M14x: Fan Discussion

wow so it seems that there's a fan issue on the m14x, cooling any decent?

 

Hello !

Did you play games with your MBP ?
I ask this to have a comparison because I have a MBP unibody (but with a C2D and a 9600GT) and when I play games, the fans are extremely audible (when they are at approx. 6000 RPM) and I would have known if the M14x is quiter or louder than the MBP (in charge and in idle).

Thanks.

 

I'd say it's about as loud as the Xbox 360.

 

Call me old fashioned, but with more and more ISPs adding bandwith limits, I think we'll see a mini-resurrection of DVD/Blu-Ray games over digital distribution.

...quite easy to chew up 500GB a month as much netflix/streaming/steam I use...oy!

 

Would a laptop cooling pad help reduce the fan noise by reducing the need for the fan or would it just make the m14x a little cooler?

 

i guess it help, but if you play for a while the most obvious is that the fan will run...so..the noise

I do not think they can fix the noise problem, we must understand that this is a laptop with power, so DEFINITELY the lappy need a ventilation fan that can keep the job

it would have been better to use the battery room for better ventilation or other fan and leave the battery out like most laptops

 

It definitely needs a bigger heatsink too, its the size of a finger

 

My last laptop was a Dell XPS M1330. When I do the things on my M14x that I could do on the M1330, it is no louder.

When I play games, or do other more intensive tasks, it is louder, but I don't care as the M1330 couldn't do these things at all.

Yes it's loud, no, it's not a big deal.

 

I have my laptop on "balanced"

- use it for web browsing, some word documents, and listening to music and the fan has not come on once (using it for approx 1 hour)

The second I start to game for watch a high-def movie the fan kicks in.

 

Honestly, I think everyone is over exaggerating. I've been benchmarking non stop for a while now and it really doesn't get that loud. My desktop in the popular Antec 900 case and my GTX 260 is louder idling.


Edit:
And like others have said, for the several hours I spent just surfing the web and downloading programs, I couldn't hear the fan at all.

 

The fan kicks in on high def movies? Is it loud? I don't mind too much for gaming, but I definitely don't want it on for movies! Does the dedicated graphics kick in for HD video? I think the sandy bridge IGP is plenty capable for HD so it should be enough...

 

HD 3000 is more than enough even for light gaming on medium since it is on par with geforce 310-320m so the dedicated card shouldn't kick in on hd videos.

 

You kidding? The fans kicks in at full blast when playing HD video? that's no good.

 

How loud is the fan when you watch a high-def movie? That's about the most "taxing" I'd do to the laptop since I don't game. Is it audible over the speakers?

 

It should definitely be possible to stop it switching over to the 555m (probably in some sort of AW command centre setting, or nVidia control panel) in which case it should still run fluently on the IGP but silently as well.

 

True Evil. I hope TitanGod is trolling/joking only about the fan blasting even when playing HD video is just a huge turn off.

I mean it is already annoying when gaming or benchmarking with that leafblower/hairdryer sound but that is understandable since it needs to cool off but playing HD video? Come on

 

Before I received my laptop, I read all the posts about how loud the fan is... I ran some stress tests and found that it's not really that loud. To me, many of the posts appear exaggerated as to how loud the fan is.


Alienware M14X / i7 2720QM 2.2GHz / 6GB DDR3 / 900p (1600x900) / 1.5GB DDR3 NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M / 256 Solid State Drive

 

I don't think is exaggerated because some people is more sensitive to noise levels personally i don't think the M14X fan is that loud is just a high pitch little fan you can actually find those in many machines like the macbook pro for example

the problem with the M14X is the fan is exposed and that's why it sounds louder then what supposed to be, also i think the fan spins real fast like 5K or 6X rpm and that is causing extra noise

if somebody really want to lower the noise maybe covering the intake fan vent with some kind of filter would help also raising the machine with something like a cooler change the fan noise because the air is not doing more flow pressure under the laptop

 

It may be loud for some users who have not experienced having a real gaming laptop. My wife's ASUS is not a gaming laptop and the fan is loud.

