New M15x Bios Release X32 and up, post results

It really seams like AW did a good job this time?

Another question though, if it runs at 96 degrees you don't get any artifacts?

 

Yeah things are certainly looking good, no downclocking, then im buying!

 

I'm actually thinking of buying by tomorrow or possibly on monday. Just need a few people to run a few more rigorious test to MAKE sure there isn't any hidden problems.




EDIT: btw for the people who installed the bios, did it fix your keyboard lag? Thanks//And please give rep for the people whos testing their systems for not only their benefit but ours also!

 

From everything I know (somebody correct me if I'm wrong), artifacting isn't an issue due to temperature. Checking for artifacting is usually for when you're overclocking your GPU, since that can cause stability/correctness issues. Since we're still running everything at stock speeds, it should be okay.

But as I said, somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Sogarth, you are correct, I was overclocking my 8800ultras and when i reached 700mhz, they started to have distorting, artifacts on 3Dmark.

 

I'm pretty sure temperature does have an impact on artifacts as well.

@firstn20: No it doesn't, but honestly, the problem isn't that bad. At first when I got the laptop I was missing letters everywhere, but now, I seem to have gotten used to it/broken in the keyboard (maybe?) such that I'll skip a key maybe once every 400 words. I wouldn't be too concerned with the problem.

 

I believe it is still possible but if you oc the chance of having artifacts will skyrocket...

Another question: You can make omelets now with your m15x? That will make it a nice electronic device: two in one

 

So GRB, is the downclock issue officially buried???

 

Can some users here confirm if the m15x still has problems when trying to connect it with an external onitors? Someone said they only could get it to work with 1 out of 10 different monitiors when he went to a computer store

 

I would say so, I mean, downclocking used to be readily apparent for me with both X27 and X30, and now I haven't found it at all. I've tried every condition which would easily bring about downclocking before and now it doesn't happen.

My guess is that it is a safe bet to order your laptop now, because if the downclocking issue isn't fixed outright, it will take a lot of starts to be aligned in order for it to happen.

 

Not until I finish my infamous test.

System now is as loud as a desktop and fan very likely to die.

I be doing full test weekend (including zalman cooler) i will post here for the result.

 

How is it going so far Rexi?

 

Rexi, uhh so is that good or bad news??? I guess if the fans die, then we can get it replaced if under warranty but as long as downclocking is sorted, im taking the plunge!!!

 

Gaming 4hrs yesterday, ambient temp 95f. = NO DC
play 45mins today, with a few alt-tab = NO DC

Remember x29b/x30 fool alot of people including me that its fixed. Problem surface weeks later.

I will not say its over yet. I will run 24hr test this weekend (205pt test).

M15x sound like a desktop. CPU blasting even @ idle. lucky thing they have a stealth mode to stop it.

 

Hey Rexi, thanks for the thorough testing!! Looks like its fixed seems like, but I will wait for your results just to be sure. +1 rep

 

I consider it good news. Fan is not important, gaming is. If fan die, AW will send one more (still under warranty).

Base on all these issue it really wise to get a 3 year.

Edit: and thanks for the rep.

 

+1 rep. By the way, now most of DC'ing seems to be solved. I'm just waiting for people to start complaining about the fans being too loud. haha

 

I do not have a CPU cooler, so I'm testing it's self sufficiency. I'm also going to run FurMark for a couple hours, and see what happens. The highest I got yesterday was 90 and then I had to go to my WoW raid.

P.S. Keyboard lag is still not fixed as far as I have seen.

 

I have to say, I think its rather frightening that we're seeing "stable" temps of 90+ degrees Celsius. I mean, Ive always learned that the proper thermal threshold for CPU's and GPU's was somewhere around 70C max. For example, when Im overclocking, I never clock high enough to let the CPU go above 70-ish under full load. Even if 90C was considered "stable", doesn't that make the laptop very uncomfortable to use on, you know, your lap? Am I misinformed or do these temps seem rediculously high?

 

The thermal paste is not going to automatically keep the heat away. That's what the fans are for. And if the fans aren't blowing until each reaches a certain temp, it's gonna get hot. This is normal. Especially in such a small form factor as the m15x.

 

I'm close to order my M15x as well... Next week.
So, is it confirmed that the fans are louder now? Do they spin for longer? While playing are they ALWAYS spinning at max speed?
Thanks to all of you that are testing it... you are all my favourite and more trusted laptop developers/testers/beta guys in the world. Keep on the good work, keep us posted and please... ALWAYS be critical and don't say "It's fixed", till the fat lady sings (don't forget what already happened with previous Bios upgrade).
Take it easy,
M

 

My point is, shouldn't the fans rev up sooner or something? I mean, 90C seems hot enough to damage the GPU over time. And like I said, doesn't that make this very uncomfortable to use on your lap?

 

Well i think you shouldnt be using any laptop on your lap especially gaming high-end ones. But yes, 90 seems awfully high

 

Well, 2 hours of FurMark have shown me that the GPU seems to hover around 92, as it has been at 92 for the last hour and a half almost. I really don't think even Crysis will make it go this hot though, FurMark is EXTREME.

When playing WoW I don't think I go above 73 I think it was. My problem ATM is that my UI forces so many calculations on my CPU that I'm actually bottlenecking at the CPU not being cooled well enough now (but of course, this is while in a 25 man and fighting, which I do in my room and not in my basement. I place the laptop on the accessories box, which I can't imagine is going to be any different than placing the laptop on my desk).

