Did Alienware Fix The THERMALS!? Alienware m15 R2 Laptop Review - Singapore

[@Frootyloops629]

“Short answer yes but actually no”... very helpful

[@TECH360TV]

Yeah, because Dell/Alienware did change the profiles slightly since launch. But it's still not the best. So if you're looking for an out of the box experience, what we suggested is what you can best do. But if you have the knowledge to undervolt, repaste with liquid metal and stuff, you can definitely make it perform way better. But as mentioned, only if you know how to.

[@Yellir1]

@@TECH360TV Siriously? Liquid metal? Try to repaste it after a year! Asus Zephyrus S deals a way better! You can`t make him (Zephyrus) trottle in games - even a 3-5 hours! But Asus doesn`t have such a great keyboard! Don't even try to sugest liquid metal without trying to repaste it after a year!! I paste a 3 nobekooks with a liquid metal and result was awsemoe, until I had to repaste them again! And it`s really dangerous to make it on your own!

[@TXChannelify]

A very comprehensive review. Glad to see a fellow Singaporean tech channel. Keep it up!

[@TECH360TV]

Thanks!

[@tilghman123]

Glad I found a fairly recent review. I ordered one about a week ago (it was on sale through Dell's website at a pretty deep discount). I'm glad they fixed the thermals somewhat. Thanks for the review!

[@Compass6633]

Great review! I appreciate how thorough it is, and the editing/production quality is great, especially for a channel this size. Still unsure if I wan to get this, but I'm glad it's gotten updates since release.

[@TECH360TV]

The R3 is coming soon! So you might wanna check that out instead!

[@burakbuyukkaya9927]

I really like your video style and review. I subscribed and will watch further videos too.

[@TECH360TV]

Thank you very much!

[@joemarz2264]

I have seen all AW m15 R2 videos, and I liked this one. It was fair and entertaining. Good job!

[@TECH360TV]

Thanks! Glad it was help and that you enjoyed!

[@pawel9625]

Hi, great review! I think one of the best so far and finally one with topic of creative use being discussed. And thanks it I'm now convinced to try Razer Blade as it seems to be better choice. Thanks! Great work!

[@apurvraj3916]

I bought the variant with 2060 nd i7. It always goes upto 100 degrees. If u will monitor through xtu you’ll observe power limit throttling on quiet snd cool profiles. The balanced profile is also not good. What I did is I undervolted the CPU core and cache both by 125 mV. Then created a custom fan profile which will kick up the fans to max the moment temp touches 75 degrees. (As I dont care about fan noise). The major thing, you elevate the back of the device while playing, use a stand or something, this thing desperately needs to pass air through its bottom vents, this will help a lot. One more thing I did in decreased the core value of each core by 0.1-0.2 Ghz. I finally got my laptop to run in 70s playing any game, and I am getting much better frame rates than you on a lower gpu, (my screen is 240hz).

[@TECH360TV]

That's nice to hear! And yes, I agree you really need to go down and tweak the settings to make full use of the laptop, as I've mentioned at the end as well. However, most people aren't to open to doing so. My suggestions are basically what I believe to be the best you can do from an out-of-the-box standpoint. And to be fair, it's not too bad. Can be better of course, but not that bad.

[@Unearthlysoap]

I'm ordering the alienware m15 right now so this is very useful advice once I get it! Thank you! I also don't care much for fan noise especially since I use headphones.

[@16dylan2]

for a 60hz display would it have the same thermal issues running games on high? I understand that requiring less frames means the laptop getting less hot?

[@dildarsingh9842]

hey apurv, i got the same spec that u got and i am facing the same problem that you had of CPU always touching 100 degrees, is it possible if you can make a tutorial on how did you undervolted your system with exact same settings so that we can also use your settings and can benefit from that! if you can than that wud be great,, thnx in advance

[@apurvraj3916]

And one more thing all of u guys should know is that when the laptop Runs on battery it "Automatically gets undervolted". I don't know by how much but it does and this automatic undervolting comes at the cost of dropping frame rates. While what I did didn't actually affect the performance. Even the "Quiet" fan profile also automatically undervolts the CPU.

[@quintins1984]

Keep it on balanced, I can do that. Thanks for the info!

[@karlfranz1393]

Keep reviews coming in.

[@GutoGerbase]

Hey man, thank you so much for your review, really insightful. Also, thank you for the tip about the touchpad+tobii eye track, it is an option located under Experience>Touch at gaze>Scroll and zoom at gaze, it fixes the touchpad instantaneously.

[@TECH360TV]

Glad it helped, and gawd was that annoying when I first used it!

