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Please remember to use the search feature. Most if not all of this has been answered recently in other posts.

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>I have been having insanely jigh temps of 100c on my cpu. I have heard thag alienware’s thermal paste and application is a cause for this.

Yes and no. The 15R3 is a few years old now and thermal paste does not last forever, especially in laptops with lower mounting pressure. Dell's stock paste is built more for longevity and not performance so after some time it is pretty normal to need new paste to get the temps back under control. It's especially common in gaming laptops that run hot and have higher end hardware then your typical $500 laptop. Also if you have not tried a can of compressed air to blow out the fans / fins then that would be a good place to start. Even with fresh paste , if the fans are clogged then you will get high temps. I

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>There is a local computer repair shop that said that they can repaste it, should i go to their shop and pay them to do it( i am not concerned for price and i have no idea how to do it, im worried that i will mess something up)

If your truly unable to do this yourself ( lots of people are ) then take it to someone and have them do it. Nothing worse then taking apart your $$$$ laptop and once it's back together something isn't working and you don't know where to start looking. On that note there are A LOT of tutorials , videos and teardowns online that can help you with this should you decide to tackle it on your own.

>Should i undervolt? How? And what do i set it to?

Absolutely you should, it's the easiest way to reduce temps and in some cases even improve performance as the CPU won't be running as hot which can allow for high boost speeds and higher sustained clocks. Despite what some have recently been claiming, undervolting will NOT void your warranty. As for what should you set it to, that is something YOU need to figure out. Every CPU is different and requires a different amount of voltage to remain stable. What works for someone else won't necessarily work for you. Your best bet is to start low and test to see if it's stable and then work your way up from there until you find your sweet spot. For example my 7820hk is stable at -.135 but some people can go higher, or not even get that far , it's all up to the silicone lottery.

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>What paste should i use? I heard that thermal grizzly kryonaut is runny and can dry up at higher temps such as laptop tems so which one is best suited for this scenario( dont want to use lm because im not experienced enough and its risky)

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Kryonaut is great paste, but it's not great for longevity in laptops that run hot and don't have great mounting pressure. I see a lot of people who use Kryonaut and it works GREAT...for a few weeks / months and then the temps start to creep up again. I have used Kryonaut in the past and it was just OK. I switched to IC Diamond around a year ago and my temps are just as good now as they were the first day I put it on AND my core differentials are almost non existent. Keep in mind that most pasts are going to be within just a few degrees of each other provided the repaste job is done properly. Going from Kryonaut to IC Diamond I actually saw a decrease in temps, probably due to mounting pressure and thinner paste , and I had to lay the Kryonaut on pretty thick. There are a ton of great pastes out there....IC Diamond, Gelid, Thermal Grizzly, Arctic MX-4, ...lots to choose from. This was a great comparison from a few years back showing the difference in a controlled test.

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>Should i get a laptop stand

If you want to invest in something that two bottle caps can do just as well , sure? I think a better question is do you need a laptop stand? You can get the same results by just propping the back up with basically whatever you think will work. I do use a coolermaster U3 , but mostly because I sit on my couch with my laptop on my lap and the stand keeps it raised while still being comfortable. I also have a set of something like this and they work just as well when I don't feel like dragging around my cooling pad. Don't believe all the hype about the cooling fans in the coolers either, the stock fans are not really good for much TBH.

AW stuff is cool, but I prefer Logitech over anything else. Their products are backed by great warranties, and their products have a pretty good lifespan. Every logitech product I've ever owned is still alive and kicking. The G810 is pretty sweet, and with Aurora software can do some pretty cool stuff. My friend has one of their wireless mice and it's really nice. He can always add the powerplay powermat so he never has to charge it.

When I used my AW 13r3 as my primary desktop setup (before I built another PC) I always used one of those portable metal laptop stands so that it would have as much room to breath as possible.

