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    Significant performance drop after CPU upgrade...

    Discussion in 'Alienware 17 and M17x' started by Panz0r, Mar 2, 2011.

  1. Panz0r

    Panz0r Newbie

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    Specs: m17x-r2 : i7 Q920XM : 4GB RAM : ATi 4780's Crossfire : 320GB 7200HDDx2 :

    Problem: Upgraded CPU from i7 Q720, I now see big FPS drops at random in games. FPS drops seems to range from 60-14 FPS instantly and within seconds it returns to normal and drops again. BFBC-2 used to run at about 30fps solid and now jumps all over the place, in some cases it stays locked at 14FPS. Crysis 2 ran great for about 15minutes and now is sluggish and jumpy as well. Oblivion and Dragon age run great, but FPS does drop at times to 14fps.

    CPU temps are around 80c to 91c - is this normal? Also I noticed an orange (clearish) peace of plastic that covered the Old CPU, does this need to be put on the new one? Does it serve some cooling function? I have never seen any thing like it before...

    Thanks for reading, any info helps. :D
     
  2. DarkXeRoX

    DarkXeRoX Notebook Consultant

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    sounds like your cpu is just overheating as far as i know cpu gettin that hot is bad. Did u put on proper cooling paste n stuff?
     
  3. Panz0r

    Panz0r Newbie

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    Yes, thermal paste was applied but it was an old tube. I just picked up a new tube of Arctic Silver and am going to re-do it.
     
  4. Harryboiyeye

    Harryboiyeye Notebook Deity

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    Yea without a doubt it's an overheating issue and so it is throttling. A re-paste would do the trick.
     
  5. QuadX

    QuadX Notebook Consultant

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    Let me know your success...I am having the same issue with my upgrade to an 940xm.
     
  6. Panz0r

    Panz0r Newbie

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    Worked great! Used Artic silver this time and buffed my heatsink plate a bit it smothit out for better conduction.
     
  7. FrozenWaltDisney

    FrozenWaltDisney Notebook Consultant

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    Its always good to pickup a CPU cleaner to take up to old paste... course I am lazy and usually just clean it by hand lol