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

Thanks.
Why exactly? You mentioned the older AMD GPUs having performance issues. Is this still the case?

 

CPU threshold. You need a powerful CPU to pair with the R9 Fury (or anything above R9 285). This is not the case with Nvidia GPUs.

 

Ok, thank you. I guess I will get a Gigabyte vanilla 980.

 

Alright guys, I didnt want to read entire 50 pages to check if this solution has been posted but i noticed people still having problems on page 50, I have never written one of these so tag it or whatever if someone wants to see it.

Basically I have a AW17 and have been having all the problems you guys have, primarily when you get AGA running nice you the unplug and get BSOD everytime you login etc etc (this works for windows 10 too)

The only permanent fix I have found,

1 unplug everything from laptop
2 go into safe mode uninstall ALL drivers in device manager especially the intel ones, make sure you tick the delete checkbox
3 boot into windows normally and wait for everything to reinstall (by iteslf)
4 go into device manager AGAIN and delete them again whatever shows as a installed display adapter (checking the delete box again)
5 then run CCleaner and clean your registry
6 then reboot
7 windows should now automatically install basic adapter driver (i.e. it doesnt know what you have) double check this in device manager
8 now get latest intel 4600 driver (not sure if other models are different) from intel site and install it
9 reboot
10 go to nvidia and install latest 970M or 980M driver (make sure its the mobile one)
11 reboot
12 everything will work fine
13 plug in AGA with your nvidia card in it
14 it will ask to reboot once in widnows again it will flash a few times (meaning its installing the AGA's card)
15 Install driverbooster (free) and update everything, this will update some chipset drivers also and will correct any shutdown delay issues etc
16 DONE! working great i unplug alot and run demanding games at strict overclocks with no issues

I get 15500 GPU score with my AGA 980GTX on firestrike and i can overclock my 970m to +350 on the core and no issues no more BSOD everything is good

Im using latest BIOS too with 180W PSU (not sure if those 2 make a difference)

 

My Sapphire Radeon R9 Fury 4GB HBM HDMI / TRIPLE DP Tri-X (UEFI) PCI-Express Graphics Card does fit into the GA but it does not close properly because of the width of the gpu. What r9 fury models would fit into the GA?

 

Given that there is only one other R9 Fury, the ASUS Strix one, there may be no options now that I think about it. The ASUS one is most likely too tall (has a height of 5.42"), so you have to resort to either the R9 Fury Nano or R9 Fury X (for the X, you may have to remove the front fan).

 

thank you! Nano it seems to avoid driver hassles with 980 ti or titan.

 

You know, it got me thinking if the OP can be edited to include a table of GPUs that are okay. Or a link to somewhere that lists which GPUs are okay. Sounds silly as it should be obvious, but it would avoid getting the wrong GPU and/or design.

 

I was looking for a up to date list as well but was unable to find one that included most of this years releases.

To help out, I would like to add that the VisionTek Radeon R9 390 will fit in the amp.

 

NOT WORKING!!, lol it worked for a week (longest period ever) today unplugged GA booted laptop up got original BSOD video_dxgkrnl_fatal_error

im wondering, maybe my 970m is crap?

 

Has anyone had issues getting your laptop and AGA to shut down?

Whenever I use my AGA and shut down my laptop it just hangs there never actually shutting down.

 

Yea I had this, update everything with driver booster free edition

Reboot and will be good after that

It's a chipset driver problem

 

Ok it seems I missed a step, once all drivers are uninstalled you need to install graphics amplifier software with win10 in the name, it's in the dell drivers section, then put vCard drivers in and it seems to be working again fine, time will tell if the issue arises again

 

I love your optimism, but the problem will return.

Dell knows. I have had an open case for more than a month.

Dell points at NVidia and NVidia points at Dell.

AMD cards work as advertised.

 

Have you tried the amplifier software for win10? I never knew there were 2 amplifier software versions. either way I will know in the next couple of days if no good.

I hate when 2 companies blame eachother, would be cool if they had a joint troubleshooting department, we can dream

 

Also, how do you replicate the issue for dell support, can you get it to happen on demand?

