Issues with new laptop Strix Scar 17 2023 (R9 7945HX, 4080)

[hexaae]

MY ISSUES WITH THIS G733PZ Strix Scar 17 2023 (R9 7945HX, 4080)

Love it but it has many annoying little issues (fully updated with Win Update and MyASUS official app, BIOS 311):

1. [COMMON] Speaker sounds randomly muted 'till I reboot with no error in Device Manager, no icons with X and no crashes, but speakers simply do not play audio anymore (headphones still work). Only solution a reboot. Totally random in normal desktop usage.

2. [COMMON] Sometimes randomly after 2 days of sleep and resume, USB-C DisplaPort won't detect anymore the attached (but turned off) monitor when I turn it on. Have to reinsert DisplayPort cable (8K high quality). To be exact it happens after Windows Hibernation. (SOLVED with BIOS 315 ✔️)

3. [MY UNIT] Loud coil whine with the test from GPU_Caps_Viewer: 3D Demos/Vulkan 2 Tessellation. Tested in real games or other 3D Demos and coil whine is minimal and acceptable though...

4. [COMMON] Random internal screen (desktop usage) fast-flickerings (0.1sec, very fast almost unnoticeable, mostrly in the upper portion of the screen)... looks like AMD iGPU unstable frequency (?). This seems a well known AMD iGPU issue reported in many forums with previous AMD CPU models. Waiting for AMD Adrenalin driver/BIOS updates hoping for a fix... 🤞🏻

5. [COMMON] No S3 Standby state in the BIOS!! Forced S0 only (a sort of MS hybrid standby 2.0) with fans quietly active (???). You can check it with powercfg /a from admin Cmd prompt. Microsoft calls it "Modern Standby", which is good only for office workstations, maybe. We need S3 (classic Standby) instead.

6. [COMMON] Standby set as: after 10 min screen off and after 45 min standby; when I return to the laptop after 1-2 hours I find the keyboard leds on and system freezed including stuck white mouse pointer over a black screen (!?). I've found a workaround from admin prompt simply forcing hibernate after 30 min and setting screen off and standby both after 10 min. It didn't happen anymore.

   Power settings commands (admin):
   powercfg /x  hibernate-timeout-ac 0  (default 0, AC is for PSU mode)
   powercfg /x  hibernate-timeout-dc 60 (default 60 min = 3600 sec, DC is for battery mode)
   powercfg HIBERNATE ON (force-enable Hibernation if not present)
   and
   powercfg /q (to show current idle settings)
   Microsoft link on how to disable Modern Standby, if you want to: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/iot-core/learn-about-hardware/wakeontouch
   Recommended: enable hibernate, something like 45mins AC and 20mins DC, you can keep Modern Standby set after 30 and 10mins. This will workaround unresponsive screen or keyboard after a long time if you rely solely on Modern Standby (probably drivers are still not good enough).
   
   
7. [COMMON] BSOD or other issues connecting an autopowered storage device to the rear USB-C ports. I tried 3 different external enclosures with different controller chipset (ViaLab USB\VID_2109&PID_0716, Realtek USB\VID_0BDA&PID_9210, ASMedia USB\VID_174C&PID_235C) with a 2TB disk inside. They all caused strange slowdowns just opening directories and random black screen or direct BSOD (ViaLab in particular). In other cases they just disconnect frequently (unstable). Same devices connected to the lateral USB-A ports or to another PC work perfectly. Probably BIOS issues still present with 315.
   NEWS: there's an (untested) hotfix for ASMedia USB ports on the official site in the download page!
   
   
8. [COMMON] RANDOM REBOOTS 🧨 MAJOR ISSUE, in particular while using the machine at desktop through APU/iGPU (especially watching simple YT videos), even after factory reset and no driver updates! Here was a video showing this severe issue: https://1drv.ms/v/s!ApMUGr0cuN39gsMCAwx9_wjnHscEXg?e=DJlN7i 
   👉🏻 NOTE: if you're using "NVidia GPU Only" mode (or Ultimate mode from Armoury Crate) you won't be using the APU at all, so this issue should not be reproducible... Some users reported random reboots also in Ultimate GPU mode (= not using iGPU/APU)!
   👉🏻 NOTE2: users reported that completely uninstalling Armoury Crate (good free replacements tools are Laptop ToolBox or G-Helper) + BIOS 327, solved all their random reboots. Please test and confirm!
   👉🏻 NOTE3: some users reported changing RAM modules fixed instability. Recommended: Kingston Fury KF556S40IBK2 running at 5200MT/s on this laptop.
   
