Yes. The Dell BIOS-level overclocking profiles max out at something like 4.1, but you can push it higher using Intel XTU.
If you look at the XTU benchmarking data online, though, there's barely any benefit to overclocking more than a little. There just isn't much real headroom in the CPU for it. Maybe if someone releases an aftermarket CPU cooler kit for the 17 R3?
The GTX 980M 8GB GPU is more of a bottleneck in Fallout 4 anyway.
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. Five mounth and still not disapointed at aw. Maby ill buy GA next year and only maby. Rly no need for more power. Yes its 4k screen but w10 optimised so much from firs time i used laptop. Even fckin League of legends got 4k support... 4k will be 100%optimised soon.
. I hope i helped. Yes its hard to get aw that works ( my first didnt work properly) but when you got one your gf got good competition xD
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Hello Guys! I am on my second Alienware after selling my beloved M17xR3. I have the 17 R3 with the i7-6700hq and the GTX 970. I have a couple questions. First off let me say that even though I had a few issues to work out, I love my laptop. The performance and the thermals are outstanding! The non glare HD screen is great and very bright! All in a thin and lighter package. For my use the GTX 970 is perfect.
So first I removed the standard HDD and installed the 500GB Samsung 850 evo! A great ssd which I recommend to anyone on this forum. My very first problem as I was attempting a clean install with the Windows 10 recovery usb stick, the pc would not boot from it! Tried just about everything but could not get windows to boot so I had to go with cloning. Last Sunday I purchased the Samsung 950 pro 256GB and found out there is no screw to hold the ssd in place. I had to improvise with an eyeglass repair kit screw. Once again tried clean install of windows 10 and it refused to boot from the recovery stick. Had to go with cloning again. Also if I go back to raid in the bios, the pc will not boot at all. Had to stay with AHIC. I am getting great performance from the 950 but the bios and the Intel rapid storage will not recognize my 950. Is there anything I can to fix this? Appreciate any help or suggestions I can get in this matter!Last edited: Feb 18, 2016 -
I have a 500GB Samsung 850 Evo as well, and did a clean install.
The trick with USB bootintg is to use Rufus to burn the recovery ISO to USB, and make sure to format as EFI instead of MBR. This is because the 17 R3 has an EFI BIOS.
Also, AHCI is potentially better than RAID if you are not trying to pair multiple drives in a RAID configuration.
I highly suggest installing the Samsung Magician utility to help with Windows tuning and to enable RAPID mode for more performance.sabesh likes this. -
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sagarbhathwar Notebook Consultant
If your USB isn't shown, then, try a different USB stick.
If you are unable to boot into the usb drive though it's shown, trying using https://rufus.akeo.ie/ as Hunter said, burn the iso to the USB disk using GPT partitioning scheme for UEFI. It should work.
Even try Windows 7 USB creator - https://wudt.codeplex.com/ . Works like a charm after 6 years.
Regarding your raid/ahci configuration, you are better of with AHCI since your RAID configuration will be bottlenecked by the slower of the two disk(you surely don't want that). RAID configuration is best only when you have two identical disks.
And regarding the Intel RST, I don't know. Both RST and Samsung Magician fails to recognize my Samsung PM951. Anyone know why?HunterZ0 likes this. -
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sagarbhathwar Notebook Consultant
Oh and I just realised. Did you format your drive as fat32? Because that is the most compatible(though I doubt formatting it as NTFS will cause problems)
Try with rufus. It will surely work -
sluggz likes this.
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Regarding the m.2 and windows install...I have a thread on this with solutions...
Update: Here is the link to the thread. Post #80
I'm on my phone right now, otherwise I'd link you...just look up my user ID and the threads I've created...you'll find it, as it should be on the first or second page.....once find the thread the solution is on post #80 ....I at least remember that much lol...
Hope that helps....Last edited: Feb 18, 2016 -
Which unfortunately for the newer AW 15R2 and 17R3, the two m.2 ports are 2x and 4x.... thus not worth RAID. It's a waste IMO....
Also, I wouldn't use Intel Rapid or Samsung Magician. It's artificial and invites a high risk of data loss compared to not using it.
Both my m.2 950 pro and 850 pro ssd's are running without the two softwares and it's running great....
As for your Samsung pm951... I have the solution on my post. (sorry I'm on my phone using crappatalk...otherwise I'd link ya....post #80 on my thread when you find it.)
Update: Here is the link to the thread. Post #80Last edited: Feb 18, 2016 -
sagarbhathwar Notebook Consultant
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tilleroftheearth Wisdom listens quietly...
See:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/samsung-magician-v4-9-5.786702/#post-10179886
Power loss not required to corrupt data. In the above example I was lucky it didn't corrupt any system files.
Running the Samsung Magician optimizations is reason enough to re-install the O/S for me (never runs properly afterwards, even if you try to 'undo' anything).
The worst part about CRAPID? It actually makes your system slower when it's running.
Have you tested for yourself (on a clean Windows install without running SM 'optimizations' first) how the system responds to RAPID on vs. off?
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Not only that but I've done a few SSD benchmarks with Write-cache on and off on my Samsung SSD equipped Surface Pro 4. There is VERY little difference in benchmarks, and 0 difference in actual usage.
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Yikes, I only have samsung magician installed. I haven't used any sort of optimization feature. If I uninstall it now am I safe? Or merely installing the program has screwed me?
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tilleroftheearth Wisdom listens quietly...
As Papusan has already stated...
If you haven't used the optimization features and haven't turned on RAPID, you should be fine. Installing the program is required only when your supported Samsung SSD needs a firmware update (and... don't rush into those too quick either), except for that instance, Magician is uninstalled from my systems too (w/Samsung SSD's).
This is not so much a specific SSD 'thing' as a warning about any third party utility that optimizes or otherwise changes an O/S' defaults in the name of 'performance'.
Samsung or any other third party utility writer simply cannot match MS (or any other O/S, for that matter) for the ability to fully comprehend, setup and optimize the O/S better than the O/S manufacturer themselves.
If they could, they would have an O/S themselves.
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Could someone with an i7-6700hq please screenshot their pcmark score and details so a can pinpoint the cause of my score in the 2700s? I've run every update I can think of and changed performance options every way I can think of.
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I've disabled RAPID mode and so far I haven't noticed a difference.
Windows seems to have turned write cache buffer flushing back on on it's own. On the advice of a tweak site I re-enabled Superfetch, as it reportedly works different (or maybe auto-disables?) on Windows 10 and is recommended by Microsoft and Intel to remain enabled even for SSDs. -
Gladstone Manning Notebook Enthusiast
Hello dear Alienware owners, I'm wondering who of you has installed more than the stock 8GB or 16GB of ram in your machines.
I just got my Alienware 17R3 yesterday and MAN am I in love. I had most of the common problems people are mentioning here and in forums, and did the common driver updates, now she runs like a dream.
I use Photoshop cs6 and Maya to create concept art. With the current 16GB, photoshop files above 6"x6"@ 300dpi start to stutter and lag when I make brush strokes with my Wacom pen. I've always had 24-32GB ram and I've never had that problem until now.
I called Dell today, and according to two different customer service reps, I cannot install more than 16GB of ram into this machine (Alienware AW17R3-8342SLV, i7-6700HQ 2.6 GHz Processor, 16 GB DDR4, 2 TB Samsung 850 PRO + 256 GB SSD Storage, 17.3 Inch UHD, Windows 10 Home) without: 1. Voiding the 3 year premium warranty (purchased for $550) 2. the different frequencies of ram could ruin the motherboard.
Has anyone learned otherwise?
Crucial's website says plain-as-day that this 32GB kit is compatible with the 17R3: http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/alienware-17-r3/CT7892000
I called the Crucial rep and was told that they test these extensively, and that most likely Dell is covering their butts. He also said to only buy one 16GB of Crucial ram just in case it got too hot... not cool? Not sure what to do here.
Any input or advice on this matter would be greatly appreciated!! -
Have you checked on your actual RAM usage in Windows task manager? I'd be shocked if any one app was using more than 4-8GB, and Windows itself shouldn't use more than 4GB or so if you're not running a bunch of stuff in the background.
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Gladstone Manning Notebook Enthusiast
For sure! It's an option in photoshop to extend the ram usage (let photoshop use a lot of ram so it can render brush strokes in real time). I'm scraping the RAM ceiling with photoshop right now.
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Don't jack the RAM usage usage too high, or you won't be leaving enough for Windows. Maybe try loading fewer plugins/presets?
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sagarbhathwar Notebook Consultant
See http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-17-r3/pd?oc=dkcwg04m&model_id=alienware-17-r3 Dell offers 32GB too!
So, surely they are trying to cover their butts.
