Acer Predator (Vega 56+Ryzen 2) Helios 500

It'd be fairly easy to run it at 65W in eco mode with official bios support/ryzen master support. It'd far outperfirm any other laptop, even tdp limited, and the drop in frequency in eco mode is surprisingly small.

 

Exactly, but more to the point, the PH517-61 can also fairly easily run 2700x (a 105W TDP cpu) without huge temperatures on it... meaning that technically speaking a Zen 2 or Zen 3 105W cpu such as 3900x/3950x or 5900x/5950x should work fine too (more or less).

The thing with Zen 2 and 3 is that they are made on a much smaller node, meaning that they'd produce more heat than 12nm parts... still, running say Zen 2 or Zen 3 105W TDP parts in ECO mode would work (but in that case, 3900x or 5900x would be a much better fit from cost and performance/efficiency point of view as reducing cpu's to ECO mode would in fact reduce 16c/32th CPU performance very close to 12c/24th CPU).

 

Well, I just upgraded my main box from a 3950x to a 5950x, so I'm tempted to grab the latest bios and see if the 3950 works in it. If it wasn't such a pita to get into and repaste the cpu and gpu I'd be inclined to give it a try, but that's a lot of time and kryonaut to waste if it doesn't work...

 

Don't think it would be too much of a big deal.
You could grab the latest bios (off Windows of course) and just apply the thermal paste on the CPU itself (leave everything else as is).
In the past, when I was opening my previous laptops (but not the PH517-61) for a cleaning and had to remove the heatsink, I didn't clean up the thermal paste and reapply it... and it didn't affect the temperatures at all.
Mind you, these newest systems could be different... but the bottom line here is to try and get to see whether the system boots up with Zen 2 inside (would be amazing if it did - and if it does, maybe you could also try the 5950x too just to test it to see if the BIOS was updated with Zen3 microcode).

 

Btw, I've been upgrading the GPU drivers without issues lately via the Adrenaline control panel.
Seems the Recommended + Optional needs to be selected for new drivers to show up... freesync works just as before (probably because I didn't have to do a new install).

Anyone figured out yet what the Insyde UEFI optional update contains for our BIOS?
And if you installed it... did it work? Did you notice any improvements or more options in the BIOS? Perhaps faster RAM?
I still got no reply from Insyde or Acer on the subject (figures).

 

Were you able to try the optional Insyde update for the BIOS and if the 3950x worked in PH517-61?

 

Not yet, it's been in regular use so haven't had a chance to take it apart.

 

Acer support sent me an email about this UEFI update and they speculate its just security updates but that I should directly contact Insyde. I tried explaining to them that I already tried contacting Insyde and I was told by them to contact Acer.

Why do all these companies just pass us on from one to the other? Oh no, its not Insyde, contact your laptop manufacturer. Laptop manufacturer: Oh its not us, contact Insyde (the BIOS update people).

Back and forth, back and forth.


Also, I sent a request to Acer on Facebook as well about creating a BIOS update (which would include latest AGESA and microcodes for Zen 2 and Zen 3) and fixing the RAM speed issue when all 4 slots are used, and this was the reply:
"Hi Deks, that's really fascinating, however, I'm afraid this is not the most optimal way to suggest it. The better way would be to use the https://community.acer.com/en/ - this is where Acer tech team resides and they can contact you way faster. Thanks, Acer Team"

I replied that we ALREADY tried that and that our requests/suggestions have always gone unanswered.

There's a thread there about the lack of BIOS update sitting there right now for MONTHS which has gone unanswered.

So, I asked them if they could forward this request to the necessary people.

Also, the bottom line is, I was given a reply by the 'Acer Team'... so any requests they get via FB could easily be forwarded to the Tech team in a few seconds (30 at most).
Seriously... that's what it literally takes:
Copy/paste the message into an email, flag it as a priority, and send it to the tech team.

I found it very funny/ironic that he said the Tech team resides on the forums... and yet the PH517-61 BIOS update has been completely/utterly ignored (aka, 0 replies by the Tech team).
In fact, the Tech Team seems to reply INFREQUENTLY there.

