Dell Precision 7670 & Dell Precision 7770 owner's thread

[MyPC8MyBrain]

19 minutes ago, TwistedAndy said:

There's some heat transfer from CPU to GPU and vice-versa

if you put the numbers in place "some" becomes 50%, in most stress test i conducted i focused on CPU only,
during these tests GPU hot spot was 10 degrees hotter than CPU stress temps while doing nothing,

[win32asmguy]

3 hours ago, TwistedAndy said:

From my perspective, the heatsink in 7670/7770 might be better, but it's not that bad. I think, it would be better to implement a thicker version of the heatsink from Precision 5770 / XPS 17 with two fans on each side, but I'm not a thermal engineer and don't know all the details.

 

The best I have seen from Dell was the Alienware 51m R2 which had an optional CPU side vapor chamber. It could easily handle higher CPU loads at lower noise as it prioritized cooling over weight and size. Even better you could purchase a binned processor from eBay or silicon lottery to overcome the issue of getting a bad BGA CPU (and keep the good one if a mobo replacement were needed). Such a machine probably was never destined to become a Precision though, as most mobile workstation users want something portable even as a DTR.

[brunooo84]

Just received my unit, turned it on and ran these tests...

 

 

[Aaron44126]

Audio driver update 6.0.9394.1.

https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/drivers/driversdetails?driverid=44RR8

- Fixed the issue where there is no sound from the Dell Slim Soundbar SB521A when the system is in Battery mode.

 

On the subject of the audio driver, I fought with that a bit over the past few days in both Precision 7560 and 7770.

 

You need Dell Optimizer installed in order for certain audio functions to work, like being able to specify if you plugged in headphones or a headset to the 3.5mm jack (required to activate the microphone input on that jack).  Also, without Optimizer installed, you can get "pop" sounds when sounds like alerts start or stop.  It's like the sound chip "sleeps" while its not doing anything and then pops while it is changing power states.  (This has been an issue with the Precision line since M4800/M6800, when they switched to using the Realtek sound chip.)  This doesn't happen with Optimizer installed.

 

I have found that Dell Optimizer activates certain "enhancements" for conference calling type apps (MS Teams, Webex, Zoom, etc.).  I don't like them, it makes people's voices sound echo-y and weird.  You can disable the enhancements in the Optimizer app, but then everything in my work conference app (Webex) is super quiet compared to other sounds on the system, so there is still some kind of filter in place even with everything audio-related in Dell Optimizer turned off.  That in turn can be fixed by going to the "Sound control panel" in Windows and just disabling "audio enhancements" for the output sound device.  Everything will then sound "normal" and at the appropriate volume level.

 

However, I'm using another third-party audio filter to apply a simple -20dB filter to my headphones output.  The default headphones output sound is way too loud.  I have to run with the Windows volume set to "4" or "6", which means granular control of the volume level using the keyboard is not possible.  (Windows changes it in increments of "2", so there are only a few settings to choose from in a reasonable volume range, often I have to decide between "a little too quiet" and "a little too loud".)  With the -20dB filter in place I can run with the volume more like in the 40-60 range and I can more easily settle on a volume level that is "just right".  This filter needs "audio enhancements" enabled to work.

 

So, I need "audio enhancements" enabled, but I can't find any setting in Dell Optimizer that makes conference apps sound "normal".

 

I ended up removing Dell Optimizer and replacing it with an older MaxxAudio application.  It performs the same function as Optimizer for purposes of audio support (headset+microphone support / no audio pops / control over audio enhancements / etc.) but you can actually fully disable all of the enhancements if you like, and conference apps will sound unfiltered.  To disable enhancements, just open the app, hit each of the three main sections, and turn the toggle switch at the top off.  You'll have to repeat this for each output device that you use (system speakers, headphones, USB audio output, ...).