Did you buy it new? If you want to get the most out of it you should repaste the gpu/cpu and undervolt the cpu using throttlestop. I used grizzly kryonaut but there's other options out there. The cooling through the bottom vents dont get sufficient airflow due to design so something to prop the back up during use will further lower your temps. . I use this -
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IXVE5M2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Kd43Cb77GK5H2Did you buy it new? If you want to get the most out of it you should repaste the gpu/cpu and undervolt the cpu using throttlestop. I used grizzly kryonaut but there's other options out there. The cooling through the bottom vents dont get sufficient airflow due to design so something to prop the back up during use will further lower your temps. Google "designed by many curb" to see what I use currently. I'm happy with it.

You should only need to use something like that during gaming sessions, not for normal web use and such. The repaste and throttlestop setup are one time things you need to do so it's not so bad. Follow some YouTube tutorials and they'll walk you through everything step by step. For opening your laptop for the repaste follow the service manual and you'll be fine. Take your time doing everything as it's important to do it right. Just do your research and you'll be fine. If doing those things is outside your comfort zone then this laptop is probably not for you. From what I've heard the razer blade suffers from similar thermal problems so you'd need to do similar steps for that laptop as well, excluding the prop in the back for ventilation. Best of luck.

You should only need to use something like that during gaming sessions, not for normal web use and such. The repaste and throttlestop setup are one time things you need to do so it's not so bad. Follow some YouTube tutorials and they'll walk you through everything step by step. For opening your laptop for the repaste follow the service manual and you'll be fine. Take your time doing everything as it's important to do it right. Just do your research and you'll be fine. If doing those things is outside your comfort zone then this laptop is probably not for you. From what I've heard the razer blade suffers from similar thermal problems so you'd need to do similar steps for that laptop as well, excluding the prop in the back for ventilation. Best of luck.

That's an interesting looking passive cooling stand. Some of the reviewers mentioned, however, that the tabs on either side that keep the laptop from sliding off the front of the stand protrude above the typing surface of their laptop, making it uncomfortable to rest their hands for typing. The pictures of the unit seem to bear this complaint out to me.

I don't know if that's something that bothers you or not, but for anyone else looking for passive cooling, I have for many years used a stand I bought for my first Mac computer. I have used it with 3 Macs, 2 Razer Blades, and now my new Alienware 15 R3.

It needs to sit on top of something else like a laptop tray or laptop desk if you're going to actually use it on your lap, as it could not sit directly on your lap. I use a thick pillow-style tray to set it on, which raises the whole laptop above my lap enough to allow me to sit in a recliner and comfortably type and game on my laptop for hours at a time.

The advantage of the laptop stand I use is that it is extremely minimalistic, constructed of strong, attractive and adjustable aluminum rods, and it contracts and folds to a tiny size for easy packing into your laptop backpack or briefcase for travel and portability.

Search the web or Amazon for "Steklo X-Stand Universal Cooling Stand" if this sounds interesting.

( U.S. Amazon site link: https://www.amazon.com/Steklo-Aluminium-Adjustable-Portable-Universal/dp/B00VIZ60QY )

I should also mention one other advantage I commonly find for this stand: If you use an external USB drive (not a flash stick, but a drive that requires a USB cord), you can place the drive enclosure itself underneath the laptop and out of the way, since the stand allows for a lot of open space underneath the PC itself. For actual lap-based use this is ideal, since it keeps the USB drive enclosure tucked away and not dangling off the side of the PC somewhere.

