Area-51m R2, a few questions that are not commonly asked

Hi @dombagartin welcome to this free user to user Alienware laptop discussion forum. This is not Dell Support. 

Advocate that AWCC installed at factory is not updated. If AWCC is working, do not be tempted to install AWCC update. New peripheral devices will require AWCC to be provided with their drivers. If AWCC update is required, use Revo Uninstaller Free to completely remove existing OC Controls and then AWCC, Restart (not Shut Down) before new AWCC update is installed. 

Dell provides the heatsink assembly complete with pads, the different coloured pads are designed to remove heat and their details are not available from Dell. There are many YouTube videos that show how a DIY user can replace the different coloured pads, so that heatsink assembly function is maintained. 

heatsink assembly complete with different coloured pads

I haven't downloaded any updates ever since the initial restoration of Windows which included downloading AWCC. But immediately after that it prompted me to download more updates from AWCC which i haven't done ever since (it's been a year). Why does it keep saying that there's pending updates if there's nothing seemingly wrong with AWCC after the initial download? 

Thank you for replying. I am aware of the purpose of the thermal pads and how to handle them but since the heat sink here doesn't offer enough pressure when bolted down i don't want to use pads that don't make enough contact between the component and HS. I made the mistake of throwing out the stock ones when i replaced them. I'm sure there's a way to find the thickness of the pads from dell, i mean they made the product.

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@dombagartin wrote:

First thing is about AWCC (Alienware Command Center). So I had issues with AWCC a while back after installing some pending updates for it from the command center itself where ultimately I had to do a restore and not download any pending updates from the command center. My question is, since I haven't done so in about a year do I have to do it now specially since I've been using Win 11? I would hate to do another restore of windows.

Secondly is; how can I check what size thermal pads does the heat sink come with from factory? The reason I ask is because I changed the thermal paste recently and noticed that some factory pads didn't have a strong indentation from the components it made contact with so I used thicker pads but that didn't work because it didn't let the heat sink make contact with the CPU and GPU die (I know this because I removed the heat sink right after screwing it down to verify how the thermal paste was affected and it didn't spread). I would like to know if there's an ideal pad size for this model or the factory size that it comes with since it brings more than one size. At the moment I'm using all 1.5 pads that I sliced through the middle to make them thinner just to make sure that the die and heat sink make 100% contact.

Thanks

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And also ... re: AWCC?  I am using the version that installed with a recent reset of my A51mR2 back to it's factory OS state.  I find that the necessary AWCC features work well (fan control for the most part) and even though I get prompted to update AWCC every time I run it, I still refrain from doing so.

I'm currently working on blocking all AWCC components, even service level components from accessing the internet so that I do not have to deal with these upgrade/update notices.

I don't use AWCC for anything else except for per fan control settings; the fact I can assign a default, "Balanced" profile for general OS use and then assign high speed fan profiles to each of my games is quite handly.

I do not use any of the Dell/AW overclocking features either via the bios or AWCC and have such disabled completely at both the bios and AWCC level.

I use Throttlestop to manage about 4 different overclock profiles (4.0ghz/4.5ghz/5.0ghz) and I can switch among any of these with a simple hot-key combination.  Throttlestop also allows me to significantly undervolt my CPU and this works very well in controlling voltage swings and thereby reducing my CPU load temps at any given overclock I chose to run (see the above-linked vids as they show CPU voltages quite clearly and as they change throughout gameplay).

RE: Overclocking?  I've found that a fairly conservative 4.5ghz all-core overclock on my 10700K CPU works well for general, daily operating system use and as well for gaming.  When I do the occasional video project that involves extensive rendering, I will switch to a 5.0ghz all-core overclock but only for that one special application scenario.

Otherwise, just speaking plainly?  Having done extensive in-game testing?  I have found that any game title I play performs just as good with a CPU clock speed of 4.0ghz as it does with a CPU clock speed of 5.0ghz ... perhaps a ~2fps delta here and there ... but the 4.0ghz CPU temps will average in the mid 60C range whereas the 5.0ghz CPU temps will easily hit 85C+ quite frequently and will generally reach the throttle point at some time.  Said plainly?  CPU clock speed is vastly overrated in regards to gaming.