[@justinmilespowell]

Loved the video. Easily the most in depth comparison with your side by side method. I’ve liked and subscribed. One thing I’ve notice you may want to check out and look into is I believe a recent update. In the alienware control center there is a new profile configuration under the power tab called “full power mode”. I imagine with the data you’ve given in this video for this new profile to run even hotter than the others if not the same. Just something I noticed on mine while watching. Repasted mine and it was a headache to do. However, it was well worth it as now I never hit 100c and maybe no more than 90c under extreme loads.👍

[@TECH360TV]

Thanks! Hope it was informative and thanks for the update and as well. Agreed, to make full use out of this Alienware, repasting is almost a must. It's a hassle, but definitely worth the trouble.

[@NazrinTheYoungGunner]

Is an I9+RTX 2080 with 240hz screen combo an overkill for gaming?

[@TECH360TV]

Really depends on the games you want to play. But you'll do just as well with an i7 and RTX 2070 in most games at 1080p. In the end though, it's up to individual preference.

[@klubhead7070]

How much did you undervolt the CPU? Idk where to put it and I don’t want to damage it. Going to have someone help me replace the thermal paste if it will help with the thermals.

[@TECH360TV]

We didn't. We only suggested the best settings from an out of the box perspective. Go ahead and scour forums for ideal settings. There are definitely friendly people out there who can help you with your specific needs.

[@carlsmtb3171]

Do you think the new R3 is any better, was just about to order one until reading this :). Its mainly to learn to code and the odd bit of gaming, looking for 240hz+

[@TECH360TV]

I've no idea at the moment. Alienware does claim much better cooling with the new vapor chamber design and stuff, but I'll have to actually try one out to see. And erm... I don't really think you need an Alienware if you just wanna learn code with a little bit of gaming on the side. But then again, if you really want 240hz refresh rate, you don't have much to choose from. So you do you.

[@carl8076]

I’ve ordered one, there’s a 14 day return and currently 8% off so for £2321, went for 32gb ram and 1tb ssd due to future proof a little....rams also soldered so not upgrade option. The screen is 300hz with 100% sRGB, your right about the overkill for coding :). My reason is I suffer eye strain a lot and I know higher refresh helps, then IPS has no PWM (pulse width modulation) which also helps and then hopefully the higher rgb helps reduce any colour differing which also hurts the eyes (IPS as standard are 8bit or higher panels). Great reviews look forward to you doing this one

[@carlsmtb3171]

Carl just to add there is also 5% Quidco too

[@christophetretsch6206]

Hello ! I'd like to know, did you get any issue with Alienware command center, for changing rgb keybord lights colors or ajusting fan speed ?

[@TECH360TV]

Never had those issues before, you might wanna contact Alienware if the problem persists.

[@jasdevsingh16]

This alienware vs razer new blade 15 on 10 gen i7, 2070. Who wins in terms of price performance etc

[@TECH360TV]

A tough choice, but it'll depend on how much those laptops cost in your country/area. Here in Singapore, the Razer Blade is about S$500-600 cheaper than the Alienware with the same specs. It's also lighter, more compact, and arguably better built. The Alienware on the other hand, offers Tobii, and that Alienware design if you're into it. Performance wise, pretty similar, in my testing for both the 9th-gen Blade and Alienware.

[@jasdevsingh16]

@@TECH360TV im a Singaporean but currently in the states. Both the 10 gen blade(basic) is roghly the same price as the 9th gen alienware. Alienware is 2 yrs warranty but razer is 1, also in sg alienware is on site. A bit puzzled as razer is dam portable which is impt, but other than that alienware seems to be the better choice. Or an i wrong to say the m15 r2 is not so portable at all?

[@amandabral3550]

Should I buy this or asus zephyrus gx701

[@DeveloperMahesh]

“Alienware fixed it, Short answer yes and no” ..my video ends here. C'mon we are here for answers not confusion.

[@TECH360TV]

We did explain why it's yes and no. Yes, cause they did tweaked the profiles a little since launch, and some adjusting some profiles and using certain ones do help with the overall performance. No, because, the OC profile is practically useless straight out of the box, and you aren't getting the same kind of performance with comparable laptops with the same specs. Undervolting and changing of the thermal paste is a must to make full use out of it.

[@DeveloperMahesh]

Thank you for clarifying.

[@richardcosper4924]

Whats the basic difference between the r1, r2, and r3 m15 laptops?

[@TECH360TV]

The R1 was a different design, a slim design based on the older M15 series. The R2 and R3 differs in the specifications and internal cooling solution. The laptop itself looks the same.

[@richardcosper4924]

Does the r3 handle thermals better than the r2?

[@TECH360TV]

I have no idea at the moment, will have to get our hands on a review unit to test and see!

[@openworld9504]

which one is better?? i mean r1 or r2

[@bhindi]

Then which laptop is best for content creation right now

[@janandrewtancio683]

Is this all adults?

[@rajattiwari6807]

so does undervolting the CPU basically solves all the problems? and is it good for the overall health of the system? P.S- AMAZING VIDEO.

[@TECH360TV]

It'll help immensely, that's for sure. If you know how to repaste with liquid metal, it'll make it even better.

[@kriszhnam7554]

Is it advisable for works like 3D Renderings and modelling like 3DS MAX,LUMION,UNITY,UNREAL ENGINE 4 !??