I originally had bad thermal issues on my 17R4 i7-7700HQ w/ 1070, but I did a "re-paste" stacking solution that has worked great for me. Temps were hitting 95c while playing Monster Hunter World even while lifted off surface before "re-paste". Currently I can play games for hours on end switching between Monster Hunter World, Forza Horizon 4, and Elder Scrolls Online with temps very rarely hitting above 65c. Temps usually hover around 55c - 60c and might hit 65c - 70c if it's warm in the room from the heater being on. I am also running the Alienware Graphics Amplifier with 1080ti for monitors and gaming. Those temps were CPU temps before the "re-paste" stacking. I did a "re-paste" stack on the internal 1070 as well, but I have not gamed using the internal graphics yet. I use the quotation marks on "re-paste" as I used the IC Graphite Pad, a 0.5mm Copper Shim, and another IC Graphite Pad stack on both CPU and GPU and no actual paste was used. I used this video for reference https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ujffb2gIsS0 but instead of Liquid Metal, I used the Graphite Pad instead. The stacking process is shown at the 19:50 mark if you want to see what I mean by stacking. Hope this helps with on view because before I did this my CPU was HOT AF! Also, here are links if interested in what I used. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CKVW18G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1/
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OUJQX8K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I just bought an AW 13 R4 but to get the GTX 1060, I had to sacrifice the SSD (same problem). I see the 1tb are 250 on Amazon. Is it pretty easy to install as a plug and play or is there more to it? Which style will work for me [This] (https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-MX300-Internal-Solid-State/dp/B01IAGSDUE/ref=sr_1_4?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1503929004&sr=1-4&keywords=1tb+ssd) or [This] (https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-MX300-Internal-Solid-CT1050MX300SSD4/dp/B01L80DH1Y/ref=sr_1_9?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1503929004&sr=1-9&keywords=1tb+ssd) Thanks in advance for any help

These are fast and will do well. You don't really need anywhere above 2666 RAM for the mobo/CPU combo that the 13 has:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BMMVNL4/

NVMe M.2 1 TB SSDs are ridiculously expensive- but I have this particular 1 TB SATA SSD, and it has boost software that can increase it's speed (check the amazon reviews.) I really love it, and would highly recommend:
https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-MX300-275GB-Internal-Solid/dp/B01L80DH1Y/

Do you have any recommendations for ram? I'm not a tech guy but I hear Corsair Vengeance alot.



Corsair Vengeance 2666mhz

Kingston HyperX 2133mhz

Kingston HyperX 2400mhz

Crucial 2133mhz

Crucial 2400mhz

Which one would you say is the best for the r4 from above? Anything better?

Sorry for all the questions. I see you on a lot of threads and being a mod as well I thought you would be knowledgeable.

Thanks in advance.

Hey. I just purchased the exact config from the Dell outlet as a certified and refurbished last week. I don’t have the thermal issues like your device but my temps did cross 84C and I was concerned. The avg temps are in the mid 70s during Tom Clancys The Division gameplay. This is the most resource intensive game I have at this point. Someone here recommended that I raise the laptop in the air. Well I purchased the Steklo - X-Stand https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VIZ60QY?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf. Now gameplay temps are peaking in the mid to upper 70s and averages around 68-72C. After you blow out the dust, try raising the back up and see if that helps. Good luck.

Hey bud! Repaste your thermal paste. Another issue to note is that your Cpu fan is directly against your PSU door. No air seems to get in in this setup, I recommend getting watercooled, it's not expensive for a single rad (sadly only a single rad seems to fit). This should definitely fix your issues!

Use this stuff:

https://www.amazon.com/Thermal-Grizzly-Kryonaut-Grease-Paste/dp/B011F7W3LU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519371166&sr=8-1&keywords=kryonaut

edit edit edit I've done it! haha!

https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-CW-9060024-WW-Extreme-Performance-Liquid/dp/B019954Y2Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1519371707&sr=1-1&keywords=h80i

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOlWxc9tt6s link to video!

Make sure it's the same system for me!

You don't have to thermal repaste with the paste that's on this, you can if you want to. Heck, the paste might even fix the first issue w/o a new cooler. Good luck.

That would be a "Cooler Master NotePal U3 Plus" I bought on Amazon around a year ago. It has 3 fans underneath that you can latch-in below your bottom grille for a little extra airflow, but they don't really push much air. The stand is lightweight aluminium which is easy to carry around, but the handle ended up breaking on me from everyday use, other then that it's been a decent buy, helped lower the temps on my previous Acer laptop by around 5-10 degree's.

Shopping Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ED3WMTC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


EDIT: Just checked the reseller prices on Amazon. I bought mine for 30 dollars with free shipping, it's advertised now for 60+ dollars, I think for 30 bucks it was worth it, but I wouldn't pay over 40 for one, there are better options that would last longer then this pad at that pricerange.

