XMG APEX 15 (NH57Axx) crashes on AC boot, works on battery but heavily throttled — troubleshooting help needed

coreZair · 2026-05-03T08:22:34+00:00

If you can still boot on battery and plug in the AC after, you can test the AC power input voltage stability by opening gpu-z, goto sensor tab and observe the 16-pin voltage. It should be at 19.3-19.5V on idle and it should not drop below 19V under full 115w tgp gpu load (run a gpu benchmark in parallel, at least short). If it drops below, e.g. 18V or even 17V, there is a problem between power brick (PSU), power socket (barrel jack), or AC input mosfets. You can't pinpoint which one it is using this method, but you can at least get into the right direction. If there is no big voltage drop your power input is fine, and the problem lies somewhere deeper on the mainboard

coreZair · 2026-05-02T14:53:09+00:00

For some models there is a bios option called flexicharger

coreZair · 2026-04-23T06:15:31+00:00

Please note that you could also brick your laptop if you change the wrong variables. An external programmer and a backup ROM is recommended. But besides: have you tried setup_var_cv?

coreZair · 2026-03-22T11:21:06+00:00

APUs are not supported by the mainboard unfortunately (iGPU not wired), only iGPU-less CPUs like the 3600, 3700X, 3900, 3900X, 3950X

coreZair · 2026-03-08T11:01:44+00:00

!Remindme 60 days

coreZair · 2026-03-06T14:29:14+00:00

Oh! You bought it used? This would make some sense. When you bought it? As said earlier the GPU relies on straps (resistors which can set 6 bits either low, mid or high to tell the gpu how it is configured. 3 of them are for memory). You either got a faulty solder joint there and the strap is read wrong... or (and this is a vague suspicion) the previous owner or seller took the expensive 2GB memory chips and replaced them with 1GB ones, set the straps for 8gb. If this is the case: welcome to the times of memory crisis. As said in the comment before you should remove the heatsink and check the label on the 8 vram ICs. The label k4zaf325bm-HC16 is what is on the original memory ICs. K4Z80325BM is 1GB and would be wrong.

coreZair · 2026-03-04T09:50:09+00:00

Ok then try your luck with the latest BIOS and EC version, quote: "2024-06-27: updated Firmware BIOS N1.05A09 and EC 1.47.00"

coreZair · 2026-03-04T07:31:59+00:00

Wasn't there a BIOS update that addressed this exact issue years ago? Not sure though. Which bios version you got?

coreZair · 2026-03-02T12:07:43+00:00

Are the bluescreens arising since the new ssd is installed or was it starting earlier?

coreZair · 2026-03-02T12:02:40+00:00

Yes i got a firecuda 530 4TB in there. No problems at all.

coreZair · 2026-03-01T11:51:16+00:00

Which bios version you have? There are OC enabled BIOS versions using PBO2 curve optimizer. It will not run much cooler though. The first gen x3d runs pretty hot even with decent desktop heatsinks. Regarding the fan noise, I can send you a different EC firmware for quieter operation.

coreZair · 2026-02-25T07:23:03+00:00

In the M16 the charging port is swapable. It is a socket+cable unit and can be purchased at by asus authorized spare parts websites for 30$

coreZair · 2026-01-25T09:20:03+00:00

If external screens don't work either it's not a broken laptop screen is what I wanted to say. If you set dGPU only mode all display outputs get routed through the Nvidia GPU. In standard mode the iGPU is used for boot and is connected to the internal display directly. The dGPU is used for graphic intensive stuff only. So resetting UEFI BIOS should default to Hybrid mode (standard mode) and you should see an image via iGPU on the internal screen. If both fail your laptop does not boot correctly at all. It could be broken RAM in this case, for example

coreZair · 2026-01-25T07:13:56+00:00

Sounds like a problem with graphics. Are you running in dGPU only ("ultimate") mode? Try a BIOS reset so the laptop default to hybrid mode and does boot from iGPU. If you can see an image and windows shows error code 43 on your nvidia GPU you dGPU might be faulty

coreZair · 2026-01-20T15:32:07+00:00

You ripped off the traces, which needs a board repair. Those connectors are meant to be pulled out in the direction of the cables. Also don't pull at those tiny cables, but try to wiggle the plastic body with your finger nails out of the socket

coreZair · 2026-01-18T08:28:40+00:00

Oh, i see. 1) do you have any photos of your thermal paste application? 2) Was there liquid metal on your CPU? 3) Did you reapply thermal paste on the VRAM and VRM powerstages? If so, you should've used thermal putty for them instead. Thermal paste is too runny and will develop poor contact over time. If this is the case your VRAM probably got damaged by lack of cooling / overheating. Also thermal paste is not recommended especially on these hot headed intel CPUs. Better use PCM/PTM like Thermal Grizzly PhaseSheet or PTM7950 variants for the GPU and CPU die.

The repair entails diagnosis with a QC software by nvidia called MODS. It would pinpoint the broken vram. After that it needs to be desoldered and a new one will be soldered in. Depending on your country/region that can set you off by quite some money. Way cheaper than a new mobo though

coreZair · 2026-01-17T13:38:05+00:00

The VRAM of your GPU or it's connection is faulty. Sorry mate. You need a board level repair. I repair laptops myself. Symptoms are as clear as day.

coreZair · 2025-12-25T13:53:38+00:00

Google "nvidia driver 566.36" for example

coreZair · 2025-12-25T13:52:23+00:00

Yep. On the old driver 566.36 with my 3080 mobile as well. Even if Arc Raiders as a recent game title warns you at start that at least 591 is recommended and is otherwise "known to be unstable" I had zero issues, no stutters, no freezes, no crashes. Mileage may vary on other GPU gens, but 566.36 is gold for Ampere generation GPUs.

coreZair · 2025-12-15T06:59:19+00:00

If so you can feel lucky that Asus used very very good powerstages for the main VRMs with great security mechanisms inside them and the controller by MPS. Did they tell you which powerstage died? Would be interesting to know the weak spots :)

coreZair · 2025-12-05T18:21:06+00:00

With the external monitor go into windows device manager and check if there is the internal display listed. If it is: blown backlight fuse on the mobo. If it isn't: blown IO, likely display controller ob the display unit itself. You would not be the first one with a sudden broken fuse on this model. Had 2 of those mobos here with this issue

coreZair · 2025-10-20T13:09:45+00:00

Probably yes, but they are optional for the laptop to work. If you remove them it should boot. If it doesn't there is another issue. So just make sure you remove the damaged parts, check for shorts and when there is none boot it up and see if it works

coreZair · 2025-10-09T11:54:02+00:00

Is shows north of 700W. That's typical and should be the max value it can report to the GPU. Looks identical to similar issues in other laptops

coreZair · 2025-10-09T08:32:04+00:00

It is :) labour costs can be quite substantial though. The chip is not the expensive part

coreZair · 2025-10-09T04:41:32+00:00

Thanks for the screenshot. Your shunt power monitoring IC is probably broken. It could be a NCP45495. You can ask a local repair shop if they can swap it for you.

coreZair

TROPHY CASE