*OFFICIAL* Alienware 15 R4 Owner's Lounge

xtu, throttlestop

 

Throttlestop the main one.

 

I didn't ask you to look in BIOS, just check power limit or any other limit reason being triggered in HWINFO. See here:



Your processor is more than capable of running at 4.1GHz. My older, inferior processor runs rock solid at 4.3GHz, but you have to unlock the power controls which are the PL1 and PL2 values. If they read PL1: 45W and PL2: 60W (I think) then this is locked and will prevent you from boosting to a higher clock when the power consumption to the processor goes about the PL1 value.

This pic is showing in HWINFO a fully unlocked processor (set to 210W in BIOS):



And is therefore what you need to see.

UPDATE: Sorry, I've just noticed your processor is the "H" variant and not an "HK". Therefore your processors PL values are permanently locked and you will only be able to clock the processor to provide 3.9GHz max across all 6 cores if they are all turbo'd in parallel with each other. Maximum single core frequency (1 core turbo on it's own) is 4.1GHz.

See first paragraph here:
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-Core-i7-8750H-SoC.275944.0.html

 

Anyone got the 8750h and having issues with temps?
Mine was fine for the first month and I've undervolted 100mv and capped it at 3.6ghz. I was getting temps of 60-70 but...
Ive started to notice that now it's running hotter and temps go up to 91 93 when gaming and stress test has suddenly started thermal throttling where it didn't before.
Ive emailed dell support but could this be due to settings or thermal paste burning up?

 

Bad heatsink fits. Just normal that the thermal paste will pump out. See also review of Alienware 15 R4 (i9-8950HK - GTX 1070)-Notebookcheck.com

 

Too bad it's in German, I hope notebookcheck does one in English with the i7. From what I've seen from the screenshots it seems pretty bad, especially the surface temperatures.

 

so can anyone tell me the gtx 1060 1070 in the latest model of Alienware 15 are Max-Q version of full version? I'm planning buying ones but I'm still confuse about this.

 

This is the information from the DELL website:


Can someone who owns one confiorm?

 

Just signed up to ask if anyone can confirm whether Optimus is actually supported on non-gsync versions of this laptop?

I got the regular IPS 60Hz screen with no gsync specifically so I could benefit from Optimus, however Optimus does not work on my 15R4. My dGPU is constantly in use. I have no option in Nvidia Control Panel to specify a preferred graphics processor. I can also use DSR (DSR is not supposed to be supported on Optimus enabled devices). Even if I completely disable my dGPU and force it to run on the iGPU, my battery life remains the same.

I suspect that my panel has been connected straight to the dGPU thus not allowing me to use Optimus. So I'm wondering if anyone can confirm that this model is meant to be able to use Optimus and thus have the panel connected to the iGPU instead.

 

I have translated some of the AW15R4 review in this post. Notebookcheck won’t make own English review (they will translate it and put it into their English website) Not sure if they will make a review with the i7. But I expect they will put out review with AW17R5 with the i9 as well. And not with the i7.

 

that's the thing I feel very confused. only max-q for 1080 or max-q in all 1060 1070 1080. because I'm not English speaker so when translate it into my first language it can be read in two ways like that.

 

the 1080 is a Max-Q version. The rest are full versions in the New 15".

 

PSA: Nvidia Optimus is not supported on this laptop even if you have a non-Gsync panel.

I got suckered into getting a non-gsync panel because everyone said that was the only way to have optimus. Well, they took it out of this years model, and probably the 17R5 as well.

 

What are the rest of your specs? and try the iGPU switch. Previous gen had a MUX switch.

 

I think the review is right.... This is my recent temps. You're right it may have leaked thermal paste as I first did a aida64 test with no undervolt and stock and the temps were good.
Now I'm getting this....

I've emailed dell support but it's showing the clock speeds dropping to 2.8-2.9ghz and no thermal throttling is that a bios change?
It's meant to run at 3.9 all core right?
Anyone have aida64 temps on the 1070/8750h?