Save some money and get this bag: https://www.amazon.com/Mobile-Edge-ME-AWBP2-0-Alienware-Checkpoint/dp/B001GI5CSA/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=alienware+orion+17&qid=1573494678&sr=8-3

It fit the 17 R5 perfectly.

It's one of the greatest AW has made. The thing is heavy duty.

I had the Vindicator and it felt cheaper than my 5 year old backpack.

Traveled with the bag containing: 17 R5, charger, 17" cooling pad, XBox controller & adapter, 1 pair of jeans and a few t-shirts and socks. With room to spare.

One quick remedy is to elevate the back of your laptop to increase ventilation. This helps it cool better. You may use a laptop cooling pad like this: https://www.amazon.de/Cooler-Master-Notepal-R9-NBC-8PCK-GP-Computers/dp/B003ZMF27G

In my experience, the cooling pad doesn't even need to have its own fans. Just helping air go through your laptop's cooling system helps a lot.

A cooling pad will definitely help, ive heard just raising the laptops back off the table a inch has helped thermals. I would look into a cooler like this though: https://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-NotePal-PLUS-Performance/dp/B00ED3WMTC

The u3 is meant for 17 inch laptops, but you can grab the U2 which is the 15inch version but you will loose a fan. Ive used the cooler for years and its one of the best because you can move the fan exactly where you need it.

Joined Reddit just to post this comment. After doing tons of research prior to purchasing an M15 R1 I found this topic of the missing cable/caddy thing to be without a solid answer or resolution. I've seen comments of mixed results with people calling Dell and getting the parts ordered. I have yet to see anyone confirm purchase of parts outside of Dell.... which is where I took a leap of faith with Amazon.


My M15 arrived with 2 1TB SSD drives on the 60whr battery configuration and an empty HDD area in the chassis. I didn't get a cable or anything to mount a 2.5 drive in the laptop despite having the space. I found the cable on Amazon here, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V84PV2W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and figured I'd risk $40 to test it out... to my surprise it actually worked. Seller provided the correct cable and I managed to connect a spare 2.5 1TB WD Blue SSD into the M15. The only issue I had was not having a caddy tray to secure the hard drive so I used a spare from another laptop and with some creativity I was able to rig a mount to hold the drive in place. Not the most ideal configuration but I can confirm it's at least possible to have (2) NVME SSD and (1) 2.5 SSD connected to the M15 using the cable from the Amazon link. If anyone can locate the actual caddy/tray that'd be great.

I bought this back in 2015. It's great, has a nice pad on the bottom, and has a UBS powered fan in it to help with cooling: https://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-NotePal-LapAir-R9-NBC-LPAR-GP/dp/B0051GK6RA/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1524969788&sr=1-1&keywords=R9-NBC-LPAR-GP

Just few tips as we all do with alienware laptops :

• raise up the backend of the laptop to have more airflow , personally im using this ( https://www.amazon.fr/ergonomique-aluminium-refroidissement-ordinateurs-portables/dp/B007BD16KC )
  
  
• try to undervolt your cpu to get much less temps with throttlestop as it is much reliable than xtu , you can google this to figure it out
  
  
• DONT OVERCLOCK your cpu with the shitty stock thermal past
  
  
• for the current recent games you dont even need extra clocks speed even you can disable turbo boost to have even less temps while playing games as i said you can do this through thottle stop program , im playing battlefield 1 and the division and im disabling this turbo boost
  
  
• finally try to install GeForce experience and get your Nvidia gpu updates from there and use the optimize settings for your games
  
  Welcome to the club bro 😊
  
  I hope i didn't forgot any other tips ,lets see if other users have more tips to help you
  
  

Best bet is to undervolt the processor using Intel Extreme Tuning Utility and to prop up the back of the laptop with feet. It also would help to take the back cover off and blow out all of the dust.

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If you really know what you're doing, you can repaste the processor and graphics card byfollowing this guide.

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There isn't much the repair depot can do. If it's still under warranty, I've heard you can request a repair technician to come to your house and repaste it with thermal paste that you provide, but your mileage may vary. They can repaste it with their thermal paste, but buying something like Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut would work a lot better than their stuff.

