CPU Upgrade question for my Alienware 18

1) Is the 4940MX the fastest CPU out there that I can fit in my Alienware 18?

2) would it work on my current motherboard and is a simple CPU swap or does it need like a special heatsink and such?

3) is it worth it to upgrade from a 4900MQ to a 4940MX or better save this money towards a future system next year?

4) If I do upgrade, where's the best place to buy this CPU from online? I plan to ship it to my virtual address in the US and have it freight for waded to Dubai.

 

I believe it is, at least it was one I got my pc back in August last year. As for whether you should get the card its a preference thing, are you an over clocker? If not, than no, I run into too many problems when I try to OC my rig. You can get it from a number of places Newegg has it:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...gclid=CLOZtryClcQCFVQ8gQodmCYAnA&gclsrc=aw.ds


You can also check places like RJTech.

 

Yeah, get one. I would, anyway. Intel Extreme CPU is the best you can get. Once you've developed a taste for a mobile Extreme CPU you will likely never be satisfied with a lesser product. I know I am not... I won't even consider it unless I can buy the machine with a cheap CPU and upgrade it to Extreme CPU myself and save a few bucks.

Don't pay $1,200, though. That's way too much.

2 available at $889 (USD) http://www.ebay.com/itm/OEM-Core-i7...791?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19fc5c2d7f (less known seller)

2 available at $998 (USD) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Haswell-INT...406?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3ce555f49e (well known seller)

Or, save money and get an equally potent 4930MX (will do everything the 4940MX will do) for a LOT less money.

1 available at $649 (USD) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tested-OEM-...578?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d2ebf2cd2 (less known seller)

4 available at $600 (USD) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-Core-...627?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19f90823c3 (well known seller)

 

1) i7-4940mx is the Fastest CPU with standard factory clock frequency. 100mhz bump over i7-4930mx.
2) pnp. But remember it pays with Liquid Ultra on a extreme, especially if you are thinking of overclocking.
3) It is expensive to upgrade. It depends on how long you plan to own the laptop or interested in overclocking. If your i7-4900mq is a good overclocker or not. Whether you choose a 17-4930 or i7-4940mx does not really matter. Pick the cheapest if there is a big difference in price. If you plan on overclocking then it is the processor with the best quality that determines the best choice. Keep in mind the Silicon lottery. Do not forget that there is a watt barrier on the motherboard to the AW18 which complicate a hefty overclocking of both graphics and processor.
4) Hard to say.

 

Thanks guys, glad to know it's an easy upgrade. Now time for me to start saving some money

 

I just upgraded from 4710MQ to 4940MX today. Haven't played actual games yet because I've been overclocking, but here's the benchmark using a run-of-the-mill Best Buy thermal paste (Antec Formula 7): http://forum.notebookreview.com/attachments/bench-png.122530/

Also, make sure that you have a Torx 10 (I think that's the size) wrench for the CPU lock - I just used a Phillips driver since this motherboard is broken already, but you probably want to keep yours fresh.

 

It's not that easy. For such powerful CPU you need to use liquid ultra paste but you have to be very careful as it passess electricity and if you do it wrong you'll have to repaste it or you can even kill the CPU.

Also I recommend getting i7-4930MX too because it's powerful and much cheaper than i7-4940MX. As the Papusan said there's a Power Limit on Alienware M18xR3(aka AW 18) motherboard that cannot be turned off (thanks to secure flash...)

If you already have 4900MQ then you don't need any special heatsinks or anything, just liquid ultra paste.

So the big question is IS 4900MQ worth upgrading to 4930MX?

It depends on what you do. If you work with photoshop projects (like ME i7-2920XM), editing movies or playing with 3D models then YES. If you just play games then NO. Thanks to "next"-gen consoles that have very weak cpus you won't need powerful cpu to play modern games. Even ARMA3 will run great on your current 4900MQ.

 

Thanks a lot for your advice bro

 

I have to agree with the gist of it... the 4900MQ is quite good.. You can easily OC it to 4.1-4.2GHz.. I would try doing that.. Honestly, no point wasting money on a 4940XM...

