Upgrade Advice

[Team Spicoli]

The dell linked in the OP has only a 220 watt PSU. I thought even most OEM boxes had at least 300w. I am not sure I would run a GTX 750 on that PSU with an i5. I also dont know the quality of the psu in the Inspiron series. I know Dells are usually decent, especially the XPS, but not sure about the lower end models.

Edit: Regarding the OS, you cant use the OS from one prebuilt in a different prebuilt anyway can you? I dont think the OEM license is transferable. I hate the interface on Win 8, but my wife has a laptop with it and has learned to live with it. Just download one of the free start menu programs.

The Gateway had Windows XP installed at the factory. I recently upgraded to Win7 Pro 32bit via software purchased on Ebay.

I've read in some reviews for the Dell that the GTX750 works ok without having to upgrade the PSU. I'm looking into possibly the Seasonic 460W Platinum ATX PSU, however I don't know if the motherboard will accept it with no problems, and/or will it fit.

 

[frozentundra123456]

Does anyone know if the Dell can accept up to 16gb memory?

You can go online to Crucial and they will scan the PC and test it. However, I think 8 gb of ram should be more than enough for the uses you stated. I have a Dell XPS with 8 gb of ram and in everyday use it hovers around 30 percent, although I dont do a lot of multi-tasking. Even in most games it only goes to 40% or so, although the latest Dragon Age eats up around 60 to 70 percent.

 

[frozentundra123456]

The Gateway had Windows XP installed at the factory. I recently upgraded to Win7 Pro 32bit via software purchased on Ebay.

I've read in some reviews for the Dell that the GTX750 works ok without having to upgrade the PSU. I'm looking into possibly the Seasonic 460W Platinum ATX PSU, however I don't know if the motherboard will accept it with no problems, and/or will it fit.

The GTX 750 will probably work OK with the stock PSU. It is just that I was surprised it was only 220 watts, especially with an i5 cpu. It is cutting it fairly close.

 

[Ken g6]

For your uses you don't need a GTX 750. You could go for something cheaper like a GT 610 or certain other cheap cards you might find on eBay.

 

[Cerb]

The Gateway had Windows XP installed at the factory. I recently upgraded to Win7 Pro 32bit via software purchased on Ebay.

I've read in some reviews for the Dell that the GTX750 works ok without having to upgrade the PSU. I'm looking into possibly the Seasonic 460W Platinum ATX PSU, however I don't know if the motherboard will accept it with no problems, and/or will it fit.

The PSU will be OK. They rate them by their continuous output, for any I have seen. It's just that a GTX 750 is ~$110, while you can get what you need done for around half the cost (not counting the option of just re-using the 8400GS). If not doing anything remotely GPU-intensive, or using high resolutions, where the low bandwidth could be an issue, it's a pretty powerful GPU compared to your needs.

 

[Team Spicoli]

The PSU will be OK. They rate them by their continuous output, for any I have seen. It's just that a GTX 750 is ~$110, while you can get what you need done for around half the cost (not counting the option of just re-using the 8400GS). If not doing anything remotely GPU-intensive, or using high resolutions, where the low bandwidth could be an issue, it's a pretty powerful GPU compared to your needs.

I think I'm just going to return the GTX 750. I've used the Gateway computer since '05-'06 and I'm so used to using older technology which is why I purchased the 8400GS for the Gateway. But after reading your advice, it sounds like the onboard GPU in the Dell will work just fine for my needs.

And you mentioned the 8400GS being slower than the onboard GPU in the Dell, what do you mean by slow? In terms of streaming blu ray media, would the slower 8400Gs be subpar to the onboard GPU in the Dell?

Thanks!

 

[Cerb]

h.264 is done by dedicated hardware. The integrated GPU,. 8400GS, and any new video card, will all do that just as well, at least until you need 4K decoding. Any formats the hardware can't do, or the software can't make use of (FI, the Silverlight Netflix client can't use hardware VC-1 decoding, even though it exists on most hardware), your CPU will be powerful enough for any practical decoding needs for years to come; it'll just use more power to do it than the special-purpose DSP in the GPUs.

The 8400 GS will be slower if anything you do taxes the GPU significantly. Today, even some Flash games might be able to. Normal light office-type use won't. IGP these days is not what it was several years ago, and is competitive with the lowest prices points of video cards, in performance.

The main reason for not using the integrated for such uses would not be due to performance, but simply to be able to get more than a single digital output, rather than adding D/A and A/D conversions into the chain.

 

[Team Spicoli]

h.264 is done by dedicated hardware. The integrated GPU,. 8400GS, and any new video card, will all do that just as well, at least until you need 4K decoding. Any formats the hardware can't do, or the software can't make use of (FI, the Silverlight Netflix client can't use hardware VC-1 decoding, even though it exists on most hardware), your CPU will be powerful enough for any practical decoding needs for years to come; it'll just use more power to do it than the special-purpose DSP in the GPUs.