 

URL for the MaxxAudio app is:

https://apps.microsoft.com/store/detail/waves-maxxaudio-pro-for-dell-2019/9PJPPGG8TGVG?hl=en-us&gl=us

[MyPC8MyBrain]

this just irks me to no end,

look at cpu temps at idle, id say fair for doing nothing with LM TIM removed (Ultimate performance profile),

now look at GPU temps also doing nothing, the CPU is working at extremely low loads,
the GPU is not doing anything not even a basic calculation yet still temps are too high,
since GPU has no activity its dedicated fan is sleeping,

while CPU/GPU heat pipes intersection is overheating,
thermal management seems agnostic to the situation,

 

[microdou]

Just noticed the "Storage" is set as "RAID On" in BIOS of my new 7770. This is weird, I never requested to have RAID on, especially when there is only one SSD installed.

 

I plan to have 4 SSD installed, and will primarily use Linux. Should I set it to "AHCI/NVMe"? Is there any added benefit for Dell to set it as "RAID On" by default?

[Aaron44126]

11 minutes ago, microdou said:

Just noticed the "Storage" is set as "RAID On" in BIOS of my new 7770. This is weird, I never requested to have RAID on, especially when there is only one SSD installed.

 

I plan to have 4 SSD installed, and will primarily use Linux. Should I set it to "AHCI/NVMe"? Is there any added benefit for Dell to set it as "RAID On" by default?

 

This has been normal since forever for Dell systems.  The BIOS defaults to RAID on — presumably so that boot configurations that depend on RAID won't get broken if the BIOS settings are reset for whatever reason.

 

If you don't need RAID, switching to AHCI/NVMe makes things a little simpler.  You don't have to worry about loading the Intel RST driver before you can see drives while installing Windows, for example.  Linux appears to tolerate RAID on just fine with individual drives, though it doesn't support the actual RAID arrays.

 

Note that if you switch between RAID on or not and you use Windows, you must take some steps to make Windows happy or you will get a boot failure.

[MyPC8MyBrain]

LM TIM application in my 7670 unit bumps about 1000 point in CB23 score,
below is with TG paste for TIM application with my undervolt setting published throughout this thread,

 

[MyPC8MyBrain]

hmm...

as it turns out we can achieve the same CB23 LM TIM results without LM TIM application,
regular off the shelf Kryonaut same as previous run just allowed the system to cool down,

 

[win32asmguy]

5 minutes ago, MyPC8MyBrain said:

hmm...

as it turns out we can achieve the same CB23 LM TIM results without LM TIM application,
regular off the shelf Kryonaut same as previous result just allowed the system to cool down,

 

 

Sounds great! Thats in the top 5% of for short burst CPU performance for any laptop. Sounds like a winner, especially if the Sunon fans on yours do not make that creaking noise when they cycle on.

[ATAN]

15 minutes ago, MyPC8MyBrain said:

hmm...

as it turns out we can achieve the same CB23 LM TIM results without LM TIM application,
regular off the shelf Kryonaut same as previous result just allowed the system to cool down,

 

Are those with the stock pads? I've been eyeing some thermal grizzly minus pads and conductonaut but with your findings maybe just a $15 of kyronaut or maybe I'll try my big tube of nht1, which is sufficient for my 280mm aio (poorly) cooled 6900xt, would allow similar results for my laptop.

[MyPC8MyBrain]

10 minutes ago, ATAN said:

Are those with the stock pads?

yes!

[ATAN]

1 hour ago, MyPC8MyBrain said:

yes!

Thanks! 🙏🏼

[keks2k]

Just a quick recap:

 

1. Heatsink/cooling system has been replaced, now it's the Sunon variant - which to me are still audible while spinning up (I think that's what @win32asmguy is referring to with the "creaking" noise). To me it sounds a bit more silent but I guess that's also a matter of taste. I just don't care.. 😉

Result: core temp distribution changed. Max. delta of 20 became 12, but there's probably way more to those deltas than only the paste job (thinking of core quality/leakage/contact pressure), so I'm not too sure if that's a good or a bad thing. After all: minimal CB benefits.

 

2. Mainboard has been replaced now, too and results got better, reaching 21k first run in CB23 with the usual suspects of uv, ia/llc, PL1/2 tuning etc.. maybe I'll invest a little more time, but as it's settling to stable 19k even after 10 minutes, I'm now on the verge of "being okay with it". Guess that magic 20k barrier was crucial to my inner monk.

