Alienware 18 R1 - RTX A3000 12GB MXM

[SuperMG]

1 hour ago, ssj92 said:

So 3060 works in AW18 but not 3080?

If 3060 works then It should work. I don't want to swap everything. 

 

They use the same drivers.

[ssj92]

13 minutes ago, SuperMG3 said:

If 3060 works then It should work. I don't want to swap everything. 

 

They use the same drivers.

I was told it does not...

 

so if yours work then maybe we need your vBIOS. 

 

 

[SuperMG]

2 hours ago, ssj92 said:

I was told it does not...

 

so if yours work then maybe we need your vBIOS. 

 

 

You need mod INF with NVCleanInstall. The drivers from X-VSION won't work.

 

My bios is saved in Techpowerup recently. Search for RTX 3080 Laptop 16GB from X-Vsion 

[ssj92]

6 hours ago, SuperMG3 said:

You need mod INF with NVCleanInstall. The drivers from X-VSION won't work.

 

My bios is saved in Techpowerup recently. Search for RTX 3080 Laptop 16GB from X-Vsion 

The laptop doesn't even post with 3080 in AW18 but works fine in M18xR2

[SuperMG]

8 hours ago, ssj92 said:

The laptop doesn't even post with 3080 in AW18 but works fine in M18xR2

That's strange. Why does my 3060 work then? It's stupid to make the 3080 work on the AW18 because of the MXM slot's power limit.

 

Maybe the card won't work because of the MXM port? Who knows

 

X-vsion uses generic bios for their 3000 series. Like the 3060, 3070 and 3080.

[ssj92]

On 1/25/2025 at 4:53 AM, SuperMG3 said:

That's strange. Why does my 3060 work then? It's stupid to make the 3080 work on the AW18 because of the MXM slot's power limit.

 

Maybe the card won't work because of the MXM port? Who knows

 

X-vsion uses generic bios for their 3000 series. Like the 3060, 3070 and 3080.

No idea, I'll test 3080 in M18xR1/R2 and AW 18 when I get my heatsink next month 

[SuperMG]

Hello guys. I'm now getting error 43 on the GPU. Windows was acting weird, like it was trying to install some drivers, I don't know. I got a BSOD before that, TDR VIDEO FAILURE

[SuperMG]

I tried DDU and reinstalling, it didn't work. Still the same error. Although, the GPU is detected in the bios.

[SuperMG]

Ok guys for some random reasons. I went to device manager and disabled the GPU then enabled it back and the error was gone.

 

I ran one 3dmark TimeSpy and I got 9500 graphics scores, nice. I was using Hwinfo fan tune, the only fan who was at max was the CPU one, the GPU one was controlled by the EC I guess...

 

Do I need to extend my warranty? Or is it common to get random error 43 because of windows?

[SuperMG]

GPU is still awkward. Probably a driver problem with Windows 10 or whole GPU.

 

FurMark doesn't run.

 

And the GPU is reporting very weird values on GPU-Z. Check attached pictures. It does 0MB then 8GB but it's a 16GB card...

[SuperMG]

However, the RTX 3060 MXM on the other Alienware 18 R1 works great.

 

FurMark ran!

 

So I think my RTX 3080 is faulty? There's a one year warranty so it can pass.

[FrancoTecno]

hi @SuperMG3, i like to buy an 3060 mxm for my old msi gt60. actually i have an 1060m, ehats your experience with x-vsion??? and compatibility issues?

[SuperMG]

On 5/13/2025 at 5:32 PM, FrancoTecno said:

hi @SuperMG3, i like to buy an 3060 mxm for my old msi gt60. actually i have an 1060m, ehats your experience with x-vsion??? and compatibility issues?

Hello. My RTX 3080 got fixed so everything is fine. (The IC was glitching due to a short-circuit caused by a screw).

 

Compatibility:

 

The RTX 3060 12GB works fine on laptops with Optimus (intel HD + NVIDIA) or laptops with dual MXM slots (NVIDIA + NVIDIA) with some vbios.

 

You need to modify your heatsink to make the core fit perfectly onto the copper middle part of your heatsink. There's like an offset of 9mm to the right.

 

The 3060/3080 don't have eDP output for internal displays. 

 

Performance:

 

It's a 80W card and it performes like a 80-95W one. 

 

[zerokool]

On 5/13/2025 at 10:44 AM, SuperMG3 said:

Hello. My RTX 3080 got fixed so everything is fine. (The IC was glitching due to a short-circuit caused by a screw).

 

Compatibility:

 

The RTX 3060 12GB works fine on laptops with Optimus (intel HD + NVIDIA) or laptops with dual MXM slots (NVIDIA + NVIDIA) with some vbios.

 

You need to modify your heatsink to make the core fit perfectly onto the copper middle part of your heatsink. There's like an offset of 9mm to the right.

 

The 3060/3080 don't have eDP output for internal displays. 

 

Performance:

 

It's a 80W card and it performes like a 80-95W one. 