The 8400 GS will be slower if anything you do taxes the GPU significantly. Today, even some Flash games might be able to. Normal light office-type use won't. IGP these days is not what it was several years ago, and is competitive with the lowest prices points of video cards, in performance.

The main reason for not using the integrated for such uses would not be due to performance, but simply to be able to get more than a single digital output, rather than adding D/A and A/D conversions into the chain.

Thank you!! So if I understand you correctly, for my purposes, installing an additional GPU would mainly serve if I were to need an additional digital output (e.g. HDMI, DVI, etc.)?! Or possibly if I were to want to setup a multi-monitor environment. So, for example I could use the integrated GPU as Monitor 1 and the GS8400 as Monitor 2?!?!

 

[AllWhacked]

I've setup a few of these and here is my opinion:

1) If you plan to upgrade the primary to an SSD, I would suggest getting an IcyDock 2.5" to 3.5" converter. There are cheaper 2.5" to 3.5" brackets, but due to how Dell cut the SATA power cables, they are just long enough to fit standard 3.5" drives. Most brackets will simply place the SSD in the center instead of to the right, so the SATA power cable is not lined up and while you can stretch it, it puts a bit a pressure on it that doesn't make me feel comfortable.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-083-_-Product

2) The internal PSU isn't meant for heavy duty graphics card, so if you plan to game get one that doesn't require auxiliary power unless you also want to upgrade the PSU too.

3) Also make sure your graphics card fits. It's been a while since I last used one, but the HDDs are mounted at the bottom and they may interfere with long cards

4) If you go whole hog and upgrade PSU & power supply, be aware that cooling in that case isn't optimal.

5) If you clone the HDD to an SSD, make sure to create the recovery discs first. Then read this guide and use the EaseUS TODO backup (which is free) to clone it. Very easy to do.

http://lifehacker.com/5837543/how-to-migrate-to-a-solid-state-drive-without-reinstalling-windows

6) There should be two DDR3 slots with one 8GB memory stick already in there. You can buy pretty much any 8GB DDR3 1600 memory and they will work. With the sale now, you can probably pickup an 8GB stick for ~$60

Overall, getting an i5 mid-tower in the $400 range is a good buy. Upgradeability is a bit nerfed due to the type of case and PSU that comes with it, but as an every day computer paired with an SSD you should be rocking.

 

[Cerb]

1) If you plan to upgrade the primary to an SSD, I would suggest getting an IcyDock 2.5" to 3.5" converter. There are cheaper 2.5" to 3.5" brackets, but due to how Dell cut the SATA power cables, they are just long enough to fit standard 3.5" drives. Most brackets will simply place the SSD in the center instead of to the right, so the SATA power cable is not lined up and while you can stretch it, it puts a bit a pressure on it that doesn't make me feel comfortable.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-083-_-Product

If they use the same caddies as Optiplex desktops, the Mushkin stamped metal ones work, too.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817812011

 

[Team Spicoli]

Thank you! What about this one for more air flow?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...Tpk=17-994-169

 

[Team Spicoli]

I've setup a few of these and here is my opinion:

1) If you plan to upgrade the primary to an SSD, I would suggest getting an IcyDock 2.5" to 3.5" converter. There are cheaper 2.5" to 3.5" brackets, but due to how Dell cut the SATA power cables, they are just long enough to fit standard 3.5" drives. Most brackets will simply place the SSD in the center instead of to the right, so the SATA power cable is not lined up and while you can stretch it, it puts a bit a pressure on it that doesn't make me feel comfortable.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-083-_-Product

2) The internal PSU isn't meant for heavy duty graphics card, so if you plan to game get one that doesn't require auxiliary power unless you also want to upgrade the PSU too.

3) Also make sure your graphics card fits. It's been a while since I last used one, but the HDDs are mounted at the bottom and they may interfere with long cards

4) If you go whole hog and upgrade PSU & power supply, be aware that cooling in that case isn't optimal.

5) If you clone the HDD to an SSD, make sure to create the recovery discs first. Then read this guide and use the EaseUS TODO backup (which is free) to clone it. Very easy to do.

http://lifehacker.com/5837543/how-to-migrate-to-a-solid-state-drive-without-reinstalling-windows

6) There should be two DDR3 slots with one 8GB memory stick already in there. You can buy pretty much any 8GB DDR3 1600 memory and they will work. With the sale now, you can probably pickup an 8GB stick for ~$60

Overall, getting an i5 mid-tower in the $400 range is a good buy. Upgradeability is a bit nerfed due to the type of case and PSU that comes with it, but as an every day computer paired with an SSD you should be rocking.