Are we a joke to these companies?
Because it really seems like we are.

Pester them on Facebook. That apparently gets a reply very fast.

 

They have already sold you a product. Why should they bother? Remember its always new machines on its way that need their attention. And they will get same love once they are out. The only viable option is a desktop setup.

Won't help. The Aw-boys tried the same with Dell. You will get same answer as you have already posted. Aka nothing useful... http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...-owners-lounge.826831/page-2345#post-11051642

http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...3-owners-lounge.797884/page-912#post-11052889

 

Hey guys... I'd suggest avoiding the most recent driver (21.6.1) because its causing a static on the display after bringing the laptop out of sleep mode (again).
I reported the Bug to AMD and hopefully they will fix it soon.
These new drivers come with FXR, so having that (without having to shut down the laptop and restart it every time the screen switches off) would be good.

Stick with 21.5.2 driver for now.

 

Hello
I was looking for instructions for activating FreeSync, but for some reason the screenshots are not available for me (I tried it with different browsers and VPN)
Could someone import the CRU profile from our laptop screen, with FreeSync already activated, and post it here?

 

Please, repost screenshot
Whithout it I can`t activate FreeSync

 

What screenshots are you talking about? Those on Guru3D forum?
I can see two of those and can attach them here if you want.

EDIT:

These are the ones I can see. Is this what you're looking for?

HAnlgcP by downloads posted Jun 26, 2021 at 3:25 PM

TNrFw5P by downloads posted Jun 26, 2021 at 3:25 PM

 

yes, screenshots with the correct settings in the CRU program

Trying to open your links
Error page: You do not have permission to view media within this album.

And about this link:
https://community.amd.com/servlet/JiveServlet/downloadImage/159634/freesync+repair.jpg
The page you are trying to access was not found. Please check your URL for typos and try again.

 

@Foxxer My bad I've corrected the permissions for the album. Is that it?

 

@ downloads
Perfect!
Thank you very much

But I can`t see instructions for our Helios there
How to, for FreeSync activate

 

I am talking about this instructiom
Can`t see nothing after this
"III) run CRU and follow the steps (if the image is too small, open it in new tab):"

I DONT SEE THE IMAGE ((

 

1. Run CRU
2. Go down to the "Add..." button below the Extension blocks box, click it.
3. Click the "Add..." button below the Data blocks box.
4. Select "FreeSync range" button.
5. Input "60" - "144" Hz, press OK.
6. Press OK, OK.
7. Restart.

 

Thanks a lot

I spent half the night trying to activate FreeSync
This procedure did not lead to a result.
It looks like I'll have to go the hard way: DDU - Safe Mode - DDU - AMD Software

 

I have a question
How can I adjust the RPM of the CPU cooler to keep the CPU temperature below 80 degrees?
In automatic mode

 

The CPU temperature in this unit doesn't usually exceed 75 degrees Celsius when fully stressed... if its going over 80, it might be time to clean up the internals and repaste the CPU and GPU (using the X method and quality paste such as say ThermalFX).

 

Just got myself a used Helios 500. I was wondering if anyone has successfully tuned the vram timing using amdmemtweak? I tried to improve the mining hashrate by changing the vram timing the same way as my desktop vega 56, however I didn't see any improvement (the vram timing settings improved desktop vega hashrate by >10%), and even worse, it often resulted in 500mhz mem clock which killed the hashrate.

 

I hadn't messed around with AMDMEMTWEAK so I can't comment on that. I'd just leave it where it is right now because I don't think the latest drivers are very 'kind' on Vega being overclocked etc.

In other news, I decided to do a little upgrade.
Ordered myself the HX429S17IBK2/64 Memory (2x32 GB).This memory has JEDEC timings of 17 and 2900MhZ speed... so I plan on removing existing 4x8 GB (2400MhZ CL19 or CL20) RAM sticks from all 4 slots, and just use the easily accessible RAM slots to install this new RAM in dual channel mode. Hopefully, it will work at higher speeds etc. (it should because the JEDEC timings are much lower and this RAM doesn't depend on XMP to be sped up to 2933MhZ because it works PnP at those settings - which is why I got that RAM in the first place).

