*OFFICIAL* Alienware 17 and M17x Benchmark Thread - Part 4

latest on my new Alienware 17 with the AMD M290x GPU.

 

I'll just put this right here for now...

Looks like you may benefit from tuning your CPU with XTU. Try bumping the Core Current Limit to 120.000A and Processor Current Limit to 120.000A and see if it helps. It looks like the CPU might not be holding its clock speed.

 

Ok, Looking to a bit of Overclocking, don't want to go crazy, don't need a $2,400 brick and I don't want to be in a position where I have to pull the system apart just to reset the bios (stupid nvram bios). I looked at your advice and a few other things. Anyone see an issue with the following:

1. Lower core voltage from default 1.2 to 1.175
2. Raise Core Current Limit from default 112 to 120
3. Raise Processor Current Limit from default 85 to 120 (110?)
4. Raise Turbo Boost Short Power Max from current 59 to the default 68 (why AW set it at 59 when the processor reports a default of 68 is beyond my pay level)
5. Raise Power Boost Turbo Max from the current 47 to the default 55 (again, why AW set it at 47 when the default is 55 is beyond me)
6. Raise the Active Core Multipliers from 34, 33, 32, 32 to 36, 35, 34, 34

Based on my research these should be safe setting for the system, give me a minor OC boost, but still not bump temps to the unsustainable range or create instability issues. Comments before I do this, anyone see any problems?
Oh, should I bump the processor cache ratio up from 34 to 36 as well to go with the Multiplier boost?

 

My lappy

 

Got my laptop yesterday and did some Windows 7 updates. Still running the Nvidia 327.XX driver that was originally loaded.

Score: 3Dmark11 P7618 (updated driver)

This was on a 4700MQ/780m

During the test GPU went up to 80c and MSI Afterburner reported that max GPU clock was 771. I haven't looked into the parameters of boost clock and what will trigger the 850 clock. Been looking around for info on what tweaks I can do to get a little more performace out of the unit before conducting a "OC"

 

How many new Alienware 17 owners are using a 330W AC adapter for their single GPU beast? If you're not already doing so, you might want to consider it. See below for the reason why.

The Alienware 18 is utterly worthless for GPU overclocking since just one 780M and 4930MX all but wipes out the 330W AC adapter. With SLI enabled and the GPUs totally stock it pulls 310W with the CPU at 4.5GHz.

 

7 Month old baby has prevented me from even starting OC'n lol. Still deciding on the first upgrade I want to do. Be it a new SSD since I'm running off the 1TB w/80GB SSD hybrid or a cooling pad/330W adapter. Seems like a clean install won't do much in the case of a higher bench.

 

i've only done a very simple GPU soft-OC.

 

I'm not planning on doing any OCing, will I have issues with the 240W power adapter? Or should I get the 330W for the extra juice?

 

I've tested a soft OC of +100 with MSI AB and i get about max boost of 941MHz...which is ok for a soft OC i think depending on where on the wafer the chip was located on.

 

Hi
Can you run the firestrike demo?
Under the demo, I crash with 100 + overclock.

 

i got through 3d mark 11 with +100. i haven't done firestrike yet.

EDIT: ran the demo version - here's a link of the results
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/2760937?

 

Test only demo in windows mode, and no bencmark settings in firestrike . I have a little better scoorehttp://forum.notebookreview.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=110364&d=1395993188&thumb=1&stc=1
I crash under demo no bencmark mode and Windows mode (firestrike) Driver crash
With Stock nvidia bios. Under nvidia core +40, I have ca 5400 in firestrike. Very good chip

 

boo....crysis 3 crashed on a +100 overclock

 

Maybe 70+ With stoch vbios ?

 

trying a +75 GPU OC with a +100 memory OC.

 

Test GPU clock first, and see how far up as you can. you can test your memory afterwards. This to see(where) how poblem is.

 

it's the gpu clock cos i didn't oc the memory before.

 

Test GPU clock first, and see how far gpu goes before crash

 

i think +100 is as far as it'll go with crysis 3 running though all other games i have played are pretty stable at +100.

 

what score do you get with 100 + in firestrike?

 

whatever i linked earlier cos i don't own 3dmark.

 

Try a trial Version. futuremark.com

 

the results i linked was from using the trial version.

 

OK, here are my numbers. This is STOCK with NO OC whatsoever. Also, keep in mind this is with Norton 360 running in the background processes as well as all my other programs that normally run in the background. I wanted to get a realistic idea of what to expect and I'm quite pleased:

3D Mark:

Firestrike 1.1: 5075
Cloud Gate 1.1: 19160
Ice Storm 1.2: 136825

3DMark 11: P7759

PCMark 7: 6244

 

Passmark: 4931

 

I know we have gone through this before but how safe is flashing the VBIOS?

 

Very safe, just backup your original bios and use common sense.

