Ray Tracing on M18xR2 - RTX 3000 MXM Upgrade!

[ssj92]

Hey everyone, for those who don't know I've been working on getting a Quadro RTX 3000 MXM GPU for my M18xR2. RTX 3000 is basically a Quadro variant of the RTX 2060 (TU106).

The GPU I found happens to be about MXM 3.0b in layout made by ADLINK. This GPU is also available from Aetina and PNY in the exact same form factor. I chose this because it requires no mods besides INF and it provides the latest RTX features on an old platform.


I made a video of MXM in general here including the raptor NVMe card:




The laptop has 32GB 2133Mhz RAM, Wi-Fi6E + BT 5.2 as well. It is basically up to spec.



No heatsink mod needed:

 

Here's some benchmarks and pictures:





Benches:
 

   

[kenny27]

I am guessing the raptor nvme card drops the primary slot down to x8 does this affect performance compared to x16 at all?

 

[ssj92]

On 2/1/2022 at 9:17 PM, kenny27 said:

I am guessing the raptor nvme card drops the primary slot down to x8 does this affect performance compared to x16 at all?

 

No performance loss from what i can see. My AW18 has only the RTX 3000 and has the newer 4930MX CPU. They perform about the same. 

[TruenoG7]

Do you have an alienware 18, if so, is it true that these have bad VRM and end up ruining the motherboard when you overclock in the CPU?

 

[ssj92]

On 3/29/2022 at 10:57 AM, TruenoG7 said:

Do you have an alienware 18, if so, is it true that these have bad VRM and end up ruining the motherboard when you overclock in the CPU?

 

I have two AW 18 right now. Owned one before as well. None of them had VRM blow. However I think it depends. Many people had issues many did not. Luck of the draw I guess. 

 

I am running the same RTX 3000 in my AW18 as well. 

[DDAY3493]

Hi! I had a quick question regarding the Alienware 18, you mentioned that you had overclocked the screen to 90Hz in yours. Do you have any sort of color problems? I'm guessing you run the laptop with both RTX and igpu. I used to have a single or sli set up, I could overclock up to 95 to 100hz, now when I do this, my color looks all messed up, unless I put it at 75hz. Thank you in advance!

[ssj92]

On 5/24/2022 at 1:18 AM, DDAY3493 said:

Hi! I had a quick question regarding the Alienware 18, you mentioned that you had overclocked the screen to 90Hz in yours. Do you have any sort of color problems? I'm guessing you run the laptop with both RTX and igpu. I used to have a single or sli set up, I could overclock up to 95 to 100hz, now when I do this, my color looks all messed up, unless I put it at 75hz. Thank you in advance!

Colors perfectly fine. Tried on iGPU only mode, SG mode and even in PEG on my 2nd AW 18. 

 

All depends on lcd panel, each one is different 

[DDAY3493]

ssj92 My color used to be fine too without the iGPU. I was able to get up to 95 to 100hz at one point, that was without artifacts. Now since I'm using the iGPU and RTX 5000, I can't seem to go higher than 75hz without having artifacts on the screen. You think it might have something to do with iGPU bandwidth?

[ssj92]

On 5/31/2022 at 10:42 AM, DDAY3493 said:

ssj92 My color used to be fine too without the iGPU. I was able to get up to 95 to 100hz at one point, that was without artifacts. Now since I'm using the iGPU and RTX 5000, I can't seem to go higher than 75hz without having artifacts on the screen. You think it might have something to do with iGPU bandwidth?

How are you overclocking the display? Are you using cru? 

 

btw RTX 5000? Got any pics 😍

[Clamibot]

Quadro RTX 5000 in an Alienware 18? That sounds amazing!

 

Routing video through the iGPU may be affecting how high the screen can overclock. The iGPU has a lot less performance and memory bandwidth than a dGPU, so it would stand to reason that it wouldn't be able to support as high of a screen overclock since it's not as capable of a GPU. That may explain the artifacting at higher screen overclocks. However, I've seen iGPUs drive 120 Hz and 144 Hz displays before, so that may not be it.

 

Another potential explanation is the output bandwidth allowed by the internal connection from the iGPU to the screen. Alienware laptops from 2013 and before have a MUX switch that allows for switching between optimus mode and dGPU only mode. The input into the MUX coming from the iGPU may have less bandwidth available to it than the output into the MUX coming from the dGPU. This would make sense since the dGPU is much more powerful, and can therefore deliver a much higher framerate than the iGPU.

 

In short, there is a design limitation somewhere causing the artifacting. Since you were able to get higher screen overclocks in dGPU only mode than you can in optimus mode, my guess is it has something to do with the bandwidth of the video output traces on the motherboard that go from their respective GPUs into the MUX switch. I don't know if both MUX switch inputs have the same bandwidth or not, but I'm guessing they probably don't.

[ssj92]

1 hour ago, Clamibot said:

Quadro RTX 5000 in an Alienware 18? That sounds amazing!

 

Routing video through the iGPU may be affecting how high the screen can overclock. The iGPU has a lot less performance and memory bandwidth than a dGPU, so it would stand to reason that it wouldn't be able to support as high of a screen overclock since it's not as capable of a GPU. That may explain the artifacting at higher screen overclocks. However, I've seen iGPUs drive 120 Hz and 144 Hz displays before, so that may not be it.

