Alienware 15 r3 - Heat problems?

Thanks for posting your temps.  It looks like I am not alone.  You also have a difference between cores of 13 degrees, that is just not right.

I guess I have to return my laptop.

Reviews are claiming temps of 60 degrees, so there must be something wrong.

www.tomshardware.com/.../alienware-15-r3-gaming-laptop,4796-4.html

www.mobiletechreview.com/.../Alienware-15-R3.htm

I have further ii´nvestigated this Issue. My CPU (6820) goes up to 12% into thermal throtteling.

The tool i used to test was AIDA64, the same the shared tests reffer to. On BIOS 1.02 the System forced to Shutdown, because of an thermal iussue. 

On BIOS 1.06 i have performance degedradtion and throtteling around 6-12% on my System.

It would be helpful if an Dell repesentative could tell us more. I actually think my device has two faults, the display bleed issue and the thermal problem,

Just testet with default settings on the BIOS. The systems stands on an normal table and has nothing airflow blocking around itself. DELL i think there is an serious Problem ....

CPU & GPU

Update - 30 Min of Witcher 3 1.31 with all Add Ons:

Guys i need Feedback :)

I already talked to a guy from tech support he claimed:

That just cant be true.  There is a huge difference in temps between core 0 and core 3, and the system is reported as running at 60 by the media.  Something is not right.

I am ok with my monitor, just not the temps.  It might just need a repaste.  

I also think a repaste and refitting of the coolers could be a solution.

above i have added a non Benchmark Scenario. My Support Case ist still open - i hope i will get in touch with someone from engineering on monday.

if u like you could test your device too with aida64 :)

It would be great if you could let me know how your support case gets resolved.

So I just finished chatting with the Dell Support people. They do not think that there is a problem with the laptop and the 16 degree difference in core temps is fine...

Here you go, the full result of my chat...

11/21/2016 07:52:56AM Keith Ball: "I am not happy with the heat of my laptop. Having read online a couple of reviews that claim their aw 15r3 is able to game at 60 degrees, I think there is something not right with mine."
11/21/2016 07:53:07AM Keith Ball: "www.tomshardware.com/.../alienware-15-r3-gaming-laptop,4796-4.html"
11/21/2016 07:53:16AM Keith Ball: "www.mobiletechreview.com/.../Alienware-15-R3.htm"
11/21/2016 07:53:26AM Mittel (JK): "Does the system switchoff again?" 
11/21/2016 07:54:21AM Keith Ball: "I have not hit that problem since the bios update, but I am getting thermal throttling events all the time."
11/21/2016 07:54:45AM Keith Ball: "I also have a core temp difference of 16 degrees"
11/21/2016 07:54:47AM Keith Ball: "https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipNtDPNP3ZBknPAOFTxqP0rAMOAVyMqth3gSCNmD"
11/21/2016 07:55:20AM Mittel (JK): "Thats normaly if you stress the system with games" 
11/21/2016 07:55:37AM Keith Ball: "90+ is not normal and will kill the laptop."
11/21/2016 07:55:39AM Mittel (JK): "Close the application that showing the temperature" 
11/21/2016 07:55:41AM Keith Ball: "It is also not what is claimed."
11/21/2016 07:55:57AM Mittel (JK): "Now play" 
11/21/2016 07:56:24AM Mittel (JK): "Thats a mobile system" 
11/21/2016 07:56:49AM Keith Ball: "So you are claiming that this is normal?"
11/21/2016 07:57:13AM Mittel (JK): "Does the diagnostics showing any error-code?" 
11/21/2016 07:57:24AM Mittel (JK): "Can you normaly play?" 
11/21/2016 07:57:33AM Keith Ball: "The lifetime of the laptop will not last very long with those heat problems and it is underperforming."
11/21/2016 07:57:56AM Keith Ball: "I get jitters in game, when the Thermal Events occur."
11/21/2016 07:58:27AM Keith Ball: "The diagnostics show no errors."
11/21/2016 07:59:02AM Keith Ball: "So, you say that laptop is fine. ok. Who do I talk to about returning it, as I cant believe you think 90+ is ok."
11/21/2016 07:59:04AM Mittel (JK): "Than seems to be all OK." 
11/21/2016 07:59:38AM Mittel (JK): "If you stress the system, then 90 degree is OK" 
11/21/2016 08:00:26AM Keith Ball: "So how do you explain the core temp difference?"
11/21/2016 08:00:52AM Keith Ball: "One core running at 80, which I would accept as being stressed and the other 96?"
11/21/2016 08:02:00AM Mittel (JK): "different stress"
11/21/2016 08:02:29AM Keith Ball: "To me it seems like it needs to be repasted. And there heatsink is sitting incorrectly on the cpu."
11/21/2016 08:02:42AM Mittel (JK): "PLEASE CLOSE THE TEMPERATURE-SCREEN" 
11/21/2016 08:05:02AM Keith Ball: "Who do I get in touch with to either get a second opinion on this? As I think it needs to be repaired, or how do I return the device?"
11/21/2016 08:06:49AM Mittel (JK): "The system is technical OK. We cant take back the system here in the techn. support" 
11/21/2016 08:07:42AM Mittel (JK): "NO technical problem" 
11/21/2016 08:07:45AM Keith Ball: "And you will not send someone to repaste and reseat the cpu?"
11/21/2016 08:07:54AM Mittel (JK): "NO" 
11/21/2016 08:08:03AM Keith Ball: "ok, thanks."
11/21/2016 08:08:07AM Keith Ball: "Have a nice day."
11/21/2016 08:08:14AM Mittel (JK): "thanks" 

I am apparently the proud owner of a perfectly fine and working AW15R3... I guess all I can do now is either manually repaste myself or return the damned thing. I just gave them a LOT of money for this thing.

