Critical Stability Failure - USB-C/Thunderbolt Ports Disable Under 3D App Load (3ds Max) - Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 PHN16-71

Hello Acer community and support team,

I made this text with AI in order to summarize all :D

I am providing a detailed technical report of a critical stability failure in the Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 (PHN16-71) that persists after the BIOS/EC v1.07 update.

🔍 Technical Problem Description

Behavior:
When using 3D content creation and modeling applications, specifically Autodesk 3ds Max, the USB-C ports (including Thunderbolt 4) become completely disabled. This results in the loss of:

Video output via USB-C.
Data transfer.
Device charging.

Conditions to Reproduce the Error:

Have a complex scene open in 3ds Max.
Perform intensive operations in the viewport or when starting a render.
The problem is consistent and reproducible.
It does NOT occur during intensive gaming (e.g., Overwatch, Cyberpunk 2077), demonstrating that the dedicated GPU is capable of handling the load.

✅ Progress and Identified Limits

The BIOS/EC v1.07 was a significant advancement, as it solved about 90% of the disconnection problem in games. This confirms that the firmware update path is the correct one.

However, the problem persists under the specific stress generated by professional applications, indicating a residual bug in the power management or "handshake" between the dGPU and the USB-C port controller.

🛠️ Diagnosis and Attempted Solutions

I have performed exhaustive diagnostics and ruled out simple causes:

✅ "dGPU Only" mode activated: The problem persists, ruling out a simple iGPU/dGPU conflict.
✅ Clean installation of Intel Chipset and Thunderbolt drivers: Performed manually and in safe mode.
✅ Aggressive power management disabled: All relevant settings in Windows and Device Manager have been configured for maximum performance.
✅ Use of certified cables and adapters: Confirmed that it is not a peripheral issue.
❌ The problem remains.

🎯 Final Conclusion and Request

All evidence points to a firmware-level bug (BIOS/EC) specific to this model. The hardware is capable, but the low-level controller software fails under a very specific type of load from professional 3D applications.

My request to Acer is clear:
Please, investigate and release a new firmware update (BIOS/EC) that refines the stability of the USB-C/Thunderbolt controllers under professional workloads.

The BIOS 1.07 patch proved you are on the right track. This final effort is crucial for users like me who rely on this powerful machine for both work and gaming.