 

That seems a little contradictory, doncha think?

Oh, sorry, they're called "notebooks" now. We wouldn't want any angry customers sueing because it wasn't comfortable on their lap

 

IMO, It's not a good idea to game on your lap considering how hot it can get with the 8800M GTX, but you it doesn't mean that you can't.

It's fine to game with the integrated graphics on your lap though since the temps won't be too hot.

So, I think the m15x can be called a laptop and a notebook.

 

So far the Bios update has solved the downclocking problem i was having on my replacement M15X. Idle temps. in low 60c's. Game temps. have not exceeded 90c when playing Crysis or COD4 and the fans were not that loud. Hope the solution is a permenant fix this time.

 

A little short of 7.5 hours of FurMark, stabilized at 96 C, no downclocking. I think I'd say that the problem's been addressed.

 

Yes, yes and yes, pretty much. I mean, as you say, I don't want to speak too early, but I REALLY don't see how this can't be fixed. Like I said, for me, I was never fooled as to the effectiveness of the X30 BIOS -- it never worked correctly for me, and you could quickly see when it downclocked. For X32, it's entirely the opposite. I've tried everything and anything and it hasn't downclocked.

So I mean, I'll only put a 99% confidence rating on this too, but I mean it's just soo unlikely at this point that it isn't working.

 

YEHEY!!!!! now when are those skullcap designs coming out??? i really want the silver skullcap M15X!!

 

99% sounds good to me!

9 hours of Furmark. I don't think that we can get anywhere close to that in real gaming situations.

 

Well actually I sometimes attend 3-day lan parties and there, we are gaming hours on end for 3 days....

 

Yeah but even 5 minutes downtime will be enough for the GPU to cool down entirely -- probably even less than that with the new max fan mode.

 

That's all great news guys! I can't wait to get my hands on mine tomorrow

 

Hmm I wonder if I should place an order now... I would find it funny that the price goes up now, that they fixed the issue...

 

+rep to everyone who's posted results (there may be a delay between this post and when you actually recieve your +rep - bare with me )

A few late replies:

Thanx for the help, the testing (205pt test) and time spent on this - Good to see things are looking good so far..

Hehe.. Now that things are sorted out, I think a thanks for creating this thread is in order
Just 1 question - Have you updated that manual poll of yours..?

Glad to be of help - NBR users FTW
Btw, I hope you get the binder !!!

 

Good news indeed... I'll still restrain myself of rushing into placing an order. I think it's more wiser to wait a couple of days for you guys to clear it out.
The only thing now, is really the high temps and the fan noise. Oh well... I guess we will have to live with it.
I just hope that the fan speed won't lead to hardware breakdown with time.
Time will tell...
Keep on the good work.

 

what did you expect? THe most powerfull mobile graphics in a 15" laptop ... huu? WHen gaming you won't notice the sound of the fans cause of ingame sound and when working with office you won't notice because their is no turbine-sound!

 

Could somebody please send me the new bios file at [email protected]
I'm from Germany and the bios file is not available.

thx

 

I have just received my M15x and my bios version is vX30 P3. So do i need to update to X32?

 

since you have the 8800 you should upgrade to the x32 bios.

 

Hi Kaak, see that u ordered the SSD. Do you know what brand they use for their SSD? i.e. samsung/mtron etc

cheers!

 

Thanks exiled.

@Kaiserphoenix: yes my SSD from Samsung

 

cool cheeers kaak, how is the ssd? do u think its worth it? is it very quiet, not hot etc? Do u feel the speed?

 

Thanks.
In fact, i have no more time to check it, because I just received this afternoon. However the speed really impressive.

I can't download the bios V32.
Does anyone know how to get the account number?

 

It's on that little card inside the black binder that came in the accessories box.

 

kaak, could you work with someone who has the same specs except for the SSD to tell us about performance?

I am strongly considering this. Even if windows estimates more battery life with SSD than HDD I will be surprised.

All they need to do is fix the Keyboard lag and I will buy one and recommend to friends. Right now my most recommended laptops are the Gateway Tablet (I lurve it, best purchase I have ever made, from 25 cent pack of Juicy Fruit to my car, best choice ever!), HP dv2700t (girls), Toshiba m700, and a few m1530's for those who have to have a Dell. (and one Dell XT for someone who can urinate away money).

Anyway, if the Keyboard gets fixed, I will have no problem telling people to get this laptop. So far in, fifteen have followed my advice, one has not.

ALIENWARE: fix the keyboard and I will sell a few of these in New Orleans. (I can think of at least eight)

 

What's wrong with the keyboard? The one on the m15 I bought works really well so far.

 

Just updated to the x32 bios myself. After 30 mins of atitool and monitoring with rivatuner my temps climb to 86 before the fans kick in full gear. Then the temps are reduced to 77 and the fans slow down. This cycle keeps repeating itself and I have had no downclocks yet. At the moment it looks like at least this issue is fixed.

 

Hi all, Its good to be reading great news about the x32 bios fix. But i have aq problem guys. I'm from macau and i ordered the laptop from europe. The problem is they dont have the bios fix on the UK support page. In the my hive. Can anyone help me out and send the the file please. Greatly appreciate it. Email it to [email protected] thank you so much..

Cryptodash