I've using these for over a year now and it works like a charm. For $6, I think the quality is superb.

Practical Laptop Cooling pad Rubber Skidproof feet Heat Reduction Stand for Notebook/iPad/Laptop(pack of 4) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0747QSX25/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_P4q1Cb3H5J4FN

Dude, get one, they are cheap and test it out. It depends on the ambient temp of the space you are using it in. If you are in Phoenix in July and ambient is 100 deg- expect that a blower of hot air across hot air will do less than if you are in a temp controlled env. I'd give a Havit a try, RGB or $20 version. Both are free returns on Amazon as in if you try and don't like you can return w/out a Amazon check against your account ( every return you return on Amazon is flagged btw, so free return items are a good thing).

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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QKR6MB8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

What are you talking about? The difference in cost most definitely not negligible. $4 cheaper for 4x the product?! It's really up to him if he thinks the extra cost is worth 1c cooler. If 1g is enough for 2 or 3 repastings then master gel is good for 8 or 10.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B011F7W3LU/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522958883&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=kryonaut&dpPl=1&dpID=41IkGIpkjtL&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B019BZENY8/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522958808&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=master%2Bgel%2Bmaker&dpPl=1&dpID=315Br21UytL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1

I bought this for myself and my wife, they work pretty well. Mainly got it because it has padding underneath so it's not terribly uncomfortable.

Cooler Master NotePal LapAir - Laptop Lap Desk with Pillow Cushion and Cooling Fan (R9-NBC-LPAR-GP) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051GK6RA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_z2zVBb8RN6ZMG

Yeah. They fit in that perfectly.
https://www.amazon.com/Alienware-ScanFast-Checkpoint-Friendly-17-3-Inch/dp/B001GI5CSA
Multiple people use it to carry their 17 R4. In fact, I use it and it fits my 17 R4, charger, cooling pad, mouse, xbox controller, bunch of assorted cables and a few spiral notebooks with room to spare for 2 water bottles.

Do you have any complaints about that cooling pad? I was looking at the one you have, but I'm always suspicious of the dimensions Amazon lists and wanna make sure I get a pad that fits a 15r3 perfectly. I was also looking at this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051GK6RA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_yKcEyb088RXCX because it has vents off the front side, which would be perfect if I'm using it on my lap in bed (no need to worry about covering bottom vent)

UPDATE so I found this beauty while doing more research. With the ability to adjust the fan positions I think it will be a great addition. I will update with any relevant data ie; temp changes, noise, aesthetics.

I have the alienware backpack and have never had any problems with it leading to scratches or damage to my laptop (unless I dropped it once as I did with my last laptop, an L702x which required a massive backpack). I should note I tend to only put my laptop and charge in the big pocket with my books, papers, and clipboards in the other pockets. Especially important with the clipboard so I don't destroy the finish of my laptop!

You could sleeve it, but it will still be annoying to carry around unless you put it in your bookbag anyway.

For stands/cooling pads I use a Coolermaster U3 Plus, I almost never use the fans unless I am gaming, but I find the incline is perfect for making the laptop comfortable to type on!

This will work nicely.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BGZEVHU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


You won't need more than 16gb for gaming, really. however, if you plan on doing a lot of other things like video / art /a ton of browsing tabs, it can be helpful.

I just purchased the Crucial 32GB Kit (16GBx2) DDR4 2400 MT/s (PC4-192000) SODIMM 260-Pin Memory CT2K16G4SFD824A and it works like a charm for my 17r3. You can change the ram amount there. As long as RAM you're buying is like this you should be fine. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019FRCV9G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_QfMyybPRPNP43

I did the same to mine, minus the USB fan. Just lifted it off the desk a little, helps a ton with cooling. I recommend this to help cool it: Steklo Pro Stand -... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VIZ60QY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Portable stand - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VIZ60QY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Backpack - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LDIFEXU/ref=twister_B01MD1SC10?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Laptop coolers are junk - just get a solid stand.

Had my 13 for 2 weeks - absolutely love it.

Personal advice?

