18 replies to this topic

[ChessRules]

I'm going to try and get my dad to chip in half for a desktop this summer.  I'm done with gaming on laptops after this.  

Basically, my laptop has a GEForce 8600M GS as the graphics card.  After multiple computer failures over the last couple of years, I've started monitoring temperatures while gaming and bought a cooling tray.  Games used to run with the GPU at 80-82 degrees, but now it's been getting higher and higher recently, and I don't have dust-cleaning hardware like compressed air cans readily available, nor the technical know-how to do stuff with heat sinks and such.  

I don't know if it's a seasonal thing (since I started monitoring temps in the winter), but now Painkiller has gotten up to 88 degrees once, and Titan Quest goes up to 85 degrees during nighttime.  This is especially annoying because these two games are among the best I've played in a while.  Idle temps are 56-59c for GPU, 50c for CPU.  

This is my problem: I've been trying stuff like underclocking the GPU, and it hasn't helped a bit.  Tried underclocking about 10% with Rivatuner -- no visible change in temperatures.  Tried undervolting the CPU with RightMark, and something must've gone wrong because CPU temps got worse.  If underclocking isn't making a difference, then what's going on?

EDIT: Also, no program I try seems to be able to control any fan speeds in the computer.

Edited by ChessRules, 16 May 2010 - 04:32 PM.

[Blitzkrieg]

I had the same issue with my laptop, an Alienware mALX. The thermal paste on almost all the heat sinks practically burnt off, despite airing out the system every day. It was within a controlled environment of around 50º constantly. No visible dust I could see or obstruction in the intended airflow of the case. Overall I had to send it back 8 times in one year, each being 2-4 weeks downtime since it had to be shipped back to FL. PITA imho. The paste has been replaced many times, as well as almost every component, yet within a month or two, I'm hitting the same temperatures and lockdowns.

Listos: I'm with you on gaming laptops.

[Berek-PG]

I had the same issue with mine as well, turned out to be a busted heat pipe. I had to buy a new GPU, which I fortunately found on ebay.

If you consider a new one, this is currently one of the best choices, and at a reasonable $1,600 you can't go wrong for what it offers: http://www.newegg.co...N82E16834220695

[The Archon]

When I finished high school I rushed into getting a gaming laptop... as of six months ago, that laptop sits permanently on my desk at work so that I have a Windows machine.  Gaming PC + netbook (or something with guts if you need it for something substantial) is the better way to go.

[ChessRules]

Yeah, I got a netbook last year so right now I'm set when it comes to portable stuff for class and such.  It can run the programs I need it to like Xilinx.

Edited by ChessRules, 16 May 2010 - 10:15 PM.

[Haasth]

I've been using my Asus gaming laptop for half a year now or so and the temperature has always been quite high, no specific increase as far as I know either. I do think I have a graphical card issue though because sometimes certain games have artifact issues when I have certain graphical settings on/maximized and they go into short FPS drops randomly.

But... I can't really miss it currently so can't have it checked out. Beyond that, it's quite a bit better than any desktop I've used and generally runs every game maximized rather well. (But as I said, have to tune down certain minor things like shaders when I try out Starcraft 2, everything else can be maxed)

[Kelathin]

Caescen, on 17 May 2010 - 06:41 AM, said:

I've been using my Asus gaming laptop for half a year now or so and the temperature has always been quite high, no specific increase as far as I know either. I do think I have a graphical card issue though because sometimes certain games have artifact issues when I have certain graphical settings on/maximized and they go into short FPS drops randomly.

But... I can't really miss it currently so can't have it checked out. Beyond that, it's quite a bit better than any desktop I've used and generally runs every game maximized rather well. (But as I said, have to tune down certain minor things like shaders when I try out Starcraft 2, everything else can be maxed)

Really? What flavor of Asus? I've enjoyed my G60J Asus immensely it runs about 40 C on idle and 49C when playing games. Almost no difference in temperature. I do not like the ****** seagate drives though. It's only a time for failure on those.

[Haasth]

Kelathin, on 17 May 2010 - 07:36 AM, said:

Really? What flavor of Asus? I've enjoyed my G60J Asus immensely it runs about 40 C on idle and 49C when playing games. Almost no difference in temperature. I do not like the ****** seagate drives though. It's only a time for failure on those.

Strawberry flavor!


Asus G71x.

[Valdez]

Red is the colour of burning and being on fire! That explains it!

Seriously though, Asus does have a reputation for heaty laptops IIRC. My friend currently owns a G51 and the package came with a fire extinguisher. He also bought a laptop cooler to place underneath his laptop.

[ChessRules]

Kelathin, on 17 May 2010 - 07:36 AM, said:

Really? What flavor of Asus? I've enjoyed my G60J Asus immensely it runs about 40 C on idle and 49C when playing games. Almost no difference in temperature. I do not like the ****** seagate drives though. It's only a time for failure on those.

Really?  I bought a Seagate external HD and that's worked for me pretty well for the last few years.

