*OFFICIAL* Alienware 15 R3 Owner's Lounge

Unfortunately, I have a freaking lightbleed on the top right corner . Anyways what test can I run to test my cpu temps are okay

 

Also I feel like my display is yellow tint how to calibrate and make it true white color instead ?

 

Can you guide me which test to run ? I downloaded OCCT and running the test type Infinite with all default settings. Is that it ?

 

I ran the OCCT for an hour not sure if I did it right. What are your thoughts ? I received this machine today.

 

You're probably the first report I see of a current-gen AW with proper temps. So congratulations! Could hit it with a small undervolt to get even lower temps too if you like, but completely up to you.

 

How Long did u let the Test run? Cant find any Numbers... seems like u stopped it Right After u started it. The temps arent good then

 

I ran this test for an hour.

 

If that is the case then leave it well alone those temps are what they are supposed to be. Jackpot mate.

 

OK - big update to my 960 EVO headache. My AW was ordered with just a spinning disk. I already had a Samsung OEM M.2 AHCI disk and Samsung 850 EVO SATA disk. I immediately cloned the spinning disk to the M.2 using Macrium Reflect, removed the spinning disk, installed the 850 EVO in it's place and proceeded to set up the laptop. Everything was good.

Some days later my 960 EVO arrived, and then my suspicions grew about whether it was faulty. This is what Samsung Magician v4.9 saw:



Note the crazy jumbled up drive name, and Samsung Magician see it as a non Samsung device.The Samsung NVME v2 driver would not install either. It reported that there was no NVME device installed.



This was bad. I assumed that if I could get NVME driver installed, everything would sort itself out. After a lot of head scratching and Googling, it seemed that I needed to set SATA mode in the BIOS from RAID to AHCI to get the driver installed, but if I did, the machine would not boot. It reported no media device, which made no sense. Nothing I tried worked. I was all set to return the 960 EVO as faulty when I thought - what if I remove both M.2 drives, put back the spinning drive, set SATA mode to AHCI and reboot. It worked. Put back in the OEM M.2 drive - it still booted. Replaced the spinning drive with the 850 EVO SSD, cloned the system boot drive to the 850 EVO so it was the boot drive and it still booted fine.

This is wierd. OK - I can now boot off the 850 Sata drive with both M.2 sticks back in the laptop and Sata mode in the BIOS set to AHCI. The NVME driver will now install.

I cloned the Sata boot drive back to the 960 M.2, making that the boot drive (and wiped the Sata drive), and I can still boot up. So I'm back where I was at the start, but the BIOS is now in AHCI mode. Brilliant - but I REALLY don't understand why it would not boot before when I simply just changed to AHCI mode. This is now what Samsung Magician v4.9 sees:



No more jumbled characters, but it still does not recognise the 960 as a retail product. Not good. Worse still, it seems that trim is not supported, only SMART, but the SMART data looks odd:



So I still think that the drive might be defective, but it seems to work OK and it benchmarks fine. After a while, I start to wonder if maybe it is such a new device, none of the software tools can cope with it - not even Samsung Magician.

BINGO!

I think that was a correct assumption! Samsung have just updated Magician to version 5, and it is clearly a major update. It has a revamped UI and now recognizes the 960 EVO:



I am guessing that the Samsung NVME driver is required to enable TRIM? It is perhaps best at this stage to be suspicious of drive information provided by other software tools.

 

Wow, this may be the first indication that Alienware is actually fixing or has fixed the temps issue. Too bad all the laptops are not like yours but I really hope that the test results we are seeing from you is a sign of what to expect from other new Alienware laptops that are starting to ship out.

 

Hello guys, received my laptop about an hour ago. Just set it up and letting OCCT run for 30 minutes (Stock thermal paste, no undervolt etc).