Thank you for all of your guidance, very much appreciated! For memory, should the sticks match in brand etc?

 

[Team Spicoli]

I hope this one works
http://www.amazon.com/Silverstone-Te...Z89VE3P740RT5M

 

[Team Spicoli]

What about this for memory?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...0231589&cm_sp=

 

[Cerb]

Thank you! What about this one for more air flow?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...Tpk=17-994-169

The drive will get plenty of air from the exhaust fan sucking it through the front grill. Nothing special is needed.

I hope this one works
http://www.amazon.com/Silverstone-Te...Z89VE3P740RT5M

If it uses the same caddies I'm used to with their business PCs, that one will not. You can hardly see it in the Icy Dock one, but notice how the holes on the Mushkin are offset.

 

[Cerb]

Personally, I'd get Crucial or Kingston for that model. OEM machines are often picky about RAM (Dell has their RAM SKUs, and they don't care if anything else doesn't work).

But, you'll be stuck at 1600MHz 1.5V, for sure, anyway, with such an OEM box. No point in getting that sort of fast RAM.

 

[AllWhacked]

The Mushkin SSD caddy that Cerb linked should also work and is cheaper.

The SilverStone you linked may not work. I can't see the angle, but it looks like the SSD is mounting strait in the middle, which will cause problems with the power connector.

The type of memory you get doesn't have to match exactly. I would just buy a DDR3 1600 memory. Buying faster memory would be waste on an OEM system that doesn't run at faster bandwidths. In terms of brands, I would stay with a good name brand like Crucial, Kingston, Corsair.

 

[Team Spicoli]

Thank you

 

[mfenn]

Does anyone know if the Dell can accept up to 16gb memory?

Almost certainly, I haven't seen a Haswell board with less than two DIMM slots.

That being said, it's kind of a false economy to buy a cheap machine and then spend the same amount over again swapping out components. If it doesn't meet your needs and you need to end up spending $120 on RAM, $120 on a GPU, and a $100 on an SSD, then you would be better off returning everything and building a $600 PC.

The dell linked in the OP has only a 220 watt PSU. I thought even most OEM boxes had at least 300w. I am not sure I would run a GTX 750 on that PSU with an i5. I also dont know the quality of the psu in the Inspiron series. I know Dells are usually decent, especially the XPS, but not sure about the lower end models.

The GTX 750 Ti is a 60W part, and the CPU is a 69w part when not using the IGP. The OP will be fine with the built-in PSU.

Edit: Regarding the OS, you cant use the OS from one prebuilt in a different prebuilt anyway can you? I dont think the OEM license is transferable

That's correct. Legally, the license doesn't allow it, and the OEM license won't activate if you put it in a different motherboard.

 

[Team Spicoli]

Thank you! I plan on returning the 750ti, however I am going to swap out the HDD with a SSD and using the HDD for storage (thank you all for that advice BTW!!).

We'll see how the system performs before I upgrade the RAM.

I'm waiting for the ssd in the mail, so I'm in a holding pattern for now. Thank you again to each of you who took the time to help me, very much appreciated!! Happy Holidays to you and your families.

 

[lehtv]

Thank you! I plan on returning the 750ti, however I am going to swap out the HDD with a SSD and using the HDD for storage (thank you all for that advice BTW!!).

We'll see how the system performs before I upgrade the RAM.

Since none of the uses you describe are memory intensive, there's no point going beyond 8GB RAM. It would perform the same before and after upgrading the RAM.

 

[mfenn]

Thank you! I plan on returning the 750ti, however I am going to swap out the HDD with a SSD and using the HDD for storage (thank you all for that advice BTW!!).

We'll see how the system performs before I upgrade the RAM.

I'm waiting for the ssd in the mail, so I'm in a holding pattern for now. Thank you again to each of you who took the time to help me, very much appreciated!! Happy Holidays to you and your families.

Good choice! Adding an SSD is definitely a worthwhile upgrade.

 

[Team Spicoli]

Hello everyone. Thank you for all of your previous support. I've installed the Samsung SSD however the SSD doesn't appear in the Disk Management screen. I checked the BIOS and the SSD is showing there, however not in the Disk Management.

I haven't been able to clone from the HDD to the SSD either. Please help.

 

[mfenn]

Hello everyone. Thank you for all of your previous support. I've installed the Samsung SSD however the SSD doesn't appear in the Disk Management screen. I checked the BIOS and the SSD is showing there, however not in the Disk Management.

I haven't been able to clone from the HDD to the SSD either. Please help.

Make sure you scroll down the bottom pane of the Disk Management screen. Unformatted drives won't appear in the top pane.

 

[Team Spicoli]

Hello, I was able to clone the hdd to the Samsung ssd. Now I need help on how to boot from the ssd and assign the hdd as only secondary storage.

Thank you!!