Check this thread at overclock.net for some detailed tests I ran recently comparing performance and temps at various clock speeds on my A51mR2.

Best of luck mate.

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Hi there.  

I hope you have found the answers to your questions as my reply is a few months late. And pardon the following essay but I have done a great deal of technical research and hands-on work with my own Area-51m R2 laptop and thought you and others might benefit from my experiences.

That said, I am a (still) happy owner of an AW Area-51m R2 laptop purchased on April 1, 2021, meaning I have owned my AW51mR2 for almost 1.5 years.

I generally only upgrade my gaming/workstation mobile machine every three years or so and to that end, I have warrantied my A51mR2 through April of 2025. I have every intention of doing whatever I can to ensure it lasts throughout that period.

The A51mR2 is a wonderfully unique anomaly within the high-end laptop domain and I can't say there has been anything quite like it in regards to its remarkable industrial design approach, exceptionally well-designed cooling solution and the fact that it uses desktop level components throughout, including the CPU and GPU.

Therefore, I am quite interested in regular (yearly), periodic maintenance of this machine as I am very much not keen on having it replaced with one of the newer, "toaster oven" super thin AW laptops that are all the rage of late; I would even be upset if I had to swap my 10th gen/2070 Super A51mR2 for a latest 12th gen/3070 ti model as I do not believe the latest gen AW laptops come anywhere close to the build quality and ease of maintenance that the A51mR2 machines provide.

You most likely already know that the AW51mR2 is officially an "end of life" machine and there are little to no parts left available should one need to have one's machine serviced; therefore, periodic maintenance of these machines is critical to ensure the longevity of the device because in the event of a complete system failure, one would most certainly have the A51mR2 replaced with an X17 R2 or the like and if the A51mR2 was still fully warrantied.

My particular A51mR2 model has 10700K CPU and the RTX 2070 Super GPU.  I have had nothing but a 100% positive experience with the machine other than one middling bit of an issue when trying to claim warranty support for a worn out mini-display port which I will get to at the end of this novella lol.

I'm reaching out to you here as I have a great deal of experience with tearing the A51mR2 machine apart and replacing the thermal paste on both GPU/CPU as well as changing out all of the factory thermal pads on a couple of different occasions and so I am very familiar with the correct height for the pads and will provide a very clear and accurate diagram below showing the height for any given pad on the heat sink assembly. You must however ensure that your particular heatsink matches the one I posted in order to be sure that the indicated pad heights work well.

Repasting the GPU/CPU

This is the easiest part and is exactly like repasting a desktop CPU because the 10700K/10900K CPU that is used in the A51mR2 is simply a standard desktop CPU, complete with the typical IHS and ILM lockdown mechanism present on any given full, desktop computer.

I have always used Noctua NT-H1 paste for my desktops and laptops because it works very well, spreads very easily, and will last for many years after applying (I've run single applications for over 5 years with zero thermal degradation).

And just forget about using liquid metal (LM) on the CPU or GPU with these A51mR2 machines as such will make no difference in idle or load temps; simply use a quality, well vetted and reputable thermal compound of your choice and you will be fine.

If these A51mR2 machines used a typical mobile CPU with an exposed glass/silicone die, like the older R4 17 laptops, then one would most likely see quite dramatic results by re-pasting the CPU with a LM variant of some sort. But since the A51mR2 laptops use the typical 10700K/10900K/9900K CPUs that have the nickel coated IHS (heat spreader), one will usually see no difference than if using standard, quality thermal compounds such as Noctua, or Kryonaut or TR TFX or some other.

Even the A51mR2 GPU, which is indeed a bare silicon die, does not benefit from the use of LM with these machines; I have tried LM on both the A51mR2 GPU and CPU and the thermal performance was identical to when using Noctua NT-H1 and other non-conductive thermal compounds.

