*** The Official MSI GS65 Stealth Owners and Discussions Lounge ***

Remember how I wrote that I've never seen a good ACPI implementation on x86? On every notebook I've ever seriously run Linux on (around a dozen at this point, the earliest was around 1993 which should give you an idea of how long I've been at this) I've had to disable APM or ACPI in the firmware. It's that bad. So bad that if Dell can't get it right on their systems they ship with Linux installed -- and they can't -- then I don't expect anyone to get it right. The solution to the problem is "don't do that".

Windows gets around some but not all APM/ACPI problems by resetting the buses when it wakes up. But even then it's not reliable due to power management deficiencies in Intel's architecture and the lack of ECC RAM.

 

I suppose those RD engineers are busy enough trying to fix issues associated with Windows, and probably don't have time to spare on Linux, lol.

 

Hi everyone, just wanted to ask what settings are you using under full load in Dragon Center. I have chosen "Turbo Mode" and fan Profile is "Auto". Undervolted my CPU by -150mv and repasted CPU and GPU with LM. My Temps in PUBG are around 75-80°C and the fan noise is okay. Is there any more room to keep the fans even more silent? Are you using a custom fan profile? All in all after GX501, RazerBlade 15 and GM501 the MSI GS65 is the best laptop. Can't be more happier with it.

 

Did you manage to use the HDMI port after suspending in Linux? MiniDisplayPort came back to life after doing the 'suspend with the cable connected in Windows', but mine HDMI is dead.

 

Well, I finally get it "working":

1. Used DDU to remove the nvidia driver
2. Installed the nvidia driver from msi's website
3. Updated using geforce experience

HDMI still dead after suspending linux, but suspending windows with the cable connected is bringing it back to life now.

MiniDisplay port seems to be working normally.

 

@Razoen, glad you got it sorted - MSI's approach (like some other OEM's) make Linux more faff than it really needs to be.

I bought the Tomtoc 360 15" from Amazon.co.uk on the basis of this advice, but it now appears to be a different sleeve and definitely does not fit the GS65. However for the record this Inateck 15-15.4" fits perfectly with the bonus that the zip is along the short side so the laptop can be slipped in and out of a backpack: Inateck 15-15"

 

I undervolted my CPU by -150mV and repasted my CPU and GPU with some Arctic Silver Ceramique I had lying around. It helped idle temps a lot, though I still have to set my fan profile to "ECO" under DragonCenter to try to keep my fans from constantly sounding like a jet engine even when the system isn't under load.

But under any decent load, I still hit thermal throttling and temps above 80C, even with the fan profile set to "Cooler Boost". HWiNFO64 shows that 3 of the 6 cores are the ones that always exhibit high temps and throttling, so I went and looked up the die layout for this CPU and noticed that the 6 cores are arranged as two rows of three. I also noticed that the heat pipe doesn't run directly over the center axis of the CPU -- it runs slightly off-center, so it only completely covers 3 of the 6 cores. That probably explains why this laptop has so many thermal issues; if they'd just made that heat pipe about an eight of an inch wider, so as to cover the entire CPU, that likely would have made the thermals infinitely better.

I've done a lot of reading/viewing about liquid metal, because I'd never heard of it or used it before... it sounds very dangerous/risky and very difficult to apply correctly, especially inside a laptop where it's more likely to be re-oriented and carried around all the time... so I haven't gone that route. But I may eventually get frustrated enough to try it. Which liquid metal did you use, how much did you use, how did you apply it, and how did you protect against it getting all over the surrounding exposed conductive components? I've seen some people suggest using clear nail polish as a protectant layer over nearby exposed bits, but if liquid metal will eat through and react with various things, then I'm not convinced that clear nail polish would hold up against it long-term.

 

Nail polish is used for coating the resistors. Liquid metal will not eat through 3 coats of nail varnish. It reacts with certain other metals, not with varnish.
usually, nail polish is used for coating CPU resistors on de-lids (the resistors underneath the IHS when you remove it, then apply liquid metal to the CPU and then reseal the IHS.

For laptops, nail polish only works best on GPU's because GPU heatsinks tend to be more flat than CPU heatsinks on many BGA jokebooks.

Usually though, people use either Kapton tape to seal the entire GPU area right around the die (making sure there are no gaps where the liquid metal can go under the tape, period), or Super 33+ tape. Nail polish, instead of kapton or super 33+ tape, works only if the heatsink surface is FULLY FLAT and the contact pressure is perfectly even and flush with decent pressure. If a heatsink is even slightly convex, you're better off using Super 33+ tape, because super 33+ tape adds a very small bit of 'material' to the empty space between the heatsink and the chip "housing", which helps in blocking air from getting to the heatsink better, and on convex weak heatsinks, you need all the help you can get. Nail polish coating would not help here. Regardless of what method you use, you still need 'foam dams' to help insure that any spare random LM has nowhere to go in case it does run off (this makes carrying your laptops around very safe).

