Overclocking potential for GTX 1080 max Q

So i have been thinking about getting the gtx 1080 max q in the AW 15 r3 and it got me thinking about overclocking om max q cards. There seems to be very little if any data available for the aw gtx 1080 max q gpu but it must be able to be overclocked just like any graphics card. Then i got to thinking since it is technically a gtx 1080 just with lower tdp but it has same cuda cores and 320gbps. So seeing as how it has the same hardware do you think it could be possible to download the bios for a full gtx 1080?? I know it might br a stretch but that could be a really cool way to customize these max q cards. Maybe there is some untapped potential that is yet to be discovered in these things. Your thoughts??

 

It could go a number of ways, at one point back in the old days mobile chips tended to clock higher because they were better binned. Unfortunately now a days that may or may not be the case depending on what the max board power is set to. Same issue is hobbling the RX Vega56 since it's capped at 300W

 

overclocking a MAX-Q seems very very very iffy. It already runs standard really hot. I don't think Overclock is anything you should do on those GPU's

 

Well the power is limited to the max q cards so your saying that because of that the overclocking potential is limited?? I new to all of this so im just trying get a better understanding of how all the technology works. But i know alot of people put down the max q cards but to me i see potential in something that runs cooler and as effecient with less power. There has to be a way to get these things performing at gtx 1080 levels. I wish someone here who has one would chime in.

 

Why do u say they run hot?? I thought the whole point of max q was to run cooler??

 

Yes and no.

They are put into smaller (and thinner) laptops than a normal GTX 1080 could run in.

They have a "40db" limit for the fans, thus are not cooled as aggressively.

1080 Max-q would run cooler in the same laptop that also ran a normal GTX 1080 for comparison.

As for overclocking; expect about 150 - 175 Mhz before instability due to power limits.

 

Do you know this for a fact?? I only ask because i also frequent the asus official forums and a couple guys over there have said that the 1080 max q overclocks really well...and with the overclocked 1080 max q they can play pretty much any game at high and ultra settings on a 1440p external monitor. And the zephyrus has a locked hq cpu while the Aw 15 r3 gtx 1080 max q has the unlocked hk cpu. I think theres more potential here than people realize. I just wish someone here had the actual piece of hardware and could back it up with real world data.

 

This is the problem with this topic. Trying to separate the hard data from opinion/theory. Hopefully someone will chime in soon who actually has the max Q on the 15r3 and provide some guidance.


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Honestly ive been torn between buying a 15 r3 with the gtx 1080 max q now, or waiting for the coffee lake/volta refresh next year. I want one so bad but part of me is like maybe i should wait for the newer better hardware to release and hopefully theyll get rid of the triangular heatsink design. But the other half wants to pull the trigger and get it now. Hardest decision of my friggin life haha.

 

Why wait? There is always something on the horizon.

 

Curious why you are considering the AW 15 Max-Q over 17" GTX 1080 laptops or the MSI 16L13 (only 15" full 200w GTX1080 latop)?

The AW 15 is massive for a 15" laptop. Despite being "thin" it is over 1" Deeper than normal 15" laptops and is 7.7 lbs (3.6kg). You might as well get a 17" with normal GTX 1080

If you care about performance and overclocking + portability, the MSI 16L13 is the way to go. Its thicker by 0.6", but weighs 1.2 lbs (0.54kg) less than the AW 15. Price is about the same... but you get i7-7700K desktop glory in the MSI

 

Lol i know right? My thinking on waiting is not so much for new hardware as it is for new cooling system and heatsink.

 

Honestly im not a huge fan of how it looks. I know thats kind of stupid but i have to look at it as much as i play games on it. I mean i wouldnt buy a car just because it has a twin turbo v8 if i dont like how it looks ya know?? But i have thought about it after speaking with donald from HIDevolution. Maybe if i wait next year theyll have a new design for that as well?? How often do HIDevolution use a new chassis for their EVOC line?

 

Does anyone have any really good pics of the EVOC 16l-G-1080? The pics on their site arent that good. And does anyone know if the 120hz 1080p screen option come with gsync?? It doesnt say anything bout gsync on their site. How important is gsync on this monitor with this combo of cpu/gpu?

 

There really are no glamour shots that OEMs Photoshop the bejeezus out of, like with mainstream laptops.

It definitely looks a lot better, and feels better in person than in those poor photos.

Owning both AW and the EVOC, I can say that AW is a 9 out of 10 on premium "look and feel" scale while the EVOC is 7.5 out of 10

That being said, I much prefer the brushed aluminum palm rest and keyboard area on the EVOC, despite the soft touch feeling more premium on the AW. It gets super greasy fast, and is difficult to clean.

No, 120Hz LCD does not have GSync "supported". But motherboard has GSync chip, and certain users reported that It works despite not being in Nvidia control panel... I honestly can't tell, everything looks buttery smooth on it anyway. I have always thought GSync a useless feature, especially when you can push 120 FPS with GTX 1080 + i7-7700K in many titles fine.