No light-bleed present, however there is a tiny tiny little spacing above the Alienware logo where many have complained about the bezel parting from the screen It'd say the gap is like 0.5mm. It's wasn't noticeable at first but after a really hard look from the side, I noticed it there. Honestly it's fine, I'm just more concerned about it parting more in the future.

The charger is the perfect size to use as a single foot heater

Picture of my baby
_____
Update
Build date Dec 1, BIOS 1.0.8

30 minutes of OCCT.
10 minutes of Prime95
________________________

Configuration:
i7 6700HQ
GTX 1070 w/ 120hz
256GB SSD, 1TB HDD
16GB RAM

 

Update : No lightbleed issues either. Looks like AW fixed the issues at least that's true for the unit I received.

 

By the way, can someone tell me how to check my BIOS version?

 

Go to bios or use speccy

 

If this is stock, praise the RNG god. You got a normal one

 

Hi, I'm gonna to order my Alienware 15 with Alienware amplificator but I need some advise which one is best choice the gtx 1060 or 1070 obviously I'm going to use for 70% of time the amplificator with external monitor is better, is better save some money for more powerful external vga or spend more for internal?
thanks for replies and sorry for my bad English

 

Well I reckon if you're gonna do most of your gaming on the external amplifier, then spend more money on that GPU rather than the one in the laptop - but probably not worth spending the extra to put something like a Titan in the amplifier! (Titan is just not good value). GTX 1070 or 1080 in the external graphics amplifier.

 

my friend is selling a gtx 1070 founder ed. for 300€, for add gtx 1070 in my laptop dell wants +200€

 

After loads of issues and 18+ hours of phone calls with 3 departments I finally have a real order! Should get it in 3 - 5 days.

Alienware 15 R3:

• Intel i7-6700HQ
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 with 6GB GDDR5
• 15.6 inch FHD (1920 x 1080) 120Hz TN+WVA Anti-Glare 400-nits Display (because it has G-Sync)
• 16GB DDR4-2400MHz
• 256GB PCIe SSD (Boot) + 1TB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/s
• Killer 1535 802.11ac 2x2 WiFi and Bluetooth 4.1
• Lithium Ion (99 Wh) Battery

I also purchased a replacement SSD to use as my primary OS/Gaming drive: Toshiba OCZ RD400 Series Solid State Drive PCIe NVMe M.2 256GB with MLC Flash (RVD400-M22280-256G)
I want to clone the stock SSD drive to the Toshiba and will make the stock drive a slave.
May take the 1TB out and use it for the XBOX One.

Questions:

• Anyone recommend a good HDD cloning software?
• Any issues/tricks to making the slave recognized?
• Tobii - Other forums say 15 R3 do not have Tobii. Dell sales person on the phone and chat said mine did. Do any of you have Tobii working?

 

I've ordered mine on 27/11, estimated date was 14/12. Actually shipped on 05/12.

 

Mine is similar but 11/28 order and delivery date 12/7-12/12. Says shipped as of 12/6 but actually just label created on tracking. Not marked as in transit yet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Mine says that it left manufacturing facility on 05/12 without any updates about transit.

 

Shipping times are going to be different based on location as we all know. To gauge anything, State or region would be needed. Also need to know what shipping option was chosen: Ground (3 - 5 day), 2-day, Next day

Order Date: Dec. 05, 2016
Estimated delivery: Dec. 09 - Dec. 13
Shipping: Next Day
Region: Texas (big enough to be a region)

 

U.K.
Standard shipping, so I assume ground. I don't remember any options about shipping when I was configuring it.

 

Whats recommended tool to use 100% CPU/GPU to test out temps?

 

OCCT 4.4.2

 

Yeah...just ran that. 11 minutes it peaked 94 degrees, averaging over 80.

I am not going to attempt to add thermal paste myself. I guess this is going back, I didn't order from Dell direct so I can't even have them come over to fix it.

Build/ship date on this was Nov 3 according to warranty status so I guess it's the bad ones without issues fixed. And repairs are "on hold" due to low stock on parts or whatever.

