I’ve recently received my Laptop 16 with the AMD graphics module.
Unfortunately, the graphics module creates so much high-pitched noise that it is unusable. Framework support has been very supportive and responsive and is shipping a replacement graphics module. However, that will take some time (since I temporarily live in another country).
So, my question is simple enough but I couldn’t find the answer in the forums:
I did not buy any expansion shell cover or something like that. Can I simply disconnect and remove my graphics module and use the laptop like that? Or do I need to have “something else” instead of the graphics module?
The integrated GPU should be more than good enough for my work, and I can live without gaming for some time
(Btw, I tried disabling the GPU using supergfxctl, it says it worked but the noise is still there when the laptop is working hard).
Is it from the fan noise, or is it coil whine from when the GPU is under load?
For fan noise, you can cover some of the innermost vents on the GPU (leave some for airflow) and it can help to alleviate some of the high pitched noise from the fan.
Unfortunately (in this case), the expansion bay module contains part of the cooling system. You do need one or the other module installed to use your laptop.
I am no hardware dude, but using HardInfo system profiler it seems that the sound exactly follows the fan (assuming there is a ~2-3 seconds delay before the fan RPM is updated in the system profiler).
So, misaligned fans are my theory.
I planned to buy an expansion shell as well, but I forgot it when ordering… shame, otherwise I could’ve used the otherwise great laptop! Looking forward to my replacement module!
You could try removing then reinstalling the fans themselves on the gpu module.
When I first got mine, I found a bit of misaligned foam backing that actually contacted my fanblades, so whenever the fan ran it would make noise. I was inside the fan casing through, only after disassembling the whole module and fan cover did it become obvious what the issue was.
If you’re lucky (unlucky?) that could be a similar issue, which was easily resolvable.
Overtemperature protection should be good enough that you don’t need to cap the TDP, the greater question is if the BIOS will boot without the module installed.
Currently my laptop is more or less dead - right now it will not boot, and sometimes it hangs when I’m in the BIOS (and the screen shows vertical stripes), sometimes it hangs when in Ubuntu, and once the keyboard stopped working (in Ubuntu).
But then sometimes it is stable for hours. So I guess I will just have to leave it until my new graphics module arrives, and hope that that makes it stable. I will also order an expansion bay shell, so that I can use it without graphics module.
Otherwise this promising $3500 brick is heading for a refund - sofar extremely disappointing
If that is the case you should do everything you can to reduce power draw, best is to do this in bios. but their should exist ways to do this in software.
Not extremely, I would say, but the fans do tend to start when it hangs.
Right now I don’t even get into the BIOS - I don’t even get the framework logo on the screen. It is just non-reactive for a while. After a few minutes the fan starts spinning, but still no BIOS/post.
I really hope this is due to a faulty graphics module… !
Worth a try But no, didn’t work, no signal to the external displays either
I did disable fast boot and one other option related to showing text in BIOS, earlier when the BIOS worked, to try to get some more information (this was when trying to boot NIX-OS, which didn’t work, probably due to secure-boot-requirements). Don’t know if that is relevant tho.
