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ASUS ROG Strix II Scar Laptop Normal Gaming Temperatures?

KhuloodF
Level 9
Hello everybody,

I am new to the world of gaming laptops and was wondering if you could help me out.

I bought the ROG Strix II Scar Laptop (GL704GW) about two weeks ago.

My current specs are:

i7-8750H CPU @ 2.20GHz (12 CPUs)

16 GB RAM

Windows 10 Home

NVIDIA GTX 2070


I have noticed when gaming (Overwatch on Ultra settings- which it defaults to in the NVIDA GeForce Center), CPU and GPU can easily hover to 85-90C (with the fans on Turbo).

When playing BF5, it can go to 94C (CPU, GPU Hovers around 85)

I have it on a cooling pad as well as a side vent fan, and it still hits those temps easily.

Less intensive games it holds around low 80's, high 70's which isn't bad at all.

Is this a common issue- and more importantly, are there fixes?

I heard underclocking the CPU can help. I tried using Intel XTU last night to underclock -.100 V but that caused the computer to crash mid-game in Overwatch.

Any help would be appreciated. I am also VERY noviced with computers so please don't be afraid to over explain.

Thanks!!!
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78 REPLIES 78

KhuloodF wrote:
So I wanted to give an update-

Running intel XTU with a -.095 undervolt and using GPU Tweak II from ASUS with a GPU Temp limit set at 77- I've seen my performance stay in the mid-to-high 70's consistently when gaming on Overwatch on High Settings and capped frame rate at 65-70 FPS. No stutters or any other issues.
If I leave frame rates uncapped, I can hit 120+ FPS easily (phew, good ol' 2070), but temp soars back into the high 80's (but still no stutters)

If I try to push to -0.1 V I get the BSOD, so I'm pretty sure that's the limit my computer can be undervolted (sucks).

While internet browsing/youtube I sit at low 50's and high 40's.

Between Intel XTU and Throttlestop, which is better (or more stable)?

I've noticed whenever I restart my computer, XTU resets and doesn't save my profile. Neither does the GPU Tweak II from Asus. I have to re-set both on launch. Also I've noticed that XTU bugs out when I try to launch the Armoury Crate.

If throttlestop is more stable I'd much prefer to use it to undervolt the CPU, CPU Cache, and GPU.


I bought a GL504 and ended up exchanging it for a GL704GW before eventually just returning it. No matter what I tweaked I couldn't get 144 fps on the built in display. If I plugged into an external display, the frames would instantly shoot up to where you would think they'd be for a 2070 running overwatch on Low. Basically I could get either 110 frames on ultra/epic and have high temps or get 120-160 on low settings with med-high temps. (Basically I could never get a stable 144 fps on the built in 144hz display, no matter how much I lowered/tweaked settings)

After multiple clean installs of windows, updating and rolling back drivers, undervolting slightly with XTU, and raising and lowering in game settings, I feel like it's either in dire need of a bios update, or Nvidia Optimus was causing weird issues (integrated graphics are what's directly connected to the display, so gpu has to go through Intel graphics before hitting the display.)
My rant is slightly off topic I know, but I just wanted to chime in with my experience since the only reason I joined the forum was to figure out if the weird ass performance curve was fixable/common

They did just release a new BIOS about a week ago, I updated to it and it does seem to help by a few degrees (but nothing extremely substantial).

I'm beyond the return window so I'm stuck. Gotta hope you guys could help me!

feastmode wrote:
I bought a GL504 and ended up exchanging it for a GL704GW before eventually just returning it. No matter what I tweaked I couldn't get 144 fps on the built in display. If I plugged into an external display, the frames would instantly shoot up to where you would think they'd be for a 2070 running overwatch on Low. Basically I could get either 110 frames on ultra/epic and have high temps or get 120-160 on low settings with med-high temps. (Basically I could never get a stable 144 fps on the built in 144hz display, no matter how much I lowered/tweaked settings)

After multiple clean installs of windows, updating and rolling back drivers, undervolting slightly with XTU, and raising and lowering in game settings, I feel like it's either in dire need of a bios update, or Nvidia Optimus was causing weird issues (integrated graphics are what's directly connected to the display, so gpu has to go through Intel graphics before hitting the display.)
My rant is slightly off topic I know, but I just wanted to chime in with my experience since the only reason I joined the forum was to figure out if the weird ass performance curve was fixable/common


If you wanted a 100% stable 144 FPS and the GPU is rendering higher the solution is V-sync, otherwise the FPS will always fluctuate depending on the load. RTX is real new in notebooks and it will take ROG & NVIDIA time to settle down the BIOS & drivers. I don't worry about the FPS unless it's obviously low which it never is with a 1070. Depending on the application or game I'll use the TDP down feature (Silent) to curb the performance. I still like F.E.A.R. equally no sense the GPU rendering 1K FPS.

Happier without the complication of Optimus, far preferring a manual option or just the NVIDIA GPU. As I said RTX in notebooks is very new and likely there will be a slew of BIOS and driver updates for all OEM's. I'll look at replacing this GL703GS when the 9th Gen CPU's are out and all the drivers etc settled down, performance is one thing, however stability is more important to me. For FPS I don't see RTX doing miracles, 10% - 20% over GTX depending on the application.

Q-6

IMHO ThrottleStop is the more stable, although it takes more setting up and a little harder to autostart. XTU can and does reset with no warning and it has interaction with BIOS that I don't want.

