m17 R3, Sudden Poor Graphics Performance

Question

I purchased this M17 R3 laptop in January of 2021.  I have been able to play games like rdr2, skyrim, FO4, GTA5, etc. with no graphics issues at all.  On Friday (6/18/2021), I was able to play these games just fine.  Then on Tuesday (6/22/2021) I started rdr2 and now the game is unplayable with the graphics settings I have been using.  The graphics during gameplay are very, very slow.  If I dial all the settings back to performance rather than high graphics, the game is playable again. Here is what I have done so far: changed the graphics quality level until game started playing without video lag reduced from highest setting down to 'performance' setting to get the game graphics to operate normally Turned off v-sync - no change in performance Changed vulkan to dx12 - no change in performance uninstalled and reinstalled the game - no change in performance uninstalled and reinstalled the NVIDIA Geforce 2070 driver - no change in performance performed a Windows reset - no change in performance Anyone know of anything else I can try?

blkdragn · Accepted Answer

Update:  Dell service technician replaced the motherboard and a couple of other components and the graphics is working great now.  It was agreed that the thermal paste was indeed the issue.

A51-06 · Answer

Specs please? Like GPU and CPU plus RAM?

also I think you need to see what your temps are with this laptop on full load with a game. Because I think you need to repaste the laptop CPU and GPU plus clean the dust out of it. Also wipe the palm rests with 70% isopropyl alcohol and the outer shell.

A51-06 · Answer

With the thermals like this, it might be best to contact  Dell support if the system is in warranty. If the system is out of warranty it's possible to reapply the thermal paste.

blkdragn · Answer

Yeah, I have always built my own gaming desktops. This is the first gaming laptop I have owned... I figured Alienware would be a solid product constructed with care considering how much they cost. Right now, with all my work related apps open and a Zoom call running, I am seeing the CPU at 95 degrees Celsius....which is ridiculous for apps that are idle most of the time...

I am assuming I will need to have Dell do the paste so I do not void the laptop support coverage?

blkdragn · Answer

Sorry about that, here are the specs:

Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-10875H CPU @ 2.30GHz
32 GB RAM
NVIDIA(R) GeForce RTX(TM)2070 8GB GDDR6
512GB SSD / 1TB SSD
Windows 10 Pro

I have the fan settings on "performance" in the command center. I did monitor the CPU and GPU temps before the Windows reset. I will do so again to get current specs and will post shortly.

This laptop is 6 months old. Why would the paste need to be redone for the CPU/GPU procs? Is the assembly team known for not correctly applying thermal paste to the procs/heatsinks?

blkdragn · Answer

So, I am not sure what has changed, but RDR2 is running great now on max settings.  Here is a snapshot of the temps while it was running.

blkdragn · Answer

Dell Support is going to replace the video card & assembly and will apply the thermal paste.  Thank you for your assistance!

A51-06 · Answer

Yeah no problem and if it’s ok with you I’d recommend some good cooler master thermal paste and not the cheap gray stuff. One more thing before I go and help other people could you please subscribe to my channel on YouTube? It’s below my Community RockStar image.

A51-06 · Answer

That’s great. Also have you checked the settings that Chris pinned in the Alienware page at the top? It helps with performance in games and should lower temps and wattage consumption. Also make sure the vents have enough air to breath and also wipe down the laptop to keep it clean on the outside.

Alienware

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