 

Yep just happened again, a bit sad as i dropped alot of cash on this setup, dont know why i keep buying alienware....

 

Hi, I dont understand the use of the button, can you please explain the proper usage of the button, i thought you need to shutdown then unplug, the boot, is there a better way?

 

There are multiple ways of unhooking the Graphics Amplifier.

• Shut down then unplug.
• FN + F1.
• There are clickable button son the ends of the GA cable (one for each end). Press either (or press it multiple times), and you'll be given to disconnect the GA. The button should have a light coming below it.

 

Hey guys
I use AGA with Titan X inside and screen into it in dual screen mode. (Laptop screen + Monitor) And I notice strange thing, when I watch some movie or something in online and start some game, or wait game loading my movie (on laptop screen) have some freezez like fps drop, so I wonder this only my problem or its ok?

 

I think i know what u mean. I noticed the same: if i Play a Game on my big screen and watch someone youtube Videos etc on the Laptop Screen, the Performance drops quite hard.
I think this in because the amplifier only got pci Express 4x and if you watch something on the Laptop Screen the Signal will transfered from the Laptop to the amplifier and back again.
If thats true, it is pretty normal that the Performance drops because the bandwith got halved (2x from Laptop to GA and 2x from GA to Laptop)

 

These sound more like CPU and possible HDD limitations rather than GPU limitation (and if it is GPU limitation, then it's Optimus / Enduro not working correctly). You only lose at most ~10% when having the desktop GPU power as a render GPU (in other words, no half bandwidth limitation) as opposed to a display and render GPU (like the iGPU... to an extent?). It's usually a 5% loss, though.
Powering both displays means that both the desktop GPU and iGPU are at work, and when having the iGPU working its muscles, the CPU has more strain. You could make sure the desktop GPU is the only one doing the legwork in those videos and such through the graphics control panel.

 

So Does the GTX980 work ok versus the GTX980ti with the Graphics amplifier? Just keeping tabs on this thread as I am thinking of moving from a desktop to my Alienware 17 I just ordered with the Alienware Graphics Amplifier.

 

@Game7a1
U mean u loose only 10% when playing on an external Display! It is proofen that you loose way more Performance if you Play on the internal Display. (Cause of halving bandwith)
Just try it out by yourself, if you dont believe me.
Alienware changed its marketing for the GA because of that. (Look at the advertise of the GA)
And i think you cant use the iGPU when using the Amplifier.

 

I think its best to look at my analysis linked in my signature. I was speaking in general, not in specifics.
You can use the iGPU when using the GA. That's not disabled; what's disabled is the discrete GPU in the laptop. The iGPU always stays on, and has to stay on. Granted, the iGPU is mainly in use whenever a display is connected to the laptop, including the laptop's panel. The desktop GPU does not do any display work on the laptop's panel and never has. It does display work whenever a display is connected to it.

 

Even your analysis Shows that you lose some Performance when using the internal Screen. Now do the same tests again while having the GA connected to an external Display and running some flash content on the internal Screen.
It will be significantly lower.

It cant be hdd related, since i dont have one in my laptop. And i think an i7 quad core should be capable of dealing with a little Flash and gaming.

I noticed the behavior discribed above mostly while playing LoL and watching LCS. In WoW the performance drop wasnt quite as Hard as it was in LoL

 

You're misunderstanding me. I never said you lose performance when using the external screen compared to using the internal screen. I said the opposite.
Have you even checked your CPU performance? Have you noticed if it power throttles or not?
I'm not going to redo my analysis to run have multiple things ran on both screens as that is not the intent of the analysis. If you do not understand that, then do not make a request to do something outside of intent of something.
Do realize that straining the GPU with multiple tasks is normal but to claim that it's because of "half bandwidth" is false. CPU throttling can also play a role.

 

And i think u misunderstood me.. I dont want you to do your analysis again, i just wanted you to believe me.