I think 64GB will do me just fine for a while longer so I can make most use of faster RAM timings and double the capacity - should also (hopefully) accelerate everything by about 10% or so.

Also, I will be replacing the 512GB nVme SSD with 2TB Sabrent one (for OS and software - I need a bigger capacity SSD for that as I'm running out of space... so I figured, I might as well get the fast one too).

I don't think I'll be doing any more upgrades on this machine after this though - the next time I consider an upgrade, it'll be an entirely new laptop.

Had Acer decided to upgrade the BIOS for this machine, I would have installed Zen 3 (12c/24th at 65W) inside as a 'final upgrade' for the next few years... but alas...

 

Just finished a fresh Windows Home x64 install on my new Sabrent 2TB SSD.
The system starts in just a couple of seconds now (thanks no doubt to 6x faster speed of the SSD).

I noticed there is no more 30 seconds delay when I press CTRL+P (this was an issue on this machine with an OEM Windows install and shouldn't have existed in the first place - it was a cause for some major slowdowns I think).
Its possible I may have just addressed a major issue that plagued my system performance before in professional software too with a fresh/clean Windows install (though I won't know until I re-install 3dsMax 2022 and other software and see if the thing is behaving better - hopefully it will).

Now I just have to wait for my 64GB RAM to arrive (which won't be here until about 11th - 15th september.

 

Are you using a Microsoft account or a local account?

You might have seen the thread noting that disk encryption is enabled in advanced for what seems to be Microsoft accounts so that might be a small amount of the delay with CTRL+P

 

Atm, I'm using a local account.
However, the 30 second (or longer) delay wasn't just appearing after pressing CRL+P (to prompt the print screen to appear). It also appeared if I were to open say Libre Office for the first time after a restart or when starting WordPad for the first time after a restart. Also accessing some deeper settings in Liber Office produced the same delay.

On other computers which used Microsoft accounts (laptops too), such a delay never existed - I think it was just a badly installed OS, or Acer messed something up when setting it up themselves.

Also, whenever I was finished installing new versions of Libre Office (and removing previous ones), the software would hang in exactly the same manner. I had to wait for about 30 seconds before it would start working and other Libre Office software became accessible.

Now, with a fresh install, I don't have those problems.

I have had some of the worst experiences with OEM Windows installations (lower performance, inability to install games or progress in them for some reason and unexpected software hang ups, just to name a few)... its one of the reasons I usually format the OS drive first and install stuff myself, but I never got a chance to do that with this one... and with college, I was too busy.
So, when I got the new SSD, it was a perfect opportunity, and it seems to have paid off.

I think a lot of these issues could possibly stem from OEM's mass installations.
They probably don't do it one by one... or, if they configure systems in a specific manner, they might be breaking the OS in the process.
I'm just speculating of course, so I don't know, but I always had 'some' issues with OEM Windows installations in the past.

They should make every effort to design a laptop that requires minimum or no extra setting up for 'special vendor features' (because most of the time they aren't really worth the time).
Include proper drivers and software for users to install themselves from the website, and just make sure to continue to release updated BIOS at least and some crucial software for the laptop if its needed.

 

Also, an update on the GPU drivers.
The latest Adrenaline 21.8.2 drivers are producing the static noise coming out of sleep (again)... however, the latest Radeon Enterprise PRO drivers seem to be working just fine coming out of sleep mode (I'm running them now).

This is odd because the Pro enterprise drivers are classed as ones from July... and yet no driver after Adrenaline 21.5.2 works properly coming out of sleep mode for some reason.

