(Part 2) Top products from r/Alienware

Please remember to use the search feature. Most if not all of this has been answered recently in other posts.

​

​

>I have been having insanely jigh temps of 100c on my cpu. I have heard thag alienware’s thermal paste and application is a cause for this.

Yes and no. The 15R3 is a few years old now and thermal paste does not last forever, especially in laptops with lower mounting pressure. Dell's stock paste is built more for longevity and not performance so after some time it is pretty normal to need new paste to get the temps back under control. It's especially common in gaming laptops that run hot and have higher end hardware then your typical $500 laptop. Also if you have not tried a can of compressed air to blow out the fans / fins then that would be a good place to start. Even with fresh paste , if the fans are clogged then you will get high temps. I

​

​

>There is a local computer repair shop that said that they can repaste it, should i go to their shop and pay them to do it( i am not concerned for price and i have no idea how to do it, im worried that i will mess something up)

If your truly unable to do this yourself ( lots of people are ) then take it to someone and have them do it. Nothing worse then taking apart your $$$$ laptop and once it's back together something isn't working and you don't know where to start looking. On that note there are A LOT of tutorials , videos and teardowns online that can help you with this should you decide to tackle it on your own.

>Should i undervolt? How? And what do i set it to?

Absolutely you should, it's the easiest way to reduce temps and in some cases even improve performance as the CPU won't be running as hot which can allow for high boost speeds and higher sustained clocks. Despite what some have recently been claiming, undervolting will NOT void your warranty. As for what should you set it to, that is something YOU need to figure out. Every CPU is different and requires a different amount of voltage to remain stable. What works for someone else won't necessarily work for you. Your best bet is to start low and test to see if it's stable and then work your way up from there until you find your sweet spot. For example my 7820hk is stable at -.135 but some people can go higher, or not even get that far , it's all up to the silicone lottery.

​

>What paste should i use? I heard that thermal grizzly kryonaut is runny and can dry up at higher temps such as laptop tems so which one is best suited for this scenario( dont want to use lm because im not experienced enough and its risky)

​

Kryonaut is great paste, but it's not great for longevity in laptops that run hot and don't have great mounting pressure. I see a lot of people who use Kryonaut and it works GREAT...for a few weeks / months and then the temps start to creep up again. I have used Kryonaut in the past and it was just OK. I switched to IC Diamond around a year ago and my temps are just as good now as they were the first day I put it on AND my core differentials are almost non existent. Keep in mind that most pasts are going to be within just a few degrees of each other provided the repaste job is done properly. Going from Kryonaut to IC Diamond I actually saw a decrease in temps, probably due to mounting pressure and thinner paste , and I had to lay the Kryonaut on pretty thick. There are a ton of great pastes out there....IC Diamond, Gelid, Thermal Grizzly, Arctic MX-4, ...lots to choose from. This was a great comparison from a few years back showing the difference in a controlled test.

​

>Should i get a laptop stand

If you want to invest in something that two bottle caps can do just as well , sure? I think a better question is do you need a laptop stand? You can get the same results by just propping the back up with basically whatever you think will work. I do use a coolermaster U3 , but mostly because I sit on my couch with my laptop on my lap and the stand keeps it raised while still being comfortable. I also have a set of something like this and they work just as well when I don't feel like dragging around my cooling pad. Don't believe all the hype about the cooling fans in the coolers either, the stock fans are not really good for much TBH.