   
   It's a powerful machine and many things are good but is also affected by a lot of bugs... hope they are just BIOS or driver issues and will be fixed one day 😞

✍🏻 IMPORTANT: to report issues with Armoury Crate to ASUS support, follow this post (create the log and fill out the form!): https://rog-forum.asus.com/t5/armoury-crate/armoury-crate-v5-7-6-0-amp-v5-7-9-0-aura-creator-v3-7-6-...

[Lmnsour]

Hmm...  I'm honestly on the fence between intel and AMD.  TBH, I'm a little upset with the "Mobile" CPUs offered.  A 16/24 core "mobile" CPU is cool but I'd rather have a high clocking 8 core.  

While I see your point, I tend to be patient.  If I'm buying a $3000 laptop, I'm in it for the long haul so I'm not too concerned with AMD's plat from issues.  Yet.  What I do like about AMD is that it's cheaper, faster (in 1440p+) and I feel the curve optimizer really gives AMD an extra advantage over Intel.  

Now, if Intel can disable cores, I might get the Strix 18, disable 12 of the e-cores, and even experiment with gaming on 6 p-cores + 4 e-cores...  For mobile use, I'm curious how far I can push the battery on 2 p-cores and 4 e-cores 🤔

[compguru910]

The difference in gaming performance at 1440p is so miniscule I wouldn't even consider it. Obviously do what you feel most comfortable with. Just know as I type this, I'm dealing with keyboard disconnects that are rather annoying because I have it plugged in as a desktop 😂

There are just a lot of trade offs. I wouldn't do it again. 

[Lmnsour]

Sure, gaming performance across the board is going to be very close but factoring in a $300+ diff bt the scar 17 (AMD) and 18 (Intel), it's hard to ignore.

[compguru910]

Less than 10% increase in price for a dramatically more stable/rounded machine. 

And comparing the 4080 models, the Intel one is cheaper from what I can find. Best buy has it at $2500. Scar 17 I can only find at 2899.

But you do you booboo. I simply can't emphasize enough just how bad this laptop is. The USB disconnects are probably the most rage inducing. Can't use my external SSD to work off of anymore, can't use my VR with this thing. Its simply a terrible product.

[hexaae]

In Italy G733PZ (4080) is ~2550€, G18 with 4090 is ~3500€. Obviously 8-10fps more are not worth +1000€ and you can boost ram on Scar 17 to 5200MHz modules

[gubsilog]

Great Thread. Got the G17 7945HX but the 4060 version. All of the problems described here occurs to me as well, Freezing, Flickering, Black screen on stand by/sleep etc. This is my first AMD based laptop and I hope will not be the last, given the problems I am stilll facing. Monitoring the "memory integrity off " settings if the laptop will be more stable. Updated to the latest bios 316 but stability is still a concern specially during first boot up of the day.

[bmhq]

ASUS G733 CX

to eliminate any sizzling or boiling sounds proceed as follows.

1.Open CMD and run as administrator this command.

2.download and install throttlestop 9.5 and configure it like this.

3.

Here’s how to do it in Registry Editor.

1. Open Run dialog box by pressing Start + R.
2. Type regedit into the text box and hit Enter.
3. Click Yes in the User Account Control window.
4. Expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, SYSTEM, CurrentControlSet, and Control in order.
5. Right click on the Power folder.
6. Choose New from the context menu and select Key from submenu.
7. Name the new key as PowerThrottling and hit Enter.
8. Right click on PowerThrottling.
9. Choose New from the context menu and select DWORD (32-bit) Value from submenu.
10. Name it as PowerThrottlingOff and hit Enter.
11. Double click on PowerThrottlingOff to edit.
12. Change the Value data from 0 to 1 and click OK.

restart the laptop and start throttle stop.

When it is restarted,put it to sleep,and then within 5 seconds ,awake it again.

the sizzling boiling noise should be gone.

[hexaae]

@bmhq  ha scritto:

ASUS G733 CX

G733PZ is a different PC, AMD based with an AMD cpu so ThrottleStop for example won't work.

[hexaae]

Improvements with BIOS 316?

[bmhq]

No, I m afraid not.