As per the Crucial rep, try with 1x16GB RAM first, then go with 2x16GB (Rest assured, both RAMs should be EXACTLY the same since anything even slight difference by a single clock-cycle can dive you into trouble). As per running hot, can you really help it? You are doing heavy duty with PS! -
Gladstone Manning Notebook Enthusiast
Hi there, thanks for the reply. Are you recommending I just remove one of the stock 8GB cards and insert the Crucial 16GB, for a total of 24GB as a test? Or remove all current ram and just add the 16GB? Thanks -
sagarbhathwar Notebook Consultant
You do not want to introduce conflict between two different RAMs -
Mixing dissimilar RAM is possible but usually not worth the trouble of trying to get the computer to run both sticks at the timings required by the slowest / highest latency of the two sticks. You also lose the benefit of dual-channel acceleration.
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Dell will only have your money. They sell 2x16GB ram for an very high price.
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Gladstone Manning Notebook Enthusiast
Alrighty,
I called Crucial again and both Crucial reps have now confirmed that they've tested the 16x2 GB kits and they work fine in the 17r3.
He followed that by saying " However, If Dell tells you it will void the warranty and possibly ruin the motherboard, I would advise against messing with the ram at all."
So, both Dell and Crucial are in "Cover their butts" mode, and I still only have opinions on the issue, no verifiable facts yet. No offense meant to anyone who has answered, but "It will work" and "It should work" make me nervous. You're right Papusan, I could do that swap if there was a problem, but that includes up to a month of being without a computer if I need to send it in... I don't want to be without my precious if ya know what I mean.
So, the topic is still open! If anyone here has installed 32GB of Crucial (or any brand) RAM into their 17r3, and it works fine without overheating, please let me know! Thank you!! -
Why is this even a topic again? its been mentioned a few times that people are running 32GB just fine.
Also, how the hell would running 32gb of RAM overheat a laptop?
This whole conversation screams of "I don't understand how technology works!' -
sagarbhathwar Notebook Consultant
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I don't get the need for using more then 16GB of ram as even 8GB is sufficient for most tasks. Really overkill!
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Gladstone Manning likes this.
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Robbo99999 Notebook Prophet
I think you need 16GB RAM to be absolutely fine for gaming - Batman Arkham Knight under Windows 10 it's recommended by the Developers recently to have at least 12GB RAM, and the requirement is only gonna grow over the next few years.
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I have 32gb and normal day sit around 20gb used. Few vm's open, few virtual desktops with a few chrome each, some kind of video or photo editor, and usually xsplit broadcaster in the background.
When I go full out video editing, I'll have 3 or 4 adobe programs open and working, normal ram usage 75%ish, have maxed 32gb ram several times as well.
Sent from my SM-N910V using TapatalkGladstone Manning likes this. -
Windows 10 is actually less demanding than Windows 7, as Microsoft has optimized parts of the OS for use on mobile devices and convertible netbook-tablet hybrids.
The problem here is that Adobe products are legendary for being poorly-optimized system hogs. They reserve however much system RAM you configure them to grab, even if they're not using it, which prevents other programs from being able to access it. The choices are to either install ridiculous amounts of RAM so that Adobe can do nothing with it, or run fewer things at the same time, or configure Photoshop to reserve less RAM.
My idle usage is around 4GB, with almost 1GB used by Firefox. Games only use 2-4GB currently, although this is likely to increase with new generation console ports. -
So I noticed that X3: Terran Conflict stubbornly refuses to run on my GTX 980M 8GB, instead running on the integrated Intel GPU - even if I configure the nVidia drivers to prefer the nVidia GPU for all applications, x3tc.exe, and the game folder. I can tell this is happening because the game does not use Vsync unless I activate Vsync in the Intel GPU driver settings. Toggling Vsync in the nVidia GPU driver settings has no effect; the game runs at >400FPS in menus and >100FPS in-game (with max settings). With Vsync enabled in the Intel settings I get 60FPS.
It's really annoying that Dell keeps the Intel GPU in the loop when a dedicated GPU is installed. I don't care about saving power because it's a gaming laptop that will be connected to AC power 99.9% of the time.
I've submitted a bug report to nVidia, but I'm sure they will just say they can't replicate the issue. That's what they always say.jackie89 likes this. -
And it's to get people like you buy the AGA because you need a solution to bypass the iGPU. -
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Hey guys! Does anybody know where to purchase a proper size screw to hold down the the Samsung 950 pro SSD stick on my 17r3? Incredible neither Samsung or Dell provides one! Had to use one from an eyeglass repair kit but the head of the screw is too small and it is barely holding!
*OFFICIAL* Alienware 17 R2/R3 Owner's Lounge
Discussion in '2015+ Alienware 13 / 15 / 17' started by Mr. Fox, Dec 10, 2014.