I originally had bad thermal issues on my 17R4 i7-7700HQ w/ 1070, but I did a "re-paste" stacking solution that has worked great for me. Temps were hitting 95c while playing Monster Hunter World even while lifted off surface before "re-paste". Currently I can play games for hours on end switching between Monster Hunter World, Forza Horizon 4, and Elder Scrolls Online with temps very rarely hitting above 65c. Temps usually hover around 55c - 60c and might hit 65c - 70c if it's warm in the room from the heater being on. I am also running the Alienware Graphics Amplifier with 1080ti for monitors and gaming. Those temps were CPU temps before the "re-paste" stacking. I did a "re-paste" stack on the internal 1070 as well, but I have not gamed using the internal graphics yet. I use the quotation marks on "re-paste" as I used the IC Graphite Pad, a 0.5mm Copper Shim, and another IC Graphite Pad stack on both CPU and GPU and no actual paste was used. I used this video for reference https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ujffb2gIsS0 but instead of Liquid Metal, I used the Graphite Pad instead. The stacking process is shown at the 19:50 mark if you want to see what I mean by stacking. Hope this helps with on view because before I did this my CPU was HOT AF! Also, here are links if interested in what I used. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CKVW18G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OUJQX8K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I just bought https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GHTVMVI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and so far it has been great! It holds everything I have and has room to spare. It's only been a week but it's holding up great so far and seems pretty well built. The padding on the bottom could be a little thicker but overall the computer feels protected.

Do you have any recommendations for ram? I'm not a tech guy but I hear Corsair Vengeance alot.



Corsair Vengeance 2666mhz

Kingston HyperX 2133mhz

Kingston HyperX 2400mhz

Crucial 2133mhz

Crucial 2400mhz

Which one would you say is the best for the r4 from above? Anything better?

Sorry for all the questions. I see you on a lot of threads and being a mod as well I thought you would be knowledgeable.

Thanks in advance.

I bought this back in 2015. It's great, has a nice pad on the bottom, and has a UBS powered fan in it to help with cooling: https://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-NotePal-LapAir-R9-NBC-LPAR-GP/dp/B0051GK6RA/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1524969788&sr=1-1&keywords=R9-NBC-LPAR-GP

If you don’t know the difference you don’t need 32gbs of ram.


I’d like the above user said, get an ssd and ram upgrade as that’s pretty cheap and helps a lot! Especially the ssd.


Samsung 970 EVO SSD 1TB - M.2 NVMe Interface Internal Solid State Drive with V-NAND Technology (MZ-V7E1T0BW) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BN217QG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_i7K3Db5TA5R0K

Your gonna have to reinstall windows.


Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 DRAM 2666MHz (PC4 21300) C16 Desktop Memory Kit - Black (CMK16GX4M2A2666C16) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0123ZC44Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_iaL3Db9MWZM5Z




The ssd will make a HUGE difference as well as the ram should help out but for sure get that SSD upgrade. And don’t get 32gbs of ram. That’s to much.

Best bet is to undervolt the processor using Intel Extreme Tuning Utility and to prop up the back of the laptop with feet. It also would help to take the back cover off and blow out all of the dust.

​

If you really know what you're doing, you can repaste the processor and graphics card byfollowing this guide.

​

There isn't much the repair depot can do. If it's still under warranty, I've heard you can request a repair technician to come to your house and repaste it with thermal paste that you provide, but your mileage may vary. They can repaste it with their thermal paste, but buying something like Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut would work a lot better than their stuff.

I use this when laptop is on my lap:

Targus AWE55EU Laptop Cooling Pad - Black https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002Q8X3L2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_9jaZAbJCA38NC

And this when it's on the desk with my monitor:
BestFire Laptop Cooling Pad Cooler Chill Mat with 5 Quiet Fans Blue LED Lights and 2 USB 2.0 Ports Laptop Cooler Notebook Cooler Fits 14"-17" https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01H8G4284/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_GHaZAb0A24S2P

Both work very well. The Targus has 2 built in fans that are relatively quiet, and has a padded coating, making it more comfortable on my lap.

The BestFire has 5 fans and blue LEDs that pair well with AlienFX, and keep the laptop cool under load. Mine never goes above 70 degrees.

Edit: Second Link.

I've using these for over a year now and it works like a charm. For $6, I think the quality is superb.

Practical Laptop Cooling pad Rubber Skidproof feet Heat Reduction Stand for Notebook/iPad/Laptop(pack of 4) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0747QSX25/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_P4q1Cb3H5J4FN

Cooler Master Storm SF-17. Bit expensive but my laptop is >$3500... It works great btw. Lowers my temps by 3-5 degrees when not gaming ( compared to a flat surface ). When I am gaming, easily 8-10 degrees ( compared to flat surface). Also ports ports ports

https://www.amazon.com/CM-Storm-SF-17-Ergonomic-Settings/dp/B00E5AEITU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1488287475&sr=8-4&keywords=cooler+master+laptop+cooler

I bought this for myself and my wife, they work pretty well. Mainly got it because it has padding underneath so it's not terribly uncomfortable.