I think the comparison is a small-size hair dryer on the lowest setting. not that high pitched, but like that.. Kind of a "whisper scream"

 

Yeah....I suppose fan noise is relative. While gaming, blasting music, or watching a movie, the noise is negligible...to me. Aside from the battery shutdown issue, this is a great laptop.

 

I just hope it's not loud enough to disturb my roommate next year...still plan on getting it though (after we learn more about the shutdown issue).

 

it is loud just got mine today hit 80c with my overclock and she kicks in hard almost as loud as my 4870x2.... its only loud when gaming and its not erritating enough to warrant taking it back..... i also wear a g930 headset

this thing is a beauty

 

Its not as loud as I thought. But it would be nice to be able to have it spin a little slower.

 

Has anyone thought about replacing the fan? What are the fan specs, comne tors etc.? It shouldn't be that hard to find a silent replacement. I had a cheap HP laptop and the fan broke. When I was gaming on it or well trying too lol it was noisy. I found a near silent replacement for $15 us and it kept the temps normal but made no noise at all.

So if its load enough to wake my wife or when I am in the hospital (kidney issues) and someone complains I will open it up and replace it.

 

Hi All,
I have a few questions / issues with the fan:
I notice that when I select Power saver mode, the fan never kick in.
When I select balance / high performance, the fan would kick in pretty often even when i browse the internet .. etc. And right before the fan kick in, i here 3 small beep sound (tich tich tich) and then the fan kick in.. is that normal? are you guys hearing the same sound? TIA

 

Has anybody skyped on the m14x? Any complaints from the other party about hearing the fan?

 

Hi all,

I've found that fan noise is not bad at all if you are not playing games. It used to spin up a bit when watching Flash videos but after ensuring FF/Chrome use only the integrated graphics (via the NVidia control panel) browsing is quiet.

It is definitely noticeable when playing games however. But with the game noise on I don't feel it is a problem (a matter of preference I guess).

 

You can with the latest version of HWinfo32 you can set the fan to 4500 rpm when gaming ! thanks to Mumak

 

Even if you can, I'd be wary and monitor temperatures very carefully to prevent overheating.

 

is the m14x single fan efficient ? which is max temp for cpu and gpu ?

is there any throttling issue in heavy games like bad company 2 ?

thank you

 

From what people have been saying around the forum, the fan is very good at keeping the components cool. I believe it's around 90C max for the CPU and 80C for the GPU. No throttling, the reason the CPU is so 'hot' is that it runs in Turbo almost 100% of the time while under load, if what people have been saying is accurate.

 

I've only had my machine for a bit, but the fan doesn't seem 'out of control' or anything insane...maybe I'm spoiled.

However, the right palm rest does get cooking - right above the optical drive. I spent some time making recovery DVDs, so that's a safe reason why it occurred.

 

of course you need to monitor the temps constantly to prevent overheating but you know after certain point the fan don't push more air just make more noise and if you can lower 1000rpm of the 6000rpm on the fan and get 5c more on your components i don't think is a bad idea for those who care about the noise

i did experience that before i replace the HDD for an SSD but now is just a little warm i guess that is the only way to solve that problem got to get an SSD

 

I just got mine... literally 30 minutes ago. This thing is loud. Just downloading a game... not playing and it is blasting the fans. What is the dealio? is this normal? I somewhat expected this level of sound, from what I was reading; while playing games. I propped up the back with my wallet... that seemed to help a bit.

 

I think the fan is negligible. Try to get a powerful laptop cooler like CM storm SF 19. Now that's loud :/

 

I played some BF:BC2 last night with the coolermaster notepal ergo laptop stand/cooler. The fan on the laptop ramped up to hairdryer levels, but the CPU never got above ~83*C and stayed at full turbo (all 4 cores at 2.6GHz) for over an hour. The GPU never got above 65*C. I'd say the fan is loud, but it does its job pretty well.

 

No news about the bios update that been anounced by some users to come today?

 

nothing yet...
in this review Alienware M14x Review they said this:

"Heat

When running our heat test--streaming a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes--the M14x stayed cool. The touchpad was 83 degrees, the G and H keys were 81, and the underside was 84. However, when we were gaming, temperatures quickly increased into the 90s, and the right wrist rest got as hot as 100 degrees, which was very uncomfortable.

