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    780M SLI Throttle [M18xR2]

    Discussion in 'Alienware 18 and M18x' started by ssj92, Jul 6, 2019.

  1. ssj92

    ssj92 Neutron Star

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    That's great! Why don't you try -25mV stock clocks & -25mV +50 core/+100 memory? Sounds like one of those should provide the sweet spot.

    Looks like it was a success overall, you can enjoy true 780M SLI power now. :cool:
     
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  2. M18x-oldie

    M18x-oldie Notebook Evangelist

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    Yes :)

    Had tried plain -25 mV yesterday, but forgot to post, was about 10150 points, so not that great difference from stock.

    Will play around with the clocks at -25 mV and post, yes that seems to be the optimal combo.
     
  3. Maxware79

    Maxware79 Alienware died in 2014

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    I don't know how I have only just come across this thread but I'm excited to get my M18x R2 roaring again. I have the same config with the 3920XM (not overclocked) and SLI 780M's. I did flash the A11 unlocked BIOS not long ago from that other site (that will remain nameless....). Is there a better version? One thing I noticed is that since flashing, my M18x wants to network boot as default and no matter how I try to change the boot order in the BIOS it goes back to the atheros boot agent on startup before booting to WIN10. I'm not sure if I should be concerned......
    Also, I have never flashed a vBIOS on my 780M's. I bought them new from Eurocom back when they were the best card available. Is it worth doing?
    I haven't run a benchmark on this machine for years so I guess I'll start there and see how badly she is under-performing.
     
  4. M18x-oldie

    M18x-oldie Notebook Evangelist

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    Also have the Atheros Boot Agent as default now, but that's nothing to be concerned about I think, just the boot process takes about 5 sec longer. Me also didn't manage to get it changed.

    Flashing the unlocked vBIOS helps in performance gain, as you can uV and OC at the same time. That gave me bout +2k GPU points + bout 5-7°C less.
     
  5. Maxware79

    Maxware79 Alienware died in 2014

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    I’ve never flashed a vBIOS in all my years tinkering with these machines. Is it hard to do? I’d prefer not to go back to techinferno again so is it available here?
     
  6. Maxware79

    Maxware79 Alienware died in 2014

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    I've just run some benchmarks on my old girl. My CPU is stock as are both the 780M's. I'm running a Eurocom driver 378.78. I had been using a newer driver but I installed WIN10 recently and must have used an older driver, for some reason, after the installation.

    3dMark11 Test1 - 378.78 - Cropped.png
    3dMarkFireStrike Test 1 - 378.78 - Cropped.png

    Ahh it's because they didn't have a WIN10 416.94 driver and I haven't modded a driver myself for ages so I just went with what they had.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 14, 2019
  7. M18x-oldie

    M18x-oldie Notebook Evangelist

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    They seem to run well, your 780ms.
     
  8. Maxware79

    Maxware79 Alienware died in 2014

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    Earlier in the thread ssj92 says they can get 11k on Firestrike and 15k on 3DM11. I'm a fair way off those numbers - 20%+. I'm assuming a vBIOS will help but 20% is a big gap. I've never really stressed the card much but they've been in my system for 6-7 years by now.
     
  9. ssj92

    ssj92 Neutron Star

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    According to your pictures you are getting 15,691 GPU score in 3DM11 & 11,389 GPU score in firestrike so they are performing well.
     
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  10. Maxware79

    Maxware79 Alienware died in 2014

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    Ahh ok so just looking at the GPU score. That's nice to know they are still doing well.
    I've been reading some hate against Eurocom on here but I got these cards from them many years ago. I've never changed the vBIOS from what they were sent with. I wonder if I can get some better numbers with some tweaking.
    Thanks for the info.
     
  11. M18x-oldie

    M18x-oldie Notebook Evangelist

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    Played around a little bit again, think I'm getting closer to the sweet spot, ran FS with -12,5 mV, C +155, Mem +360

    FS: 11736 points
    https://www.3dmark.com/3dm/38522286?

    If I go beyond that, FS "crashes" and Afterburner gives me 0 value on most of the readings, maybe that's the driver limiting or the MB design.
    (though the 780m is well balanced regarding stock Voltage).

    @ssj92 next time when you have some spare time, could you please run FS with -12,5 mV, C +160, Mem +365 / +370?
     
  12. Maxware79

    Maxware79 Alienware died in 2014

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    What vBios are you using? Mine are on 80.04.92.00.02 which is what they shipped to me with but I'd like to experiment a little.
     
  13. M18x-oldie

    M18x-oldie Notebook Evangelist

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    I'm using one modded by svl7/johnkss.
     
  14. Maxware79

    Maxware79 Alienware died in 2014

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    Would you have a link to it by any chance?
     
  15. M18x-oldie

    M18x-oldie Notebook Evangelist

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  16. Maxware79

    Maxware79 Alienware died in 2014

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    Awesome. Thanks!
    I'm at work anyway so I'll wait for confirmation and I'll do some research into how to flash since I've never done a vBIOS before.
     
  17. M18x-oldie

    M18x-oldie Notebook Evangelist

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    Not that hard, nvflash, command prompt and some specific commands or the real and oldschool USB Stick way. Note that there is a risk, like with any flash.
     
  18. Maxware79

    Maxware79 Alienware died in 2014

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    Without risks are we really living?
     
  19. M18x-oldie

    M18x-oldie Notebook Evangelist

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  20. ssj92

    ssj92 Neutron Star

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    You have much better 780M than me. I can't even get +100/+200 stable at +12 voltage: But mine still score higher

    https://www.3dmark.com/3dm/38578110?
     
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  21. M18x-oldie

    M18x-oldie Notebook Evangelist

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    Nice to hear that :) just wanted to squeeze em a little bit, just for the numbers :D
     
  22. ssj92

    ssj92 Neutron Star

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    Just wanted to post an update...

    This is just amazing and goes to show nVidia could have fixed their 780M SLI driver issue years ago. Idk if it's because I rebooted using BIOS instead of FN+F7 but @j95 drivers have allowed my 780M SLI config to not only work on the latest drivers where nVidia has stopped supporting them, but I have no had any throttling issues at all at stock config. Next will be to test OC

    https://www.3dmark.com/3dm/39940723?
    https://www.3dmark.com/3dm/39940816?

    J95 repacked drivers (436.15) is what I used: https://premamod.wordpress.com/2017/08/15/j95-nvidia-inf/
     
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  23. M18x-oldie

    M18x-oldie Notebook Evangelist

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    Thanks for the update.
    Also gonna test that in bout 1-2 weeks when I'm home again.
     
  24. Maxware79

    Maxware79 Alienware died in 2014

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    Dang it I want to test too but one of my 780M's is still in the 17. Great news though!
     
  25. ssj92

    ssj92 Neutron Star

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    Surprisingly, the 700M is not officially supported on the latest drivers, but desktop 700 series is. Such a dumb move by nVidia, considering they're the same chipset. Good news is, the latest drivers work fine with 780M using those repackaged drivers.
     
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  26. DoubleHelixx

    DoubleHelixx Notebook Geek

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    ROTFLMAO

    Gentlemen,

    I appreciate your experience with this issue. I am new here but a fast learner. I have AW18 with dual 770M in SLI.

    Could you point me to the right driver (that won't throttle) and the best place to learn how to overclock them?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 3, 2019
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  27. ssj92

    ssj92 Neutron Star

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    Assuming you are on windows 10:
    These drivers gave me no throttling with 780M SLI in M18xR2.
     
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  28. DoubleHelixx

    DoubleHelixx Notebook Geek

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    Thank you very much and I am on WIndows 10.
     
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