M17x R2 full internal cooling mod - huge improvement!

yup, I believe the last time I tried my .5mm pads It didn't really help too much, it could have been because the dell pads get squished so much that they're squeezed down to .5mm anyway, and the .5mm stuff I used is a lot more dense a material.

 

tried just paste on the memory? something thick and non conductive like AS Ceramique

 

I have cremique on there right now. The previous time I had just tried straight .5mm pads without the mod.

 

and it still does not sit well?

 

I dont know if I mentioned this before but...

Once you get rid of the pads there is another culprit preventing good contact on the HD5870m - the voltage circuitry.

For me at least, the voltage circuitry components were lifting and tilting the heatsink preventing good contact from occuring with the ram/gpu die.

I actually removed the bits of metal that contact the offending parts, and after that the whole heatsink fits completely flush on the gpu die and ram - totally level and no gaps.

I dont recommend you do this unless you really know what you are doing, but i think its worth it.

While the further temp drop was only minimal (1-3 degrees, probably due to the removal of heatsink area not helping all that much) I feel much more comfortable with the mod now that I know everything is finally sitting as it was designed to be - flush and rock solid.

-Ash

EDIT: Pic

 

Liking the job Ash

 

quick question. I just finished doing this mod. I closed off the gap with electrical tape, placed the c-clips above the retention bracket instead of under... put .5mm thermal pads on the row of ram near the heatsink fins...and doubled it up on the other row of ram (1mm) because it looked as if there was too much space on that side. I put ocz freeze on the die also, and spread it out evenly. Now after firing up MoH... Desaster. LOL... here's what i get


GPU Thermal Diode 91.0 °C
GPU TS0 (DispIO) 67.0 °C
GPU TS1 (MemIO ) 91.0 °C
GPU TS2 (Shader) 70.0 °C

Its obvious that one side isn't making proper contact... the question is.. which side? I have a feeling the side i put 1mm pads is the culprit (left row of ram in pic right above this post) ... but it seemed like there was a huge gap there when i was fiddling around with it :S.... i guess this is harder than i thought lol... any thoughts guys?


EDIT: also, which screws need the retention mod... all 4? Or just like 2 out of the 4? or maybe 3? Lolll yes i am confused. And if its all 4, i screw it all the way down till theres a considerable amount of resistance or certain screws get screwed in tighter than the rest? Thanks for the help guys

 

Um... the whole point is to get rid of the pads, not add more.

And all four screws need the retention mod.

It still wont sit completely flush and level unless you do what I did in my above post though.

-Ash

 

but if i dont want to use paste on the mem chips.... what thickness of pads do you suggest? and the same thickness on both?

Also not quite sure what you did on your post above... i cant see whats diffrent in that pic loll

Sorry i'm just trying to figure all this out here lol +rep for the help forsure

Oh Damn!! now i see a difference! hahaha

Man, what did u use to cut it off? u just sawed it off or sumtin?

I would've thought that extra piece was dispersing heat from those large grey squares... but youre right those are the reason everything isnt flush...

 

Was wondering when you would notice lol

Those grey things are part of the power circuit and will do fine without extra cooling. You could also use a large drill bit to make holes for them to fit in. Then you do not have to hack it in half.

 

i Just did the same mod. Cut all that crap causing the problem right off with a pair of metal cutters... AND OMG!! My temps are amazing!!! Playing MoH my fans don't even kick in! Highest temp was 66*C after 15 Mins!!! AMAZING

 

Nice haha
Was wondering if snips/shears would do it wih out shattering the heatsinks. warranty is gone though lol

 

Lol in theory yes... But in reality... The only ones who would actually see the heatsink mod is their incompetent techs... Past 6times I had a tech come over they wer like " this is the first time I see an alienware" ... And I did all the work myself... So am I worried? Not even one bit ... Avrging at about 58-62*C ! At last!! My M17x runs cooler and quieter than my M15x... At peak temps the lvl 2 fan speed kicks in... Haven't heard lvl 3 yet since the mod... Gna run furmark later

 

Well that is true. But if you ever have to depot it or get it replaced could be a problem.

 

They wanted to depot it once... I refused... And I got a M17x in the end LOL.