Replacing all Thermal Pads

This is more tricky than repasting the CPU and for myself, required some trial and error to ensure I got the correct pad heights applied throughout the heatsink mating surfaces. I admit to a couple epic failures when first trying new pads (1.5mm) lol but it's our mistakes that lead us to success in the end so it was all a good learning experience IMO.

I tried 1.5mm height pads at first but these turned out to be to thick and prevented my GPU and CPU from making proper contact with the heatsink and my temperatures were immediately 90C+ just after booting. When I dismantled the machine to try again, I noticed that on the GPU, the heatsink had made no contact with the thermal compound at all! LOL ... this of course meant that the 1.5mm thermal pads I had applied to the surrounding VRAM chips were too thick to allow proper contact between the GPU die and the heatsink cold plate surface.

I then used 1.0mm pads in place of all 1.5mm pads, following a trustworthy diagram that I had much earlier obtained from a fellow A51mR2 user on Notebook Review Forums which showed that 1.0mm pads are used almost throughout the entire A51mR2 heatsink except for a couple of places that required 0.5mm pad heights. There is one, very small location that needs a 3mm thermal pad but two stacked 1.5mm pads will work just fine in this single isolated location.

I cannot stress enough the importance of getting the pad heights correct if you are desiring the best GPU and CPU temps possible. The pads themselves and the VRAM/VRMS/IC's that they cover are not nearly as important as the height of those pads being such that they DO NO PREVENT proper mating of the GPU and CPU surfaces with the proper area of the A51mR2 heatsink assembly.

IE: if your pads over the GPU VRAM ICs are too thick? They will necessarily prevent the GPU heatsink cold plate from properly compressing against the GPU die; the same goes for the thermal pads surrounding the CPU. I found this out when I attempted to use 1.5mm pads instead of 1mm pads and doing so prevented the GPU die from contacting the heatsink almost completely.

Changing all of the 1.5mm pads to 1.0mm pads solved the problem nicely and I now have quite decent thermal performance on both the GPU core/VRAM and as well as on the CPU but I believe I can improve the CPU thermal load temps a bit more by using softer, more compressible pads. Read on...

Thermal Pad Heights and Hardness

I have found that a softer, more "squishy" pad is far better with the A51mR2 laptop than are pads of the harder, more dense, and less compressible variety; I believe this to be somewhat universal with laptop thermal pads in general tbh as it is somewhat commonly known that any thermal pad needs to be compressed to at least 50% of it's thickness in order to achieve it's max rated thermal conductivity rating.

The reason for this is that a harder pad, although it may be the correct 1mm height, will still not compress enough to achieve its maximum thermal conductivity rating and as well, if the pads are not properly compressed, the pads will prevent the heatsink from making secure and tight contact with the GPU die and (especially) the CPU IHS.

I applied all-new 1mm and 0.5mm pads to my A51mR2 heatsink about a week ago and used Gelid Ultimate series pads. These Gelid Ultimate brand pads were very dense and what I would describe as "bricky;" they easily broke or crumbled if bent and had no elasticity like the original Dell/AW pads which I removed and which came off nicely and all in one piece, still retaining their elasticity and stretchiness and never breaking or crumbling, even after being applied for over a year.

Even so, now that I have the proper 1.0mm/0.5mm pads installed throughout? My GPU and CPU temps are quite acceptable after this recent, initial repad/repaste. The GPU especially is very good with GPU core temps never exceeding 65C and GPU VRAM (hotspot) temps generally staying below 70C. These are fantastic results for a RTX 2070 Super such as the one that shipped with the A51mR2 laptops since it is quite nearly as powerful as the full desktop 2070 Super, retaining something like 97% or so of the desktop GPU's capabilities and power.

My CPU temps are also good although not *quite* as great as they were when the A51mR2 laptop was new and using the stock Dell/AW pads, which I found during the repad process are notably softer/more squishy than the very hard (relatively) Gelid Ultimate pads I installed last weekend.