 

i just hate having to wade through making 5 posts just to downloading the files.

 

Live is rarely about giving things on a silver platter.
If you have no clue on how to flash the bios and are not willing to put in the effort (like we all did before you) you might think about not flashing and accepting the card the way it is, no one is forcing you.

 

even though your typed english isn't the best i get what you mean but it's very stupid to make someone post 5 times to get the unlocked VBIOS.

anyway, I have only had the alienware 17 for what feels like a month and I think I'll keep my warranty valid....no big deal.

EDIT: well, looks like titanfall also hates my soft OC

stock speeds it is then

 

Really, we seem to think it's very stupid for people to want something for nothing all the time. How hard is to to ask 5 simple questions or comment on something? You did it already in this thread.

As to warranty. That's a myth. Its been proven already time and time again that your warranty is not voided. Unless of course you go and fry your card some type of way.

And your over clock is not going to be valid till you get a valid working vbios.

Sorry....Just the way things are going these days.

 

no, it's more about waiting for the post to be moderated before being posted and that takes a while and really slows down the conversation for new ppl i think.

EDIT: though the only thing that's putting me off is the conflicting reports on whether it voids the card's warranty and since i am not sure, nor am I comfortable in flashing, I will not flash the unlocked vbios.

 

Hummmm, I do remember that being the case for some. And usually they catch a mod in the chat box and get it taken care of. And some didn't even post 5 times, but thought they did. (That was me the first time).

 

OK, decided to flash the unlocked vbios and I am wondering what the best voltage for how much OC I can do?

 

Isn't discovering that the fun part? Besides every machine not being the same you've basically asked "how long is a piece of string"

+120／300 at standard volts would be a good start though
Then increase clocks until it's unstable..then feed more juice. Rinse and repeat.

 

FireStrike 7045 M17x, AW 17... NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-3940XM,Alienware M17xR4

 

anyone experience OC crashes in titanfall?

EDIT: ran 3DMark 11 on the middle setting (performance???) and this is my score...

http://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/8291958

 

Strange, was doing a test at 1030/6000 @1.050v and 3DMark 11 crashed but the GPU didn't die so all the clocks were still active....though i chocked it down as a possible instability and went back to 1019/[email protected]

3DMark 11 - 1st Run: P8337
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-4700MQ,Alienware 068R5X

3DMark 11 - 2nd Run: P8370
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-4700MQ,Alienware 068R5X

Cinebench R15 - OpenGL: 96.73fps
Cinebench R15 - CPU: 589 cb
Cinebench R15 - CPU (Single Core): 126cb

3DMark - Firestrike: 5845
http://www.3dmark.com/3dm/3001113?

 

interesting....my 1019/[email protected] crashes when running 3DMark11 with adaptive vsync off but passes with adaptive vsync on.

i am not sure on what to make of this.

 

Try turning vsync off all together. That's gotta be playing havok with your tests.

 

OK, so Mr. Fox suggested that nvidia shadowplay may have caused the 3DMark 11 test to fail, and with a weird sense of timing i got an update for the geforce experience app which i updated and it turned shadowplay off. so i ran the following test.

1019/6000 @ 1.050v
no Riva tuner Statistics Server (also a probably cause) - NOTE: I had tested with this on and off and in both cases 3DMark 11 crashed.
no adaptive vsync
no shadowplay

Result: PASS - P8296

So i tested the following scenario:

1019/6000 @ 1.050v
Yes Riva tuner Statistics Server
no adaptive vsync
no shadowplay

Result: PASS - P8144

so that means:

- shadowplay is a huge resource hog enough to crash with vsync disabled but still leaves enough to power through with adaptive vsync on.
- adaptive vsync somehow got me higher scores than with no vsync at all.

EDIT: also tested

1030/6000 @ 1.050v with RTSS on, vsync and shadowplay off, and it passed as well - P8204

Though further tests with 1030/6000 @ 1.050v have crashed so i am sticking with 1019/6000 @ 1.050v.

 

Which one is better to get AMD Radeon™ R9 M290X or NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 860M for 3D software programs?

 

Well, IIRC the 860m is less than a 770m. The R9 M290X is at least on par if not better than the 770m but not better than the 780M.

So I'd go with the R9 M290X.

Sent from my One using Tapatalk

 

Thanks.... But i read somewhere that the R9 M290X have some driver support issues. How true is that?

 

It has no official driver support from amd and if you want to use them you'll need to hack the inf to get it to work.

Sent from my One using Tapatalk

 

Oh... Now i get it why it is cheaper if you choose that GPU in Alienware.

 

Better off getting the 780M over the 860m if you want the performance.

Sent from my One using Tapatalk

 

I think that's a clevo laptop or sager not an alienware

 

FireStrike 7108 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M video card benchmark result - Intel Core i7-3940XM,Alienware M17xR4