 

3. Turns out decreasing cache ratio to 32 actually improves performance -at least for CB23- by enabling voltage reduction by -100mV, which was not possible before. In fact, 32 seems to be a sweet spot, as higher and lower values reproducibly decrease CB results. Could be related to the integrated memory controller. Would be highly interested if some of you share these experiences?!

 

Questions:

- Has anyone of you seen a setup var for the cache ratio? Haven't seen anything obvious in the decompiled bios.
  Otherwise I'd have to figure out, how to set it from linux.
  Putting rock-stable values to bios vars would just be pretty convenient.

- Same question regarding offset voltages.. 🙂
 

Finally, as some others already pointed out (thanks for the nice rant @ATAN) : it's such a shame Dell didn't add proper cooling into that otherwise real beauty.. Thinking of one or two more heatsinks/-pipes and maybe another fan.

Why, Dell..?

[keks2k]

6 hours ago, MyPC8MyBrain said:

hmm...

as it turns out we can achieve the same CB23 LM TIM results without LM TIM application,
regular off the shelf Kryonaut same as previous run just allowed the system to cool down,

 

You really make me jealous.. but getting closer! 🤪
So you're repasting your machine on a regular base?

[keks2k]

Did you actually receive your machines with a recent bios version / did you see performance impacts during updates?

The first 7770 board came with 1.5.6, now I got 1.2.1. and wondering, if I should update, as going down from 1.5.6+ is blocked.

[brunooo84]

I made a clean windows install in the new nvme disk I installed, applied the TS changes and IA AC/DC LoadLine changes and ran the tests again, this time the results were much better than the results that I had when I received the unit, without applying any changes.

I also have the Cool power profile set.

 

Why is my Cache Ratio locked and the offset remains zero? I also noticed that I get slight better results if I uncheck the High Performance option...

 

 

I opened my unit just to install the new nvme drives and took some photos, I ordered a PTM7950 pad sheet that will arrive in the next days, then I'll apply it. I didn't want to remove the heat sink now as I didn't want to mess with the thermal paste/pad already applied while I wait for mine to arrive.

 

Can you guys tell by the photos if my unit has the "better" heatsink or not? Anyway, when I get the new pad sheet I will remove it to apply, run the tests again and post my results.

 

My unit also came with the latest BIOS installed.

 

Thanks!

[MyPC8MyBrain]

1 hour ago, keks2k said:

So you're repasting your machine on a regular base?

no I don't, I applied LM TIM (if scroll back you can see my posts and pics),
my unit is going back to Dell soon, in prep i removed my LM TIM and re-applied Kryonaut TIM,

  

47 minutes ago, brunooo84 said:

Can you guys tell by the photos if my unit has the "better" heatsink or not?

from your pics you appear to have the same part number my unit has,
my unit came from factory with the sunon fans installed,
 

[brunooo84]

I just restarted my machine, ran the tests again but this time without opening TS and the results are exactly the same... I must be doing something dumb and TS is not working at all or for some reason it doesn't make any difference to my machine?

 

I'm confused... 😒

[MyPC8MyBrain]

3 minutes ago, brunooo84 said:

I'm confused...

try reapplying Overclocking Unlock and CFG Unlock in bios,

[brunooo84]

5 minutes ago, MyPC8MyBrain said:

try reapplying Overclocking Unlock and CFG Unlock in bios,

sorry do you mean doing the setup_var thing? or something inside dell bios?

[MyPC8MyBrain]

2 minutes ago, brunooo84 said:

sorry do you mean doing the setup_var thing?

yes, reapply both entries mentioned above,

[brunooo84]

13 minutes ago, MyPC8MyBrain said:

yes, reapply both entries mentioned above,

just did that, the values were already set to 0x0, ran the tests again and same results, no difference... should my cache ration in FIVR be enabled? it's always disabled for me...

[MyPC8MyBrain]

27 minutes ago, brunooo84 said:

should my cache ration in FIVR be enabled?

you can scroll back and compare with my images,
i did not modify cache ratio i cant recall if the option is enabled or not,

[brunooo84]

I'm just confused about why TS doesn't make any difference for me... I will spend some time later today after work to try and figure out what's going on, then I'll post my findings here, if any 🙏

 

thanks!