 

It is not so expensive if he manages to sell his i7-4900MQ ..

 

Yeah, and a 4900MQ definitely won't do 4.5 to 5.0GHz either. It's a compromiser CPU. Not terrible by any means, but definitely not the best. I'd either buy a machine with the best mobile CPU money can buy, or go with the absolute bottom-end cheapest available and upgrade to an Extreme mobile CPU as soon as I could.

 

Based on this comment, I bit the bullet and bought a 4940MX from Upgrade Monkey and also bought a 24 carat IC Diamond Tube to go along with it. This drilled a big whole in my pocket but I couldn't resist.

I hope this is a simple removal of the CPU, applying the IC Diamond and that's it. What should be used to apply the IC Diamond? A credit card?

and I guess now I will be able to install the Intel Dynamic Platform & Thermal Framework Driver for Extreme CPU but at which stage do I install it? After the HM87 Driver (AKA Intel Chipset Software) right?

 

Use The thin line with paste. No credit card. Don't use that driver. Garbage. Why not use liquid ultra?

 

Yeah, that driver won't do squat for you. And, it cannot be installed unless you set the Extreme Overclocking mode to cTDP... which is anything but "extreme" with the 17 and 18. In fact, I would say it is totally lame because the settings you need access to to effectively use cTDP overclocking are hidden and inaccessible with a locked-down turd BIOS. Even with an unlocked BIOS for the M18xR2, cTDP overclocking isn't as good as BIOS overclocking mode.

The Intel Dynamic Platform & Thermal Framework Driver driver serves no real purpose except for cTDP overclocking. If you have the Extreme Edition mode set to BIOS the driver will fail to installed with an error stating your system does not meet the requirements. Basically the same error as trying to install Intel HD graphics driver running on discrete GPUs.

What are you not using Liquid Ultra? If you plan to do any overclocking, IC Diamond isn't going to handle a Haswell Extreme CPU blast furnace very well. Haswell gets way too hot and Liquid Ultra is the only thing I have found that can tame the thermals effectively.

 

Read... http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...ly-have-it-run-full-stock-turbo-speed.734696/

 

oh darn!! I googled best CPU paste for 4940MX and got a link on the TechnoInferno forums where you recommended IC Diamond!! Let me order this Liquid Ultra

 

Is this the one I need: http://www.amazon.com/Coollaborator...8&qid=1425960825&sr=8-1&keywords=liquid+ultra


or this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Liquid-Ultr...38?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item27ddc99292


or this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/BRAND-NEW-C...053?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3ce9457905

BTW, does Liquid Ultra need to be repasted every few months like IC Diamond?

 

Also, I read somewhere in the Mr. Fox thread for overclocking the AW18 that there are pads for this Liquid Ultra? Now I'm lost, can someone give me a link to buy the pads + liquid ultra from a reputable seller on ebay or Amazon?

 

I ended up ordering this one since it seems to come with a cleaning kit: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039RY3MM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039RY3MM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Q: BTW, does Liquid Ultra need to be repasted every few months like IC Diamond? Yes this was the right choice. In early April I have already used Liquid ultra a year and No change in temp .. If you had chosen Liquide ultra Pro then it would gradually much more difficult to apply as well and remove from the heatsink and processor if you want applying new thermal grease or Liquid ultra after a while. Remember to apply Liquid ultra both on the heatsink and processor die. Not too much and not too little. Prefer start at the heatsink as excess of liquid ultra used on processor die.

 

Thanks bro, you and Mr. Fox are the most knowledgeable about these CPUs

 

Thanks.. Also remember to apply new thermal grease on the graphics cards when you first must replace processor. I prefer IC7 and Gelid extreme. Use the Gelid extreme as today .. Liquid Ultra also works fine on gpu, but it depends on how wide the gap is between GPU Die and heatsink. If you are applying Liquid Ultra on gpu then you must be even more careful .. This chemical and extreme processor is dynamite.
Edit: Look at the picture. Do not spill anything on these if you are applying Liquid Ultra on GPU Die ..

 

no no need for GPU I think I never overclock my GPU. Can you come to Dubai and do all this for me d00d?