 

The latest Radeon Enterprise PRO 21.Q3 (Release Date 15/9/2021) drivers are producing the static noise coming out of sleep (too). Checked and rolled back to 21.Q1.2 today

 

I sent a bug report to AMD with a screenshot and video of what's happening.
Hoefully, they will address the issue in the upcoming Adrenaline releases like they have before... but obviously, there is no guarantee.
I would use the Radeon Enterprise PRO drivers, however, I discovered there is a bit of a slowdown with them here and there in terms of video playback that doesn't happen with Adrenaline drivers... plus, the Enterprise PRO driver features themselves do not appear to function (unehancements for CAD programs) as you need to have an actual Enterprise Pro GPU for them to do that - otherwise, the drivers themselves just look like regular Adrenaline drivers in settings.

 

Btw, anyone have Waves MaxxAudio for download?
I tried installing it via Acer's download section which was included in the drivers, but it just doesn't do anything it seems.
Also, my first reinstall had a fault of some kind, and since then Waves Maxx Audio has been reporting that the audio driver is outdated (even though its not).
Any idea on how to solve these issues?

 

Has anyone tested new drivers
Radeon™ Software Adrenalin 21.10.2
when waking up from sleep mode?

 

Haven't had a chance really.
Even newer drivers have been released.
I'm still on 21.5.2 as I'm kinda sick of trying out new drivers and then reinstalling old ones (though to be fair, I can simply roll back to earlier version).

For some reason, I get the sensation as if certain software (beyond games) isn't properly accelerated via Vega 56.
Zoom for example when its in full screen mode shows people's webcams as if its skipping frames... but when I exit full screen, it stabilizes.

 

Its fixed for a newer driver builds, btw could someone share new power table for our vega?

 

For those of you with a clean install, do Windows still want to install a 2018 Radeon driver for some ****ed up reason?
Microsoft is making a good case why I should just go Linux and forget all the crap.

 

No, its not fixed.
I'm still getting the same problem (static noise coming out of sleep mode) with every new driver after 21.5.2.

If you fixed yours, I'd be glad to learn how you managed to do that.

 

I'd use Linux, but can't.
3d Studio Max 2022 refuses to work with Wine, or any other Linux software which can usually make Windows software run under it. It just refuses to work (fundamentally incompatible)... and I need this program for my coursework (they don't allow us to do stuff in Blender for example - at least not for this course).
Plus, there's a whole bunch of Adobe stuff I'm paying for which also appears to not run on Linux well... so I really can't switch.

Sure, there's alternative software which I could use, but it would take re-training in most of them, and we're not allowed to use any replacement for 3dsMax for the coursework.


EDIT: I switched from 'sleep mode' to Hybernation for now so I can use the latest drivers. I find the differences to be... minimal to non-existent between the two... plus, in case of a power loss, you don't lose the previous session like you would with Sleep mode. Think I'll stick with Hybernate from now on.

 

Just some update about my laptop. I was able to get 47.5mh/s for ETH mining at ~139w from the software which is decent (about the same hashrate as desktop 6700xt though at higher wattage). So some money can be made when I am not using it. What a shame Acer wouldn't upgrade the bios to support zen3....

 

You might entertain the thought of ergo mining at some point, Vega does about as well as a 3070 iirc

 

It was doing about 160mh/s for ergo before the recent update. After the recent update, Vegas got nerfed about 25%.

 

Yeah after reading your post this seems to be a recent change. How unfortunate. Could hit around 185Mh/s if you really wanted to.

 

I didn't push it that much (highest power was 141w), it could potentially do more. My desktop Vegas could push to 200+ mh/s before the patch.

 

Oh I mean just speaking generally but yes I had seen those numbers on occasion.

 

Hi @ALL,
can someone please post a picture from cpu z showing off the mainbaord tab? I want to know which agesa software version is running on the helios 500 with amd ryzen cpu. Thank´s.

 

Sadly it doesn't say the AGESA version in the BIOS string.

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/Amd/comments/rbykrb/rx_vega56_ryzen_7_3700x_smart_access_memory/ - did anyone triy? I cant get SAM activated...

 

Doesn't that require a new AGESA? Acer still have a several year old version with known bugs...

 

Well, with the forums shutting down does anyone have another place for resources on this machine? This thread was probably the best source of info on it.