Alienware M14x Overheating.

[Tomson qin]

My M14x gets insanely hot even on idle. The noise is so loud that i am ashamed to bring it to class because the fans go nuts even when im just taking notes.

My friends playing a game on an i5 laptop has virtually no fan noise and the temp was just a bit higher than 30C i'd say. Me playing the same game made the fan so loud i couldn't hear the background music. Also, I can't put my hand on the back of the computer for more than half a second due to the high temperatures which i estimate to be at least 70C, note this is a small flash game in the browsers.

Are there ways i could configure my laptop to produce less heat by compromising on graphics and performance? The computer really shouldn't be hitting such high temperatures and producing such big fan noise on idle. Maybe i can lower everything when im just taking notes in class so that the fans don't take over the class. Even as i am writing this message, my fans can be heard from the bedroom located 5-10 meters away.

Im also thinking about buying some thermal gel and pressurized air. But where should thermal gel be applied and wouldn't pressurized air just push the dust further into the computer?

This topic has probably been done to death, but i don't think i've read an article on the M14x having an idle temp and fan noise as irritating as mine.

Thank you in advance to anyone who's willing to help

 

[jaguarskx]

It sounds like the thermal paste has gone bad (dried up) and it needs to be replaced. You can get the service manual from the following website which should show you how to open up the laptop and remove the heatsink. You need to clean the old thermal paste from the heatsink and anything else it is on like the CPU and GPU with rubbing alcohol (at least 70%, higher is better).

http/www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/product-support/product/alienware-m14x/manuals

You can get the M14xR2 service manual from the following site in case you have the updated version of the laptop.

http/www.alienowners.com/showthread.php/1735-Alienware-M14x-R2-Official-Dell-Service-Manual-**MUST-READ**


Here's an instructional video:

https/www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKuZYMHbp9Y

 

[jemurphy]

I had been experiencing the same problem and it had been getting worse over the past couple of months. I installed HWiNFO64 to monitor the core temperatures. They were running in the mid 60s when the computer was idling. Went up to 70s when doing simple browsing causing the fan to run constantly at top speed. Gaming was impossible. Guild Wars 2 ran at 5fps on the lowest graphic setting. Turned out it was just dust. Took the bottom panel off and went over the inside gently with a hoover using the attachment you'd use to clean blinds (not the best way to clean it from a technical point of view probably, but it works), There was no major dust visible but it must have been the issue as temperatures are now 45-50 when idle and fan is off unless I do some gaming. GW2 now running at 50fps on medium graphics setting.