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Alienware X51 overheating problem

callum.mcconnell
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About a year ago I brought a Alienware x51 r2 because I wanted something that I did not need to do much maintenance as it is my first desktop pc. as i began to game more and more I have noticed the temperatures for the GPU (GTX 670) and CPU (i7-4770 3.40GHz not oc) were rather high even on lower game settings. Because of this I no longer play battlefieald 4 and games like this because the GPU would run at a constant 87-91 centigrade that i thought was too hot. i looked at the GPU specifications on the Nvidia website and it said that the GPU can go up to 97 degrees. The CPU has the same issue and is running at around 75 degrees. Is there anything i can do to cool the PC down. I have tried replacing the thermal paste with Arctic cooling mx-4 thermal compound and removing the disc drive. Please can you help

 

Callum

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I don't know how locked down alien ware computers are but perhaps change the fan curve in BIOS or a using a 3rd party software like speedfan? Honestly if you have it cleaned and new thermal paste their really isn't much you can do. You put an I7 and a 670 in a laptop, mobile or not you know things are going to get hot. Your best course of action would be to see if you can make the fan speed any higher, other than that you're stuck like chuck. Those temps are however with in perfectly normal ranges for a high powered laptop and those parts can take that much heat pretty well. I wouldn't try doing anything like undervolting or underclocking unless you have to. 

 

Also I hate to jump on the bandwaggon but I firmly stand by the belief that "gaming laptops" cause more harm than good.

"Peek-a-boo, you ****s, you!"

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nvm 

My Rig :  Case: Cooler Master HAF X ,Motherboard: Gigabyte Z87X-UD3H,PSU: Seasonic SS-750KM3,Processor: Core I7 4770k (overclocked 4.7ghz),Cooler: Corsair H100i, GPU: EVGA GTX 780 with acx cooler, RAM: G.Skill Ripjaws 16gb DDR3 1600 (overclocked to 2000mhz), HDDS  Samsung 840 EVO 250 gb SSD , Western digital  2tb 7200 rpm 64mb cache, Old 1tb laptop drive I had , 320gb for os backup daily, 80gb external for weekly backups,Drives 2x Lg Blu Ray burner WH16MS40,MISC: Tp-Link dual band wireless card, Logitech g510s, Razer Deathadder 2013, Acer G236HLBbd 23" monitor, Old tv I had 23" for secondary monitor, old 32" samsung tv third monitor

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Also I hate to jump on the bandwaggon but I firmly stand by the belief that "gaming laptops" cause more harm than good.

 

The X51 isn't a laptop. And my own gaming laptop's CPU/GPU  never really goes over 70 C, so I'm happy with it. ^_^

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One thing that I was thinking of doing was replacing the heatsink with something like a Noctua NH-L9i CPU Cooler or the Noctua NH-L12 along with replacing the stock case fans. I am also thinking of finding away to move the HDD from underneath the GPU to where the disc drive was. But i am very new to PC modification. 

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The alienware x51 is a very enclosed case, it's not really surprising they are getting that hot. (I personally don't think those temps are horrible but if you're uncomfortable with them I'd suggest getting a new case with better airflow.

 

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is it dusty, is it in an enclosed space?

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make sure it is bellow a 76 degree room and also check if there are any dust filters that might be jammed with dust

EDIT: also the gpu isnt running that hot but yeah the CPU is

My Cheap But Good Rig: I7-3770s, Intel Motherboard (actually made by intel), 16gb DDR3, Nvidia Gtx 1070, 250gb Samsung 850 EVO SSD, 750gb HDD, Evga 500 BR power supply

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if you are experienced with pc's and know how to take them apart and put them back together you could take the CPU cooler off and replace the thermal compound, and if you have the stock cooler i would suggest a aftermarket cooler to get that optimal cooling and performance   :)

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if you are experienced with pc's and know how to take them apart and put them back together you could take the CPU cooler off and replace the thermal compound, and if you have the stock cooler i would suggest a aftermarket cooler to get that optimal cooling and performance   :)

that is what i was thinking but there is not a lot of room inside the case as you can see by the photo

.cnet_dell_ax51_gallery_07_800.jpg

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Perhaps taking off all the shrouds could help, as for the GPU being so hot, well, look at it, it's not getting a lot of airflow and most of it is blocked off anyways. Just my 2 cents

Siggy butt brain

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Strip out everything and use it like a custom pc you will need

1.Case
2.Psu
3.Cpu Cooler
4.Case fan
5.ODD (if you need)
 

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put a house fan near it or put new cooling fans in it. Another solution is replace the stock thermal paste with something that is higher quality

Please follow your topics guys, it's very important! CoC F.A.Q  Please use the corresponding PC part picker link for your country USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Spain, Italy, New Zealand and Germany

also if you find anyone with this handle in games its most likely me so say hi

 

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I was thinking of adding 3 60mm fans to the case. 2 fans to be added to the case next to the graphics card to pull cool air to the heat sync. The other fan to be mounted on the back pannel to pull air through the cpu heat sync and out the back of the case. along with replacing the cpu heat sync with another one but i am not sure on what to get as there is not a lot of room at all. i have replaced the thermal paste on the cpu with Arctic cooling mx-4.

10600471_10204601256221924_3704686025945

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Strip out everything and use it like a custom pc you will need

1.Case

2.Psu

3.Cpu Cooler

4.Case fan

5.ODD (if you need)

 

Not gonna happen. The x51 board can't be transferred to another case (even though it's an ITX, perhaps it has custom mountings of sorts) and a lot of parts are proprietary. 

OP, you're pretty much fucked, honestly.

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I would say those temps are unacceptable and you should ask for them to solve it or go for a refund. Then build yourself half price double performance #SelbstBuildPCMasterRace

Java Programmer, AMD Fanboy and soon to be casemodder

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Well you could go with a corsair H50 -  H55 - H60 for a smaller closed loop CPU cooler :P

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Use compressed air to blow any dust off it inside the case and apply thermal paste if you could to the CPU+GPU.

I have done all of that. it only improved the temperature of the cpu and gpu by about 3 degrees 

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Well you could go with a corsair H50 -  H55 - H60 for a smaller closed loop CPU cooler :P

I could do but then I am faced with another problem. Where to place the radiator.

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  • 3 months later...
Posted

Not gonna happen. The x51 board can't be transferred to another case (even though it's an ITX, perhaps it has custom mountings of sorts) and a lot of parts are proprietary. 

OP, you're pretty much fucked, honestly.

actually...

 

my current build is a x51 that i shoved in a bitphenix prodigy...

 

works amazing, but cpu idle temp still to high for me liking)

 

pics later maybe?

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I just upgraded and reused the parts. although the only original part now is the hdd and that is only for some extra storage. I originally reused the CPU, GPU, RAM, and HDD but I got a new CPU (i7 4770k), GPU (I wanted a bit more power so 970) and more storage because I was getting more work and the original HDD died, I lost everything. So to be safe I added 4 HDD in raid 0. i had a bit of money left over after all that so I got more RAM now 16gb hyperX My new build is:

 

Case: Corsair Air 240

CPU: i7 4770k (OC to 4.5Ghz

Motherboard: Gigabite G5 m

GPU: Nvidia Evga 970 FTW(no oc)

Ram: 16gb HyperX

PSU: Corsair 600W 80+ 

CPU Heat sync: Corsair H100i

Storage: OCZ 480gb ssd for boot and 4 4tb wd in raid 0

 

tumblr_ni9cyj5sHU1tsg38yo1_1280.jpg

tumblr_ni9cyj5sHU1tsg38yo2_1280.jpg

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