 

3.9GHz all 6 cores as long it can stay within it's 45W TDP.

 

oh damn, so how about the battery life in your laptop?

 

Yes previous gen did have it. This gen does not. Even the Alienware tech told me to try it lol. They had to get the case escalated before finding out from engineering that it wasn't available on this model anymore.

 

Yeah, as you'd expect...

 

Thanks for this information, now I know that the only version to get is the G-Sync one for me since there is no Optimus. Too bad that there is no switch and you had to find it out the hard way.

 

So FN+F7 doesnt do anything for you? No popup that asks you if you want to switch from dedicated to optimus mode?

 

No, Fn+F7 doesn't exist anymore. There is no Optimus ability anymore.

Not that it would make a difference since Optimus is meant to work automatically without the need to switch manually like in the old days.

 

Yeah I know that Optimus is ment to switch autoamtically. but if you have the right software suite installed you can switch to manual switch mode and optimus on the 15R3/17R4. I cant imagien they ditched optimus while not offering Gsync instead.

 

Oh you can definitely get gsync if you choose one of the gsync panels. But no, in their infinite wisdom they ditched Optimus on the non gsync panels.

I questioned them about perhaps connecting my panel up incorrectly ie. to the Nvidia GPU instead of the Intel GPU. They escalated it to an engineer who said it wasn't possible. All panels work off the Nvidia GPU now thus disabling the ability to use Optimus.

I'm wondering if it's less about taking the feature out, but rather more about saving money on costs having to either hook it up differently or have a slightly different motherboard. It seems most people are getting the gsync panels anyway.

 

Thats what I mean, I cant udnerstand why they would ditch optimus if they do not offer gsync in the same machine. If there isnt any optimus available anymore in the new generation fo Alienware models, Than the 15R3 will be my last Alienware.

 

From the review of AW15R4

 

I reckon they're getting rid of the non-gsync panels leftover from last gen to move to only Gsync panels. This was probably planned long ahead and the engineering decision was made to ditch optimus ability in favor of a consolidated build to save money.

I've always appreciated the build page of the alienware laptops, but you have to imagine it adds a significant amount to the price to have to offer customized builds. I've even noticed most of Dell's other laptops having fewer and fewer options to choose from. Some don't even have any. Makes more business sense to just offer pre-specified SKUs that they can ship off quicker.

Mind you, if they wanted to save some money...how about get some real techs to help with the troubleshooting. My first remote tech told me I needed to have my RAM and Hard Drive replaced as they were faulty and causing Optimus to not work lol.

 

Supposedly non-GSync models have Optimus support:

https://www.dell.com/support/articl...-performance-on-your-alienware-system?lang=en

Maybe it is time for someone to ping Frank Azor on Twitter to clear this up.

 

I remember that being the ONLY review on the 15R4 that I could find when I was shopping. I noted that they had a Gsync panel and assumed (like most people would) that that was why there was no graphics switching ability.

I pointed that article out to my second Dell remote tech which is when he consulted with an engineer.

 

https://www.dell.com/community/Alie...are-15-R4-Support-Nvidia-Optimus/td-p/6110579

This is the ONLY post I can find with an actual Dell/Alienware rep responding.

 

Damn, thats a terribld design choice....

 

You need to repaste your Alienware, the heatsink is literally disfunctional when you run it with stock thermal paste. And it has to be good thermal paste such as ICD, GCGelid etc.

 

lol, funnily enough i reported to dell and a tech was meant to come today to replace the heatsink.
He called at 10 o clock and cancelled and rearranged for tomorrow. Brilliant.

 

Just repaste it, no need for a technician really. Dell will replace the heatsink, add stock thermal paste and it will still run like crap. I've had this situation with tons of people already. Go purchase ICDiamond, GCGelid or similair, repaste it, undervolt it, enjoy your stable 3.9ghz.