Worse, the M14x's cooling fan kicked on frequently and was quite loud. While you probably won't hear this rig over gaming explosions, it was very noticeable in a quiet room. Alienware told us that they are aware of the issue and are looking to correct it via a firmware update."

still waiting.... for that firmware update!!

 

Yes I get the "tich tich tich" sound before the fan spins up so I presume this is normal behaviour for this laptop.

 

Hello
I am planing in changing my drive tomorrow!
Intel x25 160 GB ! Can i just swaped taking out the original hard disk?

Is it going to fit right there? Do I have to do some formating first? or Alien Respow will do everything for me?

Could you ilusideit me on what some people are saying>> installed a SSD (120gig) and the alieware restore backup says need at least 750G/Bs (actual size of the original HDD)

 

Why even bother with Alien Respawn? Space is limited on an SSD, you're better off just installing Win7 using the DVD, then installing the drivers from the resource cd

 

How Mutch better was the fan compared to what you were hearing? Also, does it really kick on when watching HD videos? I am saving for one (I should have the money Next year) I hope that something 15 in or less comes out before then that has the fan problem fixed. Btw how could a bios update fix the fan problem?

 

Fellow "abductees" lol,
I have found a very cheap, easy to install, non bulky\intrusive. Solution (well not really solution, more like helping hand) to the heat and noise problem for m14x.

Laptop coolers work great but lets face it, the reason for a gaming laptop - especially one in this size category is portability...and while some may not agree, i feel that carrying around a laptop cooling pad somewhat defeats that purpose. They can be bulky, its an extra thing to carry, and in most cases require the use of a usb port (not really a big deal , but hey, im trying to prove a point HAHA)

Using two old rubber feet from the bottom of my PC and very small amount of glue Ive managed to prop up my m14x about 1/8 - 1/4 on an inch allowing just enough space for much better airflow while remaining incognito.

Before using the feet my fan would kick on faster, for longer periods of time, at higher speeds(louder). Now the fan runs at a relatively consistent speed, is much quieter and only ramps up for shorter periods of time. I am using MSI afterburner to max OC all settings for the GPU & VRAM along with the VERDE 280.26 drivers installed via modified inf. Ive played COD Black ops for over an hour with no crazy fan noise, the same for MW2 as well as FEAR 3 all games at at full blast settings. This may not be a "solution" but it definitely made a very noticeable difference for me, without being bulky or intrusive, without adding anything extra to carry in my bag, and without losing a USB port. Ive attached links for pictures below and hope some of you enjoy this very simple mod.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10478962/IMG_0096.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10478962/IMG_0098.JPG
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10478962/IMG_0100.JPG

 

A cooling pad isn't that large, and besides the thing has got like four or five ports anyways. That is a good idea, but I want t try to do as few mods as possible. Hopefully next year there will be a new 14in laptop that has fixed this. Again Ill ask, how does an update help, a fan is a fan, and it's loud. If you have a three speed fan at home, try this. Plug it in and have it on high. Now, feel te air strewn and listen to the noise. Now put it on medium and try again. Same with low. Yes the noise is fixed, but now there is less air moving. I think I have proven my point. If anyone dissagrees, please feel free to post it. I am open to other oppinions.

 

A BIOS update could provide more intelligence in regards to the fan operation. The default behavior may be at this point to run the fan at like 10% for normal operation and at 100% if the temp rises above like 65c degrees (or something like that) a bios update could "teach" the fan to run at more varied increments with each jump in temp. or it could start off running at like 35% then kick up 5% as the temp rises, A personal theory is that (in my mind) its easier to keep something cool by getting an early start then to cool it down once its hot.

 

its already a pain to carry around the laptop, let alone another thing the same size. and the m14x has 3 usb ports.

 

I dont know about you, but i don't use many usb ports, maybe two (if that), and that would be at a dock with a keyboard and mouse... there are good ones that are thin, arent there?

 

Just wondering, is it normal for the right side of this laptop (the side with the DVD drive) to get very warm?
The left side with the fan stays pretty cool, but the right side gets uncomfortably warm for me. I'll have to check the temps, but it seems ridiculously hot to me.

 

Your harddrive is located right beneath the palm rest.

 

There's a new Bios update A05 that fixes the fan speed issue.