[GamerOpsSteel]

well i am running on Qosmio model, cant play most of the FPS games  
although i am and will be  making my gaming desktop this summer, can anyone recommend  a good geforce card?


Still it a good laptop.

Edited by GamerOpsSteel, 17 May 2010 - 04:00 PM.

[Ice_Hole]

I have a Toshiba x205 (2x GeForce 8600m's in SLI).  It runs hot, really hot.  It also circulates a ton of air, which is also hot.  The air blows right out the sides of the laptop, right where you would place your hand to use a mouse.  The keyboard also gets warm, making it hot to type on, and hot to use a mouse with.

The strange thing, it seemed to me, like the thing got even hotter when I tossed some more RAM into it.  It may just be coincidence, but it seems to have made things quite a bit hotter.  Thinking about it, I wonder if the motherboard BIOS automatically raised the northbridge bus speeds since the RAM is more than likely better quality than what I pulled out of the machine.  I have never known a computer to adjust the bus speeds on it's own with new RAM based on the SPD on the ram.  But that is the only way I can describe it.

I mainly use the laptop when I travel.  Having the extra power is nice for editing video of the vacation at night while in the hotel room, and ripping the days video from the DV tapes.  Not to mention it's a bit easier than lugging a full tower case around to a LAN party, even if the real gaming rig is preferred.

- Ice_Hole

[ChessRules]

That's something interesting: when I upgraded to Windows 7, my CPU started running really, really hot (86-90 degrees) until I went into settings and set max CPU speed to 95% of maximum capacity.  Is it possible that Windows 7 might have changed the clock speed?

Edited by ChessRules, 18 May 2010 - 03:11 AM.

[Kelathin]

ChessRules, on 17 May 2010 - 01:47 PM, said:

Really?  I bought a Seagate external HD and that's worked for me pretty well for the last few years.

I have less of a problem with their external line than internal line. However, at work our current running tally is pretty much Seagate beating any other brand for failure to a 3 to 1 ratio for their laptop drives.

GamerOpsSteel, on 17 May 2010 - 03:58 PM, said:

well i am running on Qosmio model, cant play most of the FPS games  
although i am and will be  making my gaming desktop this summer, can anyone recommend  a good geforce card?

Still it a good laptop.

FERMI! GTX480

Ice_Hole, on 18 May 2010 - 02:15 AM, said:

I have a Toshiba x205 (2x GeForce 8600m's in SLI).  It runs hot, really hot.  It also circulates a ton of air, which is also hot.  The air blows right out the sides of the laptop, right where you would place your hand to use a mouse.  The keyboard also gets warm, making it hot to type on, and hot to use a mouse with.

The strange thing, it seemed to me, like the thing got even hotter when I tossed some more RAM into it.  It may just be coincidence, but it seems to have made things quite a bit hotter.  Thinking about it, I wonder if the motherboard BIOS automatically raised the northbridge bus speeds since the RAM is more than likely better quality than what I pulled out of the machine.  I have never known a computer to adjust the bus speeds on it's own with new RAM based on the SPD on the ram.  But that is the only way I can describe it.

I mainly use the laptop when I travel.  Having the extra power is nice for editing video of the vacation at night while in the hotel room, and ripping the days video from the DV tapes.  Not to mention it's a bit easier than lugging a full tower case around to a LAN party, even if the real gaming rig is preferred.

- Ice_Hole

Um yes...The more physical sticks of ram you add the hotter it gets. That's normal. You need to crank voltage to each piece of equipment. Desktops act the same way, you could of swapped out your ram for faster ram and it would of been a similar thing where it becomes hotter.
I agree mobile gaming rig laptops are far superior to old fashion desktops for lan parties.

ChessRules, on 18 May 2010 - 03:10 AM, said:

That's something interesting: when I upgraded to Windows 7, my CPU started running really, really hot (86-90 degrees) until I went into settings and set max CPU speed to 95% of maximum capacity.  Is it possible that Windows 7 might have changed the clock speed?

I somehow doubt that...

Edited by Kelathin, 18 May 2010 - 11:05 AM.

[Haasth]

Oh, this is a little late and probably a little off-topic now but in reply to my own reply: I recently did a good dust removing and my heat dropped by an average of 10-15 degrees Celsius. I now hover around 50-60 Celsius instead of the 50-90. No FPS drops either.

[Dei]

OMG!   I recently purchased me an external cooling unit to put underneath it, it helps it from over heating but it's still getting a bit too hot for comfort.

[ChessRules]

Heh, I remember this topic.  Since then, I've gotten a Desktop with an i5 and an ATI Radeon HD 6670.  

And my external hard drive is still going strong.

[vicnyy]

I recommend two games:

Grand Fantasia is a free-to-play fantasy MMORPG set in a 3D stylish world with a bright palette.
Soul of Guardian is a browser-based action RPG set in a hybrid fantasy world.

[anderson22]

i like to play grand fantasia . it's a totally nice and awesome .