The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    any news on 2013 aw18 upgrading to Maxwell GPUs?

    Discussion in 'Alienware 18 and M18x' started by sturmtiger, Oct 17, 2015.

  1. sturmtiger

    sturmtiger Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    31
    Likes Received:
    8
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Hi all
    Is the 2013 version AW18 able to use clevo GTX970ms for upgrade?
    I heard there was serious issue with secondary GPU fan and lack of a unlocked bios half a year ago.
    but is there a solution to these now?
    really need to upgrade the 770Ms cuz they are out of date now.
    hope I don't need to change the heat sinks
    thank you very much.
     
    sturmtiger, Oct 17, 2015
    #1
  2. Raidriar

    Raidriar ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)

    Reputations:
    1,708
    Messages:
    5,820
    Likes Received:
    4,311
    Trophy Points:
    431
    Yes, just need to flash to BIOS A12 and new Dell vBIOS for the 970M or 980M
     
    Raidriar, Oct 18, 2015
    #2
  3. sturmtiger

    sturmtiger Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    31
    Likes Received:
    8
    Trophy Points:
    16
    and with vbios flashed in GPU thats all set?
    second gpu fan control won't be a problem?
    it there any adjustments needed to be done to the heat sinks?
     
    sturmtiger, Oct 18, 2015
    #3
  4. Raidriar

    Raidriar ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)

    Reputations:
    1,708
    Messages:
    5,820
    Likes Received:
    4,311
    Trophy Points:
    431
    none. Alienware just recently decided to re-release the Alienware 18 with a new BIOS and updated graphics cards/vBIOS. You can read more about it in the Alienware 18 Maxwell thread.
     
    Raidriar, Oct 18, 2015
    #4
  5. Scanner

    Scanner Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    180
    Messages:
    877
    Likes Received:
    270
    Trophy Points:
    76
    That's not correct. The second GPU heat sink has to be filed down a little bit or you will ruin you very expensive card. When I did my 980s I noticed that 2nd one did not fit quite right. The instructions for adding 980 to AW18 are on the first page of another thread. I'm on my phone so I can't find the thread right now. Just search 980m AW18, do not go to the first page of the thread dealing with the MXR2 that PC does not need the modification, so it's not mentioned there.
     
    Scanner, Oct 19, 2015
    #5
    Raidriar likes this.
  6. Raidriar

    Raidriar ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)

    Reputations:
    1,708
    Messages:
    5,820
    Likes Received:
    4,311
    Trophy Points:
    431
    Thanks for the correction, I didn't notice an issue with the primary with a single 980M so I had assumed it would be same for the secondary.
     
    Raidriar, Oct 19, 2015
    #6
  7. sturmtiger

    sturmtiger Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    31
    Likes Received:
    8
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Hi, so the heat sink of the second card needs to be modified a bit to ensure it has fully contact with the card?
    and no more issue with fan control?
    Thank you very much
     
    sturmtiger, Oct 19, 2015
    #7
  8. Scanner

    Scanner Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    180
    Messages:
    877
    Likes Received:
    270
    Trophy Points:
    76

    I found the thread, the areas on the heat sinks that need to be modded can be clearly seen. Its been such a long time that I forgot both heat sinks not to be moddd. Its not a lot of modding, I do remember grinding the areas down with a flat head screw driver. Elbow grease, patience and time was all I needed.

    http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...-install-in-alienware-18.768916/#post-9886820
     
    Scanner, Oct 19, 2015
    #8
  9. sturmtiger

    sturmtiger Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    31
    Likes Received:
    8
    Trophy Points:
    16
    thank you so much
    i will just throw 2 970ms in
    it should be enough for me
     
    sturmtiger, Oct 19, 2015
    #9