LoL just uses 1 core and my CPU isnt powerthrottling while watching and playing.
If i play that flashcontent on my external Screen while playing on it (window mode or fullscreen, it doesnt matter) i dont get any performance drops.
I really think it has something to do with GA or as you mentioned Optimus.

 

You can always test without the GA. Or on a desktop that has both an iGPU and a dGPU, which I think may be better.
You made the claim about the performance drop being because of half bandwidth. You need to support that claim with raw data/evidence that the bandwidth is being halved, which you haven't. As far as I'm concerned, the bandwidth being halved was a theory. There wasn't any evidence behind it. Only speculation.

 

We could turn this around and i ask you: where is your evidence that the bandwidth is not halved?
Fact is:
1. I (or we) am getting a performance drop if i play on my external screen while watching some youtube stuff on the internal
2. I am getting no Powerthrottling

So i did some tests for myself, not to proof anything or so, just to get to the ground of it.

Test with GA + without anything on the internal screen
3D Mark Score

Graphics: 14644
Physics: 9211
Combined: 5011
Score: 11434
Pretty normal Score for GTX980 and Quadcore CPU.

Test with GA + Twitch (high) running on internal screen
3D Mark Score

Graphics: 12459
Physics: 8399
Combined: 4363
Score: 9903
Ackward since both dropped. If it would have been cause of the bandwidth only, just Graphics would have dropped.

Test without GA + external screen plugged in Laptop (Displayport)
3D Mark Score

Graphics: 7543
Physics: 9135
Combined: 2774
Score: 6583
Again pretty normal score on all tests.

Test without GA + external screen plugged in Laptop + Twitch on internal screen
3D Mark Score

Graphics: 7546
Physics: 7441
Combined: 2760
Score: 6419
Physics Score even lower than with GA, but Graphicsscore stayed the same. Even the combined and end score is nearly the same.

I had XTU all the time running to look for throttling or frequency drops, but nothing happend. Only temps without GA where a bit higher (max temp 80°C)

So what could it be, that causes the performance drop in graphics with GA attached and internal screen usage? I really dont think it is caused by the CPU, because the combined scores stayed the same on Laptop only usage. And another fact is that LoL just uses 1 Core (always at 100%) and there are 3 more cores left for those youtube/twitch flash videos (or whatever it is).

And i even dont think its caused by optimus, since the graphic scores with laptop only stayed the same.

Next thing that could be tried is:
If you limit LoL in taskmanager at 1 core (core0) and choose the other cores (core1-7) for the flash content/ HD Videos (whatever), will that performance drop happen again?

EDIT:
@Game7a1 you must admit now, that there is a questionmark if the internal display is driven by the iGPU when GA is attached. I cant explain the drop in Graphicsscore otherwise.

 

I don't think you understand what it means for the iGPU to be the display GPU. The internal display is always powered by the iGPU, regardless of if the laptop is connected to the laptop or not. This is apparent since if you go to Nvidia Control Panel, you see the same limited options as you do using the mobile Nvidia GPU. The Intel Graphics Control Panel, though, still has all of its options and is available, which shouldn't really be the case if the desktop GPU was doing the display work (i.e. being the display GPU). The desktop GPU can render things on the laptop panel, just like what the mobile GPU does.
In your second test GA test, did you just use the internal screen (no external screen)? Even if so or not, the CPU dropped was caused by the stream (this is true with both multi-tasking tests you did). Doesn't have to be throttling. It's how the CPU is managing its resources. Now why the drop between them is different I don't know. If you used just the internal screen, then it explains the GPU drop.
If I may ask, have you made it so that the internal display is driven only be the iGPU and let the desktop GPU handle its own displays?
And if I may point something out, if the bandwidth were halved, the desktop GPU would be running at PCI-E 2.0 x4 for you, but that would be a less than 10% drop (close to 7 to 8%). You suffered a 15% drop in the GA multi-tasking test. That's not consistent with the half bandwidth nor is it with my data. That shows that rendering two displays takes a toll on the desktop GPU.