Only pic I have on hand is lid I painted, not really meant to be a glamour shot. Can try to take some good shots tomorrow

 

Thanks for the pic and fast response!! I didnt know it was brushed aluminum i thought it was just plastic. I definately like the idea of having a desktop in a portable laptop. Plus with lga socketed components i can upgrade the internal parts correct? Im starting to lean more in this laptops direction. The alienware i feel is going to be a hassle with all the thermal issues i will undoubtedly have no 1, no 2 its bga "turdbook" a la mr fox haha, no 3 even if i decide to get the monster 17 inch it wont be anywhere near as awesome perf wise as the evoc 16. Dam. I think i just made my mind up. Thanks for your help i really appreciate it.

 

@saturnotaku took a decent unboxing video with decent shots


@Mr. Fox has a review video too

 

I don't think you'll regret it. I'm running mine at 4.6 GHz CPU with a -0.100v undervolt and haven't gone past 75C on Time Spy stress test.

 

Did u get yours from HID??

 

And, if it is made by Dell/Alienware, you are essentially guaranteed that something (perhaps multiple somethings) will be gimped and castrated on the thing. They do not allow anyone to extract full performance from anything they sell. That's just how they operate. The 16L13 utterly annihilates anything Alienware has to offer. (Even their desktops are severely gimped pieces of crap now.)

I doubt it as well. There is nothing worthy of regret. The fact of the matter is that there is not any 15 inch notebook that is as good as this one. It is without dispute that it is more powerful than any and all other single GPU notebooks of any size except for the Clevo P870.

 

Yes. EVOC is their brand, and they are Prema partners for Prema's unlocked bios and enhanced vBios. The only other seller with the GTX 1080 version is Eurocom (Tornado F5) as far as I am aware.

 

Prema bios means its unlocked?? Seriously im new to this. I know the basics...thats about it haha

 

Yes - unlocked and more - @Prema is the magician that sets laptops free from the bondage of their evil makers. By "more" I mean he not only exposes useful menus, but goes to the trouble of correcting screwed up messes. It takes a lot more talent (and many hours of toil) to do that than it does to unhide menus.

 

Yes, @Prema is a Bios programmer legend in these parts. The stock bios was very limited. Prema unlocks, and organizes a bunch of options (like Ram cas timings, advanced clocking options, security features, etc... ) You don't really need to touch most of the settings as a basic user ever; but it is very nice to have the option to learn and become an advanced user if you'd like. You have to start somewhere

 

Ya i was just hung up on alienware becuz ive wanted one for so long. But im not willing to sacrifice performance and reliability for something that looks better. I wish i could take the internals of the evoc 16l-g-1080 and stuff them into an alienware lol. But im 99 percent sure im gonna order the evoc in a couple weeks. Ill let u guys know, or ull know cuz ill be on here asking a million questions lol. Thanks so much tho u guys r great. Alot of knowledge here that i will be using in the future. Thanks again!

 

Ok serious question tho...u guys think i should wait for hexacore coffee lake?? Id hate to buy this laptop and then have the new hardware come out. With a desktop class gpu 1080 i dont need to wait for volta. But i kinda feel like i should wait for the new hexacores. Your thoughts???

 

Yes, if the wait is not too much longer that would be smart. I have no idea when we are going to see them in a Clevo or 16L13. Might be a few months, or could be a year. I have no idea.

 

Btw I talked to Donald@HIDevolution and he told me the new coffelake cpus and any other upgrades won't be available on the EVOC 16l until q2 2018. BUT he told me they are most likely also changing the shell/chassis and will get a new look. I'm super excited and I've decided to wait til next year to make my purchase. I think it'll be worth it those EVOCS are no joke.

 

I realize its very taboo around here to discuss the Max-q in a serious way. But for those that come along and find this thread hoping to find some answers rather than people laughing at the idea of a 1070 ish perfomer in a slim sleek quiet and cool piece of hardware...here's my findings so far.
+225mhz core does seem to be the sweet spot for gpu boost 3 to still kick in. I've tried +250 and it doesnt crash but the max frequency is 1600 ish and averages in the 1400's.

With +225 the max is about 1929mhz, averaging 1760mhz. I guess because this machine cools so well GPU Boost 3 can stay active often. GPU Wattage averages mid 90's going up to almost 140 sometimes.
For those that don't own or have a chance to try a GX501, ( my test subject) these numbers may be surprising.

The fans do seem to go above the 40db rating but I guess that may be because of the overclock. GPU temps are always between 68 and 72c. Game tested was PUBG at 1080p.

Memory overclocking to 200mhz in afterburner (400mhz actually) which I had read a reviewer had done seems to decrease my fps abit.
Maybe its errors that may be happening. Either way, on my system I just leave memory at default.

 

Ive heard that overclocking the max q in the zephyrus yields good results. However ive also heard that because alienwares max q is the highest possible wattage 110w, the overclocking of the gpu is locked by nvidia. I havent actually met anyone with the 15r3 max q to confirm. But thats what i heard. Either way the max q 1080 i think deserves more credit than it deserves. And if someone could figure out a way to unlock the settings that thing could be a real beast.

