graphics card for dell

[novice13]

hi guys im looking at a geforce gtx450 or 460 for my dell 545s slimline, will it fit, or any other suggestions on cases,and what psu ill need any info would be great

 

[bobkn]

The Inspiron 545s only takes low-profile cards. I believe that neither the 450 or 460 are available in low profile. (At www.newegg.com I see a low-profile 430, which probably isn't a fast card, but it is a Fermi series product.)

It also has a 250W PSU, which is lower than recommended for most add-in cards.

I'm not sure, but I don't think that a standard ATX power will fit in the case.

If you wish to move the motherboard to a standard case, be aware that the connector for the front panel stuff (power switch, power LED, drive LED, etc.) is a Dell proprietary design. That may not make it impossible, but it'd be more work than with an industry standard motherboard.

My advice: treat the PC an an appliance, as Dell intended. If you want a PC that uses industry standard components, build one. (It's what I've done since 1997.)

 

[novice13]

can you recommend a good board, processor, case and video card setup, i assume my hdd and dvd will be fine to swap

 

[bobkn]

Keeping the hubcaps, eh?

What's your budget? Here are some recent suggestions:

Budget System Builder

If you're looking for a system with power, systems based on the Intel I5-2500k or I7-2600k offer great performance at what used to be mid-range prices. Unfrotunately, it may be a month or two before motherboards are back on the market (Intel H67 and P67 chipset bug).

 

[novice13]

got about $1000 and want something that will handle top end games and be upgradable

 

[bobtran]

For $1000 you can build a pretty nice gaming pc. Here's a nice Intel I7 kit (just add video card and OS):
Intel DX58OG Core i7 Barebones Kit - Intel DX58OG Mobo, Intel Core i7-960 CPU, Corsair 6GB DDR3 RAM (3x 2GB), Seagate 1TB HDD, Sony 24x DVDRW, NZXT Gaming Tower Case, Ultra 750W Power Supply at TigerDirect.com

AMD kit (needs a little bit more parts but.....):
AMD Six Core 4.0GHz Overclocked Barebone PC - ASUS M4A89GTD PRO Mobo, AMD Phenom II X6 1055T, 8GB DDR3 1600MHz RAM, Cooler Master HAF 922 Chassis, ULTRA 750W PSU, CoolIT ECO A.L.C. Liquid Cooling at TigerDirect.com

or search (tigerdirect.com) for what ever works for you (just plug and play):

Barebone, Barebones, Barebone Computer System Kit, Barebone Kits, PC Barebones, Asus Barebone Kits, Barebone PC, Shuttle Barebone Kits. Mini Barebone PC at TigerDirect.com

 

[bobkn]

got about $1000 and want something that will handle top end games and be upgradable

I don't know what you want included in your $1k.

Here's a deal:

Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more!

(I7-950 combination, $665, another $35 in rebates available. Only available through 2/26/2011.) This is a Socket 1366 system. You'd probably do better to wait and build a system with an I5-2500k (Sandy Bridge), but you may have to wait a month or two.

It lacks an optical drive, but you can get a good internal DVD burner for less than $20. You'd also need a graphics card. Something based on the nVidia GTX 460 chipset, or the ATI 6850, might be a good choice at the moment.

 

[novice13]

what would be involved in transfering to standard case (front panel stuff i mean) is it the motherboard that is non standard if i got a new board and case and kept my cpu etc and then purchase a video card would this solve my problem

 

[bobkn]

Dell has fairly good documentation online:

Documentation

I'm not sure how nonstandard the motherboard is. It looks like it's a microATX form factor. I'm not sure whether the connector for the front panel stuff is industry standard or not, but in the recent past it was typical for that to be proprietary in Dells.

Maybe someone else who was impractical enough to perform the upgrade that you describe can provide additional details.

 

[jeffro75]

You'll need a new case and motherboard since both are Dell proprietary components. They have unique rear panel ports and the non-documented front panel connector. You'll also need a new copy of Windows as the Dell version is tied to the motherboard.