 

Question, is the 4K IPS GSYNC panel in the 15R4 the same quality as the 4K G-Sync IPS panel in the 17 R5 or is the 17 R5 panel noticeably better? I note the 17 R5 4K G-Sync IPS panel is well regarded for its quality so wanted to check if there was a difference.

 

Thanks for the link. I am very confused why they would say this. The document linked was updated last month so maybe it was a feature they intended to have, but some kind of bios bug may be preventing them from enabling it for now. Even the 17 R5 has marketing information on its sale page stating "10 hours of battery life with a 99Wh battery and FHD display" which would be close to impossible without Optimus.

 

Curiously, they don't say that on the 15R4 page. I wonder if the 17 has it?

I doubt it's a BIOS bug. The tech I talked to said the same thing as stated in the post. In any case, as it stands now, Optimus is annoyingly not available on this laptop.

 

Check this out: https://www.dell.com/community/Alie...-R4-Support-Nvidia-Optimus/m-p/6115188#M15118

So apparently "power saving" mode should be present and can be enabled as long as you have the OSD app installed, and use Fn+F7, even on the 15R4.

 

I think I'm going to have to sign up over there to inform him that it doesn't work.

My second tech tried to get me to do the fn+f7 thing and nothing happens. I even reinstalled Alienware OSD as I noticed nothing alienware related comes up when I use the fn+functions.

 

The 15 and 17 version motherboards are identical. Apart from the subwoofer and bigger screen there are no differences between the 15 and 17 inch variations. To keep manufacturings costs down.

 

I asked a tech on Twitter that's been helping me with a buggered power button (1 week old laptop!) since he just messaged me, and he said those were outdated instructions for the previous model. I told him to inform the alienware rep in the forum so as to not to keep spreading misinformation.

 

They just swapped the heatsink on mine and it's a bit worse.
Just to check... Am I right in stressing the laptop with cpu fpu and gpu ?
Temps shot up right to the max.
It's kinda settling now but not sure if I should carry on.
The tech didn't know what was going on. He just said let everything bed in and wait a few days .

 

What happened to those thermal pads.....

 

im not sure whether he reused them but either way.... i think i might just send it back.... again.
Has anyone actually had a decent machine yet with the 8750 and 1070?

 

Well depends on what you consider decent. Got my aw 8750h 1070 oc 2 weeks ago (replacement from 6700hq, so big upgrade I guess). Out of the box temps 100c even in cinebench with idle gpu.
After some throttlestop magic, with stock paste: constant 3,95 on all cores under load, 1070 oc + 200 core + 600 memory (can hold the clock), undervolt: -0.360 cpu -0.180 cache
High speed fan profile on heavy gaming.

temps after 2h BF1:
average 76c
spikes 92-93c
after 1h
spikes 89-90c

Not going to repaste for now, to much risk, the temps are ok for now for that clock I guess. What do you think?

 

Yup. First round I had temps of 96 under load. - 100mv undervolt. Capped at 3.6 get (36x in throttlestop)

Repaste and new heatsink 2 days later
Played wildlands today.
Capped at 37x /3.7ghz. Same - 100mv undervolt
After, 10 mins... I'm getting 96/94 on core 0 and 2.
Pch is 86. Keyboard getting very hot to touch.
At all cores on 3.9 temps hit 98 after 10 mins. Average of 94/95 after 30.

Near giving up

 

Fan Profile on max? Higher UV possible?

 

Fans at 100%
Didn't test further undervolt coz temps too high at 3.6

 

Returning or LM Repaste is the only option I guess. Sorry to hear.

 

Could you please run Cinebench R15 with ThrottleStop in the background. Then post the score + Cpu package power numbers from TS (Click on the PKG Power box in main TS window so it show Max Power).
Use your -0.360mv undervolt. With that undervoltage I expect the Cpu power consumption will be below 45W during the whole Cinebench test. And the score should be well above 1320cb with 3.95GHz on all 6 cores. Thanks