Dell releases new firmware for notebooks with throttling issue

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Shane McGlaun10 December 2009, 7:00 AM

Some users say the firmware update doesn't fix the issue.


Many owners of Dell computers have been complaining that their machines are experiencing poor performance resulting from automatic throttling of the CPU under certain conditions. Affected machines include the Studio 16 XPS, Alienware M15X, Latitude E6400, and the E6500 notebooks. The CPU throttling is reported to occur when the CPU is under heavy use such as when watching videos and playing games.



Considering the Alienware machine is a pure gaming notebook and the others are sure to be used for multimedia duties at some point, this is a big problem. Dell has reportedly released a new firmware for these affected computers that will reduce the throttling under load.

The machines all have algorithms that kick in to turn the throttle down when the CPUs are getting too hot. While a new firmware is good news for owners, some users are reporting that the issue is not fixed by the firmware and throttling still occurs. Apparently, the real cause of the issue is still unknown. Perhaps the machines that are have poorly designed cooling systems. I can’t help but wonder if this is leading up to a massive recall of machines by Dell.


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Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

The market wants, the market gets, not just Dell's in this catagory, there are a plethora of poorly balanced notebooks about. The numbers chasers can be expected to understand that good design requires balanced compromise. Jamming a CPU into a form factor that can never deliver adequate cooling may add a purchase tick point but id does nothing to achieve real world performance, despite the ability to pip the odd benchmark.

Cheap, Fast, & Good - pick any two.

If its cheap and fast it wont be good. If its cheap and good it wont be fast. If its fast and good it wont be cheap.

Applies equally to cars, computers and any manufactured goods.


10 December 2009, 9:25 AM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Tin (Regular user):

Quoting Raindog:
Cheap, Fast, & Good - pick any two.
Applies equally to cars, computers and any manufactured goods.


Not sure it applies so directly to goods that aren't meant to move, or are meant to move slowly... Soaker hoses for example ;-)

10 December 2009, 10:03 AM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting Tin:
Not sure it applies so directly to goods that aren't meant to

Oh it applies........... even if liable for arguement from the readership of Australian Soaker Hose website.

What exactly would you do with a soaker hose in Dubbo anyway? Sell it on e-bay??


10 December 2009, 10:08 AM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

K (Cornerstone member):

I think it was Keith Bontrager who said "Strong, light, cheap - pick two" when referring to bicycles.

Anyway back to the topic... last time I looked, Alienware certainly didn't fall into the 'cheap' category, so I'd be disappointed if I forked out the cash on a machine that didn't run full speed all the time. One doesn't buy Alienware for battery life and cool running!

10 December 2009, 11:43 AM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting K:
think it was Keith Bontrager who

Yeah who?


Quoting K:
so I'd be disappointed if I forked out the cash on a machine that didn't run full speed all the time.

Is all the time what was promised? None the less I can see the dissapointment. Just be mindfull that unrealist consumer demand is what creates these compromises.


Quoting K:
One doesn't buy Alienware for battery life and cool running!

I don't know, if ever I was driven to buy anything with Alien in it's brand name I'd think it was time for a Bex and a good lie down. The prices may be up their but the physics are the same no matter the price bracket. Fast plus Good will require substantial cooling (not easy is a slim box) from any currently available technology.


10 December 2009, 12:21 PM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

K (Cornerstone member):

Quoting Raindog:
Is all the time what was promised?


I'm not a gamer, so I can only assume that gamers demand "full speed ahead" all the time so they don't drop frame rates. I have no idea who else would buy these things apart from gamers with too much money. Not my cup of tea.

Quoting Raindog:
Fast plus Good will require substantial cooling (not easy is a slim box) from any currently available technology.


I never understood the concept of gargantuan performance laptops. A graphic designer friend of mine carries around her iMac in a shoulder bag!

10 December 2009, 12:41 PM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting K:
I have no idea who else would buy these things apart from gamers with too much money. Not my cup of tea.

I'd concur


Quoting K:
I never understood the concept of gargantuan performance laptops.

Ditto! But despite this it appears to be a substantial market. I've never understood (ahem) performance versions of asian hatchbacks either. But despite my thinking a strong market for such oddities exists.


Quoting K:
A graphic designer friend of mine carries around her iMac in a shoulder bag!

A USB key performs many of the tasks i once lugged a notebook around for. If the iMac does the job and is easy to relocate it's the right tool for the job.

There is no point offering advice during the blinkered purchase phase, despite knowing that a lot of that shiny tech will prove way too impractical for its intended use. All those 19" Notebooks, all those portable injets that seemed like such a good idea at the time, are destined for a quite and seldom used corner of the office. :)



10 December 2009, 12:54 PM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

todd_h86 (User):

Quoting K:
I never understood the concept of gargantuan performance laptops


Then you do not know the meaning of FREEDOM! (for 1.4 hours at time) lol

10 December 2009, 1:25 PM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting todd_h86:
Then you do not know the meaning of FREEDOM

Isn't that carpet shampoo in a can?



Quoting todd_h86:
for 1.4 hours at time

at least while those lithium polymers are new. certainly isn't freedom from lugging a chunky power brick.


10 December 2009, 1:37 PM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

K (Cornerstone member):

Quoting todd_h86:
Then you do not know the meaning of FREEDOM!


Freedom from $6500, and/or leg hair / thigh skin

10 December 2009, 2:36 PM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

todd_h86 (User):

Quoting K:
Freedom from $6500, and/or leg hair / thigh skin


How much would you shave on razors and shaving cream? Think outside the box K!!

10 December 2009, 4:33 PM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

unclewebb (New user):

MaxCore2 is a simple light weight utility that should be able to get your Dell laptops with Core 2 CPUs running at full speed.

Go here to read more about it and to download it.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?p=4147775#post4147775

11 December 2009, 5:42 AM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend reply

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