You have to deal with the gallium being absorbed into the copper, especially if oxidation accelerates it because of an imperfect heatsink. Using a good seal of tape plus a foam dam (which must be thin trimmed enough and offer NO resistance to being compressed with your fingers) helps this greatly as well.

If oxidation does occur even after this (rising temps after a week), a trick used is to remove the heatsink, wipe off the old liquid metal, but do NOT expose the copper color, leave the silver stain on and just make sure the heatsink is fully flat with no hardened residue (3000 grit sandpaper works REALLY well for this). Leaving the silver stain on reduces the Copper-gallium battery differential which will make any new applied gallium more likely to not be absorbed. And don't use too little LM...too little leaves no leeway for any gallium being absorbed. But don't use too much either. Make sure the entire surface is fully covered without any gaps.

 

Damn I am really sorry it didn't work out, something must have changed or they sent the wrong one. The specs between Amazon UK and USA are exactly the same other than the USA Version says 15-15.4, but listed internal dimensions are identical.

The model for my sleeve is

A13-E01G

Don't know if that helps.

 

When you guys say you undervolt -150mV, is that both core and cache?

 

Yes keep them the same.

 

You can't not do them separately (even though Throttlestop says it can). 8th, 7th (and I think 6th) generation Core i series processors lock to whichever undervolt setting is less of a shift from 0 so if you set -2000mV core and -1mV cache you get -1mV.

This really ought to be noted in the first post.

 

Anyone know what size thermal pads I need in order to replace stock? I've seen people mention 0.5mm, 1 and 1.5mm. Do I need different sizes?

Was about to purchase the Artic pads 1mm size, but wasn't sure.

 

I have been asking to get 100% confirmation exactly the same q but nobody responded me. You are lucky that I already have done my repaste+rePADing . After replacing it by myself I can say that you need two types: 0.5mm and 1.5mm (you can check the links to which one's I got exactly). There are third type in one place where thickness was 2mm (it was small squared piece), so you can simply stack yours 0.5mm and 1.5mm to get it. Their is it.

 

Thanks for the reply! One set of each of the ones you linked was enough for the whole laptop?

 

Yeah, would be enough . Good luck with your modding .

 

Hey everyone,
I just got back my GS65 from MsI/HIDevolution. I RMA’d it due to the metal frame bending.
Now that I have it back, I noticed that the frame feels sturdier. Not sure if MsI improves the rigidity of the case but it doesn’t feel as structurally weak anymore.
One thing I’m having issues with since it came back is that Optimus won’t switch on. I’m constantly using the dGPU which is killing my battery much quicker than with Optimus on. So far, I’ve installed the latest drivers after doing a DDU sweep (both Intel and nvidia) but I have no change.
Any ideas?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

It is possible if MSI improved the part and they would simply upgraded it for you, but without comparing the part numbers then it's hard to tell.
Is there any processes that requires the use of dGPU which might be the reason why it had been triggered all the time?

 

Nope. From a fresh boot, the amber lights stays on at all times. I have no idea why.
Even when I uninstalled the Intel and nvidia driver, it stayed on.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Do you have any devices under device manager showing exclamation? Are you using the latest BIOS & EC?

 

I thought that it was not possible to disable Optimus on this laptop?
It was either "Optimus" or "iGPU"?

 

No issues in device manager, and I’m running the latest bios and EC.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Yeah, I don’t know. It was working before I shipped it out. Now I’m stuck in dGPU mode.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Is your OS fresh? Or have been used for awhile?
Please also inspect task manager to determine which process that might be calling dGPU.

 

OS is from the factory but fully updated.
I went through task manager and there’s nothing using the dGPU. Utilization is actually 0 on the 1070 and 1-2% on the iGPU but the amber light stays on.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Please check msconfig for startup items and make sure.

 

Nothing in my startup either.
Also, I loaded "optimized defaults" in the bios. Still no change.

 

Are you able to right click an .exe and set it to run on integrated graphics?
For example I have FFX (final fantasy x) Port and when I right click the .exe or shortcut I can selected integrated or dedicated nvidia GPU. I don't have my computer on me at the moment to post screen shot for the option.

 

I forced Unigine Valley to use the iGPU and it did, but the amber light stayed on and didn't turn white.
So now, I'm wondering if the light is just messed up... hmm...
But... my battery life is still MUCH less (5 hours vs 8+ hours).

 

What if you unplug the AC adapter?

 

I fixed the issue!
I rolled the back to Nvidia 399.63 from 411.64. optimus is working fine again. There must be a bug with the latest driver that's causing Optimus to stop working.