CPU temps with the new pads are good, no doubt about it (see below video demos). The 10700K CPU load temps, even at a completely unnecessary 5.0ghz all-core overclock are definitely acceptable and even better than normal but I think a softer pad will allow a better compression of the pads and therefore a better/higher pressure contact between the heatsink and the CPU IHS surface. I am going to try some different, considerably less dense pads in a week or so to measure any differences this might make and some time in the next month, I am going to use TGlobal TG-PP10 thermal putty in place of all the thermal pads.

Here is a very accurate overview of all pad heights used throughout the Area-51m R2 heatsink; please note, this is only for the R2 machine and does not apply to the R1 machines:

Pad heights for Area-51m R2 Heatsink

And here is a shot of my own Area-51m R2 heatsink after applying the new Gelid Ultimate pads:

Some Reacent Game Captures showing CPU/GPU/System Data After Recent Repaste/Repad

Here are a few quick in-game captures I did playing some Battlefield V and other games at 1440p resolution just a few days ago with detailed on screen data for both the GPU and CPU throughout. I've found BFV to be a good CPU thermal benchmark game as it tends to push the CPU to rather high usage ratings at times compared to most games. I also don't typically game at 4.9ghz or 5.0ghz but will lock my CPU cores to these high frequencies simply as a means of determining thermal efficiency. FWIW? With any gaming rig, laptop or desktop? Running the CPU at a 4.3ghz clock speed will generally result in exactly the same FPS as running the CPU at 5.0ghz. Furthermore, running a game at 4.3ghz on the CPU will literally yield load temps about 30C lower than if running the same game at 5.0ghz. Just a little tip ... But when testing new paste/pad installation, I like to push the CPU to the max as a good and extreme method of ensuring proper thermal performance.

Battlefield V Gameplay - Area-51m R2 / 10700K @ 4.8ghz all-core overclock

https://youtu.be/V9wCfFjeFms

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Also, here is a quick 1080p in game capture, playing Control with max graphics settings and max ray tracing. Here, I have locked the CPU at an all core frequency of 5.0ghz and again, simply as an extreme case scenario to ensure a quick and easy means of determining the effectiveness of the re application of thermal pads and paste:

Area-51m R2 @ 5ghz performance data - 1080p Control gameplay

https://youtu.be/uXcYbAn0ynI

Each of those videos show detailed performance data on screen and throughout so watch full screen and with the highest available quality option at YouTube to properly make out the fine print.

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Finally, I maintain a fairly current and ongoing thread base at overclock.net outlining my ongoing efforts with the A51mR2 laptop as I'm certain the occasional long-term owner (like myself) might someday find the discussion useful going forward. As mentioned above, my particular A51mR2 is warrantied through March 2025 and I'm certain there are at least a few other users who have decided to keep their own machines just as long.

I might even be creating either an independent Area-51m R2 Owners blog soon or else, at the very least a dedicated Reddit channel for owners that might like to continue discussing their findings with this unique machine and as time progresses.

Best of luck with your efforts, mate. I hope you solve any ongoing problems/issues you might have and do feel free to reply here or message me directly on Reddit or Overclock.net if you would like to discuss things otherwise (my username is "s1rrah" just about everywhere so I should be easy to find.)

Best of luck ...

~s1rrah

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@crimsom wrote:

Hi @dombagartin welcome to this free user to user Alienware laptop discussion forum. This is not Dell Support. 

Advocate that AWCC installed at factory is not updated. If AWCC is working, do not be tempted to install AWCC update. New peripheral devices will require AWCC to be provided with their drivers. If AWCC update is required, use Revo Uninstaller Free to completely remove existing OC Controls and then AWCC, Restart (not Shut Down) before new AWCC update is installed. 

Dell provides the heatsink assembly complete with pads, the different coloured pads are designed to remove heat and their details are not available from Dell. There are many YouTube videos that show how a DIY user can replace the different coloured pads, so that heatsink assembly function is maintained. 

heatsink assembly complete with different coloured pads

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The above photo illustration is not an Area-51m R2 heatsink assembly; the fact that the CPU die is clearly an exposed silicon die and the heatsink only has a three-point torque down system is evidence enough of this; all Area51m laptops have full, desktop sized CPU's with nickel coated heat spreaders and a four point torque down design for the heatsink cold palte.  FYI.  I'm not sure what Dell/AW machine that heatsink applies to, but it is certainly not an Area-51m R2 heat sink (10700K/10900K).