Hi there, same Problem here. Just had a  40 Minutes phone call with technical support. First thing he did some tests and said that the differences between the cores are way to high and there should be a problem. Then he discussed the Problem with his boss and told me that everything is fine LOL.

It is "normal" that the CPU reaches temps close to 100°C WTF??? There is a Problem with the heatsink and they will not fix it. Other systems dont have this problem, so it is not the cpu, its is the paste, the heatsink and the gap between cpu and heatsink.

I am just thinking of sending my alien back. The rest of the system is nice and works fine, so i am not sure what to do now.  

Thanks for posting your response.  I feel exactly the same way, I really like the machine, and would love to keep it, but I just know that there is a problem under the hood which long term will bite me.  If I was not spending so much money on it, I would be forgiving but this should be a premium product and the support should be too.

Ideally, someone from dell would offer to help not just brush me off and help to fix the issue.

I want to keep the machine!!!

Some response from Dell would be really nice!

Lets hope someone replies quick ... 

Seems we got the same guy ....

11/21/2016 07:27:33AM Mittel (JK): "Bitte wenden Sie sich an die Hotline"
11/21/2016 07:27:50AM Lernabschnitt Beendet

Long story short: After this chat and another Support Call i initiated the systems return to Dell.

I am not willing to keep a defective System with a shitty display just because someone at Dell Support Hotline decalres it at "State of the Art". Besides that Dells perspective is that the thermal issues of the CPU are normal, Only the fact that the CPU Fan in die Diagnotics (Boot with F12) gets marked as faulty ... would lead them to switch the Fan only

So i would have to live with throttling, short lifespan, more heat and a really bad Display.

Don't get me wrong, the AW15 had high potential but the bad service and variing quality ruined it for me ... i don't wont to pay full price for this with additional service and dont get any benefit from it.

I mean i didn't get help at all, only technical incorrect excuses. The only thing which worked instand was the return process, the employees seems to be well trained in this but not in holding or satisfying customers needs.

I can not recommend it to anybody and feel really sad with confidence in dell. Personally I would wish to contact dell with me and offer me a solution to keep the system ....

________________________________Deutsch______________________________________________

Scheint, wir hatten den gleichen Mitarbeiter ....

11/21/2016 07:27:33 AM (JK): "Bitte wenden Sie sich an die Hotline"
11/21/2016 07:27:50 AM Lernabschnitt Beendet
Lange Geschichte kurz: Nach diesem Chat und einem anderen Support Call i initiiert die Systeme zurück zu Dell.

Ich bin nicht bereit, ein defektes System mit einem bescheidenen Display zu behalten, nur weil jemand an der Dell Support Hotline es als "State of the Art" erklärt ohne es jemals real gesehen zu haben. Dells Ansicht ist, dass die thermischen Probleme der CPU normal sind, nur die Tatsache das der CPU-Lüfter in der Diagnose (Boot mit F12) als fehlerhaft markiert wurde ... würde zumindest einen Austausch des Lüfters durchführen lassen.

So müsste ich mit Drosselung, kurzer Lebensdauer, mehr Wärme und einem wirklich schlechten Display leben.

Versteht mich nicht falsch, das AW15 hatte ein hohes Potenzial, aber der schlechte Service und die schwankende Qualität ruiniert es für mich ... Ich will nicht den vollen Preis dafür bezahlen und mit zusätzlichem Service noch mehr Geld in den Sand setzen ohne einen Nutzen davon zu bekommen.

Ich meine, ich habe keine Hilfe bekommen, nur falsche technische Ausreden. Die einzige Sache, die problemlos funktionierte, war der Rückgabeprozess.
Die Angestellten scheinen geübt in diesem zu sein, aber nicht im Halten oder zufriedenstellen der Kundenbedürfnisse.

Ich kann es niemandem empfehlen und fühle mich wirklich im Stich gelassen, ganz neben der Tatsache das mein Vertrauen in Dell erschüttert ist.

Persönlich würde ich mir wünschen das Dell mich kontaktiert und eine Lösung anbietet, mit welcher ich das System doch behalten kann ....

Cheaper for them if I send back the laptop than if they send a guy to fix it, I guess.

second phone call, same result. Intel says that below 100°C everything is ok. As long as the cpu doenst throttle under baseclock of 2ghz, there is no technical problem -.-

even i send them the official twitter Posting from Alienware, that says they know that there is a problem with the first production doesnt change their mind.

So i dont think dell will respond here, they know there is something wrong but they will not fix it...:emotion-7: