Monual

Are you using BIOS or a utility to overclock? Speaking for myself, I prefer using a utility like EVGA Precision X. You can increase/decrease the frequency on the fly and watch the real-time effects it has on your temperature.

This may seem stupid, but it worked for me in a similar situation: Try putting some distance between your laptop and the cooling pad. I had some of those things you use keep furniture from scratching your floor. (Like these: Amazon.com: Norge Felt Pads Assortment 37-Pack: Home Improvement ) I stacked a few together and put them underneath my laptop, creating a two-inch gap. Now the air moved and the cooling was better. Downside is that the laptop may feel wobbly until the pads "settle down" as it were. For me it took about a day until it felt solid. Give it a try, anyway, it's a $5 investment to try and save all the money you spend on the pad.

Richard Lawson. I've been building my own computers for twenty years. No, really. I actually said these words out loud: "Who could even fill a 40MB hard drive with data?" (Note the MB - Not GB, not TB, but MB.) I thought auto-justified paragraphs were the greatest thing since sliced bread. Yes, I'm old. However, I got an Alienware laptop so I could lug it into the living room and play my games while keeping my wife company. That didn't keep me from ripping it open the day I got it and sticking in two SSD drives I had lying around. No matter what you give me, I'll tinker with it and never be completely satisfied. I think these forums will be right up my alley. =)

An interesting thing happened to me. Just got my Alienware M18x. Ordered a GTX 675. It came with a GTX 680. I'm guessing they didn't have any more 675's so I'm not complaining. Bad news: I ordered 1866 memory. Big mistake. The Alienware BIOS only allows memory to run at 1333. It won't let you "overclock" to 1800 even if that's the speed at which the memory is rated. Trying to work around that.

We're Not Going To Take It - Twisted Sister -yes I'm that old --get off my lawn