 

My Setup for GA Tests was like this: GTX980 with external Display attached via Displayport. I used the external Display for 3DMark and the internal Display for the Stream
My Setup for Laptop without GA Tests was like this: Laptop with 240w PS and external Display attached via (Mini)Displayport. I used the external Display for 3DMark and the internal Display for the Stream.

Ofc i understand why the Physicsscore is lower because of the Stream. I never thought my CPU was throttling. Thats why i wrote i had XTU run all the time. I just wanted to point out that there is CPU Usage because of the Stream but it (the Stream) also lowered the Graphicsscore which shouldnt be the case if the iGPU does the work on the internal Display.
(I think i misunderstood u again. I always thought that you meant that the iGPU does the work on the internal Display if the GA is attached. Ofc i know that the internal Display is "attached" to the iGPU, thats how optimus works)

I just thought that the bandwidth is (maybe) halved (which would be PCI-E 3.0 x2 in my Opinion, but maybe i am wrong) when you use the internal display with GA.
Thats what i thought how it works with GA:

With external Display:
1. Data will be send from Laptop to GA for rendering
2. Data gets rendered in GA and send to external Display which is directly attached to the GPU

With internal Display:
1. Data will be send from Laptop to GA for rendering
2. Data gets rendered in GA and send back to Laptop Display (this must be through the GA Cable since there is no other way)
-> there are two possible ways how this happens:
a. The Data gets send back through the PCI-E Connection of the GA Cable, which would then resolve in loss of bandwidth cause it needs it for transfering the data.
b. There is some kind of Display connection (like a displayport cable) inside of the GA Cable which would be the better way cause it doesnt would take a bit of bandwidth from the PCI-E x4

Since i get a loss of performance when i display stuff on the internal Display, which could be rendered by the GPU i think its the first possiblility. But this is just my thinking and i really dont know if its true.. Its just my non professional opinion.
And i wanted to point out, that the bandwidth doesnt have to be halved. I thought it because thats most mechanisms work in PCs (like in Networks: full- or halfduplex etc.).
You mentioned a way where i can choose which Display is driven by which GPU. How can i choose the internal display to be driven by the iGPU (and this time i mean "Do-the-Work-iGPU )? I think this would resolve my Problem with performance drops.

EDIT:
I just read that you are right: it would be PCI-E 2.0 x4. But maybe we shouldnt think of this as halved means halved in a technical way... more like physicaly halved: there are 64 lanes (dont know if its right) so maybe it takes 32 for transfering data

 

Honestly, I felt like arguing with myself. I actually did say the bandwidth could have been halved in my analysis, so now I'm wondering why I just denied it. Sorry.
I did state that bandwidth management could be a cause. So that might be the reason.

 

haha thats funny. But it was a nice argue anyway

 

In any case, to answer your question, you should be able to determine which GPU does what through the Nvidia Control Panel or CCC (AMD), under advanced. If you are using a browser, just set the browser to the integrated graphics. It's not the best solution to making sure the iGPU only does work on the laptop's panel, but it's the only thing I can think of right now. You can also set the Nvidia GPU to single-display performance as well.

 

I don't think nvidia intended/expected optimus to be used in that way (external monitor driven by nvidia gpu while another monitor driven by igpu simultaneously). Thus it may be inefficiencies that stem from optimus design, as nvidia may not considered this setup at all (the gpu is processing two display signals to be sent out one via its own display output, and other through the pci-e bus).

In my experience, I have noted no performance losses when using the external monitor driven by egpu, while the laptop lcd is driven by the igpu, but the laptop lcd is just showing the windows desktop. So the nvidia gpu is not processing anything to send back to the igpu, the igpu is handling rendering of the windows desktop. Check what gpu is processing twitch. If its the nvidia gpu, try forcing it to be the igpu instead.

At worst, you may just need to use two external monitors driven by the GA.

 

Does anyone have any advice for how to deal with the BSOD video_dxgkrnl_fatal_error from unplugging the Graphics Amplifier, is it a driver error with 355.82 or is a chipset issue because I have updated all my divers and tried everything. Will I just have to wait until NVidia releases a new driver?

