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

Nice stuff. How much more quiet was the cx500m over stock? A little? A ton? And how did you connect the noctua fan to the amp? Since the original connector is a tiny 2 pin.

Could you take a pic from the backside?

 

Everything seems much quieter. I am using the 4pin to 3 ping adapter and the molex connections for my setup.

 

Is this it: Alienware Graphics Amplifier PCIe Cable

late edit: DP/N NPY83 Chat with Dell, give them the part # (dp/n), see if they have it or arrange to buy this one from seller

*** Seventy-five dolla from Dell ***​

 

That looks like it. you'll also need a standard power supply cable.

 

That is downright sexy! I have been running mine without the front fan for a while now and after several tests it does not hinder the performance and only ups the heat by about 2 degrees. I really want to try a noctua fan swap with just a standard power cable splice, but have been iffy. I may just install a switch on the side of the amplifier to turn the fan on and off. On for when gaming and off for when just doing standard desktop stuff.

As for a switch install, I have searched online quite a bit for this and I have yet to see anyone do one. I was thinking to just cut a tiny notch out of the housing where to run the cords and have it dangle on the side. I don't move the amp ever and I doubt anything would snag it... does anyone have any suggestions? I was just going to use a generic toggle switch off amazon.

 

I guess this is worth a follow-up ... when seller was asked if this new cable wears a part# tag, I was given this:
there are three numbers from top to bottom.
CN-ONPY83-00842 >< 4CH-0426-A00 >< DP/N NPY83

- a Chat with Dell/USA, price negotiable? -​

--> the part #'s good butt cost is commensurate to good ol' fashion alien-anal-probe <-- ye good people: take care of your cable lest your hard earned money go towards a bigger gaming Hummer for the Aliens while simultaneously not going toward needed software & Bios updates from Dell:

Spoiler: "Resources"

 

Hey all. I have a question for some of you pros out there.
Is there a way of making the AGA SLI? There must be, right? Im thinking that if I was to buy another AGA unit and take out the PCI slot, I could modify my current one to install it in the housing along side the current PCI slot. I know I would have to get a bigger PSU and have it outside the AGA but this must be an option? As far as im aware, all you do is bridge the two GPUS and it should all go out of one AGA lead to the laptop, right?
Im probably wrong but just want a final answer from someone who really knows their stuff!
Thanks all

 

Wow, that's quite an idea but it sounds like a very convoluted way of spending loads of time, money and effort for no gain!

Remember, there are only 4 PCI lanes to begin with, and one card loses performance (albeit not a whole lot) when in the AGA. Even if you got it to work, it would mean both cards running at x2 (assuming it worked at the best possible config) and I just don't see how/why that would be worth the effort.

That said, that whole thought process was theoretical. Just out of curiosity I would kinda like to see this work!

 

It doesnt really work like that. The AGA cable is jsut a direct connection (extension) to the internal PCI express slot and to the USB hub. You cant run 2 cards on one slot without a bridge controller.

 

Well that answers my question then

 

installed an evga gtx970 on my new amplifier.

http://tinypic.com/r/33w0gwj/9



worth it to overclock the card? My main intention is VR

 

No reason not to. You can over clock without playing with voltage. It's all safe. If the setting is too high the game just crashes or computer restarts. It won't blow the video card up unless you're deliberately trying to.

 

Hi just also get my amplifier and a EVGA GeForce GTX 980 SC ACX 2.0 P/N: 04G-P4-2983-KR, the amplifier its attach with my alienware R3 17" 2016 model so the specs of the Laptop are 6 generation i7 , 16 RAM DDR4, windows 10 64 bits so basically Im covering the requierements for run ocolus or HTC vive right??

After running the test apps from Ocolus and HTC vive I got that both pass and said im VR READY, but Im still not sure if any of both VR devices will run with out problem on my configuration, wonder if anybody all ready test the final versions of OCOLUS or VIVE on the amplifier ( no the DK models), as I dont want to spend 600 USD or 800 USD in something that at the end dont run on my RIG.

Thanks, here some pictures of my setup and test results


http://50.6.73.68/picit/1459956685.1265.jpg


http://50.6.73.68/picit/1459956780.0594.jpg


http://50.6.73.68/picit/1459956808.8513.jpg


http://50.6.73.68/picit/1459956839.293.jpg

 

So I am considering picking up one of these, there are just a few things I'm kicking around. Performance gains and stuff like that isn't an issue for me....I know what it'll give me.

Things I am wondering about though are 1) Say buying one of these makes me become someone who has the Alienware plugged in a lot more than I have been in the past, to the point where I would sporadically unplug it to bring it with me somewhere or just use the laptop in another room. How are these batteries when it comes to wear of being plugged in all the time? And 2) I've been reading on here you can't put the Alienware to sleep when this is plugged in. Is that still the case, and if so how do people manage that? I guess you just unplug this thing before setting it to sleep all the time?

 

I *think* (could be wrong) the sleep issue was people closing the lid before the computer is fully in sleep mode. Unless I got that confused with something else.

Battery is fine. Can get an easy 3-4 hour just doing some coding. Of course the more demanding things you run the faster you drain it. I've gone through a ton of laptops in the past and they've all been plugged in most of the time. Haven't had any laptop batteries die on me and need replacing.

 

Isn't the GA PCIe rev 3.0 at x4? By that thought, it's exactly the same speed at PCIe Rev 2.0 x16?? Why does every seem so worried about this???? I'm confused lol

 

I'd also like to hear about any results or impressions from anyone with a CV1 and the GA. I bought the GA with the express purpose of using it for the CV1 when I eventually get it.

Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk

 

Someone made a thread about the rift on this forum. Should be on first or second page.

 

I'm looking for feedback on the GA with the CV1, not the DK2. I haven't seen it yet. I figure there will be stuff being posted soon.

Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk

 

Work flawlessly with the rift. Should be the same with the vive through.
Note: connect the vr device directly to the AGA

 

Nice. Are there any descriptions anywhere? Games, card used, performance, etc?

Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk

 

It is the same. I saw a review and you probably lose about 2fps compared to 16x because its gen 3 pci-e

 

Second this. There was a good read back a few pages or maybe another thread but yea, between 4 and 16 lanes you're losing tops of about 5fps. This is for current gen cards. I'm not sure how that translates to pascal. Hopefully also minimal.

 

A 5% decrease in overall performance doesn't sound bad at all, even when using an external monitor. Is it possible that Alienware could release a newer GA that enables more lanes to accommodate the pascal cards? Perhaps sometime this year?

 

I made a thread about this...
http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/rift-and-aw-17-r3-ga.790011/

 

Wonderful, thanks!

 

That is a hardware limitation the lanes are physical so there are physically 4 lanes connected. They would have to redesign the laptop itself to connect more lanes.

 

How is the GA performance pushing the display back to the laptop? Judging by the search results, it looks like when the GA was first released, it performed much better with an external display than the laptop screen. I'm curious whether they fixed that or at least narrowed the gap.

 

So to reply to myself: I screwed in the noctua and got the adapter to hook up to the amp.....and it doesn't fit. The 2 pin area on the adapter is too big. So much for waiting weeks to get it. But at least we know. I got the one with the sleeve, but I doubt that matters. So, looks like if you want to use a noctua, either you have to splice cables or buy another power supply like the corsair a few pages back.

 

Hello fellow Alien's! I wanted to share my Alienware Setup. I have been running my Alienware 17 R2, with AGA since Day 1. I have tested several cards (AMD R9 390, 970 FTW, 980 Ti FTW, 980 Ti SC), and finally settled down with the 980 Ti FTW. I have a TON of exp. with Alienware, and have had ZERO issues with any system I have owned (I have owned at least 7). I am running a 4K 28in Samsung Monitor, and the performance is AMAZING! I have included a screenshot of my latest Benchmark.(+320 Core, +600 Memory, Voltage +++MAX+++)

 

Hello, i am planning to buy an Amplifier..For specific reasons i wanted to know if the cover of the amplifier cen be removed completely, and then attached back without harming it?

 

Nope, it opens outwards and there are hinges connecting the base to the lid. I guess you can disassemble the hinges?

 

Actually i was asking that, can the hinges be disassembled and assembled again?

 

Yes.I took off my cover to install and benchmark my AMD 390 Strix that was to big for the Amp.

 

Must get really dusty with the cover off. That's probably the only reason I'd keep it on.

 

It was only for benchmarks. It was assembled again with a GTX 980 Ti FTW

 

I am planning to bu 980 ti for the amplifier, but after doing some reading about nvidia's poor performance on DX12 and the ambiguity on Async Compute, i was looking at AMD Fury X only to find out that it may not fit in the case !! Has anyone ever tried to run Fury X on a graphics amplifier?

 

Considering the lack of direct x 12 games, why not just wait for polaris or pascal to be released if your looking to throw out a good chunck of change on a gpu? I could have swore I saw someone post a picture of how they made the fury x fix but I can't seem to find it though.

 

For those looking at getting a GA bundle when purchasing an Alienware laptop, do note the following discrepancy in the US.
Alienware Graphics Amplifier + NVIDIA GTX 980 - 4GB +$799.99
Alienware Graphics Amplifier + NVIDIA GTX 980Ti - 4G +$749.99
Essentially, don't get the latter as it's glitched. Once you put it in the cart, it'll register as a GTX 980 as opposed to the GTX 980 ti. However, if you do want a GTX 980 and have to buy through Dell, then choose it as it's $50 cheaper (or just price match a GTX 980 to get a cheaper price).

 

Um, is this for real?

Alienware Graphics Amplifier
Dell Price 1299.98 $1300???? that must be a misprint.



EDIT:; Oh it comes with a titan X once you see it in the shopping cart,

 

does the graphic amplifier fit asus matrix 980 ti?

 

Hello all. Just a'bit of info for all people using AGA. I have been struggling for sometime with the smoothness of games running through my AGA unless it was 60fps. Whenever it dropped below 60fps, I would get a stutter.
If you use BIOS version 1.2.2 it removes that annoying stutter so now I can play games at 4k running 35fps and its appears a'lot smoother.
Let me know if this works for anyone else.

 

For those wondering about VR, here's a post about the laptops or desktop + GA and VR.

Here's a video as well.
I'm guessing by "i7" for the laptops, the minimum is the i7-4710HQ.

 

Another person mentioning using 1.2.2. Maybe I should downgrade from my 1.2.7

 

If you are using AGA and experience stutter when it should be relatively smooth then you should try it. I always try the upgraded version but they are all pants compared to 1.2.2

 

I dunno, I didn't really notice any stuttering when I was on 1.2.7 using a 980ti in my GA. But seems that's the ideal bios mentioned in different threads (maybe it's from the same person, I wasn't paying attention).

 

Probably me

 

Do you guys think AGA Will Be able to run a Pascal card?

 

Yep, it will run for sure.....

How well it will run is a different matter entirely, especially in light of recent BIOS updates......

 

What about The bios updates? They Will need to do something if it affects negatively. . Maxwell cards Will die out very soon