W7170M for AW 17 R1?

Just bought a W7170M for my AW 17 R1 for $194, I have researched the performance of it and it is apparently scoring right around 6000-6500 points in firestrike. Should I be worried about incompatibility with the 120HZ eDP Screen?
If none of this works, I'll stick it in my M6700 and sell if off.

 

Dont know if it supports eDP. TO my knowledge its only every been used with the LVDS panel.

 

Ouch, do you think I should cancel then? I think I saw a WX 7100 for $202 somewhere

 

There just isnt a precedent of eDP that I know of, so wouldnt be a bad idea.

That being said, apparently WX 7100 doesnt work on 120hz panels so going AMD on the mainstream in laptops is quite difficult.

I might just go for a 980m when my tax return hits my wallet instead of a 1070 if HDMI-IN doesnt work.

 

I heard about the WX 7100 not working with 120HZ, which is quite odd considering it can support 4K panels iirc, and that Samsung had the 700GA or so with a 2nd gen and a 6970M/7970M, again forgot which one, and a 120HZ "3D" Ready panel

So I'm guessing you think I should cancel my order then?

 

Well if you got a backup plan in case it doesnt work then its still not a bad idea.

I only know it works in LVDS but no one has tried on eDP yet.

 

Is this specifically an alienware thing? I am looking for a W7170M/WX7100/RX480 for an M6700 with a 120hz panel (eDP) should I expect any issues?

 

There's a eDP 120HZ panel for the M6700? Interesting..., please make a thread about it in laptop panel upgrades
I think the issue is, Dell (AW) blocks AMD cards from functioning with high refresh displays, idk why, but I've personally used dual M6100's firepro's with a eDP 120HZ display in a Clevo, and my friend owns a Samsung laptop from ~2011 with a 120hz display and a 6990M

 

I'll make a post about the panel in a minute, its a samsung LTN173HT02. and wait, even the firepro M6100 has issues with 120hz.... that sucks, I really don't want to spend $300+ on a 980m :/ Edit: forgot to mention the "3D ready" upgrade from dell was this panel (I'm pretty sure)

 

Find a cheap 970M off taobao, I see them all the time for ~$150.

 

Yeah, the issue is I have $150 of eBay credit that I *was* gonna but an RX 480 but it turns out it was only 12V MXM, so now I'm trying to find something on eBay...

 

Can find a 970M off ebay for ~$220, but thats a little much to pay for one

 

so 120hz + AMD gpus doesn't work at all on Dell laptops? which cards have been tested, I know dell sold the M6700 with a firepro m6000, but I don't know if they allowed you to select both the 120Hz panel and the M6000, could it be possible to use a tool like CRU to force the refresh rate to 120hz? I have a friend with an M290X, I might see if I can swap it in to test if I can get 120hz working on my M6700...

 

I want to say yes, but there isn't a whole lot of entirely conclusive evidence for your exact scenario. All I can say is, in every AW laptop made, everyone with a 120HZ option has never come equipped with AMD cards. However, AMD cards do work with 120HZ eDP, Say samsung's 2011 gaming laptop, my clevo, and a few others I can't remember atm, but I believe just not in Dell/AW models.

 

ok, I found a PDF about the M6700 and doesn't explicitly say the M6000 isn't compatible with the 3D display, but Ill try and test it tomorrow if I can convince my friend to let me tear apart his laptop XD (there's the PDF: https://www.levnapc.cz/ProductsFiles/dell-precision-m6700-technicke-specifikace-en.pdf) Edit: yeah, as far as I can find on archive.org you can configure the M6700 with the Nvidia 3D vision display (120hz) and the M6100... interesting...

 

I just noticed something weird and possibly why 120hz panels don't work on AMD powered Alienwares, does the alienware laptops that have both LVDS and eDP support optimus on both ports? I've seen people talking about how the panels don't work because the iGPU doesn't support 120hz displays. On the precision the eDP connection completely disabled Optimus and it just connected strait to the MXM card. I'm still trying to get my hands on a test AMD gpu before dropping $300+ on a WX7100 to see if I can get 120hz eDP working. Edit: AMD powered alienwares

 

Optimus is completely disabled with the eDP panel.

 

OK, well idk. I'll test an amd card in my precision some time (whenever I can borrow it from a friend's Alienware) and tell if it works in the precision or not.

 

Also curious, how did you manage to OC the Precision? Even with my 3940XM in it, I couldn't change multi's, only stuck at 3.7ghz all core

 

Can't quote because of mobile site but that link that was posted is the guide I followed, I can give better instructions for the M6700 in like an hour when in get home, you have to change each core turbo variables and the TDP limit, though I wouldn't go above 65W as I hit 104 under a stress test (on the 3720qm and 45W heatsink)

 

Yeah your going to need more mass in the heatsinks to cool it

 

If you could fuse the GPU and CPU heatsinks, you'd have more than enough. Could probably custom solder some heatpipes, bennyg style, if you really cared enough

 

I mainly just followed the instructions on that link, but the entire beginning part is just to get a txt file with the UEFI variables. The M6700's variable locations are:
1 core turbo: 0x25
2 core turbo: 0x26
3 core turbo: 0x27
4 core turbo: 0x28
Long duration turbo max TDP: 0xB39
Short duration turbo max TDP: 0xB3A
I attached the TXT file with these in it. In order to set these variables you need to place this file ( http://brains.by/posts/bootx64.7z) on a FAT32 usb drive in the path 'EFI/BOOT/bootx64.efi', boot to it and type " setup_var *var* *value*" The value is in hex btw.
for example I set my max turbo to 400 mhz higher than stock (the max for qm CPUs, xm CPUs are unlocked) by entering:
setup_var 0x25 0x28
setup_var 0x26 0x27
setup_var 0x27 0x26
setup_var 0x28 0x26
and raising the TDP is done by doing the same thing, for exmaple setting the TDP to 65W looks like:
setup_var 0xB39 0x41
setup_var 0xB3A 0x41
if you have any questions feel free to ask!
you can check the current variable by typing " setup_var *var*"
edit: oops, those txt files are the same I just attached it twice for some reason...