 

I see, so that's your before and after right there.

 

Hey guys,

Here is my firestrike score.
I believe I may have a chance of going past 15k.
I am curious if there is anyone out there with a higher score than mine

 

Awesome, best I managed was 13540 ( https://www.3dmark.com/3dm/28611895), with a +210 core clock and +300 memory clock on MSI Afterburner. Mind sharing your settings?

 

I just ordered a GS65 from HIDevolution today. Man, I can't wait either. Also had to post just to say this forum has been a big help in my decision making

 

How safe are the fan settings above 100%? I don't mind the noise, I just don't want to wear them out. Is even 100% safe?

 

Hi JRey.

I was just wondering if you got a replacement or if they fixed it?
I RMA'ed for the same reason + some other stuff. I got my laptop fixed with replacement parts, som i'm wondering if i'll experience they same as you .
The laptop has been RMA'ed for a month now, and it will come in the end of this week, luckily.

 

(Made this post by accident)

 

I cant open dragon center, I already tried reinstalling but it still wont open. anyone knows how to fix?

 

Guys,

I got my MSI GS65 recently (Bestbuy version). I did some undervolting of CPU and GPU using Throttlestop and MSI afterburner respectively. I also use a custom fan setting in MSI Dragon Centre. I ran some 3D Mark tests and found that my laptop is giving out really bad results. The Firestrike results was 11,650 and the Time spy results were 4757 (post undervolting).

I'm really sad with the above results. Please help me - what am I doing wrong?

These are my settings:

Undervolted CPU core and cache by -160mV and undervolted GPU to 900mV and overclocked to reach 2025 MHz. The below link has my TS home screen, FIVR, MSI AB home screen and graph. PLEASE HELP!! My scores really suck!!!

https://imgur.com/a/OhpDll5

 

I just broke my own record to 14994. SOOOO close to 15k..

For the new record, my setting is
core+225 and memory+655

 

Your core 5 and 6 running a bit hotter than others and thus keeps throttling. It is due to the uneven surface of heat sink on CPU, part of it haven't contact to the cpu properly . the down force is very weak on cpu heat sink by just installing a few screws only.

sand the heat sink and LM can give u much better result if u apply them correctly.

 

I did not have much luck myself with custom curve, I just used the slider and that's how I managed to get the best results, I even tried using the slider and then opening the curve (it changes after you apply slider) and tweaking but I got worse results Everytime. I had bad firestrike scores out of the box, I saw people with great scores like 1000 pts higher and kept tweaking trying to emulate them, only managed to due with the slider, and abandoning the custom curve. You could try that and post back. First tweak core, run til you get best results without crashing or artifacting and then play with memory until it's unstable and then clock it down from there. good luck!

 

Damn. I ordered this after seeing your post and just now canceled it after seeing xLima's.

Looks like the gray model for the 15-15.4 on Amazon (US) shows as A1-E103G and not E01G as yours does. Guessing that could be the issue? The gray 15.6 model is E03G. Not sure if grabbing the 15.6 sleeve is a good idea or if I should keep looking. If anyone has any other positive sleeve recommendations too, I'd love to hear em.

If it helps the specs for the E103G are External dimensions: 15 x 10.75 x 1.2 in, Internal dimensions: 14.13 x 9.73 x 0.71 in

The specs for the E01G via UK Amazon (where it is not in stock) show as External dimensions: 15 x 10.75 x 1.2 in, Internal dimensions: 14.5 x 10.25 x 0.8 in

Different internal dimensions appears to be more padding in the E103G.

 

Yes, I bought the same color too, just in case. T...


Link to Reddit post of Reddit chat discussing the sleeve ( I am xPPK).

https://www.reddit.com/r/MSILaptops...or_the_gs65/e6ob6o4?utm_source=reddit-android

 

I'm happy with my returned laptop. HID is AWESOME!

 

So I bit the bullet and finally tried repasting with Conductonaut and amazingly my CPU no longer goes above 68 C. Problem is, my GPU seems to only have slighty better thermals as before which is usually around a stable 75 C max with +200 clock and +600 memory in Afterburner. It's atleast as good as Arctic MX4 and probably just a slight bit better by 2-3 C since I've seen it hit 78 C before with Arctic. Is this indicative of a bad repaste? Should I be seeing a bigger drop in my GPU thermals? Is it worth it to open it up again?

 

Wow, that's great!

 

I should get my GS65 from HIDevolution in a week or so. After reading through some of the posts here, does @Ultra Male still help with new owners? If you do, that would be fantastic. I understand you are the wizard

 

Yes he does.
You should tag him after you receive the product so he can work out a tweaking session with you.