This is what the typical Area-51m R2 heatsink looks like, including all necessary pad heights.  In my experience handling such on many different occasions, the different colored pads indicate slightly different thermal pad density or "shore" hardness ratings:

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What brand of thermal pads are you currently using?

Perfect timing, I have to say.  I used Geilid Ultimates first, about three weeks ago but they turned out to not be ideal for several reasons. I also found out a bit about the general types of pads that are best for use on the Area-51m R2 heatsink in general and I'll discuss all that below in this short novella/essay lol.

But I used Geilid Ultimate thermal pads about three weeks and for my first ever full pad replacement on this laptop.  I was replacing the stock, 1.5-year-old Dell pads that shipped with the laptop. I had been experiencing very high CPU temps compared to when the laptop was new so suspected a complete cleaning and paste/pad replacement would improve things a good bit.

And it did improve things but it still wasn't as remarkably good as when the laptop was new. But to answer your question before sharing a few more important bits I've learned recently, I used Geild Ultimates when I did the full job a few weeks ago.

I had never worked with thermal pads before and the Geilids were decently reviewed so I just randomly picked them. And they seemed to work okay if my GPU temps are any indication but the CPU temps were still not as good as when I first got the machine. So I figured it wouldn't hurt to redo everything again and at the same time check to ensure that the new pads were making good contact where necessary. That said, the CPU temps were indeed improved after repadding/repasting but I suspect it had more to do with replacing the 1.5-year-old Thermal Grizzly paste than the new pads.

Here are the CPU load temps playing HZD *BEFORE* repad/repaste and at 4.5ghz: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cliF0bU1pNPKKgsgwFGkv_mF5qJ0JnW0/view

And here are the CPU load temps playing HZD *AFTER* repad/repaste at 4.5ghz: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-4HAz8jwGcdwTcotVLGNwJN5qXVkjakx/view

Basically, CPU max core temp went down from 88C to 70C throughout the gameplay at 4.5ghz and after I replaced the old pads with the Geilid Ultimates; I also replaced the old GPU/CPU paste with Noctua HT-H1 at the same time. All other clock speeds are respectively improved as well (4.0ghz/4.8ghz5.0ghz/etc.). But CPU temps were still markedly better when the A51mR2 was new and so I decided to redo things yet again. I also wanted to check the VRAM/VRM/CHOKE imprints on all the pad locations to ensure the pads I used were about the right size.

So I decided to remove the OG heatsink with the new Geilid Ultimates I installed and swap them for something else; I happened to have a brand new, unused, complete Dell/AW heatsink for this laptop with all new, stock Dell thermal pads already applied so I figured that would be a good indicator for comparing to the Geilds.

First thing I noticed when I looked at the new Gelid pads that I had installed and after removing the OG heatsink was that some of the pads were making decent contact and some were not. This is quite easy to tell as any component the pads are supposed to make contact with should leave a nice solid impression in the pad if the mount is making the correct contact (duh).

The VRAM was making decent contact with the new Geild pads but many of the ICs/chokes or whatever they are, around the CPU, were not making very much (if any) contact at all.

Here is a shot of the new Geilid pads after removing the heatsink this morning. You'll notice that some places have decent IC imprints but others have no imprint at all:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PPMKmD5AELUSG4LeF26xSWTKAiddd-M1/view?usp=sharing

And for reference? Here is an old shot from 1.5 years ago when I first tore the machine down and you can clearly see a much better imprint on all thermal pads and as the machine was provided to me from Dell/AW:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/jMiCTjovnfeNG9Qc6

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So this morning...

I put a brand new heatsink in with all new Dell/AW pads. Temps on the CPU are even better than after my first repad/repaste a few weeks ago when I used Geild pads and I'll be breaking it back down in a week or two just to look at the pad imprints.

