XPS 17 L702x fan noise and gpu monitor

The advanced search option didn't work well for me in regard to finding specific posts about the current state of fan issues with the L702x. I've used Google to search as well, with marginal success. As a result, I've waded through lots of pages of posts. But, considering that the main L702x thread is 434 pages long, there's really only so many hundreds of pages I can slog my way through. So, here is where I am...

It seems to me that a number of people attribute the L702x's fan turning off and on frequently to a GPU monitor utility, the theory being that the utility frequently turns the GPU on to poll its function, and that the fan speeds up every time the GPU is activated. On the other hand, it seems to me that other people are still having the same problem, despite the fact that the GPU monitoring utility thing has been public knowledge for a while. It seems to me as if some people are waiting for a bios fix, while others seem to be satisfied with the current state of the bios.

So, I haven't been lazy researching this, but I'd really like to arrive at some consensus here. Does shutting off the GPU monitoring utility indeed solve the rapid on/off issue with the fan? Or are there still problems that persist with the monitor disabled?

I've been putting of getting a new laptop, partially because, on paper, the XPS models seem to really fit my needs. But I've been waiting to see if the fan issues would be resolved... and, from what I've said, you can see that I've had trouble figuring exactly what the current state of things is.

Also, I realize that the fan will get fairly loud when gaming, and that the keyboard area will heat up fairly well. I wouldn't mind info about those issues as well, but don't feel as if they're deal breakers. The rapid fan on/off problem, however, is something I don't feel I could live with.

Any input would be appreciated. Also, I figure it would prove fairly helpful for other prospective buyers if there's some sort of consensus regarding this problem. Like I said, I could find no real definitive conclusion one way or the other.

 

I know your looking for an answer and I'm sorry I don't have it. I am in the same boat. Just purchased the XPS 15 and the fan constantly running is driving me bunkers. I know the issue has been addressed as I read it somewhere before I bought the laptop, but the search function mainly points to those 2800+ posts, and there is just so much reading one can do to try and find it. Sure would be nice if the search function worked inside the link to help us find things. Hope someone answers.

 

What GPU monitor? The way I resolved the issue was through Speedfan. I'm not sure if any versions support the l702x but if you can find one you're pretty much set. I used 4.44 beta 4 for my l502x (link can be found near the end of 'on/off' topic) and now I've got it set up so that the fan is always running at one speed. Just set it to 50% or whatever, close the program, and forget about it

 

Though this is a really helpful and informative sight, the search function is really poor, unfortunately. The main L702x thread has well over 4000 posts. Like you said, there's only so much you can wade through to find a few posts.

Anyway, are you having the problem where your fan is ramping up and down for no apparent reason, or is it just loud constantly? I can't help out much, but I know, as I said in my original post, that the former is supposedly due to a gpu monitor utility. On the other hand, if its a constant fan noise, I know that there are supposedly only three setting for the fan, 0 RPM, 2800 RPM, and some higher figure in the 5000 RPM range, I think. I don't know if a recent bios change has approached the on/off problem by maintaining a constant 2800 RPM. Like I said, I haven't been able to find any info on bios changes (though I do know that some people supposedly have dealt with the on/off issue by getting their fan speed to stay at 2800 under non stressful conditions... too bad things can't be controlled like my desktop graphics card where I can set the fan speed to pretty much anything I want... keeping things at, say, 1000 RPM would be less annoying, and would probably be entirely sufficient for non-CPU/GPU-intensive tasks).

 

Here is some info I found:

The typical GPU monitoring applications that cause some hardware quirks are the ones that periodically poll the GPU to obtain its temperature, clock speed, load, memory usage, etc. So far, it has caused the following:

On the Dell XPS 17 (L702X), non-3D edition, running a GPU monitoring app or widget caused the fan to switch on (at high speed) and off. This in turn caused the CPU & GPU temperatures to go on a roller coaster ride, going sky high then back down, inverse to the fan’s state.

This is all happening because the monitoring app causes the driver to wake up the GPU in order to poll for its status. So users, beware!


This is the same info I've read in this forum, though don't ask me to locate it out of thousands of posts.

I'm only quoting what I've read, but, as I understand it, this method allows you, with the L702x at least, to set the fan at 0%, 50%, or 100%, the 50% setting being 2800 RPM (which results in a louder level than the people doing this would have preferred). Is this in line with what you did, or did you have the option of setting the fan at more than just 3 different speeds?

Not to be anal about this, but, given the current state of technology, I don't really see why having a fan run at 2800 RPM when you're word processing should be your only option besides having the fan constantly ramp up and down. Of course, I'm not imagining that everyone is bothered by this to the same degree. But it's a factor for me.

 

synce,

Thanks for this website info. My l702x fan is just annoyingly too loud when it does churn. Perhaps this SpeedFan app can help calm it, or perhaps need a fan that is 'quiet' when it does churn. The stock fan is loud, and know there are better fans on the market.

 

fractl,

Your post about the SpeedFan adjustment % is a great question, as well as the observation of having the fan run @ such a high speed. I keep asking the same question when browsing. I know there are quiet fans so that might be my next step in addition to the SpeedFan app settings.

 

Fan is fairly load while gaming, but i dont feel much of heat in the keyboard area, it's pretty normal.

I did not fixed my fan in my l502x yet tho... Still looking for solution.

 

Hey guys nevermind about Speedfan. At first it was working great but now it seems to be causing even more problems. Anyway the reason I asked about the GPU monitor is because I've never heard of or used it. Maybe it does cause problems but the root of it all is Dell's retarded fan profile.

They've set it to stay off until the CPU reaches about 60C, which it will reach VERY easily because idle temps are in the 50's. So you can install and reinstall all the drivers you want, opening up a few tabs will cause CPU usage and therefore temperature to rise. If the fan was always blowing and the rpm's increased more gently instead of going from 0 to 2800rpm in an instant, there'd be absolutely no problem.

Unless Dell updates the fan profile all you can really do is keep your laptop in a really cool area and pray for some quiet, or try to find a program than can keep the fan spinning at a constant rate. Speedfan 4.44 beta 4 doesn't seem to work after all

 

Is there any official answer from Dell about this fan problem?