Ok so let's just say i'm Extremely impressed with these results... geeze man all because they made the heatsink too big... Just a little snip and viola! Heatsink fits onto it like a lego-block. No wobbling, no bending or anything, just a nice flat contact. The first pic is of furmark after 15mins! VERY impressive... 71.5*C(lowest) and 78.5*C max...on wtv MeMIO is... i think its the ram chips? would make sense... as i used .5mm thermal pad from forzen cpu on them instead of MX-3... I put MX-3 on the Die though... anyways if i would've put paste on the mem chips it would probabaly be near 71*C also! But i rather keep things clean . 78*C after 15mins of furmark is retarded. I have never seen temps that low in a laptop before..

The second pic is of the cutting i did (same as Ash! You the man brotha ! )

and the 3rd... is well... how i put electrical tape to make sure all the air exhausted goes out and isn't leaked into the cracks... i snapped that pic when i had just done it... i stuck it on better and made it straight after, but didn't bother snapping another pic. Anyways I'd like to thank everyone on here that helpled me out. You guys were awesome... Scook, Ash, Lozz, and Joker... You guys are awesome and know your stuff! Glad to be part of the M17x Team now

 

Oles Chiefs. Awesome nice results on your end ey. You have inspired me to open mine back up maybe and play around with the cooling again in search for even cooler temps OLe!!!

As for the pads on the 5870s. They were supposed to be 0.5mm pads. I and many others who didn't want to use the paste on the mem chips are using them with great results. Gaming with temps hitting a max of 70 or lower degrees C. Also the harder I seem to push the temps get lower max temps sometimes. Like 64 degrees max however one card is hotter than the other.

Great stuff chiefs. Nice modding.
Nice circumcision job huhs!

Cheers.

 

I have read through 90% of this topic today and I think I understand how to do all the mods except for the supposedly easiest one. The mod where you apply tape to get more efficient airflow.

From the one pic I see I am not exactly sure where tape is or how to get it on there. I will note that I do not have my M17x yet so maybe it is really obvious when you are actually looking at the card. If that's the case let me know, if not, does anyone have any more pictures showing the tape mod for improved airflow?

 

yea gaming temps are awesome! Its always around 64-66*C... with peaks at 68... Highest i've seen (for a split second) was 71.5 on the memIO...but returned quickly to 67 after a couple of seconds...

Honestly I think cutting is the best way to get the heatsink flat on the gpu die n memory... and yea i used .5mm on both ram stips... Now it looks like my cpu needs some modding too LOL... but that'll have to wait for another day...


EDIT: Ok so i was running both GPU-Z and HWinfo 32 while i was gaming both logging temps... and whats weird is that gpu-z 0.4.7 gave different temperature reading than HWinfo32 v3.61-992 ...and max temp for GPU-Z was 62*C!!! which one do i believe?? Lvl 3 fans never kicked in so... 62 would make sense... i thought they were both accurate programs...:S

 

hehehe yep I need to much around with my CPU temps as well. Not too happy with their max temps atm. Hitting around 70 degrees C still lol.

GPU temps and fan speed maxing out at 3300rpm is all good for now.

Cheers.

Hmmss not to sure hey chiefs. I tend to like to use HWiNFO32 more these days as it tells me more and everything all in one. I mainly use the max temps column as my main guideline.

Heres a pic of my furmark run from the other day. I ran it fr 12 or so mins.
The only cooling mods I've done are thermal pads and paste.


Cheers.

 

I get the impression your not running furmark at the same settings as i am... which is everything ticked off (stabilty Test/Xtreme Burning Mode/PostFx/Displacement Mapping ) all @1200p Fullscreen... looks like you're running it stock settings...THERES NO WAY running furmark only gets your gpu to low 60s dude... unless your ambient temps are like 15*C !! lol

Also, anyone hear about the new MX-4? HUGE fan of MX-3 ... and the 4 is supposedly easier to spread.. check it out >>>

http://www.kitguru.net/components/henry-butt/arctic-cooling-mx-4-thermal-paste-review/

I'm going to order me one of each (mx4 and mx3)

 

Yeh I think they were stock settings chiefs. I'll rerun the test for you on max full everything oles.

I haven't had the pleasure to try out MX-3 or 4 yet. However I too have heard awesome things about them. I think I may have to give MX-4 a go in the near future. I would like to hear others or see their results 1st though.

Cheers.

Okay,

I just ran furmark again with the settings in the pic for just over 15mins.
Temps aren't as good as yours chiefs however still quite awesome for only paste and pad change.
Its 35 degrees C here today, Man I'm hot LOL. Need to get that AC fixed.

The test looked pretty good hey. I liked the firey and shimmering effect. + it never throttled down once. FPS stayed constant at 30fps during the whole test.

Cheers.