 

The reason why people are upset is, why do marketing for 1080max-Q if you could build a GTX 1070 in it instead? Hell you could even call them GTX 1080M for less confusion if that's what you want. It's the naming that mainly triggeres me.

 

I wonder what would be the most cost effective ?

1. Buying a 15R3 1080 Max-Q and Hard Flashing with a 180W power limit modded Bios
2. Puting a refurb 17R4 1080 motherboard in a 15R3.

 

If they could put a overclocked 1070 in a chassis like that, and keep temps down...then there'd be no need for max-q.
Better, more efficient chip (1080), trimmed down to the sweet spot... Or a juiced up hungry and hot 1070...no brainer really.
We can't change power levels but they let us overclock the core to within 5% of a stock 1080.(on the GX501)

Is there any valid way of posting Temps, frequencies etc here?

 

GPUz logs do both. MSi afterburner screenshots work. 3D mark stress test charts frequency and Temps too

There is an overclocked GTX 1070 in the AW 15... See the "promotional video" I think @hmscott posted it a while back.

 

2 would not work at all. Heatsinks would not line up. I think I/O is slightly different too.

Would not recommend 1 for risk of bricking or burning out GPU... but Dell warranty wouldn't be able to tell what happened. I don't condone lying to them though; follow your own moral compass.

 

Ok, I'll try to put something together and post it so I can back up my blather with something reliable

 

Amusingly, Alienware did this for their own Max-Q product release, AW simultaneously released an OC'd 1070 (out of the box OC in BIOS / vBIOS) which performed the same as the Max-Q 1080 AW model, and the AW 1070 model cost $400 less with the same configuration.

Not All Nvidia Geforce 1080 Max-Q's Are Created Equal | Alienware
Start at 1:59 for the 1070 OC AW 15 call out...

 

I agree it's amusing that they put the Alienware Max-q into the same size chassis as the overclocked 1070. Same weight and size, all you gain is less dB. Maybe not worth it for most people. I think Aorus did this same thing.

The laptop you referenced is a completely different animal compared to the Zephyrus.

It's 25.4mm thick..... Compared to 17.9mm is 42% thicker!

7.69lbs vs 5lbs...54% heavier!

Achieving the same speed it's no doubt a loud monster.
And... If you overclock the GX501 it will surpass that overclocked 1070..and still stay under 75c.

Done properly ( not alienware) the Max-Q can be the pound for pound king

 

The point of the Alienware video was to also point out that the thin and light laptops with crappy keyboards weren't a good idea - a good design - and that AW had optimized the size and weight to deliver best and full performance, the Max-Q Design was a poor compromise that Alienware refused to make.

Likely as not AW were pressured to implement Max-Q by Nvidia, and this was their way of protesting the whole Max-Q Design.

I don't think the goal of cramming high power CPU / GPU into a too small volume to cool it and then detune those parts through firmware and limiting their power supply is a good idea either, Alienware got it right

 

Aorus must have been protesting too. Couldn't be they were too cheap to design a new chassis.
I guess the Triton 700 keyboard is crap compared to the Alienware..

 

Yup. Aorus too.

 

The pound for pound king will always be the 6.6lbs MSI 16L13 with Desktop K CPU and 200w GTX1080

If you go the ASUS, you want thin too. I suppose thin matters for some people. But I simply cant see why when it is a DTR with not battery life like the rest.

The thing with the DB limit on Max-Q is preposterous. If that is an Issue; take your normal full powered GPU and down-clock, undervolt, and or FPS limit the game.

I have a profile saved for my MSI where I do as such and it whispers at a cool 70 C under load.

 

Wow, that tornado is really something. I'll admit, I don't like fat beefy chunkers. But I do see the beauty of the desktop processor.

I had the P775DM3 with desktop cpu and 1080. It was 1.6" too and nasty to look at too.
Just bumped the back of the laptop and the pretend grill protector breaks.

 

Clevo quality plummeted over the years IMHO. Had a clevo 3 years ago and it seemed flimsy then.

this is interesting. According to Charles Jefferies who tested both for NBR. The Acer Triton 700 ran just as cool or cooler than the Asus (see post 28 and 30):

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/acer-predator-triton-700.804142/page-3

Interesting trade-offs between the 2, extremely poor track-pad placement on Acer, but two Ram slots, better keyboard, no bottom flap to worry about, and maybe better cooling. Asus also looks a little better in aesthetics though. That ugly Preditor logo is something.

Wanting to see if the Acer can overclock

 

They both suck equally? Max-Q!!

 

I wouldn't dislike them so much if they were properly priced for what you get (~$2100) and Max-Q marketing wasn't a cancer to the world.

I applaud the bold (if not crazy) design choices. Experimentation is always a good thing; and that is why I follow the threads to see where it leads and the mods that can be done.

 

Sure, they're interesting, but then they want us to buy them, with real money - and not cheap either. - Zoidberg

 

That's quite hot compared to the Alienware. My 1080 with custom MSI AB undervolt and overclock curve (have you tried that?) is 64C after several hours gaming