 

I know this is kind of old but I'm looking at the 3060 12gb . Fur the Alienware 18 r1 viking. So that card *should work * ? Without to much fuss aside from unlocked bios to enable SG mode ? Also if you want more power for your GPU then you need to resister mod your Alienware 18 . However the 330 watt psu is the ultimate bottleneck  the GPU will happily pull as much power as it needs but it will drop power do to the psu and also drain battery . So limit games to 60 fps if you can 

[SuperMG]

21 minutes ago, zerokool said:

I know this is kind of old but I'm looking at the 3060 12gb . Fur the Alienware 18 r1 viking. So that card *should work * ? Without to much fuss aside from unlocked bios to enable SG mode ? Also if you want more power for your GPU then you need to resister mod your Alienware 18 . However the 330 watt psu is the ultimate bottleneck  the GPU will happily pull as much power as it needs but it will drop power do to the psu and also drain battery . So limit games to 60 fps if you can 

For the Alienware 18 R1, Any new cards will power throttle to 55W if the card is rated more than 80W of TDP. Even if you do a resistor mod, it won't work.

[zerokool]

8 hours ago, SuperMG3 said:

For the Alienware 18 R1, Any new cards will power throttle to 55W if the card is rated more than 80W of TDP. Even if you do a resistor mod, it won't work.

Hmm interesting to know . Still though it be basically a max q then lol 

[ssj92]

On 8/14/2025 at 4:50 AM, SuperMG said:

For the Alienware 18 R1, Any new cards will power throttle to 55W if the card is rated more than 80W of TDP. Even if you do a resistor mod, it won't work.

I'm still curious if anyone with stock 980m SLI or 970m SLI motherboard has tested newer GPUS. 

 

It's a shame we can't use these newer cards in the haswell laptops 

[zerokool]

On 8/18/2025 at 9:45 AM, ssj92 said:

I'm still curious if anyone with stock 980m SLI or 970m SLI motherboard has tested newer GPUS. 

 

It's a shame we can't use these newer cards in the haswell laptops 

So I can try to test my Alienware shipped with dual 970s in sli . Only issue is money . Lol 😂 but my Alienware is the newer revision 

[zerokool]

On 8/18/2025 at 9:45 AM, ssj92 said:

I'm still curious if anyone with stock 980m SLI or 970m SLI motherboard has tested newer GPUS. 

 

It's a shame we can't use these newer cards in the haswell laptops 

My old p4000 was 100 watt ( oc bios ) and never throttled . So hmmm unless Pascal isn't the cards that drop to 55watt 

[ssj92]

On 8/19/2025 at 10:48 AM, zerokool said:

My old p4000 was 100 watt ( oc bios ) and never throttled . So hmmm unless Pascal isn't the cards that drop to 55watt 

I don’t remember about pascal but for sure RTX 2000 series and newer throttle 

[Jerryzago]

18 hours ago, ssj92 said:

I don’t remember about pascal but for sure RTX 2000 series and newer throttle 

I have an Alienware 17 r1 with a 4710qm and a PNY RTX 3000. It doesn't throttle.  I initially didn't have throttle and I manage to recreate and get rid of it by messing with the advanced settings (unlocked bios) regarding the PEG GPU. Optimus is enabled. Have a look at my post here in the Alienware 17 section with the title "Alienware 17 R1 Fan issue".

 

https://notebooktalk.net/topic/2350-alienware-17-r1-fan-issue/?do=findComment&comment=51211

[zerokool]

3 hours ago, Jerryzago said:

I have an Alienware 17 r1 with a 4710qm and a PNY RTX 3000. It doesn't throttle.  I initially didn't have throttle and I manage to recreate and get rid of it by messing with the advanced settings (unlocked bios) regarding the PEG GPU. Optimus is enabled. Have a look at my post here in the Alienware 17 section with the title "Alienware 17 R1 Fan issue".

 

https://notebooktalk.net/topic/2350-alienware-17-r1-fan-issue/?do=findComment&comment=51211

You know what I had a ranger just like yours with an Quadro rtx 4000 from adelink . Never had throttling and I remembered looking at your post about the ranger ( 17 r1 ) and set mine exactly like yours . Just in case since I read about the throttling . So I wonder if that works with the 18 since they essentially share an ec and bios just a few extras do to multi GPU  now I regret selling the ranger .........

[Jerryzago]

10 hours ago, zerokool said:

You know what I had a ranger just like yours with an Quadro rtx 4000 from adelink . Never had throttling and I remembered looking at your post about the ranger ( 17 r1 ) and set mine exactly like yours . Just in case since I read about the throttling . So I wonder if that works with the 18 since they essentially share an ec and bios just a few extras do to multi GPU  now I regret selling the ranger .........

I have the exact same question. I believe the unlocked Bios would be the answer to the 18s throttling problem.

 

What CPU did you use? I want to go for an MX one, but I believe the extra power load might make the system throttle.

[zerokool]

5 hours ago, Jerryzago said:

I have the exact same question. I believe the unlocked Bios would be the answer to the 18s throttling problem.

 

What CPU did you use? I want to go for an MX one, but I believe the extra power load might make the system throttle.

I7 4930 mx . 4.2 ghz same CPU that's in my viking ( 18 r1?) no throttling from it . 

[zerokool]

On 8/20/2025 at 9:12 PM, ssj92 said:

I don’t remember about pascal but for sure RTX 2000 series and newer throttle 

You have an 18 right ? If so try what he's suggesting with the bios settings . Maybe it would work