Here is some 5.0ghz 1440p Battlefield V gameplay from this morning and after I installed the brand new, entire Dell/AW heatsink with all new Dell/AW pads. In this capture, I'm playing first at 4.5ghz and then switching to 5.0ghz mid gameplay and then back to 4.5ghz; CPU temps are a good bit better here, even better than after installing the Geilid Ultimate pads and my first repaste, especially considering that I'm running an all-core 5.0ghz clock speed in certain portions of this run and core temps only occasionally break 80C, even at an all-core 5.0ghz setting:

Area-51m R2 / BFV / 1440p / 4.5ghz & 5.0ghz Gameplay with brand new Dell/AW heatsink and all Dell/AW New Stock Thermal Pads

I'm pleased with the temps at this point and consider the 4.5ghz and 5.0ghz CPU/GPU temps evident in that most recent video to be just fine. I typically never game at over 4.5ghz, anyway but like to through some heat at the CPU and run it at 5.0ghz just as a good in-game thermal stress test.

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But the main thing I learned...

is that the Area-51m R2 heatsink requires *very* soft thermal pads. The Geild Ultimates are quite hard they break very easily; they do not stretch at all. The stock Dell/AW pads are much softer will stretch and snap back into shape.

Kritical pads are very good IMO and are quite soft; I currently use Kritical thermal pads on my desktop 3080 ti GPU and they have been solid for almost a year now. The Kritical pads are however extremely soft and so they do not take well to being removed and reapplied so be sure you get it right the first time. There are other good options for soft/squishy thermal pads as well but you will have to hunt about and read reviews and what not.

So if you are going to replace the pads, then source thermal pads that are proven to be both effective and also of a very, very soft variety. The sizes in indicated in my previous post are close to being about right but I would use *very* soft 1.25mm Kritical pads in all places that it says 1.0mm pads in the previous diagram and then use 1.0mm Kritical pads in all places that there are 0.05mm pads indicated.

Kritical pads is also great because the dude makes difficult to source pad heights available (1.25mm/2.25mm/etc.) as well as the pads themselves being very good thermally but also the super soft type that the A51mR2 heatsink/chassis work well with.  Stay away from any super hard pads.  Trust me on that...

Best of luck...

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I used Geilid Ultimates first.  They worked but are too hard/stiff.  When you replace the thermal pads, chose a brand that is soft/squisy and that stretch easily just like the stock Dell/AW pads that come on the A51mR2 from the factory.

The Geilid Ultimates are good but just not very good for the A51mR2.  

I recently installed a brand new Dell/AW heatsink in the A51mR2 with all stock, new thermal pads from the factory already applied and the temps/contact is much better than with the Geilid Ultimates.

Here is some brief Horizon Zero Dawn gameplay running the A51mR2 (10700k)/2070 Super with the CPU set an all core overclock of 5.0ghz.  These are very good temps IMO and close to what I saw when the laptop was brand new:

Area-51m R2 with new heatsink and new Dell/AW thermal pads / Horizon Zero Dawn / 5ghz / 1440p Gameplay

FYI: I also repasted the GPU/CPU with Noctua NT-H1 thermal paste.

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@s1rrah wrote:

When you replace the thermal pads, chose a brand that is soft/squisy and that stretch easily   

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Such as? What brand(s) would fit that description and be available in a range of thicknesses?

Hey.  Sorry. I had originally written a big 'ole short essay type reply with links to pads and all sorts of good stuff but for whatever reason the forum deleted it and said it was spam.  lol ...

Anyway ... 

First, I wanted to post an updated image showing what I found to be a more accurate representation of pads for the Area-51m R2.  All of the specs below assume you are using very soft and highly compressible pads.  I mentioned this already but the pads that ship from Dell/AW are this exact sort.  And having the brand new replacement heatsink in hand recently, I was able to more accurately measure the pads. 

Here is what I would personally recommend instead of my original diagram posted way up above (I'll be editing that as well):

Thermal Pad Heights for Area-51m R2 Laptop (updated after some trial and error): 

As mentioned in the info-graphic itself?  All of those assume you are using super soft, super compressible pads.  I had an opportunity to very closely scrutinize the brand new Dell/AW pads on the NIB heatsink I installed (just today) and the one thing about all of them, whether the light blue ones or the light green ones, is that they are ALL very compressible and stretchy. 