Be very very careful, I bought a cooler master U3 and positioned the fans near the intakes and the dust on the matrix protecting the fans underneath my 17R3 was building up on lowest speed setting. Had to blast it all out.

Since moved the fans as far away as possible to cool the battery area under the touchpad and all good. I’ll never direct air at the intakes again, and the battery area is kept far cooler than without.

Cooler Master NotePal U3 PLUS Laptop Cooling Pad 'Adjustable 3x 80mm Fans, Ergonomic Aluminium Design, Supports up to 19" laptops' R9-NBC-U3PK-GP https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00ED3WMTC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_blTuDbC7E2Q17

I got this set for my 17R4: Corsair 32GB

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Works great, so that Kingston should be fine.

Samsung 850 EVO - 500GB - M.2 SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-N5E500BW) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TGIW1XG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_kqbSzbF96JQ4A

Or

Crucial MX300 1TB M.2 (2280) Internal Solid State Drive (CT1050MX300SSD4) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L80DH1Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_erbSzbPSV2V1B

The 1TB for $287 is a great deal if you need the space. If not, go with the 500GB for less $$$

Here's the link for Kryonaut: https://www.amazon.com/Thermal-Grizzly-Kryonaut-Grease-Paste/dp/B011F7W3LU/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1481491380&sr=1-1&keywords=thermal+grizzly+kryonaut

Just tell the technician you have your own thermal paste you'd like to use. If he says he can't do it, then call tech support and have them approve it. I was told any technician can use thermal paste supplied by the enduser.

Check these out, they should help https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00DPMKQWC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If you want to go further get these
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01G3G3C7M/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=A1AO1PX8J2IHMT&psc=1
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01N7KD2VK/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_2?smid=A1AO1PX8J2IHMT&psc=1

These might be over kill but some people like to not worry or think about temps, and you have specs maxed out so alot of heat produced

We're using the Cooler Master NotePal U3. The included fans are completely removable & can be positioned anywhere. Had it for a few years now & has worked well on several different laptops from an MX18 R2 to the 17R4 we have now.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cooler-Master-Notepal-U3-notebook/dp/B003ZMF27G

You can probably find something more up-to-date in the same range. :)

from everything I have been researching they don't NEED to be replaced at the same time. As long as the ram shares the same specs there should only be ~5-10% performance deprivation between adding a second stick with same specs vs. buying a matching set. Also, a lot of people have purchased this ram to add to their current ram with good feedback. I was just curious if people here have done the same for their alienware laptops. https://www.amazon.com/Ballistix-Single-PC4-21300-SODIMM-260-Pin/dp/B06XC5BVJV/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1542735669&sr=8-5&keywords=8gb+ddr4+laptop+ram

It's the Innovation Cooling IC Graphite Pad. The small one. I'm in the UK and just got it from Amazon.

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https://www.amazon.co.uk/Innovation-Cooling-LLC-Graphite-Thermal/dp/B07CKVW18G/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=ic+graphite+pad&qid=1554554061&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

Dont buy, for two reasons:

1. Cheaper on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-MX300-Internal-Solid-CT1050MX300SSD4/dp/B01L80DH1Y
   
   
2. Although it does work, it uses the old SATA3 interface. If you are looking for an upgrade, its better to buy NVME interface.

Ok so this is what I'm looking at:

SSD: Samsung 850 EVO (500GB-540MB/s-$154.84)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OBRE5UE/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1RFDP8YH5J4TH

and hard drive:Seagate (4TB-$176.63)
https://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Laptop-2-5-Inch-Internal-ST3000LM016/dp/B01CHYIEXG/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1465937384&sr=1-1&keywords=internal+hard+drive&refinements=p_n_feature_keywords_three_browse-bin%3A4990425011%2Cp_n_feature_keywords_four_browse-bin%3A8067153011%7C8067154011

Please let me know your thoughts, my budget could go up to 450/500$ if you think that'll make a big difference.

Just a quick look, I'm thinking this one would be ideal for packing in backpack.

Here is detailed guide how to repaste it: http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/alienware-17r4-15r3-disassembly-repaste-guide-results.797373/.

