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    Cooling pad for m17xR3

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by Tazadar, Apr 18, 2012.

  1. Tazadar

    Tazadar Notebook Geek

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    Yo guys and gals!

    Been on the lookout for a cooling pad, just to keep my system cool and quiet.

    Anyone have a good pad to recommend? I am looking at the Cooler Master SF-19 Strike Force and the Cooler Master U3 Notepal Notebook....

    Are any of these any good or should i look at something else? =)

    //Marcus O
     
    Tazadar, Apr 18, 2012
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  2. SlickDude80

    SlickDude80 Notebook Prophet

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    Marcus...U3 is pretty good...but the quietest solution that will drop your temps 5-7c

    ...bottlecaps

     
    SlickDude80, Apr 18, 2012
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  3. maxheap

    maxheap caparison horus :)

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    or your favorite hardcover book :)
     
    maxheap, Apr 18, 2012
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  4. aznpos531

    aznpos531 Notebook Evangelist

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    Check out this thread: Notebook Cooler for M17x

    I've been using the SF-19 for my M17x and don't recommend it. It's not a bad cooler per se but it's not as effective nor good enough quality to justify the hefty price tag.

    The U3 is great in that you can put the fan right under the vents on your R3.
    As Slick mentioned already, lifting the back of the laptop works great as well.
     
    aznpos531, Apr 18, 2012
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  5. madpit

    madpit Notebook Enthusiast

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    That pic made me test CD covers to lift the rear of my AW... 5C down to 79,5 from 84, max on GPU temp #3 (maximum of all 3 sensors) :).

    rep++ :D
     
    madpit, Apr 18, 2012
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  6. JoeyFUZZ911

    JoeyFUZZ911 Notebook Evangelist

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    hey taz i use the Cooler Master SF 19 and love it. I use to prop my R3 up and it helped but when i got the cooler it dropped my temps even lower from that. It is expensive but worth it in my opinion.
     
    JoeyFUZZ911, Apr 18, 2012
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  7. Xanius

    Xanius Notebook Consultant

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    I have the U3 for my M17x R3 and it works great. I like how you can move the fans around to best match the intakes on the laptop. My only complaint is it does not fit in my Orion backpack when I need to take it somewhere.
     
    Xanius, Apr 18, 2012
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  8. Tazadar

    Tazadar Notebook Geek

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    Tazadar, Apr 19, 2012
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  9. SemRumo

    SemRumo Notebook Enthusiast

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    I have the m17x r3 with the 6990m OC 740/900, and use the Cooler Master SF 19.

    My temps while playing Black Ops and MW3 never go above 65ºC.

    Its a great cooler and has shiny lights under it :)
     
    SemRumo, Apr 19, 2012
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  10. Joe85

    Joe85 Notebook Deity

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    Always use the U3 but minus the fans. Mean i can have it elevated on my lap. temps rarely above 67C
     
    Joe85, Apr 19, 2012
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  11. madpit

    madpit Notebook Enthusiast

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    You're talking about general 'on-die sensor' temp, rather than shaders (which is about 7'C higher for me), right? Or are my temps that high?

    I've got 73'C max 'on-die' sensor and 80'C shaders with elevated rear only. Sensor names from gpu-z/hwinfo
     
    madpit, Apr 19, 2012
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  12. jd63636

    jd63636 Notebook Geek

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    Currently using a Cooler Master NotePal Lap Air. very comfy , quiet and does a great job. CPU idle temp 47c GPU 50c
     
    jd63636, Apr 19, 2012
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  13. mark_j

    mark_j Notebook Consultant

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    I bought small adhesive rubber electronic component feet from Radio Shack for $5.

    Package of four, stick two of them together back to back. It makes them the perfect height and they're rubber so they don't slide. Just to be clear....stick the two adhesive sides together so they don't stick to your computer.

    Works awesomely.

    Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
     
    mark_j, Apr 19, 2012
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  14. Special_K

    Special_K Notebook Guru

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    What I did was stick on four 0.5 inch thick rubber feet to the bottom next to the fan intakes. This dropped my max temps by 10C on the CPU and 6~8C on the GPU. By the way, they cost a whopping $4.36 after tax which means this is one of the cheapest and most effective cooling mods that I know of. The best part is, the mod goes with you everywhere, so you never have to worry about forgetting or lugging around around cooling pad, or forgetting the usb power cable for your cooling pad ( Learned that one from personal experience). But this combined with re-pasting the CPU and GPU and re-padding the Vram gave me awesome results. On Prime95 CPU is 68C and on Futuremark the GPU is 64~66C.

    Sorry for the long answer but I hope it helps!
    GAME ON!



     
    Special_K, Apr 20, 2012
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  15. DarthGator14

    DarthGator14 Notebook Guru

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    I just tried out 3 coolers and finally found one that is absolutely perfect! At first I tried the Cooler Master SF-19...way too big and bulky. Then I tried the Targus HD3 mat...not bad but too noisy and expensive for what you get. Finally I tired the Zalman ZM-NC2000 and it is amazing! Solid construction, metal top plate, several fans, and most of all the M17x fits like a gove on it. :)
     
    DarthGator14, Apr 20, 2012
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  16. unixfool

    unixfool Notebook Consultant

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    I'm using the Cooler Master NotePal Lap Air for when I'm on the couch and the Cooler Master NotePal U2 as a desktop stand. Both work very well.

    I'm not using bottle caps or cheap little rubber feet. If you're using that and are happy, then fine, but that's like using cinder blocks as jack stand on a Corvette Z06. You already spent the money on a stellar notebook...spend some chump change on a decent stand/pad.
     
    unixfool, Apr 20, 2012
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  17. SlickDude80

    SlickDude80 Notebook Prophet

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    wow...i looking at all the cool ways that some of you are cooling the laptop. All i can say is that alienware owners are ingenious ;)
     
    SlickDude80, Apr 20, 2012
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  18. aznpos531

    aznpos531 Notebook Evangelist

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    Just noticed the little vent beside your metal nameplate. I don't think I have that on my R3. Did it come like that or is that a custom job?
     
    aznpos531, Apr 20, 2012
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  19. SlickDude80

    SlickDude80 Notebook Prophet

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    ^^^ AZN, i have that vent in the middle too
     
    SlickDude80, Apr 20, 2012
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  20. JoeyFUZZ911

    JoeyFUZZ911 Notebook Evangelist

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    hmmm i dont have those vents either. When did you get you guys get your R3's? I got mine at the end of April 2011.
     
    JoeyFUZZ911, Apr 20, 2012
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  21. aznpos531

    aznpos531 Notebook Evangelist

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    I feel left out :(
    I got my R3 June 2011.
     
    aznpos531, Apr 20, 2012
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  22. unixfool

    unixfool Notebook Consultant

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    I've the middle vent...got my machine last month, so the vent was added between April 2011 and March 2012.
     
    unixfool, Apr 21, 2012
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  23. aznpos531

    aznpos531 Notebook Evangelist

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    *Between June 2011 and March 2012...I got my R3 in June and I don't have the vent.
     
    aznpos531, Apr 21, 2012
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  24. Tazadar

    Tazadar Notebook Geek

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    So i got my U3 cooling pad and have changed the thermal paste to MX-4 and i am using Fujipoly thermal pads, and the idle temp is 45C and load (Using Kombuster from MSI) Load is around 65-67C
    I am pleased with those numbers ^^
     
    Tazadar, May 13, 2012
    #24