In fact?  I pasted and repasted my Area-51m R2 about six different times back over a year ago when I first got it and the original, stock Dell/AW thermal pads held up just fine. FYI.  So if you think your stock pads are good and especially if they have very good contact imprints on all the components they are supposed to mate with?  Then leave them there.  I wouldn't change the stock pads if they all were in good shape... 

And here are some good pads for the Area-51m R2...

If I were buying right now, I would go 100% with Kritical Thermal Pads.  I have them on my 3080 Ti and they are very good thermally and they are also VERY compressible.  The only fault I have found with them is that they do not play well with being removed and re-applied after the first compression.  But otherwise, these are the perfect pads for the Area-51m R2.  Just be sure of your placement and sizes before committing to the first mount.

Another really great thing about the Kritical Pads is that the guy who sources/provides them has some fairly hard-to-find sizes such as 1.25mm and 2.25mm pads, etc.  These are almost impossible to find in 100mmx100mm sheets short of ordering bulk from the likes of Panasonic or some other wholesale option.  

Otherwise, the off-brand Airhut Thermal Pads is also a good option as they are quite soft as well.  I just got a bunch in from Amazon and I'm keeping them around for possible future use on the A51mR2.  I don't think they would be as good as the Kritical Pads simply because they are not quite as squishy as Krtical Pads but the Airhuts are certainly much softer than the super dense Geilid Ultimates.

One VERY Important Bit That I Learned...

Of all the pads shown in the diagram above?  By far the most important to get right (sizing) are the pads over the GPU VRAM IC's.  That's the VRAM chips immediately surrounding the GPU Core.  There are three of them there and they MUST be 1.0mm, in my experience.  If using Kritical Pads?  You could easily use 1.25mm pads there and I might even recommend it as they do squish very well/flat and any given thermal pad is only going to operate at it's rated thermal conductivity when properly compressed. 

I tried 1.5mm Geilids Ultimates over the VRAM because I couldn't get any 1.0mm at the time and thought they might squish down enough to work.  On first boot with the 1.5mm Geilid Ultimates over the VRAM, my GPU immediately shot up to 90C+, just starting Windows so I shut things down immediately and took it apart.

I found that the very stiff/dense Geilid 1.5mm pads I had placed on the VRAM, all around the GPU Core, were actually preventing the heatsink from making contact with the GPU core AT ALL lol ... I mean, the heatsink didn't so much as even slightly disturbed the layer of thermal paste I had applied.

So.  Lesson learned.  All of the rest and if using soft/compressible pads, aren't nearly as important as the VRAM areas. Just go by that updated diagram and use the recommended type pads.   I'd go with Kriticals, personally.

Best of luck...

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I've attached an image showing the pad thickness' for an Area51m R2 model..  Only absolute is that you use VERY soft thermal pads.  Dell stock pads are very soft and squishy.  And I've found that when using third party pads, only the very soft pads worked well.  A Shore hardness rating of A35 or C12 or *lower* rating is a must. 

Otherwise, anything firmer, your heatsink won't make proper contact where necessary.  I recommend Kritical Pads ... they are Shore A30, I think and are very very soft.  A bit spendy but the perfect pad for an A51mR2 heatsink.  Aairhut pads from Amazon are a close second ... generally being Shore a35 and up a bit but that's still on the "extra soft" side of things.  Here is a link to a graphic that neatly explains Shore Hardness ratings. 

Check that attached graphic. Those pad heights are good.  Just use super squishy pads.

And here is some recent thermal data gathered playing Control maxx'd at 1440p with the newly repadded/repasted 10700K/2080 Super ... CPU and GPU rarely get out of the 70c range which is pretty astonishing considering the desktop class components:

https://youtu.be/4U-w04XmG08?t=45

Best of luck ...

Can you share the dimensions of each pads and how many packs did you used? Wanted to know how many packs of 1mm and 1.5mm should i buy. In our local stores, most pads are cut into 120mx20mm