-0.95mV may be the limit of the CPU or ASUS may have just reduced the baseline voltages, given this is their second Gen Hex core notebooks. You can always try reducing the Turbo Ratios Limit on one of the ThrottleStop profiles (Gaming). Reducing all by a factor of 2 or more will have an impact. The higher the Turbo frequency the higher the power draw and associated temperatures, nor linear.

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Although an older game Metro Last Light Redux's benchmark still works out GPU's. I ran it with Turbo enabled & disabled getting basically the same results as not all titles need the full performance the 8750H can deliver.

GPU you can always try MSI Afterburner, personally I've never bothered as the GPU temps are good and the GL703GS has 3 fans which helps.

Q-6

KhuloodF wrote:


I've noticed whenever I restart my computer, XTU resets and doesn't save my profile. Neither does the GPU Tweak II from Asus. I have to re-set both on launch.



Do you tried to save the settings to your profile ? and you Are gonna to set those on launch.

In my experience, GPU Tweak II provides you to change more settings with it, like your GPU voltage and fan speed, even fps target (which idk what to do with it).

MSI afterburner is a good software, I use it to overclock my GPU, (when i wanna to play games). But it provides you only 2 option, which is GPU boost clock and memory clock. others is locked....

Afterburner also provides a good software, named kombustor. It's a gpu stresstest kind of thing ,u can test every settings you've done and choose which is smoother for better performance.

Oh ya, if I use throttlestop, do I need to enable speed shift or just disable it ? (asked this bcuz I saw so much ppl enables it but u din do that)

Is there any diffrence between enabling it or disable it? Because I can only undervolt my i7-8750H CPU (same with u) to -80mV with no BSOD. max -90mV and when I test it with TS BENCH 1024m I do get a BSOD.

And btw do u guys undervolt the "intel GPU" and "iGPU unslice" ? I DO undervolt it and idk what is it (I just follow the guide)

Wanna know also what is the range 125mV, 250mV, 1000mV means..

Please HELP!

Leave Speed Shift unchecked as Windows manages Speed Shift now. If you check it ThrottleStop (TS) and W10 will clash for control. Want more performance i.e. lower Speed Shift EPP setting, change the Windows power slider to Best Performance. You can see the change in TS FIVR window (righthand corner)
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"0" is max performance

If getting errors in TS Bench you need to increase the voltage, as it's sign of instability. I don't touch the iGPU as GL703Gs only uses the Nvidia dGPU, nor do I undervolt the dGPU as temps are good, even pulling max power at 125W. Should be plenty of guides on MSI Afterburner, just take it step at a time. 125mV, 250mV, 1000mV is us the voltage range for the VID voltage offset, as my notebook is set to -140mV I need to select the 250mV range. Do not increase the first slider Voltage, only reduce the second slider Offset Voltage for Core & Cache to a negative value.

One thing you need to be certain the system is stable on stock settings, if not you will run around circles and get nowhere fast, which will just be frustrating. If Intel XTU has been used to reduce CPU voltage you need to be certain all values have been set back to default as XTU writes to BIOS and can be persistent which presents a problem with ThrottleStop.

Q-6

Howdy!

So yesterday i found my uV limit and its -72 to still pass the TS bench without any errors.
Btw this is my third laptop in 4 months, 1st one being Xiaomi somethingsomething and i returned it becaus of overheating (im not over exaggerating, becous people at service were stunned by the temp.), then i took Alienware 17 r4 (badas.s. yeah!) well on this laptop, after just 4 days got his motherboard fried (ohh happy days)...now i have Scar II rtx, and to be honest i think this one is also going back. Reason is, really bad bad SSHD speed, below 100MB/s read, if i remember correctly it was around 60MB/s, next thing Wi-fi...omg wifi!!! the old laptop, that is still functional and i still have WoW installed works good no latecy, youtube runs super, utorrent crazy fast, on the new one blah so much latecy you wont belive also download speed is all over the place, from 50kb/s to 3MB/s if there is sun outside xD, and i did everything possible, from rolling back windows to uninstalling/reinstalling drivers, praying to the god damn gods of computing 😮 !!!
And the next thing, that bums me the most of all is the temperatures, yes i understand that this is gaming laptop and it runs hot and spikes can go to 100°c, but this is too much even after uV the average temp. is 86°c+ and also that would be great if the cpu clock wouldnt go to 2.9GHz.
So laptop for 2,1k and no way that it works out of the box as intended, so its going back and demand a new one.
What you guys/gals think?

ps.: this laptop dosent feel like 2100€ machine!
(No idea if this is for this tread, if you feel its not i will remove)

Best regards!

This is my results from AIDA after applying liquid metal + new thermal pads.
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Before and after, from this thread.

WITHOUT undervolting.

Alright so updates again, I think I'm happy with where I'm at for now.

BIOS 303
I used throttlestop to undervolt the CPU and CPU Cache by just under -100 mV.
I undervolted the intel GPU by -49 mV
Did not enable speed shift, left it at 128
Used GPU Tweak II to set GPU temp limit to 78.

Also am using a cooling pad propped at an angle under my laptop.

On High settings with Overwatch I can consistently run 120-ish FPS with mid-to-high 70s for hours.
If I cap the frame rate in Overwatch to 70-60ish, I can run temps in the low 70s and high 60s.
With more casual games, temps stay in mid-to-high 60s.
While browsing youtube, temps are in low 50's high 40s. Idling it sits in low 40's high 30's.

No stutter, no lag, and the computer is super zippy.

For me, a casual gamer, this is more than enough performance. I think I've found my happy spot. So long as I can stay away from being in the mid 80's for hours, I'm content 🙂

Will try testing with BF5 today and see what happens.