Cooler Master NotePal LapAir - Laptop Lap Desk with Pillow Cushion and Cooling Fan (R9-NBC-LPAR-GP) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051GK6RA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_z2zVBb8RN6ZMG

Do you have any complaints about that cooling pad? I was looking at the one you have, but I'm always suspicious of the dimensions Amazon lists and wanna make sure I get a pad that fits a 15r3 perfectly. I was also looking at this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051GK6RA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_yKcEyb088RXCX because it has vents off the front side, which would be perfect if I'm using it on my lap in bed (no need to worry about covering bottom vent)

This sleeve was posted earlier bu u/Gooner_here and several found it to be a perfect fit for the computer; I certainly did: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079HYKPCW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_p4M6Cb7F6WP87

This will work nicely.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BGZEVHU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


You won't need more than 16gb for gaming, really. however, if you plan on doing a lot of other things like video / art /a ton of browsing tabs, it can be helpful.

Read the label on the old one, get the same one. The brick will have a part number / model number on it somewhere. Dell should still have the older ones. In fact, here's a Dell one on Amazon, might be new old stock, might be a knockoff but at least with Amazon you get free returns. https://www.amazon.com/Dell-150-Watt-Adapter-Charger-Alienware/dp/B0030ER9R0

My 2c. Not a backpack, but fits great!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079HYKPCW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_GZwOCbZ9F05CH

I have a repasted/Throttlestopped m15 and the now-discontinued Belkin Lap Desk.

As a test, I played Doom 2016 on it the other night for about an hour. Afterwards, both it and the laptop bottom were scorching hot to the touch.

I then propped up the back end 3/4" which did help a lot, but then I found that using one of my laptop cooling pads helped even more. With the cooling pad, even the chassis itself was noticeably cooler vs. propping-up alone.

Another m15 owner pointed out that he installed these underneath the rear to keep it propped at all time. I might do the same, but I'll still continue to utilize a cooling pad from here on. I've got four of them around the house. Two of them are under PS4's and one sits on top of my Onkyo Receiver to help extract the heat off the top of it.

Also, this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2Juhc0dcJc

I got this set for my 17R4: Corsair 32GB

​

Works great, so that Kingston should be fine.

On your lap? Get something comfortable and raises the back a little. Something like this maybe https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0026RL6P8/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1495147823&sr=8-7&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=laptop%2Btray&dpPl=1&dpID=31KLm502jlL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1

Thanks, that would be good to know. I got the Intel AC9260.

Samsung 850 EVO - 500GB - M.2 SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-N5E500BW) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TGIW1XG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_kqbSzbF96JQ4A

Or

Crucial MX300 1TB M.2 (2280) Internal Solid State Drive (CT1050MX300SSD4) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L80DH1Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_erbSzbPSV2V1B

The 1TB for $287 is a great deal if you need the space. If not, go with the 500GB for less $$$

Thank you so much.

1. The laptop weighs 10 or 11 something lbs and it is crazy heavy. (https://www.amazon.com/Alienware-Notebook-i7-8750H-1920x1080-2666MHz/dp/B07P2JH6MS)
   
   
2. I did undervolt it to like 170 core and 125 cache. Also I underclocked the cpu to 3.5ghz. Still throttles and reaches 100C on heavy titles like GTA V and Forza horizon 4 etc.