I got a good deal on this since they had further 10% off and Dell can't match the price...oh well.

 

I guess I should return this? Thanks

OCCT:


HWINFO:

 

Dell will price match if you order the EXACT config the other reseller offers.

 

I tried, they didn't budge. The retailer is listed on dells own price promise page. The offer is now over so not even a chance.

12/06/2016 11:45:30AM Agent (Sharlet_Margaret): "the price quoted is the best"
12/06/2016 11:45:35AM Agent (Sharlet_Margaret): "trust me on that"

 

There's not much difference in performance between GTX 1070 founders edition & GTX 1070 laptop:
http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-GTX-1070-Desktop.165776.0.html
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-NVIDIA-GeForce-GTX-1070-Laptop.169549.0.html
(Although I've got a factory overclocked GTX 1070 in my desktop which is about 17% faster than that). So, it's not worth it to stick a GTX 1070 in that amplifier given the relatively small added cost to get a GTX 1070 in your laptop. In that case I'd go with the 1070 in the laptop, and then not buy a GPU at all for the Graphics Amplifier - I would only buy the next generation of GPU for the Graphics Amplifier (in a couple of years) after your GTX 1070 in the laptop is too slow.

 

Did u get from currys UK? if so the way they get out of it in the uk is The warranty is different the retail items don't have 1yr on site, they just get 15 months parts only warranty. so that's why even though the laptop may be the same spec the whole package isn't the same.

I gave up messing around with them and re pasted, it went quite easy and my results are awesome to be frank. worth a try there are no internal stickers so if u mess up put it back together and return it & act dumb

 

Yeah was from Currys mate

I'm on the fence whether I should just repaste it or return it. I'll probably just return it and just get a decent laptop next year with 1050 Ti or something in it (Xps15 maybe). Not really a intense gamer.

 

Be interested to know IF u do return it how they are with the return, i heard they can be a%&holes to deal with, the key is make sure you let them know your not happy within 48hours of delivery otherwise they make it harder for you.

I just ran a 30 min for comparison to show u how a re paste can go;
standard paste (thermal grizzly kryo)

 

Yeah much better, I also have light bleeding on the bottom so I think i'll just return it. Actually I already emailed them yesterday night when I noticed the light issue (24 hrs after delivery) so I should be fine. Can probably return to store as well since I paid by card. Worst case I'll be on the phone to my credit card company.

 

Congrats Decca! Glad you had the epiphany to "shorten the bus" as I used to say. First rule of troubleshooting, is to simplify!. I am wondering now though if your experience was an issue with doing things in the proper order, or just a bad seat of the 960 Evo in the slot, but i am sure you must have pulled it out and put it back in a few times. As for the Magician software version not working, I guess that's why they have not yet released the EVO here in NY yet. It's still a pre-order.



Please do us all a favor though, and do some testing and share the results to see if the extra cash for the 960 is worth it! Game load times would be interesting. I think NVMe actually slows down boot times, but you could verify that. I cancelled my order for now, until I see proof of the value on a gaming laptop.

 

Not worth it in my view;

 

Here's a quick video on how I remove the WiFi cables. I have still yet to break any pins...

Hope this helps...

Cheers.



Video is also posted in the OP on the disassembly thread.

 

I got a replacement and difference in temps between cores was 6 degrees max. OCCT peaked at 74 after 45 min. Whatever I threw at it for the short 2 days didn't go over 85. CPU isn't undervolted or anything. Overall, results are much better than the original one. Too bad the screen has insane amount of light bleed. I guess they fixed something at least.

 

I haven't done any timings, but boot times seem no quicker compared to the 850 SATA SSD. Best evidence of game load times is in the video posted above. Speed gains are very small.

My situation is atypical I suppose - I already had a Samsung AHCI M.2 disk and an 850 EVO Sata disk (500Gb each), and the extra cost of a Samsung EVO NVME is not dramatically higher than other brands. I wouldn't bother with the PRO.