 

Testing out a GA with the GTX 980TI and installed it into the Graphics Ampflier and after rebooting the computer with the amp plugged in the machine is going into a reboot loop. Anyone else have this happen?

 

Did you follow the 980Ti install instructions posted earlier in this thread?

Without the AGA attached, run DDU (Display Driver Uninstall).

Shutdown.

Connect AGA (only verified working with external monitor) to your laptop.

Install the latest NVidia driver (Mobile version, not desktop).

Verify 980Ti recognized by checking in 3DMark or GFE.

If you want to go back to the 9x0M dGPU, you have to remove and reinstall driver without AGA attached.

 

Just to clarify so you have to reinstall drivers every time you want to switch between the amplifier and then using the 970M? Will they ever get a fix for this?

 

So i have read about 4 or 5 different guides in terms of setting this guy up and non work. Also thought it was the video card but I put in a GTX 960 and got the same result. Here are some of the steps i took:

First Try:

1. Clean update to the 355.82 mobile drivers.
2. Plugged in GA and it asked to reboot and it powered on.
3. Reboot and with the GA plugged in and it starts to power up and then reboot and goes into a loop of this.
4. Unplug GA and able to boot back up.

2nd Try:

1. Clean uninstall of all drivers and reboot.
2. Clean install of 355.82 drivers
3. Plugged GA in and it recognizes it and asks for reboot.
4. Reboot loop again.

3rd Try:

1. Clean uninstall of all drivers.
2. Plug in GA and it asks for reboot.
3. Reboot starts and it loops again.


The usb ports do work when i plug it in (Mouse and keyboard attached), but the device keeps going into a reboot loop. I did those methods each at least 3 times with no success at all. Could it be my card ? Its a brand new on I just picked up. Should I go with a GTX 980 or Titan X instead since they are known to work for awhile now over the 980TI? Or do I have a defective GA? I hope its not the laptop as I have had it for 8 months without any issues, this actually is the first time I have run into any of these issues.

Also as more details:

OS: Windows 10 Pro, latestest Alienware Command Center with the GA latest drivers installed as well.

 

Do you guys think it might be a defective Graphics amp?

 

jfyi it is not possible to assign an application to the iGPU when using the GA. Even if u set it in Nvidia Control Panel, it will be ignored. Its only possible without GA.

 

Ok I have now tried to different Graphics Amplifiers and these 4 cards: GTX Titan X, GTX 980, GTX980ti, and GTX960. Whenever I plug in the GA command center comes up and ask to reboot and i then go into the reboot loop. I have the latest bios on my laptop. Could I have an issue with my laptop then? I think I am about to give up on this as it is unacceptable that I am having these issues.

 

When you say drivers, does that include the GA driver and Command Center?
I see more problems with the GA on Win10 recently compared to the other OSes. Wouldn't explain the reboot loop since that's more on a BIOS level (it might, but I can't think why).

 

PowerColor Video Card (AX R9 FURY X 4GBHBM-DH) dimensions
4.92 inches x 7.8 inches x 1.58 inches will this do for the GA. Will remove fan and replace with water cooler.

 

Yeah I tried the latest Alienware CC and GA drivers and made sure to have the latest Nvidia drivers. Tried 4 different cards and got it to work one time with both GA with the Titan X. I am just going to stick with a desktop as my main unit and an Alienware 15 as my mobile guy. Was hoping to eventually sell off my desktop and move to a new Alienware 17 and use the Graphics amplifier. Maybe in a a few months or a year Dell/Alienware can get their heads out of their asses and fix this.

 

I meant if you reinstalled the CC and GA drivers. Sorry for not being clear.
Did you upgrade to Win10? Or was it your default OS?

 

As a last resort I would fresh install windows and dell software etc and test again, if still no good, laptop has something wrong with it

 

I would love to know if anyone has any insider info to answer this question, if its being looked at i will wait it out with my 970m disabled if not in the near future i might try to swap my gtx980 for a fury x