BigMackCam
Member
I have a small issue with my brand new Optimux IX 17.3" laptop. I'm not sure if it's actually a "problem" as such, or a quirk of the system, but it's a little unsettling. I'll be calling PC Specialist tomorrow to find out, but wanted to ask here first before I do.
The issue is this:
When I power on the machine, the screen gently flickers (most noticeable around the edges of the panel) for about 15 - 20 seconds, then the flickering stops. This is most noticeable if I go into BIOS at boot up (perhaps due to the white background), but it's also noticeable if I bring the PC out of sleep mode into the Windows 10 login screen. Interestingly, as soon as the operating system (and/or Clevo's control software) changes brightness to my preset level at the login screen, the flickering appears to stop immediately (even if I subsequently turn the brightness up to full). But if I've booted straight into the BIOS settings, it takes a little while to settle down. As I say, maybe 15 - 20 seconds. After that, for as long as I use the machine, the display is absolutely stable... and, I must say, beautiful... I've never had a 144Hz refresh screen before, and the panel in the Optimus IX is especially nice compared to what I've been used to on my now 5+ years old HP ENVY 17.
It's clearly not a driver issue, as this gentle, temporary flickering happens if I boot into BIOS. Nor do I believe it's temperature related, as it even happens if I've been using the PC for a few hours, enter sleep mode, then bring it back after a break of only 15 minutes or so - and I don't think that's long enough for components to cool down significantly. In any case, I'm using the machine indoors in an environment between 20 - 22 degrees celsius, which is hardly cold. The fact that the flickering stops immediately the operating system (or, more accurately, Clevo software) adjusts my brightness to the last setting used makes me think there is no hardware problem, but instead perhaps something to do with the interaction between computer, GPUs, screen, operating system and Clevo software. Perhaps not a problem at all, but an oddity of the way everything hangs together via Clevo's software (and I'll be honest, I do think the dependency on that software is ODD in the extreme compared to what I've been used to in the past). But then, why does it happen if I boot into the BIOS, and stop after a short time? Maybe it *is* hardware related, and possibly a fault?
In case it should matter in relation to the above, my Optimus IX has the 17.3" 144Hz 72% NTSC display, built-in Intel HD 630 and discrete GTX 1050 Ti graphics, 16GB 2666MHz RAM, Intel M.2 760p 512GB SSD and Seagate FireCuda 2TB SSHD. I'm running full retail Windows 10 Home, and have installed every basic and optional driver on the supplied Clevo CD. In general, everything is running perfectly, including the Clevo Control Center which shows what I believe are perfectly acceptable values in each area of monitoring.
I have not yet tried connecting the laptop to an external screen to see if the same issue occurs on that, but will do so in the next day or two when possible.
As I said, I'll contact PC Specialist tomorrow about this. If it's normal with this model and/or specific configuration and not likely to get worse in time, I guess I can live with it - though I don't think it's ideal or particularly confidence-inspiring, and it's certainly quite off-putting - especially when bringing the PC back from sleep mode. But if it's demonstrative of a potential problem with the screen panel and/or other hardware, I'd rather get it fixed under warranty now before I start to use the machine in anger.
Overall, I have to say I really like the Optimus IX. This is the first Clevo-based machine I've owned, and if I'd known how proprietary their architecture and essential software was, I'm not sure I'd have bought it. But I did, and minor problems aside, I really like it. Seems like a very good quality machine for the price, and my-oh-my it's fast!!!!
Thanks in advance for any help, advice or other input
The issue is this:
When I power on the machine, the screen gently flickers (most noticeable around the edges of the panel) for about 15 - 20 seconds, then the flickering stops. This is most noticeable if I go into BIOS at boot up (perhaps due to the white background), but it's also noticeable if I bring the PC out of sleep mode into the Windows 10 login screen. Interestingly, as soon as the operating system (and/or Clevo's control software) changes brightness to my preset level at the login screen, the flickering appears to stop immediately (even if I subsequently turn the brightness up to full). But if I've booted straight into the BIOS settings, it takes a little while to settle down. As I say, maybe 15 - 20 seconds. After that, for as long as I use the machine, the display is absolutely stable... and, I must say, beautiful... I've never had a 144Hz refresh screen before, and the panel in the Optimus IX is especially nice compared to what I've been used to on my now 5+ years old HP ENVY 17.
It's clearly not a driver issue, as this gentle, temporary flickering happens if I boot into BIOS. Nor do I believe it's temperature related, as it even happens if I've been using the PC for a few hours, enter sleep mode, then bring it back after a break of only 15 minutes or so - and I don't think that's long enough for components to cool down significantly. In any case, I'm using the machine indoors in an environment between 20 - 22 degrees celsius, which is hardly cold. The fact that the flickering stops immediately the operating system (or, more accurately, Clevo software) adjusts my brightness to the last setting used makes me think there is no hardware problem, but instead perhaps something to do with the interaction between computer, GPUs, screen, operating system and Clevo software. Perhaps not a problem at all, but an oddity of the way everything hangs together via Clevo's software (and I'll be honest, I do think the dependency on that software is ODD in the extreme compared to what I've been used to in the past). But then, why does it happen if I boot into the BIOS, and stop after a short time? Maybe it *is* hardware related, and possibly a fault?
In case it should matter in relation to the above, my Optimus IX has the 17.3" 144Hz 72% NTSC display, built-in Intel HD 630 and discrete GTX 1050 Ti graphics, 16GB 2666MHz RAM, Intel M.2 760p 512GB SSD and Seagate FireCuda 2TB SSHD. I'm running full retail Windows 10 Home, and have installed every basic and optional driver on the supplied Clevo CD. In general, everything is running perfectly, including the Clevo Control Center which shows what I believe are perfectly acceptable values in each area of monitoring.
I have not yet tried connecting the laptop to an external screen to see if the same issue occurs on that, but will do so in the next day or two when possible.
As I said, I'll contact PC Specialist tomorrow about this. If it's normal with this model and/or specific configuration and not likely to get worse in time, I guess I can live with it - though I don't think it's ideal or particularly confidence-inspiring, and it's certainly quite off-putting - especially when bringing the PC back from sleep mode. But if it's demonstrative of a potential problem with the screen panel and/or other hardware, I'd rather get it fixed under warranty now before I start to use the machine in anger.
Overall, I have to say I really like the Optimus IX. This is the first Clevo-based machine I've owned, and if I'd known how proprietary their architecture and essential software was, I'm not sure I'd have bought it. But I did, and minor problems aside, I really like it. Seems like a very good quality machine for the price, and my-oh-my it's fast!!!!
Thanks in advance for any help, advice or other input
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