My garbled drive identity stemmed from the fact the the BIOS SATA mode was set to RAID. Now I don't know if that was because I purchased the laptop with just a spinning disk, or whether it is the default setting. If it comes with a NVME SSD, is it set to AHCI out of the box?

 

I see a lot of complaints about customer service with Alienware so I will add my experience. I ordered a laptop through someone I found on Facebook Alienware sponsored ad (she offered 15% off, she's a employee). Basically I told her what I wanted, she sent the specs to someone else, he made the quote, I plugged in numbers and ordered it. Well, Before I had her make the quote, 3 and 4 years of tech support/accidental damage were incremental prices. However after the quote was made, they offered 4 years for the price of 3.

When calling up to order (since using 2 gift cards) I should have remembered and had it added but I forgot, this was my fault mostly. So I got my laptop, didn't have much complaints besides lightbleed.

Went on their chat, asked them if they could fix the warranty problem and I was given a link to contact someone else on chat cuz I was using the wrong department or a number to call. Ok, this should be something simple as editing a number, no reason to have to call. I'l use the other link another day I'm not busy. This basically happened 4-5 times with getting run around with links that didn't work or were to the wrong department.

So on the 30th (actually may have been the 32nd or so day after it being delivered, not shipped) I told them I wanted to return it cuz of the lightbleed and cuz I didn't feel like being run-around chats and calls to fix something simple, that I would just return and re-order. Made sure there wouldn't be a restocking fee. And that's that. I was refunded for my laptop outside of the 30days with no restocking fee haha. Didn't pay shipping either. It took about 8 days (including weekends) for the process to be finished and the money to be returned onto my gift card to re-oder.
So my experience was great tbh.

Side notes: after like 6 days of them having the laptop I went on chat and asked if I have to do anything for my gift card to show up with the credit. i was lied to and told I needed to call and have them refresh it. The very reason I didn't want to call, is the frequent comments about how they outsource to india. And of course, that is exactly what the accent sounded like. I'm not racist, they are just hard to understand. But he told me nothing needed to be refreshed (and was correct).

Oh, I definitely received my laptop like 15-20days sooner than they expected it to be shipped in too, that was sweet

 

Good that the repasting went well for you. How come only boosting to 2.6Ghz (and also only 2.2Ghz average) during OCCT? My thinking is that it should boost higher than that.

 

Bios 1.0.8

 

Just received my replacement unit from Dell.

I ran OCCT for about 35 minutes and the temps stayed within 5 degrees on each core.

The unit I was sent as a replacement was actually better spec'd than my old unit.

I'm glad Dell stepped up and took care of my issue.

I hope everyone eventually gets what they are looking for.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

Yup My bad I wasn't sure what it was but i think I had power settings at either power saver or balanced, re running the test now will update this post, with i would imagine some hotter temps...

this is a bit better still not boosting above 3.1 much though, might try bios 1.0.6

 

Just my 50 cents. Received laptop yesterday. CPU was ~85 under load, but fans were acting weird. Sometimes they turned on when machine was idle, and after 2-3 minutes they were going silent again. Also GPU performance was total crap. So I ran Furmark and saw max GPU speed ~300Mhz with 100% GPU load. So I opened the machine and guess what No GPU and heat sink contact whatsoever. I got double layer of thermal interface on one row of GPU memory. Removed it, re pasted, and notebook works as it should.

 

alienware are so not in a good place right now, this is very bad. a real shame would it really take that much to sort out the factory line? i'm like WTF at the moment...

 

WOW. Now that's something...

 

This is a joke? Lol oh my god *muhaha* thats pretty funny. Not sure what i would do, but i would check if the CPU or GPU received any damage from running without cooling solution, but no idea how to check this

aVa

 

After repaste with KRYONAUT its working fine, totally silent then doing simple things like surfing the web, and acceptably loud under gaming.