 

That makes more sense ... But still. great temps... Asus 73JH owners get that with an undervolted 5870 while playing solitaire ahahaha... ok so i'm being a little harsh... but yea.... M17x cooling owns Asus...

 

ehahahaha Solitaire LOL LOL
High 5 chiefs!!!
hehehe!

Yeh Not a bad run for Furmark. Other gaming I hit no where near those temps. + if no gaming at all its like always low 50s for the GPUs. You should check out my temps on the other thread lol when I placed the Alien in the freezer for 5 mins then booted it up olesss eheheheh

Ah I can't find my own post anymore lol its around here somewhere ehahaha. You've prob seen it before.

I'll put the pics up here again.

Cheers.

 

hahahaha awesome dude! Yea i've done crazy stuff like that too .... how you think i got the record vantage gpu score with a 5870m in my M15x? 22,000 BTU from my A/C unit blowing 16*C air right into the vents

 

Ehahaha oh SICK SICK SUBWOOFER chiefs. So your the king ey. TOP DOg oles! Nice one oles!

I still would like to lower my CPU temps down more though. I feel like opening it up right now again. However I'm feeling lazy as well ehahaha.

Oh yeh on your system what does your CPU fan look like. I was just curious as I got one that looked different to the ones I've seen here on the forum and in previous R2s and R1 machines.

Cheers.

 

Just tested my Furmark and it looks like my repaste did not take. After 3 min at the high settings I was getting 90 degrees in one of the GPUs. I really dont want to have to do the retention clip mod or the metal cutting, but I guess I may have to go that route. :\

 

Honestly...cutting it is alot easier than figuring out the right combination and ratio of Heatsink bending/how much tension to give each screw/thickness of pads or paste on the ram chips ... as you're going to want to pull out all your hair before you get it right and you'll still be left with a heatsink that is bending the card, and STILL doesn't sit perfectly flat. A quick snip and everything fits as it should, and temps plummet, with a .5mm thermal pad on each ram strip, and some MX3 or wtv you use on the gpu die and you're set!

All you need is this thing and its as easy as cutting through paper with a scissors (Seriously....)

 

Thanks for the encouragement! I might still do it, but I want to know Jstarnino - Did you still do the retention clip mod? Does cutting the corner make that mod easier to manage? Or is the cut corner good enough?
Thanks!

 

I wouldn't recommend cutting the heatsink unless you don't care about the warranty or have a spare one sitting around. I didn't cut the one I did the retention mod on previously and the GPU temps dropped about 20C.

 

Yea, but like ash, I don't like the idea of everything bending and forcing... Especially when the card heats up as tension and heat= not good in my book... So sure I voided my warranty... But this way I probably won't need my warranty cuz nothing will break n crack after prolonged use n constant heat and cool cycles that add to the already strained and bent card. With everything flat and ultra cool, I don't see anything failing anytime soon (hopefully). Sure If you want to make 100% sure your warranty is not void, then you'll have to go through the long trial and error method untill everything fits as flat as possible, but it'll never be perfectly flat as it is after making the cut. And as I already mentioned, I'm not the one bit worried about voiding my warranty... Because if my card were to ever fail, I'd call Dell, and they'd send me another one. And when they send the tech to install it, I'd say thanks for the new card, now I'm going to install it. Even if I were to let him install it, for a tech who never even saw an alienware (im convinced 95% of them haven't), or even if he has seen one before, do you honestly believe he will remember how the heatsink looks like, if he has nothing to compare it to, since both cards will be cut the same way?? Not a chance. So technically, yes, it will void your warranty. In reality, not one bit. I much rather have the HS fit flat and properly without bending the card and forcing anything, how it should've been in the first place.

And to reply to Rsgeiger, since I did the retention mod first, I left the screws as is, but I don't think it is needed, since eveything sits flat and that extra tension force isn't really needed. I made sure to not screw the screws in too tight, so I wouldn't risk cracking anything.

 

The tech could simply compare it to the replacement card as it would come with the heatsink already on it. But I see what you mean

lol

 

Lol ok fine. Provided it comes with the replacement heatsink as well.
1. The gpu is something Dell let's you replace on your own, if you want, and they'll just ship it to u with no tech.
2. I'm pretty sure you can convince the tech they're a new generation of heatsinks lmao... No but really... Am I the only one who gets the techs that don't know anything?? Because I've had techs that didnt know how to take off the bottom plate :|

Anyways and besides all that, from my own experience wih about 10 techs in total that have come to my house since feb,the techs usually side with the consumer than Dell... anyways do it if you want, if not doesn't really change my life I couldn't be happier with my mod . But to anyone who's thinking bout it, technically, yes this WILL VOID your warranty.

