Applying Latest Bios Firmware to Alien 17 R3

Plugable sent me a free sample of this adapter in return for an unbiased review, then here is my review of the production.

My system is every bit follows.

Dell Alienware 17R3 laptop
– Intel Cadre i7-6820HK (upwardly to 4.1GHz)
– 32GB Dual Channel DDR4 2133Mhz
– Nvidia GeForce GTX 980M with 8GB GDDR5 memory
– 17.3 inch UHD (3840 x 2160) display
– 1TB PCIe SSD + 1TB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/due south HDD
– OS: Windows 10 Dwelling
External monitors
– Dell UP3216Q (32 inch 4k monitor)
– Dell P2715Q (27 inch 4k monitor)

Display adapter
– Plugable Thunderbolt iii Dual DisplayPort Output Display Adapter (this adapter)

Both Dell UP3216Q and Dell P2715Q are capable of displaying 4k@60Hz. P2715Q can also be daisy-chained.

Firstly, I’ll write nearly results, then write about software update.

UP3216Q tin can work at 4k@60Hz no matter how it is connected to this adapter. It can be connected alone to this adapter, connected in parallel with P2715Q, or daisy-chained backside P2715Q. In all cases, information technology works at 4k@60Hz.

P2715Q tin piece of work at 4k@60Hz when it is connected alone to this adapter or connected in parallel with UP3216Q, if MST (daisy-chain support) is turned off (the default is off). Note that information technology can work at only 4k@30Hz if MST is turned on, even if it is the only monitor connected to this adapter.
When MST is turned on and it is used as primary display, it can practise only 4k@30Hz. The lesser line is that you have to turn off MST if you lot desire to use this monitor at 4k@60Hz. I don’t know if it’s supposed to be like this or it is supposed to work at 4k@60Hz even if MST is on. But I don’t programme to daisy-chain monitors for at present, so I don’t care. I just wanted to try and see how it did.

To summarize information technology, both UP3216Q and P2715Q tin can work at 4k@60Hz at the same time when they are continued to this adapter individually (with MST turned off). Then, I think it’s safety to say that this adapter is uniform with Alienware 17R3.

For both monitors, I used Dell’due south Displayport (DP-mDP) cables that came with the monitors. I also tried gold-plated Displayport (DP-mDP) cables I bought from Amazon, but cables seemed to make no divergence. The adapter worked stably with whatsoever cables.

To make this adapter work, it is important to have updated software, namely, arrangement BIOS, Thunderbolt 3 Controller Commuter, Thunderbolt 3 NVM firmware, and graphics card drivers. I updated BIOS from i.2.3 to ane.2.15 and updated Thunderbolt 3 Controller Driver from 15.two.32.6 to sixteen.ane.47.2 before doing these experiments. Both tin can be downloaded from Dell support site.

In terms of graphics card drivers, my Intel Hard disk drive Graphics 530 commuter version was 20.19.15.4390 later on I installed the latest driver from Dell support site, and that wasn’t enough. I was getting BSOD (Bluish Screen Of Decease) with error message SYSTEM_THREAD_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED whenever screen timed out. Then, I updated the commuter to version 20.19.15.4463 by going to Device Manger and clicking Update Driver… button on the graphics card. Since I updated the driver, I haven’t had any problems. My Nvidia Geforce 980M driver version is 10.189.13.5940 which I download from Dell support site.

In terms of Thunderbolt 3 NVM firmware, Dell support site does non have updates. The current version is xiii according to Thunderbolt 3 Settings utility (please run across attached motion-picture show). I am aware that Plugable mentions on this page that firmware version 14 or college is required. But I guess that doesn’t apply for Alienware 17 R3. This adapter is working fine with NVM firmware version 13.

Overall, the adapter is working fine, and I’m happy about information technology.