 

Another potential explanation is the output bandwidth allowed by the internal connection from the iGPU to the screen. Alienware laptops from 2013 and before have a MUX switch that allows for switching between optimus mode and dGPU only mode. The input into the MUX coming from the iGPU may have less bandwidth available to it than the output into the MUX coming from the dGPU. This would make sense since the dGPU is much more powerful, and can therefore deliver a much higher framerate than the iGPU.

 

In short, there is a design limitation somewhere causing the artifacting. Since you were able to get higher screen overclocks in dGPU only mode than you can in optimus mode, my guess is it has something to do with the bandwidth of the video output traces on the motherboard that go from their respective GPUs into the MUX switch. I don't know if both MUX switch inputs have the same bandwidth or not, but I'm guessing they probably don't.

My guess might be display could also be degrading and can’t keep oc anymore. 

 

im running 90hz on aw 18 and 85hz on m18x r2 using igpu. Could also be method used to oc. I like using cru 

[DDAY3493]

Absolutely can post some pictures! I always use CRU as well for the screen overclocking. I gave it a thought many times that it might be the screen degrading over time or like Clamibot said that it might have something to do with the bandwidth coming from the iGPU and going into the MUX switch. I tried messing around with different timings and such in the CRU options but the artifacting was still present. Sorry BTW if I can't seem to respond the right way, to each post. I'm pretty new to this forum thing haha lol! 

[DDAY3493]

[DDAY3493]

It's still quite amazing how capable this machine still is for it's age, I have the Area-51M and the Predator 21 X and the 18 keeps up pretty well with either one of those machines. 

[Rengsey R. H. Jr.]

How much was the RTX 3000? How was the performance on gaming? 

[DDAY3493]

The RTX 3000 or 5000? If you are referring to the RTX 5000, then I got it for about a $1000 almost a year ago on eBay.

[ssj92]

5 hours ago, Rengsey R. H. Jr. said:

How much was the RTX 3000? How was the performance on gaming? 

I got mine I think around $640 shipped 

 

gaming is right on par with rtx 2060. 

1 hour ago, DDAY3493 said:

The RTX 3000 or 5000? If you are referring to the RTX 5000, then I got it for about a $1000 almost a year ago on eBay.

Do you have a pic of which rtx 5000 you bought? 

[DDAY3493]

Sure do! Here you go 

[aldarxt]

17 hours ago, DDAY3493 said:

Sure do! Here you go 

How did you get this to fit with the mounting holes being offset? I have seen these and passed them up thinking they won't fit. Was afraid of shorting the card where the offset hole would touch where the other screw is supposed to mount

 

OK My Bad the RTX 5000 is NOT in the Alienware 18, its in something else

Edited June 4, 2022 by aldarxt
Mistake

[DDAY3493]

Nope! I can definitely confirm that I have the RTX 5000 in the Alienware 18, the thing is I had to do a couple of modifications in order to get it properly in the laptop. I will post some pictures. Have to take it apart first!

 

[DDAY3493]

Here are the pictures as promised. 😁

 

 

 

 

 

Also with better upgraded Wifi card! 

[aldarxt]

8 hours ago, DDAY3493 said:

Thanks for this, you have opened a whole new set of options for these Magnificent Antiques! A whole new set of mxm cards. That nut is soldered on to the MOBO??? I think I can do that, without removing the MOBO hopefully Just have to decide to go with m17xr4 or m18xr2. So the boss for stock screw does not touch the gpu? And Thanks again very much appreciate this!!!

[ssj92]

10 hours ago, DDAY3493 said:

Here are the pictures as promised. 😁

Wait so did you modify heatsink at all? It fits into the slot even with offset core? Idk if this would work in m18x r2 or m17x series with their heatsinks 

[aldarxt]

2 hours ago, ssj92 said:

Wait so did you modify heatsink at all? It fits into the slot even with offset core? Idk if this would work in m18x r2 or m17x series with their heatsinks 

He definitely modded it, I can see the bottom left edge was almost completely ground off, the thicker part that drops down. Nice Job, can see where it would have touched, I'll probably get another heatsink for this, maybe a copper with more than 3 pipes

 

The 2nd pic, is that screw grounded? circuits can be funny sometimes, don't know if both stock mounting holes need to be or not.

[DDAY3493]

Actually that nut isn't soldered at all, I just glued it in place with super glue. Not on the motherboard itself but, on the plastic cover or tape. Aldarxt, definitely true these older Alienwares have a long life time. 

 

Ssj92 the heatsink is from an M18x R2 or R1 as the oem heatsink wouldn't fit. The 18 heatsink would be off center. So, I did modify it a little, like aldaext said the bottom of the heatsink is cut off because it covered the screw hole. Also on the other side of the heatsink, I sanded this portion down with a handheld dremel. 

 

The oem screw hole ports are touching the card, as far as I know but, it's not making direct contact because on the other side of the graphics is some sort of plastic cover, it's not interferring with any circuits on the card. 

 

Also when I first installed the graphics card I also noticed that it doesn't fit in directly, unless you cut off the mxm port graphics card holders, here and here!