 

Thanks again Jstarnino! Your frank observations is what I needed to hear. At some point I really do need to repaste my cards, and I'll do the snip-snip then.

 

Don't get me wrong, I would totally do this mod if needed lol. Fortunately getting my cards over 70 is a challenge

 

I agree... Furmark is a little excessive... There's no real world application that would tax the gpu to that extent... And if you managed to do the mod without cutting anything, then all the better. I just lost all my patience after fighting with those damn c-clips lol... But as you and joker mentioned, the same temperature drops are attainable without doing the cut

 

The c-clips are evil.....one made me bleed!

 

Oh, I thought the gap between the ram and Heatsink was bigger, ~1mm.

Does any one here know if you can bye these Heat sinks seperately? Not to keen on cutting or modifying the ones I have (For technically warrenty purposes).

 

I am wondering if they put the heat sink over those inductors originally knowing that people like to overclock.

I would watch overclocking if you do the "cut" mod...Extra juice needed for overclocking might cause the inductors to heat up quite a bit. I am going to do some research on these and see what their operating temps average also what max should be.


Wish we could get this information from Dell... Or even AMD...

 

Just in case you guys havnt seen my thread.
The C-clips took me 3 hours to do.
I used no thermal pads on ram chips
I used TX-4 on the Ram and GPU core and got a
31C drop at load
I used a tiny tiny sunglasses screwdriver. The screwdriver is the size of a medicine capsule. I also used a magnet to hold the screw so the C-clip didn't fly across the room.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...ling-mods-done-tx-4-clip-mod.html#post6780988

 

Yes would be interesting to know.

 

Dang! Will NOT be doing c-clips then! Props to you Handsomerob, but that isnt for me. I'll just do whatever it takes to get it as flat and flush as possible.

Can someone confirm that even 0.5 mm pads tilt the heatsink? Thinking about it, it does make some sence, but I just want to be sure.

 

Dude, those inductors weren't even making more than 10% contact with the heatsink in the first place...it was just wedging up against it preventing proper contact with the rest of the components that actually matter like the gpu core die and the DDR5 ram... I've been overclocking for quite a long time, and trust me bro, those inductors are the least of yours worries. They dont heat up like the rest does, and cool off just fine with air.

Your theory would only make sense if cutting made temps worse... not when it improves temps by some 20-25*C LOL...

Anyways you'll understand when you receive your M17x and actually take a look.

 

I am with Jstar on this one, the inductors wont heat up. In power circuitry it is the mosfets not the coils that heat up and need to be cooled

 

no, you can not.

The power circuity and moffsets in the 260/280M in the R1 and the 285 in the R2 are cooled by the heatsink.

 

This is all speculation. The tech in my area is pretty smart and knows exactly what these heatsinks look like and Dell will not let you do a user replacement on them even if you insist. The retention mod is perfectly safe and quite easy to do as long as you know what you're doing. Some people may get overenthusiastic with the tension and chip their core or worse but when I did it on my last system, the card didn't bend and it was perfectly flush. I used MX-3 on the GPU core and ram chips and saw huge drops in temps. I really would not recommend anyone cut their heatsink unless they have spares on hand. In fact, I don't even recommend the retention mod for anyone because the GPU temps are fine at stock. This new system I got maxes out at 86C with furmark + xtreme burn which is perfectly fine.

 

so you already got the system ? congratz! is it in good shape and all ?

 

Yup already got it. It's in decent shape, a few issues. I'll tell you more about it on the wiki forum

 

I tightened the screws all the way down with the Clip Mod with no problems. I didn't feel like there was anywhere near enough tension to break the GPU.
I used TX-4 on the ram and core. The PCB was bent ever so slightly but my temps are crazy low. I'm at 900/[email protected] and max load in Furmark with 8XAA and Xtreme Burning Mode is no more than 80C
It used to be 106-108C with no mods and that wasn't overclocked.

Just take your time with the clip mod and you won't have any problems!

 

Well I also did the screws all the way down and chipped my 4870.....so be careful lol

 

you wouldn't want to screw it all the way down, just because you'll probally end up popping a clip off at some point if you jiggle the laptop too hard or it's not secured correctly. Probally not enough to damage the core with a single application, but definitally enough to 'undo' the clipmod, as I found out on the first screw.