[@TECH360TV]

It's definitely doable with the Core i7, along with the GTX 1650 for some CUDA acceleration.

[@GentleModerator]

TECH360.TV what do you thinks about Precision 7740 for context creators ? Like to work in Premiere pro, after effect.

[@vishalkumar-zq3ro]

Bro ... should I buy or not plz say to me☹️

[@TECH360TV]

Well, the R3 is already out, so perhaps you should check the out instead. If you're still looking at the R2, just ask yourself if you really want an Alienware. For me, it was a great device out of the box, but you do have to adjust the profiles. But, if you're willing to open it up and change the thermals paste and undervolt it, it'll perform even better. Again, take note of the price and compare with other equivalent machines.

[@vishalkumar-zq3ro]

@@TECH360TV bro u shared lot of information thank you...can u please suggest some best gaming laptops under 1500 dollars...or 1 lakh ...plz...it will be great help..and tq again ❣️

[@ТеодорТодоров-е9ъ]

Does changing the thermal paste cools the cpu

[@TECH360TV]

Changing to liquid metal will help immensely. But do at your own risk.

[@arkaea]

Download a certain program and turn off turboboost and you've fixed it. Undervolting and maybe a repaste with quality thermal paste will fix the issue. Period.

[@TECH360TV]

Yeap, exactly what I mentioned.

[@rashedmoon4805]

Hey bro..great review..well i ordered the m15 r2 i7 with rtx2080 and 4k oled.. see before i used to have the xps i7 and using adobe prem and aome video wditing progra.s the cpu in xps was reaching 4 max but then downs to 3.7 .. ao i thought that the m15 will be more faster fo the gpu 2080 coz the xps has 1060 t.. And also the xps runs hot ..

[@TECH360TV]

Well, hope you enjoy the laptop! It'll definitely perform better than the XPS. If you want more performance however, you'll have to fiddle with the voltage and repasting and stuff.

[@novus1589]

You must be rich, I wish I had that kind money.

[@isaiahfernandez4239]

thank you for very informative video! subb'd! would really appreciate if you teach how to undervolt and do repaste with liquid metal with the AW M15 r2

[@TECH360TV]

Perhaps in a future video!

[@clintpopham5691]

Track pad and the speaker downfalls? Doesn't really matter... Headset and mouse...it's a gaming laptop if you don't have those your doing it wrong

[@TECH360TV]

Agreed.

[@yuzuru5998]

Short answer yes and no Me: gtfo

[@ТеодорТодоров-е9ъ]

And how to fix throttling

[@TECH360TV]

Undervolting and changing the thermal paste for liquid metal, will yield the best results.

[@reesespieces8214]

Amazing laptop

[@vosache]

Which laptop or iMac do you recommend for After Effects at around the same price? Thanks for the great review

[@TECH360TV]

Oh for Apple? You don't really have much of a choice to be honest. For the same price, you can get the 16" MacBook Pro or go for the 27" iMac with the Core i9 and Vega graphics. Though in this case, I would say the 16" MacBook Pro is better.

[@rajattiwari6807]

@@TECH360TV Even with the 4GB AMD Radeon 5500M as compared to RTX 2070?

[@pandaninja1406]

Did you undervault the laptop.?

[@TECH360TV]

Nope, this are out of the box settings, and that's how I wanted it to be.

[@riichobamin7612]

*undervolt

[@pandaninja1406]

@@riichobamin7612 no I was actually referring to the method where you put the laptop under a vault Jk thanks 😂

[@riichobamin7612]

@@pandaninja1406 okay 😅, sorry man ! Your sense of humour is definitely too sophisticated for me 😂😂👍🏻. Take care and Godspeed.

[@gabzilla2809]

Alienware m15 VS zephyrus g14

[@TECH360TV]

Oohhh, an idea! But I do have something coming up soon!

[@kanalniekohoznameho]

Simply said - do not buy Alineware if you are not advanced user. It is not for you. CPU temp can be cooled down super-easy with few clicks by setting offset voltage and power. That simple.

[@Zer0kbps]

This laptop is a room heater. mine runs at boiling point solid while gaming and to the point where wasd is hot to the touch and god help anyone who puts there fingers just right of the logo. How the hell Dell are even allowed to release such equipment defies belief really. At this price point, these machines should use conductonaught on the cpu and gpu but that's what happens when the accountants get hold of the production process.

[@mkgriff1492]

Runs hot because it's a 90watt max q not 80watt.

[@TECH360TV]

Yeah... Dell/Alienware likes to cram all the power they can get.

[@Focus_20SF]

The thermal throttler

[@TECH360TV]

Yeap, so let's see if they fixed in the R3.

[@fauxchung3189]

Wear headphones and gloves.

[@TECH360TV]

XD

[@diptangshudutta3637]

well the bottom is plastic soo...........

[@sumeetsharma8482]

tera tera tera saroor..lol