Ongoing maintenance & general tips (Recoil)

[AndreasM]

Hi all, long time PCS customer here who has had a couple desktops over the last 10+ years. I've recently made the jump into laptops as I am now on the move quite a bit with work which means having something portable to game on has become a primary factor for me.

I'm well accustomed to desktops and their constituent parts, having even built a couple myself. However I have only ever used small notebooks for work in the past and never had my own personal high-end laptop. I'm an avid believer in being proactive with care and maintenance, having had only a few minor problems over the years and I would like to carry that level of care through to my laptop when it arrives. I've seen a number of harrowing reviews/horror stories online regarding PCS custom laptops but I have full faith in the company so decided to crack on with my purchase.

I was hoping people here who have used PCS laptops might be able to provide some general tips/pointers and common pitfalls to avoid when caring for a custom built machine.

Any guidance would be appreciated and do just let me know if there is already something existing in the forum (I tried searching for existing guides but everything here is pretty niche/focused on specific tech problems that I can see).

Some general queries below to help guide the sort of assistance I'm after:
-How often should my machine be cleaned? Any recommendations on the right equipment for cleaning?
-How often should the GPU/CPU be repasted?
-Will the PCS external liquid cooler require ongoing maintenance or change of fluid?
-What are common indicators of something wrong with a high-end laptop (e.g. fans extremely loud, overheating... anything else)?
-What have you found keeps your PCS in best condition?
-Tips to keep screen in good condition / avoid any peeling or damage
-Anything else you think may be useful

Specs below. Please do let me know if you need to know anything else:

Chassis & Display
Recoil Series: 16" Matte QHD 240Hz sRGB 100% LED Widescreen (2560x1600)
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Core™ i9 24 Core Processor 13900HX (5.4GHz Turbo)
Memory (RAM)
32GB Corsair 4800MHz SODIMM DDR5 (2 x 16GB)
Graphics Card
NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 4080 - 12.0GB GDDR6 Video RAM - DirectX® 12.1
Liquid Series® Laptop Cooling
PCS Liquid Series® Laptop Cooler
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB CORSAIR FORCE MP600 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD (up to 4950 MB/R, 4000 MB/W)
1st M.2 SSD Drive
1TB CORSAIR FORCE MP600 NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD (up to 4950 MB/R, 4000 MB/W)

Andreas

 

[SpyderTracks]

This is a new area for me, the new Recoils have liquid metal paste which I've got no experience with in how long it lasts compared to normal thermal paste.

I think it needs replacing more often, we'd normally say about once a year to repaste a laptop with thermal paste.

Thing to bear in mind with liquid metal is that it's conductive, so you have to be very careful when applying it so that it doesn't leak out and hit any CPU pins or motherboard traces as it could create a short. It's a different way of application, it's quite a globby liquid, and has to be spread thinly and evenly over the CPU.

I'm sure others will be able to give more accurate expectations.

At that same time, you'd need to generally clear the heatsinks and fans of any dust. You can get anti static brushes for this, iFixit generally do really good tools for this sort of thing and have a little hand blower also. Thing with laptops is they're a little more sensitive than a desktop, so a can of compressed air would be fine but they can get expensive

Cleaning Tools | iFixit

Clean parts are vital to a functioning and healthy device. Keep your tool bag stocked with essential maintenance, brushing, and precision cleaning tools like computer dusters, contact cleaners, and LCD screen cleaners.

store.ifixit.co.uk

Regarding the watercooler, I've sent you a PM with a video which goes quite in depth into it's workings.

Thermals are generally the killer in a laptop, so long as you do regular maintenance, and keep thermals manageable, you shouldn't have any issues. I'm still using a PCS laptop I bought in 2014 daily, and it's been on various planes, trains and automobiles during that time. Never had an issue.

Screen is something you need to figure out what's best for you, there are so many options out there, it's quite challenging finding the right product.

The iFixit screensaver has good reviews: https://www.ifixit.com/products/ifixit-screen-saver

I honestly rarely clean mine as I'm a bit skanky, shouldn't admit that but it's true, but I rarely ever touch the screen to reduce marks, and just give it a dusting once in a while.

I have tried alcoholic wipes, they're generally best to avoid IMO, often leave smearing.

One that we use at work is this, which again has excellent reviews, and comes with a micro fiber cloth (which is the best thing to avoid scratches): https://www.overclockers.co.uk/it-d...DW_POvHEgfigtWDwEIdDwwlWQ0mrsAtxoCjVYQAvD_BwE

Specs look sound, we have had reports that for optimal performance on the CPU, the water cooler is generally required (otherwise it will thermal throttle)

 

[AndreasM]

Cheers Spyder, that's top notch.