 

It had been lovely to come to the heat. Here it is only 5 degrees Celsius. Just be careful with this application of Liquid Ultra (not mess with this drug). If I were you I'd bought a pk Gelid extreme and put on new thermal grease on graphics cards anyway. Dell's thermal grease is not particularly good ..

 

Ok I bought this: http://www.amazon.com/Gelid-Solutio...&qid=1425985030&sr=8-1&keywords=Gelid+extreme

Thanks for making the whole in my pocket bigger

 

BTW paupsan, what are the blue markers in the GPU image you posted?

 

Do not complain .. This is a very good thermal grease. Use it on my gpu and on several PCs. If you have more computers, you can fine apply Gerlid extreme on all. Worth every penny ..

 

That's probably a safer bet unless you are really happy with working with a conductive liquid inside your computer lol.

 

Think the name is capacitors. Google translate. They are around the GPU Die.

 

Better use Gelid one if you aren't a computer expert. You can kill whole gpu if you put liquid ultra wrong so papusan is right

 

There are several that paint these capacitors with varnish. Works very well both around processor and GPU Die.

 

You can kill the whole computer with conductive liquids Many people have run tests, no matter how unintentional

So long as your heatsink makes good contact you should be using so little that is not needed.

 

Destroy just one gpu? He has graphics in Sli .. HaHa

 

Some have very large contact between the heatsink and GPU Die. Difficult to calculate how much to spend .. HaHa

 

If there are large gaps it's adjustment time, be that backplates, thermal pads or the heatsink itself (or all three if drastic steps are required).

 

In this video, I see he applies only a small dot of Liquid Ultra and then spreads it, is that right? isn't that too little?

 

Some have also used CoolLaboratory Liquid MetalPad. If they are careful and do the job right, the result is brilliant ..
http://www.coollaboratory.com/en/products/liquid-metalpad/

 

With a properly fit heatsink that is correct.

 

There is a difference between a desktop processor and laptop cpu. Desktop PCs have IHS. Start with the application of the heatsink. Use remaining that are on the heatsink to applying Cpu Die. Use very little.

 

so that can be used for both the CPU with Liquid Ultra and my GPU with the Gelid Extreme?

 

so you mean to say first I have to put a small pea sized application on the heatsink and spread it evenly then do the same for the CPU?

 

I do not recommend Liquid metal thermal pads on Cpu. Actually not gpu either. Gelid extreme on GPU and standard Liquid Ultra on processor.

 

Mr Fox video..
Edit: Always start with the heatsink. Makes it easier and apply a bit too small. Add some more and spend the rest on Cpu Die. Do not spill on the aluminum around the copper on the heatsink. If you do, You destroy the heatsink ..

 

thanks bro

 

WOW! I am simply stunned by the speed of delivery of Upgrade Monkey! Ordered the 4940MX CPU literally 48 hours ago and I just received it at my door in Dubai! That's like a 40 hours delivery time! faster than any Amazon or eBay reseller I have dealt with before.

Now the agony of waiting till my Liquid Ultra and GELID paste to arrive....ahhhhhh.....

 

Lol that is fast... Where are my Sony headphones? Been about 48Hrs and they still haven't arrived in the UK from Latvia..

 

Haha that's much worse feeling than waiting just for CPU

I've ordered i7-2920XM ES from China to Poland by EMS and it got about 20 days to deliver it. But got no DHL tax

 

When you're applying Liquid Ultra (or any other thermal paste), always remember that you want to a) maximise the area of contact; and b) use as little as you can while achieving (a). By that I mean that you want to have the layer be as thin as possible while keeping evenly spread on the chip - thicker layers mean less thermal conduction.

Also, as others have said, make sure that you don't get any alloy outside the chip - you can use electrical tape to cover non-contact areas up if you're worried.

 

Actually, now that I think about it, I wonder what adding SAC solders to the heatsink pipes (to fill the gaps) would do. Granted, even the most thermally conductive solders have around 80% of Liquid Ultra's conductivity / 20% of solid copper's conductivity, but every little bit should help, right?

 

that's for this golden advice dawg!