If you're not confident and don't want to use thermal paste with electrical conductivity, then use Grizzly Kryonaut (http://amzn.to/2tqVFgm) instead of Conductonaut.

But first I recommend to run any 3D benchmark for 30+ minutes (3Dmark FireStrike, Heaven, Valley etc.) to find out if you don't have any stuttering, before doing the repaste. Because if you do have stuttering, then you probably will need to replace your motherboard..

It was still going upto 90+ until someone on here suggested this :

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ergonomic-Aluminium-Portable-Foldable-Notebook/dp/B007BD16KC/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&ref=yo_pop_d_yo_pop_d_pd_t2

And undervolted at -0.135 seems to have improved temps massively so obviously not ideal that the paste job was obviously pretty poor but oh well. I have been tempted to ring them to get them to replace the paste/pads but i’ll leave it for now

Raise the back of your laptop to get more ventilation. This will help the cooling system to actually do its job. I use something like this on my 17 R4: https://www.amazon.com/Ergonomic-Aluminium-Portable-Foldable-Notebook/dp/B007BD16KC

Results: 10-20C lower temps.

you will need rubbing alcohol to clean the paste. Then try this

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https://www.amazon.com/Thermal-Grizzly-Kryonaut-Grease-Paste/dp/B011F7W3LU

I use this one It looks good, metal but still lightweight and I don't bother with the fans.

Edit: not the "Plus" version which is for 19 inch laptops.

I actually have that exact one, and have had it for a few years. I ran tests with it when I was running an M17x R1 and M18x R1 (a few years later). I can't find the numbers, but IIRC it resulted in about 10% lower temperatures. It also added a lot to dust build up. Ultimately, I think it is worth it, but I paid a lot less than what it is up for now. Also, with the newer Alienwares, the vents are less segmented so you could probably make do with one that has 1 big fan or 2 smaller ones. On the m17x/m18x with SLI/CFX there were 3 distinct spots for processor and 2 gfx cards.

LINK

It's not too difficult, but now that I see several people recommending this, I might stop the whole repasting thing:

https://www.amazon.com/Innovation-Cooling-Graphite-Thermal-Pad/dp/B07CKVW18G

I imagine an 18 is preferable for those who have longer gaming sessions. Reviews have shown concern for the heat Alienware laptops produce. Consider a cooling pad; www.Alienwarearena.com forums suggest the Notepal U3.

I use this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ergonomic-Aluminium-Portable-Foldable-Notebook/dp/B007BD16KC/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&ref=yo_pop_d_yo_pop_d_pd_t2 worth every penny

A laptop stand LINK dropped my GPU temps by 10c, I am running a GTX 1080 and never goes over 61c (Average is 58c)

Hello! I in my case if you used a refrigerator, and the difference is quite noticeable, so it is advisable, and now more that comes the hot months (in Spain). I have this basis for a 17 R4: https://www.amazon.es/gp/product/B00ED3WMTC/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A31522I6NTHR25

It's a Cooler Master NotePal U3 Plus

There you go:

https://www.amazon.com/Steklo-Aluminium-Adjustable-Portable-Universal/dp/B00VIZ60QY

Yup. The stand is an aluminum “X” with 4 points of contact (2 at the bottom edge, and 2 at the back corners. Basically “floating” an inch and a half off the desk at the back.

https://www.amazon.ca/Steklo-Aluminium-Adjustable-Portable-Universal/dp/B00VIZ60QY/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_asin_image

I use this, its lowered my temps by over 5-8 celsius and has a ergonomic posture.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VIZ60QY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Use this paste
https://www.amazon.com/Thermal-Grizzly-Kryonaut-Grease-Paste/dp/B011F7W3LU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493834424&sr=8-1&keywords=kryonaught

The US. Is this correct?
https://www.amazon.com/Thermal-Grizzly-Kryonaut-Grease-Paste/dp/B011F7W3LU

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011F7W3LU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Is this not the right one?

@ $250 1TB SSD this is a flawless performer.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01L80DH1Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Got this for my AW13 R3 and couldn't be more happier