 

I'm thinking about picking up a 55W heatsink, do you think it will make a difference?, I won't pick it up if it only drops temps by <5 degrees C
edit: I am confused by this site, I hope this is the only version of this but there was 2, then none. so idk

 

If the egpu is the main gpu then connect another heatpipe to the gpu heat exchanger. Double your cooling capacity.

 

at the moment the eGPU is my primary GPU but this week ill either order a 980m or WX7100 depending on if I can get 120hz working on the WX7100 (ill test with a m290x before buying one though)

 

Then you are at the limit of your cooling, bar a frankenmod.

 

Didn't know there was a 55W heatsink, thought there was only a QC and a DC heatsink

 

The XM series CPUs that came with the M6700 came with a heatsink that has 2 heatpipes instead of one, I can't imagine it makes that big of a difference, but it's only like $15.

 

My 3740QM model came with the 2nd one
Edit: Also mildy curious, would you be able to run a 3dmark Firestrike test with the 480 as a eGPU, or make a guide on how to eGPU?

 

the eGPU setup for the precision was extremely simple, no BIOS mods or anything, just plug in expresscard and boot up. I have an LTT forum page on my entire process of rebuilding the laptop and eGPU ( https://linustechtips.com/main/topi...omplete/?page=2&tab=comments#comment-12492751). The only weird thing with the eGPU is you need to unplug it when the Intel Raid screen shows up and plug it back it after windows boots or else the internal display wont work with the eGPU.
Firestrike with CPU and GPU OC:

Edit: I am having weird issues with random things and grounding with the eGPU connected, sometimes if I do anything generating static electricity (wiping the desk with a cloth, etc.) the eGPU disconnects, I'm pretty sure it's something to do with my particular setup though. It's annoying me enough that i'm going to buy an MXM card for that laptop that is somewhat competitive with the 480 (too bad that will probably end up being a 980m which is quite a bit slower . I just need the portable performance and stability)

 

A 980M can easily score 10K pts in FS, so it's likely going to be about the same as the 480 eGPU. Now, as 480 in a proper desktop, it'll be a bit slower, likely around 470 levels if anything.

Also, been reading your LTT thread, do yknow if the M6600 KB Bezel will work on a M6700?

 

I checked the 3dmark hall of fame and am seeing mixed results :/ sometimes a 980m is scoring 16k graphics (which is insane) and sometimes it's scoring as low as <10k... whatever, ill check if the AMD card works at some point this week and if not ill order a 980m. and NO the M6600 keyboard surround DO NOT WORK on the M6700 and it's been pissing me off, I cannot even find the part for it! I tried 3d printing one but it was kinda meh, it worked-ish but not really, ended up removing it. The part number is 6194J for the M6700 keyboard surround

 

The 980m has been massively overclocked over the years, thats why the scores vary greatly.

Massive difference going from 100-115w TDP to 200w+ TDP.

 

so what kind of performance should I expect to be able to get? I have a 240W laptop brick for my precision and even with my CPU TDP set to 65W am only pulling 155W - 75W (Maxed GPU load for the test, TDP of GPU is 75W, so hence the -75W), I should have ~160W for the GPU (keep in mind this is power from the wall, not going into the laptop). Is it even remotely possible to get 10k in firestrike? would require ~13k graphics score.

 

Should be possible if you really push a 980M

 

so, the 980M I'll probably end up buying is subvendor Nvidia, that's fine right? Also, the 980m is locked to +135Mhz above stock without vBios mods, ill probably have to flash a new vBios but that will come when I actually get the card (Assuming I don't go the WX7100 route.) do you think a WX7100 would perform better than a 980m?, I've found tons of mixed results, some with wildly differnet scores. the WX7100 (mobile) appears to be exactly the same as the desktop card but with a slightly lower clock speed, do you know about overclocking a WX7100?

 

980M with VBIOS mod will likely crush a locked WX7100. There are a lot of threads about both cards, but TLDR is that if you can't run the WX7100 in PEG, it sucks. I think it gets around 10K stock in FS, but you have essentially no headroom to OC it.

 

OK, so I'll probably end up just getting a 980m and trying to push it to similar performance as my eGPU 480, either way I get a better portable experience than the eGPU. How safe do you think liquid metaling both CPU and GPU would be considering it spends a lot of time on its side in a bag...

 

You will never be able to push a 980m in that platform. You need to alter vrms and change to higher tdp and pray it will not die on you (which most have at that level even with mods)

 

Wouldn't trust LM on a CPU even though its wildly regarded as being a good way to drop temps, for the GPU maybe. You'd likely get a better experience with the stock 980M than the eGPU 480, It'll definitely be equalish or better performance than it.

 

Does anyone have a link to a modded vBIOS for an 8GB Nvidia 980M? the only reliable thing I found was the 'OC edition' but it's techinferno and **** that, I've wasted too much time trying to make an account and post enough to 'unlock' the download link...

 

I've been screwing around with Keplar BIOS tweaker on my K3000M but I can not get it to stay at the clock speed I set. in GPU-Z it shows 732Mhz, but the card only goes to 653Mhz under load, I set the core clock and Boost tables to max out at 732Mhz, is there something else I have to do?