Someone else reported temps of my laptop model with a 950 PRO and thermal pad - even under load I don't think temps were over 40C. So, I don't think my unit will throttle due to high temps.
From what you said Trim isn't an issue, although you're at 87% disk capacity, not sure that could cause any of your issues.
I would monitor the whole system with HWiNFO's sensors to verify something else isn't overheating/throttling.
If you can't reproduce the throttling solely with extended runs of CrystalDiskMark, I might chock it up to effects of a synthetic benchmark (like FurMark for graphics cards). Maybe HDTune is doing something differently that's causing the suspected heat and resulting throttling?
Regardless, I'd probable look into some thermal solution next time you open your case. Thermal pad with heat conduit to metal or something. (I'm doing just such a mod to another laptop using some undetermined as of yet combination of thermal pads and copper foil/wire. Might be overkill, but I don't like idle temps of 50C - to say nothing of heat if I did an extended large file transfer between the 2 SSDs in the laptop which are stacked on top of one another.)
BTW, here's some thermal imaging tests of extended runs of other Samsung NVMe SSDs - reaches around 100C and it looks to be an open desktop unit with no thermal pad. I can easily see a PM951 getting really hot in an enclosed laptop case without some thermal solution. Note in video the 950 PRO seems to throttle at around 97C.
Samsung 950 Pro vs Samsung SM951 Thermal Comparison :
Someone else reported temps of my laptop model with a 950 PRO and thermal pad - even under load I don't think temps were over 40C. So, I don't think my unit will throttle due to high temps.
How did they retrieve the sensor temperature (which for something with such low mass, and which may not be designed for use with a heatsink, could be quite a lot higher than the package surface temp)? I haven't been able to find any utility that will read the SSD temp, and it doesn't appear in the system anywhere.
And I'm starting to see why...
From what you said Trim isn't an issue, although you're at 87% disk capacity, not sure that could cause any of your issues.
Yeah, that's getting up there - but this really does seem to be temperature related, all the behaviour points to it.
I would monitor the whole system with HWiNFO's sensors to verify something else isn't overheating/throttling.
If you can't reproduce the throttling solely with extended runs of CrystalDiskMark, I might chock it up to effects of a synthetic benchmark (like FurMark for graphics cards). Maybe HDTune is doing something differently that's causing the suspected heat and resulting throttling?
Not HD Tune specifically, it is just that you can actually see when the drive starts to throttle when using it. Anything that does intensive drive operations for an decent length of time (10-20 seconds) has the same effect, which is why I don't think this is going to be an issue in everyday use for this kind of system.
Regardless, I'd probable look into some thermal solution next time you open your case. Thermal pad with heat conduit to metal or something. (I'm doing just such a mod to another laptop using some undetermined as of yet combination of thermal pads and copper foil/wire. Might be overkill, but I don't like idle temps of 50C - to say nothing of heat if I did an extended large file transfer between the 2 SSDs in the laptop which are stacked on top of one another.)
I'll bet there'll be an aftermarket mod available as people realise what is going on here. Pity it won't be from Samsung or Alienware :-(
BTW, here's some thermal imaging tests of extended runs of other Samsung NVMe SSDs - reaches around 100C and it looks to be an open desktop unit with no thermal pad. I can easily see a PM951 getting really hot in an enclosed laptop case without some thermal solution. Note in video the 950 PRO seems to throttle at around 97C.
Wow, that's pretty clear, the threshold for the 950 is quite a bit lower, with a resulting impact on performance.
Looks increasingly to me that Alienware has used the SSD to tick the marketing boxes (as they have with other features on this laptop) without really considering how to get the absolute best out of what they are offering.
How did they retrieve the sensor temperature (which for something with such low mass, and which may not be designed for use with a heatsink, could be quite a lot higher than the package surface temp)? I haven't been able to find any utility that will read the SSD temp, and it doesn't appear in the system anywhere.
Monitoring temps is specific to and only works with Samsung 950 PRO. It's either in 950 driver and/or requires using Samsung Magician software.
Techgee
2 Intern
•
623 Posts
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January 2nd, 2016 14:00
Someone else reported temps of my laptop model with a 950 PRO and thermal pad - even under load I don't think temps were over 40C. So, I don't think my unit will throttle due to high temps.
From what you said Trim isn't an issue, although you're at 87% disk capacity, not sure that could cause any of your issues.
I would monitor the whole system with HWiNFO's sensors to verify something else isn't overheating/throttling.
If you can't reproduce the throttling solely with extended runs of CrystalDiskMark, I might chock it up to effects of a synthetic benchmark (like FurMark for graphics cards). Maybe HDTune is doing something differently that's causing the suspected heat and resulting throttling?
Regardless, I'd probable look into some thermal solution next time you open your case. Thermal pad with heat conduit to metal or something. (I'm doing just such a mod to another laptop using some undetermined as of yet combination of thermal pads and copper foil/wire. Might be overkill, but I don't like idle temps of 50C - to say nothing of heat if I did an extended large file transfer between the 2 SSDs in the laptop which are stacked on top of one another.)
BTW, here's some thermal imaging tests of extended runs of other Samsung NVMe SSDs - reaches around 100C and it looks to be an open desktop unit with no thermal pad. I can easily see a PM951 getting really hot in an enclosed laptop case without some thermal solution. Note in video the 950 PRO seems to throttle at around 97C.
Samsung 950 Pro vs Samsung SM951 Thermal Comparison :
[View:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3GlInzvHr8:550:0]
M.2 drive temperature test - Samsung XP941 and Plextor PX-G128M6e :
[View:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hhdWwvh5kI:550:0]
hindesite
276 Posts
0
January 2nd, 2016 15:00
How did they retrieve the sensor temperature (which for something with such low mass, and which may not be designed for use with a heatsink, could be quite a lot higher than the package surface temp)? I haven't been able to find any utility that will read the SSD temp, and it doesn't appear in the system anywhere.
And I'm starting to see why...
Yeah, that's getting up there - but this really does seem to be temperature related, all the behaviour points to it.
Not HD Tune specifically, it is just that you can actually see when the drive starts to throttle when using it. Anything that does intensive drive operations for an decent length of time (10-20 seconds) has the same effect, which is why I don't think this is going to be an issue in everyday use for this kind of system.
I'll bet there'll be an aftermarket mod available as people realise what is going on here. Pity it won't be from Samsung or Alienware :-(
Wow, that's pretty clear, the threshold for the 950 is quite a bit lower, with a resulting impact on performance.
Looks increasingly to me that Alienware has used the SSD to tick the marketing boxes (as they have with other features on this laptop) without really considering how to get the absolute best out of what they are offering.
Techgee
2 Intern
•
623 Posts
0
January 2nd, 2016 16:00
hindesite
How did they retrieve the sensor temperature (which for something with such low mass, and which may not be designed for use with a heatsink, could be quite a lot higher than the package surface temp)? I haven't been able to find any utility that will read the SSD temp, and it doesn't appear in the system anywhere.
Monitoring temps is specific to and only works with Samsung 950 PRO. It's either in 950 driver and/or requires using Samsung Magician software.