats about the fan of the PSU? Air IN GA or OUT?
2. is it possible to replace it?
3. Dimensions of both fans?

THx for lending me a helping Hand
Marcus

 

You're not supposed to use the desktop drivers. Alienware advises you to use the notebook drivers.
The reason the GTX 980 ti won't work (constantly) is because the Dell .inf file has no GTX 980 ti ID. It needs that ID for it to work fine.
It was also the explanation as to why the GTX 970 and GTX 980 didn't work properly at launch. No ID.
To add on, AMD doesn't really have this problem. Only a couple GPUs (like the R9 280x and 7970) have problems. Their drivers handle IDs differently than Nvidia.

 

What should be the number of frames obtained using an alienware 17 r2, i7 4710, nvidia gtx 970m, 8 gb of ram, playing Elder Scolls Online at "ultra" settings, without the graphics amplifier? thanks!

 

Question about Nvidia ShadowPlay... I am using the latest Nvidia GeForce Experience version 2.5.13.6 with latest Driver 355.60. For some reason gameplay recording doesn't work at all, however I am able to see the FPS counter in game. I am wondering if anyone else has this same issue? Is Optimus somehow interfering with the Intel GPU making ShadowPlay think the 980M isn't active, even though the 980M is set to being the only active GPU in Nvidia's Control Panel?

Right now I am obligated to use Fraps, and with Fraps a 4-5 minute recording results in a 20GB file, also Fraps for some reason always decreases my FPS while recording by minus 10-15 FPS an average.

The recordings via ShadowPlay are of a MUCH better quality IMHO, and they also leave a significantly lower file size footprint while maintaining a perfect accuracy of FPS while recording. My Zotac Titan X arrived today, & the Alienware Amplifier will arrive either tomorrow or Wednesday, so I'll be doing a lot of gameplay recordings. Really need to get ShadowPlay up and running so I can make proper videos.

Can someone please confirm if this is something Nvidia just screwed up (as they have done in the past) ie is it working for others on this same latest version I specified above, or what is the actual cause of this? Any help would be appreciated.

 

Where can I find the Alienware GA drivers for my EVGA GTX 970?

I am assuming the GeForce Experience drivers for the AGA are not compatible as I've had to reset my laptop 3 times to do "
video_dxgkrnl_fatal_error" errors.

 

Is there a driver yet that works for 980ti without having to uninstall/reinstall whenever you switch? I no longer have my 980ti so I can't test.

With how long it has been for nvidia/dell to get this fixed in their driver, makes you wonder if Dell is abandoning support for the graphics amplifier, maybe due to bad sales?

 

Alienware Amplifier with a Zotac Titan X, 330W PSU, no overclocks, BIOS A05, Win 10 Pro: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/8340722

 

Alienware Amplifier with a Zotac Titan X, 330W PSU, no overclocks, BIOS A05, Win 10 Pro: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/10220039

 

Alienware Amplifier with a Zotac Titan X, slight overclock on GPU only (Clock +100, Mem Clock +500), 330W PSU, Win 10 Pro: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/8341627




3DMark 11 Link: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/10220149

 

Awesome scores, Daniel.

 

How does the Titan X do with 3DMark Vantage? (Not PCMark Vantage, 3DMark Vantage.) I'd like to see that.

Here is my M18xR2 with 780M SLI: http://www.3dmark.com/3dmv/5315108
Graphics Score: 47347 | CPU Score: 30580

And, my Clevo P570WM with 980M SLI: http://www.3dmark.com/3dmv/5218884
Graphics Score: 64024 | CPU Score: 48583

(Obviously, look mostly at the Graphics Score since you are using the 4980HQ CPU. The 3DMark Vantage CPU test is brutal.)

 

Daniel, could you also try a 3dmark11 run with the 240w PSU? Your combined scores are much higher compared to mine, while the physics scores are not as much. My CPU throttles quite a bit while the combined test, so I basically know where my bad combined scores are coming from... maybe you could help me figuring out if the PSU or the Bios Version affects the results/throttling. I'm running the 240w PSU and the A00 Bios.

 

A bigger PSU is not needed when using the Graphics Amplifier since the internal Nvidia GPU (or AMD GPU) is disabled, so the processor has more breathing room than before.

 

Yeah, that's exactly what I thought, but I see no other reasons for my current limit throttling issue (it's not even an issue as it's not happening while gaming...).

 

http://www.3dmark.com/3dmv/5325750

 

These are my best results thus far



Link: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/10223870



Link: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/8353087



Link: http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/8353116


NOTES: Max GPU temperature was 63*C, Max CPU temperature was 74*C. Used 330W PSU for benchmarks.

 

Hi there, i'm getting my AGA today and i'm goint to put on it a 780ti that i have spare around. After a lot of reading on this thread i have some questions.
Anyone can confirm the installation process? :

What happens when i unplug the AGA? Does the onboard 970m works with the desktop driver for the 780ti?

Thanks in advance!!

 

Not sure about the 780, but I had to use the laptop drivers to get my 980Ti to work with the AGA.

Follow the steps in your directions to remove the existing drivers. I use DDU.

Before you install any new drivers, I would make sure you have the latest AGA software. It's in the Dell support/drivers site when using your service tag#.

Then, with your AGA connected, install the NVidia drivers. 355.60 is current as I write this.

When you disconnect the AGA, be sure to use the button on the top of the cable. Wait for the flashing to stop before you pull it.

 

OK, I'll give a try with latest notebook drivers (already installed 355.60) before doing anything more.

 

Here's a Project Cars gameplay video 110-170FPS Maxed out on Ultra Settings.

Zotac Titan X inside Alienware Amplifier.
(FPS counter is on the top right of the screen; view in 1080p full screen)

 

Do you guys think the 980ti in the GA would be capable of high enough frame rates for 4K? I'm planning to get a new monitor and I am not quite sure if an 27" 4K G-sync or an 34" Ultra Wide 1440p G-sync screen would be the better choice.
What's your opinion?

 

Hi guys.. newbie here.. just red all the post about aga+980ti.. I already installed the driver and it automatically shift from 970m to 980ti.. the only problem is that when I'm using my 980ti my benchmark result in GTAV is only 2-3fps.. whats wrong? is my gpu need to be replace or it is only driver issue? 355.60.. please help me.. Thanks in advance... also my temps in afterburn is only 27-40

 

You aren't actually using the 980Ti.

That is the fps you get when running the iGPU.

 

Would the R9 fury fit into the graphics amplifier? This seems to be the best price to ratio on a high end card then spending more than $1000 on a 980 titan.

 

Stand corrected a lot of used ones on amazon and ebay. Snagged a titan for $641 on Amazon. Could have snagged it cheaper on ebay but I wanted to use up my gift card.

 

But im positive that my 980ti is selected and optimize when running any games..

 

In order to get the 980Ti to work with the AGA, you must follow the steps referenced above.

It's a known problem.

Yes, the AWCC says the 980Ti is connected. Yes, GFE will tell you you have a 980Ti, but IT WILL NOT RUN.

And the way you know that is because you are only getting 2-3fps in GTAV.

Run DDU.
Shutdown.
Connect AGA (with 980Ti attached to external monitor)
Boot.
Install 355.60 laptop drivers
reboot again.
980Ti on external will work.

If you ever disconnect your AGA, it will not revert to the eGPU.
You have to remove/reinstall the drivers.

Dell says a fix is forthcoming, but I wouldn't expect to see it soon.

 

Heads up. Driver 355.82 has the GTX 980 ti Dell ID. This should mean that the GTX 980 ti is now a supported GPU. The GTX 950, though, is not.

 

The 980Ti works fine with an external monitor and the AGA with 355.82.

However, now when it reboots without the AGA connected, it kernel panics with a video driver error.

 

it should fit. and the best card for the gap is any amd card!!

 

Thanks repped!

 

same here... :-/

 

I always had that with my Titan X. Tech support has no clue how to fix it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I was thinking of selling off my desktop (Except for the 980ti) and use my Alienware 15 with the Graphics Amplifier. Just wondering if anyone else does this as their primary rig and how is the overall performance?

 

I was (and still am, actually) a Mac guy, but love PC gaming. I bought my AW17 to game on. It's been great and I was using it with an external 2560x1440 monitor (my iMac). With the newer games forthcoming that require more GPU, I decided to go for the AGA with a 980Ti. It runs great...when it works. I am getting FireStrike scores in the 12k range.

It is really annoying to have to reinstall drivers every time I want to take it on the road with me.

I expect Dell to fix it eventually. I also understand that you can skip this issue completely if you use an AMD card. If I were buying again, I would put a FuryX in the AGA.

Just to give you an idea, I was getting 8.5k in FireStrike with the 980M, 12.3K with 980Ti. No overclocking on either.

 

Hello,
I have the AW13 and am considering getting the Amplifier inplace of a desktop machine, not having to bother both with a laptop and a desktop is a huge advantage. I need a portable machine so easy switching between the AGA and dGPU is mandatory. I am still deciding between the R9 Fury and 980, both seem sufficient for my needs.
I've read the last few pages and there seems to be alot of problems so I'd like to clarify: Anyone with experience with a completely working configuration (card fits AGA and no driver reinstallation required)? What card vendor?

Assistance would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you

 

You might want to read my GA Analysis (link in my signature) first before deciding which GPU to get.
Whichever vendor the GPU comes from doesn't really matter. Only for the height of the GPU, which some vendors change up, is the important factor between vendors. Width sort of is, but just know that triple-width GPUs won't fit in the GA. I would think PNY, EVGA, and Gigabyte are safe choices. MSI isn't.
As of now, only a few old GPUs (AMD and Nvidia) and the GTX 950 are unsupported. The GTX 980 ti, though, is. You just need to use your mobile Nvidia driver if you get a Nvidia GPU. As for AMD GPUs, use the AMD driver. No reinstallation needed unless something screws up (like using Windows Update's Nvidia driver, for example).

 

Sorry if it was asked before but is it possible to use a ATI card for the AGA even if you have a internal 970m in the laptop?

 

You can use an Nvidia or AMD Desktop GPU, regardless of what internal dGPU you have.

 

Thank you.
I am wondering of someone has used a Sapphire Fury ( http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-Radeon-Version-PCI-Express-Graphics/dp/B011D79Z6S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1441635088&sr=8-2)? It is 2 slot but long and a 2.5 slot cooler. Or the supposedly shorter ASUS variant.

 

An additional question if you don't mind. AMD requires drivers specific for the AGA, correct?

 

Nope. The AMD drivers should work fine, especially since you don't have an internal AMD GPU.

The R9 Fury should work, but as I'll point to my Analysis again and since you have a 13, avoid AMD and stick with Nvidia.