M15x Throttling (again...)

Hello again, everyone!

I've searched far and wide and yet all the solutions given around do not seem to work in my case.
My config is 940XM, 16GB RAM, Quadro M4000M and an SSD, but I can't seem to get rid of GPU throttling. I have a 240W PSU, Today I finally managed to make a switch-mod for it (to cut the ID line at will), but I can't seem to get rid of an annoying throttle. EVGA Precision is almost constantly showing Power Limit: 1, and my 3D Mark 11 scores have dropped to P5000 range, when before with no PSUID mod I was getting up to 8500.

EDIT: A note to admins/mods, maybe it's a good idea to put a M15x upgrade/mod guide, how to achieve maximum performance with all possible options and solutions and pin it at the top of the forum? Then we wouldn't need so many threads about it.

I just ran another test with a stock Dell PSU, results are similar. Could it be tha damned Win10 update messing with the results? I mean previous update (before patching) put me down from P8500 down to P7000 range. The m15x is still a better option than for example my wife's Lenovo Z51-70 which is in the same price range even considering all the hardware juggling in my m15x, but the Micros#!t updates seem to be doing bad things to my baby...

 

If I were you, I'd choose to run W7 or W8.1 for the lower CPU overhead needed to run the OS, 8.1 is fairly similar to 10 anyways outside of the horrendous Metro interface (can be fixed with ClassicShell) and is still going to be updated years from now while 7's days are limited.
I believe many forum members here have noticed Nvidia driver throttling or something similar.

 

The thing is need Win10 for some of my job software, such as home automation programming, so downgrade is not an option. I can bite the bullet with 1000 drop in performance with an update, but I've seen P11000 with similar config and I'm wondering what am I doing wrong with the M15. Maybe some step by step solution on one to dodge throttling? What should be my launch checklist for the machine?

 

Maybe try W10 lTSC or another debloated option then.
Do all the usual items, such as making sure you aren't power or CPU throttling, and maybe consider a newer machine.

 

NBR Windows 10 Clean Installation Guide
Windows Privacy Dashboard
Windows 10 Tweaks and Fixes (Index post #1)
O&O ShutUp10 - Do not use Windows 10 without it!

Have you checked in Reliability monitor to see what was installed right before you saw the lower pwerformance?

What Windows 10 Version? Post also screenshot of what Windows patches you have installed - Program and Features (View installed updates).

Have you screenshoots/result links of before and after benchmarks? If, then post it.

 

Will search for it, I have some Benchmark proof somewhere.
My main question is thus - how to limit power throttling on the GPU. Everyone is using the angled adapter, I couldn't get one anywhere, so I did the mod, but I'm doing something wrong. Software throttling I can live with, I have painfully accepted that in a certain degree, but not having full hardware potential makes me feel uneasy.

I know the m15x is not a new machine, that it's old and there are far better AWs out there. But this one has a soul and it works fine so far. And I've seen people do crazy results with it.

 

Also what I mean is for someone to explain to me how the 'ritual' with the PSUID switch off is supposed to work. Boot with ID, then switch it off, or do some stealth toggling, or what exactly? I have modified my Flextronics first before original Dell PSU. Have I missed something here?

 

I don´t know if it´ll do any good for your situation, but here you can find the 90° PSU adapter.

Ebay 90° PSU Adapter

 

Ok, but still - even with the adapter - what's the story? Do you boot with it, do you disconnect the PSU, put the adapter with center pin pulled out and then plug back in, or do you boot without the ID line already? I couldn't find this piece of common knowledge plainly explained here. Help me out guys What is the correct procedure? For me (an electrician) it was far easier to snip, solder and mount a switch (which was like 0,30 euro) than to wait for an adapter that costs 30$ with shipping.

 

Ask here... http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/alienware-m17x-r4-extreme.830546/

 

In your case, as you did the switch mod, just turn your machine on with the PSU connected with the switch in a position where the ID line is open. (Don´t forget to turn off PSU warnings in the bios).

The M15x will "limit" power only when the center pin on the power adaptor isn't disabled. That why most people have either have a 90° adapter without the center pin or 2 adapters, one for gaming and another one for charging the laptop. A gaming adaptor with pin pulled out solves power starving issues and allows you exceed the original limits. If after doing the center pin mod you still have the same issues, then the problem is somewhere else.

 

Yes, thank you, that's exactly the explanation that I needed I wanted to be sure about this, but just for clarification, do I switch the ID line off with it plugged in or should I plug it out, disable, plug back in?

 

I don´t think it would make any difference, but just in case turn your laptop on with the PSU plugged and id line disabled (the first time the laptop checks the PSU is at bios startup, thats why you should turn PSU warning messages off first)

 

Ok, got some good news back in P8000 range, and CPU OC (90/75, 24/24/24/24) doesn't seem to throttle the GPU at all. Those 135MHz from Nvidia Inspector add a few extra points in the score. After a bit more fiddling got to 8200. I don't know if it's correlation or causation, but only after leaving the laptop without battery for a while (I was changing the lid to a new and shiny one) it seems to have started taking things seriously and there wasn't a single GPU power throttle. Not sure if it indicates that it keeps record of power supplies attached or something. Need to look into it. Or new lid made the laptop faster

 

Also if anyone is looking anymore for a decent (and, above all, stable) overclocking setup, here's mine, achieved with Intel Extreme Tuning Utility:
82A
110W
27/27/27/27
Running stable for about a week now, with slight GPU OC (M4000M with default vBIOS and just the 135MHz and 37,5mV overvolt supplied by NVIDIA Inspector) benchmarks are reliably around P8200-P8500 (~8500 being my default result with top shelf Alpha R2).

Here's so far the highest result I've achieved:
https://www.3dmark.com/3dm11/13518222

 

Just a quick question, to not open another thread, is it normal for the M15x to run normally on the PSU and then severely throttled on battery? I mean, it runs with just one core cut at 1.2GHz, is there a way to override it in BIOS? My M17x doesn't seem to throttle the same way, even with CF enabled, and it's a much more power-hungry machine. Or is it caused by the difference in battery (6 cells compared to 9 cells)?

 

Of course it will throttle on battery. Running full power load on a battery can never happen, it will not provide enough current and simply shut off

 

I know it will, but the severity is incomparable to M17X. That one goes all four cores on battery, hence my question.

 

The EC is different between the two systems. Frankly The M15x does it correctly, it’s way too dangerous to run full load on battery as it can destroy the battery cells. They were not designed to give that much output

 

Honestly, I think you should be pretty darn happy that it runs as well as it does. My CPU has always gotten pretty hot even with small overclocks and custom fan mods. I don't even think about running anything stressful while plugged in let alone on battery.

 

My solution for tend was good thermal paste. Grizzly Kryonaut liquid metal works wonders.

 

Kryonaut is not liquid metal....

 

Ok, maybe I'm naming the wrong one, but it' thermal grizzly and it's the metal amalgam - gallium, indium and something else.