17 R5 with the current BIOS

Hi @Daveju,

System model and revision?

What CPU do you have?  You must have an unlocked CPU to have those settings enabled.

Just about the only notebooks where you have full control over overclocking are the Clevo-built boutique systems with unlocked CPUs -- AVA, Eurostar, Sager, etc.

The big name brand systems just don't have this much control.

It's the I9-8950hk. This isn't just specific to my computer, it's been on various computers to different degrees. More options were available with the 7820hk in BIOS but were still severely limited and needed software through windows. This CPU/BIOS just happens to have literally zero options in BIOS.

So there's no solution? I can't even get past current limit throttling and power limit throttling above 4.4GHz. It's ridiculous.

No, there is no way around it.  Bear in mind as well, overclocking is never guaranteed - - some CPUs will, others won't -- and the system is likely close to the edge of its ability to manage heat with this CPU running stock, let alone overclocking it.

But I've seen this hit 99C and 5.0GHz on all cores. Also higher wattage without throttling. It's obviously not just the CPU, it's something Alienware is doing. Granted the 17 R5 will never hit 5.0GHz without reaching it's thermal limit. But look here and you can see clearly there's a system specific limitation on the 17 R5 because these guys are way above the overclocking that I'm doing...
https://youtu.be/Ol26CnNEZrU?t=13m50s

It's not what they did, it's what limitation does that system NOT have as opposed to Dell's. This isn't a chip variable, it's something else. I already said I know the 17 R5 isn't going to be able to thermally handle it, so there's no need to respond to that, but it should be able to be pushed significantly more.

The engineers at Compal that built the Alienware system thought otherwise - or they'd have built the system to allow the adjustments you're seeking.