I've done a bit more research on the liquid metal paste and it sounds like what you've mentioned is accurate with respect to application.

I've ordered a kit from iFixit, from the looks of things the cleaning methodology and process follows the same logic in most branded laptops, so I can only assume the same for a PCS laptop.

Yeh smudges and cleaning screens, especially on a laptop, is where i start to get nervous because of how delicate they are. I've also got my hands on a special kit for this so if it does the job i'll be sure to circle back around to this post and let you know!

On the thermal throttling, from my limited testing I have done pushing it through high-end games this definitely seems to be the case. Generally, on max settings in a few games different games CPU and GPU were coming out around 80 and 75 respectively, and then with water-cooler around 69 and 65. So it definitely makes sense having the thing plugged in when I'm going to be static.

 

[ubuysa]

I have a PCS Optimus IV from 2013 and it's still giving good service - though it's not my primary PC.

For me the key to battery longevity is to keep it cool. Li-ion batteries hate heat, so never let it get hot - and keep it out of the Sun!

The volume of cooling air inside a laptop is tiny and they rely entirely on forced air cooling to stay cool. Never EVER block the vents, that means never use it on your lap (male genitals don't take kindly to heat either!) or on any soft surface (like a bed) that may block the vents. In addition, most laptops draw in cooling air from underneath, that means that not only must there be a sufficient gap to allow air to enter, but the air going in must be cool. If you use it on a hard surface that absorbs heat (wood and most plastics) then the air going in is already warm. A metal surface is best.

Because of the above a cooling stand is a must. I'm not convinced that it needs to be fan assisted (although mine is) but ideally the bit the laptop sits on should be metal (mine is a metal grille). This allows for plenty of air and it keep the incoming air as cool as possible. If you buy a fan assisted cooling stand, get one with one or two large fans instead of a multitude of small ones. The larger fans move more air and they last much longer. They're easier to clean too.

When you clean the laptop pay special attention to the finned heat exachanger(s) right next to the fan(s). This is where ALL the cooling is done. There must be a laminar airflow through these fins to remove as much heat as possible. Unfortunately they are also dust and muck magnets and they get blocked very easily. That is the main reason (IMO) is why laptops overheat.

IMO the ferquency of repasting depends on how hot the CPU/GPU get and for how long. Heat is the enemy, not just of the CPU/GPU, but of the paste between them and the cooling plate. My Optimus IV has never been repasted and still runs cool, but I don't game and its never been stressed to max power either.

 

[lousmaczylo]

I came across a product for cleaning optical lenses that i use for my monitor and laptop screen. It is alcohol free and used conjunction with their own micro fiber cloths it does a fantastic job.
Caloclean..... https://www.amazon.co.uk/Calotherm-Caloclean-Eco-friendly-Alcohol-25ml-White/dp/B004PY5T44. I've used this on very expensive L series canon lenses and all my screens at home. However I would recommend never touching the screen and blowing any dust off first. The more you clean the more risk of "love marks" i.e. scratches.

 

[JakAttack]

PSA

Hey guys, I don't want to be the party pooper here but it may be worth mentioning.

We would not recommend applying or replacing the liquid metal thermal paste yourself (the normal paste is fine). Not because we're big meanies, but there are multiple warranty caveats with the manufacturer, including a warranty void sticker on some of the models with pre-applied liquid metal. Although inconvenient, it would be beneficial to return the machine to us for repasting if needed. If we get it back and the sticker has been torn (you'll see it on the heatsink) or the liquid metal is touching anything other than the contact plate it could mean warranty invalidation.

This is not so much from ourselves (anyone who has been around here for a while will know we usually advocate this type of stuff, so it's just a big warning really!

 

[SpyderTracks]

PSA

Hey guys, I don't want to be the party pooper here but it may be worth mentioning.

We would not recommend applying or replacing the liquid metal thermal paste yourself (the normal paste is fine). Not because we're big meanies, but there are multiple warranty caveats with the manufacturer, including a warranty void sticker on some of the models with pre-applied liquid metal. Although inconvenient, it would be beneficial to return the machine to us for repasting if needed. If we get it back and the sticker has been torn (you'll see it on the heatsink) or the liquid metal is touching anything other than the contact plate it could mean warranty invalidation.

This is not so much from ourselves (anyone who has been around here for a while will know we usually advocate this type of stuff, so it's just a big warning really!

Sincere apologies, I should have realised there may be warranty issues with liquid metal. Thanks for clarifying.

Do you know the rough lifetime of liquid metal? Is it longer than thermal paste?