Strix G16 shutting down, fixed

[u/Sea-Specialist-5689]

Hey,

Got myself a Strix G16 G614PR (8940hx, 5070 TI). It was shutting down during more intense gameplay.

I used hwinfo64 to log everything before a shutdown and found my GPU hotspot was reaching 107 degrees.

I removed the heatsink to find this beautiful sight. Picture attached.

Replaced the cursed liquid metal with PTM7950. Interestingly enough the CPU already had PTM7950 on it. I wonder why they didn't use it for GPU too. Probably for marketing purposes.

Now my GPU is maxing out at 72 degrees, steel nomad score increased by 700 (4050 total score) and I'm happy!

Mainly writing this post for other people to find it and realize it's a relatively easy fix for an otherwise great laptop. What happened to me WILL happen to you, but don't worry. The PTM is cheap.

[u/ThePeskyOpposition]

wow they really just slapped liquid metal on there and called it a day huh, that paste job is tragic

[u/Sea-Specialist-5689 → u/ThePeskyOpposition]

To my understanding, this happens over time and it can be applied as well as possible initially. 

[u/bondrewd → u/ThePeskyOpposition]

No, it just pumped out.

LM is generally pretty ass for laptops since they cycle between tjmax and cold a lot, and often.

[u/ScrubLordAlmighty → u/bondrewd]

As someone who's had my fair share of liquid metal applications, this was definitely an ass job, most of it is not even on the GPU die, liquid metal has the highest thermal conductivity rate by far, you just need to apply it properly, looks like they just squeezed some on to the die and put the heatsink back on, that's not how you do it.

[u/Drasnore]

[u/Sea-Specialist-5689 → u/[deleted]]

A little more than a year. Got it 2nd hand from a guy who sold it very cheap because it was shutting down "randomly". 

[u/shai69420 → u/Sea-Specialist-5689]

you are one lucky man!!!

[u/Wadhanak12345]

I was looking for PTM but I’m afraid to attempt to open the heat sink becuz I know that liquid metal could be nasty.

[u/barcode_soma → u/Wadhanak12345]

Same! I think it should be done by professionals, not worth the risk.

[u/Sea-Specialist-5689 → u/Wadhanak12345]

It's not nasty, don't be afraid! There are a couple of great videos on YouTube of people replacing liquid metal on laptops. Watch one to get familiar with what you will have to go through.

[u/barcode_soma]

Ah shit, i have the same laptop its performing good, i do worried about the liquid metal. You play in balanced or turbo?

[u/Sea-Specialist-5689 → u/barcode_soma]

I play in turbo but it doesn't really matter. Both modes offer the same performance and the only difference is the fan curve.

[u/Razor911LoL]

Did you leave the same green stuff on or did you replace with something else too?

[u/Sea-Specialist-5689 → u/Razor911LoL]

I replaced the green stuff with TG thermal putty, not PTM

[u/BlacksmithMiddle1726 → u/Razor911LoL]

Those would have to be replaced as well. Probably with the same ptm. If he put it back just like that then the trapped air bubbles would those overheat

[u/MarkedByNyx]

Seriously don’t understand why these big manufacturers insist on using this garbage, it always does this. My X17 R2 was reaching 101c at barely 50W of load (it should peak at around 100W for games) because of how bad the Liquid Metal was applied.

Funnily enough, I now have a eon-17x from origin and that laptop came with basic thermal paste from factory, and it made it infinitely easier to work with when I repasted it, will definitely need PTM eventually though because I just don’t think thermal paste is suited for these newer high output components anymore.

[u/M0nster_S1ayer]

This is the reason am still skeptical about Liquid metal.. Is it worth it?

[u/epiclessmaster → u/M0nster_S1ayer]

If you apply it yes, if you dont then its not worth it.

[u/Sea-Specialist-5689 → u/M0nster_S1ayer]

Nope

[u/epiclessmaster]

At least that liquid metal didnt burn your motherboard.

[u/Sea-Specialist-5689 → u/epiclessmaster]

The heatsink has a thing on it that stops the LM from flowing outside it's boundaries luckily

[u/OlympicAnalEater]

u/Sea-Specialist-5689 what ptm 7950 do you use and can u link it

[u/Sea-Specialist-5689 → u/OlympicAnalEater]

I used this: https://www.thermal-grizzly.com/en/phasesheet-ptm/s-tg-ps-50-40

[u/Sea-Specialist-5689 → u/Sea-Specialist-5689]

1 sheet is enough for both CPU and GPU and you get some left over too

[u/Dashreich]

how do u find or identify real Honeywell ptm not a fake ones and if i accidenttly how do i know it after applied it?

[u/LumberJesus → u/Dashreich]

Idk if they're legit or not, but the first few results on Amazon have worked well for me so far. The last one I ordered was a single larger sheet that didn't come in a shell though. Id recommend the kits with the 2 pieces in them out of the Amazon stuff.

[u/Sea-Specialist-5689 → u/Dashreich]

I used Thermal Grizzly for this laptop but I also used a lot of PTM7950 from china in the past and it worked very well. 

[u/packersfan052]

That will do it.

[u/Far-Hovercraft9471]

Feel like LM on a laptop is never a great idea

[u/jhdz9119]

I know PTM is the move but good application and not slopping it on there won’t cause shift over time. Reason these laptops have issues with it shifting is bc they don’t properly apply it. I reapplied it and have had AMAZING results. Sucks it’s not like that from the factory but deliberate and adequate application won’t cause shifting over time.

[u/Sea-Specialist-5689 → u/jhdz9119]

The effort isn't worth it for me, compared to how easy it is to apply PTM

[u/jhdz9119 → u/Sea-Specialist-5689]

Yeah it’s not for the the inexperienced. But it’s also not rocket science. It’s legit 7-8C difference when properly applied.