This one fits it perfectly: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GHTVMVI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_JDYxyb9XAQ9ZF

ok so a blower style card (or also called squirrel cage fan), would be the perfect card for the X51. The hot air is pulled out of the case, tru the back of the gfx card.
for us market i had these two in mind:
http://www.evga.com/products/product.aspx?pn=06G-P4-5161-KR

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=181-007M-00004&cm_re=1060-_-181-007M-00004-_-Product
but sadly both are more then 9.5 inch

The EVGA will do fine imo, i have it myself. I cannot guarantee BF1 on ultra with 60fps though. I play BF 4 almost everything on ultra with constant 60fps though. The card goes up to 179.6 fahrenheit though (moderate climate)

Sorry i put in amazon link now : https://www.amazon.com/PNY-Video-Graphic-Cards-VCGGTX10606PB-CG/dp/B01K1JTMD0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483871923&sr=8-1&keywords=PNY+GeForce+GTX+1060+CG

It seems the evga i linked to above in this post is not available from amazon

It's the Innovation Cooling IC Graphite Pad. The small one. I'm in the UK and just got it from Amazon.

​

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Innovation-Cooling-LLC-Graphite-Thermal/dp/B07CKVW18G/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=ic+graphite+pad&qid=1554554061&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

Mind blowing that people instantly go to liquid metal, not that it's extremely difficult to paste but the cons of bricking your laptop or messing it up you're better of buying a quality paste such as thermal grizzly kryonaut as its non conductive and almost the go to choice by many overclockers.

Also thermal grizzly has thermal pads you can buy and can cut to size called minus 8, I'll link both below.

Paste https://www.amazon.com/Thermal-Grizzly-Kryonaut-Grease-Paste/dp/B00ZJSF5LM/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1539610487&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=thermal+grizzly&dpPl=1&dpID=31RBE%2B9%2B8%2BL&ref=plSrch

Pads
https://www.amazon.com/Thermal-Grizzly-Minus-High-Performance/dp/B00ZJSC3JE/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1539610531&sr=8-8&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&dpPl=1&dpID=31wcGvimZEL&ref=plSrch

I also bought an 17 R5 yesterday and once it ships I plan on doing some testing and replacing its thermal compounds to measure the improvements.

It needs to be an NVME. Stay far away from that Crucial P1 - I returned it because the system would blue screen when trying to play games from it. Amazon has a 1TB 970 EVO NVME drive for just a few bucks more.

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-970-EVO-1TB-MZ-V7E1T0BW/dp/B07BN217QG/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=samsung+970+evo&qid=1564062332&s=gateway&sprefix=samsung+970&sr=8-3

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079QJQF4Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

I put this in and got rid of the stock killerwireless card. So much better with connections and stuff. Just remove all killer drivers before installing the card and make sure you have the intel drivers downloaded and ready to go

I have an 18.4 inch bag that fits it fine and has good support for the weight... Have you tried any out?


Edit: here is the bag I have been using for about a month with no complaints. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GHTVMVI/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I used the fujipoly pads from Amazon. I would've bought all 17mw/k pads but only the 1.0mm pads had prime shipping. So I bought the 17w/mk and 11w/mk pads. I paired it with thermal grizzly kryonaut paste. Apparently you should try and keep the thermals the same between the paste and the pads. So using all 11w/mk pads wouldn't be bad since the thermal paste is around 12w/mk

We need two of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZSJPZQ2
One of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZSJRH22
And for the 0.1mm pads, which iunlock said look more like thermal tape, we could use this thermal tape: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYO3PK9
or we could use K5 Pro: https://www.amazon.com/viscous-thermal-paste-replacement-Aspire/dp/B00UTX7K2E

If he wanted padding couldnt he just buy a cheap sleeve like https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00LU7BE20/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I would check XTU while you are playing. Check and see if you are thermal or power throttling. Have you underclocked it to -.110 yet? Repaste and tell me how it went!

Here's the guide for disassembly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbT_GBVHhEA&t=276s

edit Make sure you skip the battery part, just worry about the removal of the heatsink Put exactly how much paste he has on it on yours. If you want the same applicator he has get this:

https://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-Thermal-Kryonaut-p%C3%A2te-thermique/dp/B00ZJSF5LM/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1519973572&sr=8-3&keywords=kryonaut

No problem. If you want to upgrade the GPU I would recommend on one that fits the power range of the power brick (Which can be upgraded to the 330 Watt.) This Card fits size wise at 9.5 inches and also for power consumption its less than my GTX 660 that I run in my x51 R1.

