Bigger PSU and other questions for Sager 8258-S / Clevo P157SM-A

Hey guys, Im new to the forum and have been searching google for a solution on the power supply and havent come up with anything.

I ordered a Sager 8258-S with the following specs:

Intel i7-4810mq
Nvidia 970m 6gb
8gb 1600mhz CL11 RAM
1TB 7200 RPM HDD

Im installing a 2.5" Samsung 840 PRO 256GB as the primary drive with the 1TB for storage with windows 7 ultimate as the OS.

I will primarily be using the laptop for gaming at home and lugging it around in my everki backpack as a mobile workstation for work.

I am concerned about the power supply for extended gaming sessions. It would be a problem if the PSU gets too hot, or worse, overloaded. I know desktop PSUs are typically rated at 80%, wouldnt the PSUs for laptops be the same? With a 180w PSU that it comes with, that leaves 144w to play with. 47w coming off the processor at peak leaves 97w for the rest of the machine under load. I dont feel comfortable with that number.

I couldnt find anything definitive about the power consumption stats of the 970m.

Is there a solution that exists which is a safe upgrade in the power supply for this laptop model?

I read about deadsmileys cooling mod for the 8278, would that also be applicable for this chassis?

I will be removing the sager thermal paste and reapplying Arctic MX-4 and installing the SSD when the laptop arrives. Id like to get everything settled in one swoop.

Any thoughts, insight, or help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys

 

No, the laptop PSUs work just fine. You'll be perfectly ok, especially with a 970M.

I suggest against MX-4. I suggest Arctic Céramiqué 2 instead. That paste is about as good as IC Diamond ever was for me; I'm confident it will wipe the floor with MX-4.

You don't really need to worry about cooling issues unless your 4810MQ is giving cooling problems; in which case (if leaving at stock) a simple -50mV undervolt on it and propping up the back of your laptop a decent bit (folded toilet paper blocks under the rubber feet should help greatly... we're talking 10 deg+ drop in temps on CPU.

If that is still not enough for you, then we can look into more permanent cooling mods. If your heatsinks are warped though, you can RMA it or lap them. Those are something you won't easily fix.

Feel free to reply here or PM me (after you get 5 posts) if you need any more information.

Also, welcome to the forums! =D

 

Thanks for the insight on the PSU.

Any particular reason against the MX-4? I have been using it for a while. Non conductive, lasts a very long time before needing reapplied, and on average runs cooler than most other pastes. I dont think I want IC diamond.

I wont be overclocking cpu or gpu. Not on a laptop. Ill keep the undervolting in mind in case it gets over 85c under load. Generally, I will have it resting on a dual fanned laptop cooler at home. I wont be gaming or going over "normal" temps at work.

Thanks again for the welcome and insight

 

An 80% 180w psu will deliver 180w it will just draw 225w from the wall to do it.

 

MX-4 just isn't as good as Ceramique in my testing, and some others' testing too. IC Diamond is theoretically the best non-liquid-metal paste, but ceramique is usually within 1 degree celcius of ICD. It also seems to have no pump-out effects for me, which people had been a little concerned about with it, so I can recommend it wholeheartedly. I hate MX-2 and MX-4 with a passion. MX-2 evaporates on my CPU flat out >_>. Also, remember that laptop lids are bare-die and not using an integrated heatsink like desktop chips do; MX-4 won't perform the same as it would on other applications.

As for the overclocking, you're fine. Also, 85c under full load would be glorious temps, lol. Haswell is quite hot. If under max fans you are hitting 90 degrees though, you should check the paste and the heatsink if it's already propped up for better airflow.

The 970M is an incredibly cool card and you could easily try OCing it if you ever wish. Your CPU will be just fine and that system should do whatever you please for a long time to come. If you don't wanna OC, that's cool too =D.

 

Also the pressure on notebook heatsinks is much lower which again changes which pastes work best in notebook vs desktop.

 

I ordered a tube of the Ceramique. I find it strange that amazon wont accept a return on the MX-4, it isnt hazardous stuff. I also find it strange they charge for returns now. So much for hassle-free.

If I wanted to upgrade to the 980m in the future, would it be an issue power wise?

 

The 180w should be ok stock with the 980m and maybe even a touch over stock.