CM Storm SF-17 is doing fine with my 9700/2080

That isn't true. I have this set as my boot drive and it works fine. It's a SATA: http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-850-EVO-3-5-Inch-MZ-N5E500BW/dp/B00TGIW1XG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1454229594&sr=8-1&keywords=500+gb+m2+sata

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-150-Watt-Adapter-Charger-Alienware/dp/B0030ER9R0/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474518841&sr=8-1-fkmr1&keywords=alienware+140W+charger

https://www.amazon.com/CM-Storm-SF-17-Ergonomic-Settings/dp/B00E5AEITU

Oops...I totally forgot:
Samsung 970 EVO 1TB - NVMe PCIe M.2 2280 SSD (MZ-V7E1T0BW) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BN217QG/ref=cm_sw_r_wa_apa_m9xTBb8A72X7Y

http://www.amazon.com/Dell-150-Watt-Adapter-Charger-Alienware/dp/B0030ER9R0

I use one of these when I'm in bed or on the sofa.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0026RL6P8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_j5bCybASC2ZV2

get this one https://www.amazon.com/Alienware-i7-8750H-2666Mhz-4-78lbs-Magnesium/dp/B07P2JH6MS?th=1 with the selected graphics card. those specs can run intensive games

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AmazonBasics-Single-Monitor-Display-Mounting/dp/B00MIBN16O/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=amazon+basics+monitor+arm&qid=1558527696&s=gateway&sr=8-3

can you link the pads and how many?

is it:
https://www.amazon.com/Fujipoly-mod-smart-Extreme-Thermal/dp/B00ZSJRH22/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1481466055&sr=1-2&keywords=fujipoly+pad

https://www.amazon.com/Fujipoly-mod-smart-Extreme-Thermal/dp/B00ZSELP3O/ref=sr_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1481466055&sr=1-5&keywords=fujipoly+pad

???

I can't find a 100x15x.5 XR-m pad on prime ?

are these the correct one to buy for the thermal pads?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZSELP3O/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A15YNZR7YB053N

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MQ65K0G/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A15YNZR7YB053N

and do i buy one of each?

This stuff:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thermal-Grizzly-Kryonaut-compound-compounds/dp/B00ZJSF5LM

Need to wait and see what RAM is in the machine when it arrives to get an exact matching DIM.

What about : 850 evo

monitor is the aw3418dw with Amazon basics monitor arm

I'm assuming you don't have the fan/shroud still in there based on it being a little more than 9.5 inches right?

And do you still have your cd drive inside the case?

I believe this is the one you linked.

https://www.amazon.com/PNY-Video-Graphic-Cards-VCGGTX10606PB-CG/dp/B01K1JTMD0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1483871901&sr=8-5&keywords=PNY+GeForce+GTX+1060

I got this 17 inch sleeve that fits the 15R3.
https://amzn.com/B00LU7BE20

This was on sale for $1700 yesterday, but it’s back to $2k today. https://www.amazon.com/Alienware-Notebook-i7-8750H-1920x1080-2666MHz/dp/B07P2JH6MS

Dell had this for $1500 using a door buster code, no idea if the code still works: https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/dell-laptops/alienware-m17-gaming-laptop/spd/alienware-m17-laptop/wnorn7chm171haff?prg=1&VEN1=12578053-7060520-867e028a-8d21-42d6-a025-ac397172b629&AID=7060520&cjevent=f30f4cdaa8de11e982fc00030a1c0e10&dgc=CJ&DGSeg=DHS&cid=198375&lid=45846&acd=12309198375458460&VEN3=112805017522193488

The killer card or the intel one? [This] seems like a good card but would it be safe just to get the killer card again? (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079QJQF4Y/ref=sxbs_sxwds-stvpv2_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=3534659722&pd_rd_wg=jDzyJ&pf_rd_r=JRHHEEKSNAHXXGM5WDAN&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-bottom-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B079QJQF4Y&pd_rd_w=qixA7&pf_rd_i=wifi+card+killer&pd_rd_r=7373c0cf-825e-4342-abef-0be7d42b76c3&ie=UTF8&qid=1523825312&sr=1)