Can I Upgrade My Processor?

[zomboromano]

I was wanting to find one of the cheapest possible ways to play Elder Scrolls Online with my wife. I am a console gamer and she is a pc gamer.

I found a cheap $80 slim HP desktop at my job.

The specs of my computer are found at this link:

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c01797532


As you can see, I have a 220w power supply.

In order to get decent graphics, I bought a Geforce GT 1030. It says it recommend a power supply of 300w minimum, but after much research online it seems like people were very assuring that using it shouldn't cause problems on a 220w power supply.

But with that being said, the processor I have is a single core processor using 45w of power. I have a AMD Athlon II (I believe it's the x2 250), and it looks like it uses 65w of power but would perform better.

I'm worried about even an extra 20w and wanted to get advice.

Based on my setup, 4 GB of RAM, THE GT 1030 video card, a cd drive (I can unplug and not use if that would help), a few usb ports, etc.

Will this upgrade hurt me? Would you consider this a safe upgrade?

Not looking for a rant about switching to another box that can fit a better power supply... I am looking to keep things slim and I want this to fit under my tv easily. I also want to keep the price as low as possible, and I already own this secondary processor. So just wanting to know if this upgrade should be safe based off my cpu specs and the power I'll be drawing

 

[gigantusmagnus]

first, the 65W is not power consumption, its the TDP (Thermal Design Power / Point), is the maximum heat produced by the CPU under full load
it has less to nothing to do to power consumption

second, get a 300W (which is minimum of all GPU) or 400W is what gonna be your first step, 220W is never ever can be very assuring, its completely out of the idea of safety (it barely powers your system with little overhead while you want to get at least 20% overhead) (on PSU calculator, you will drawing about 195W with x2 250 and GT 1030) (moreover, x2 250 can hit to 150W consumption on full load and 100W on idle, so you gonna hit more than just 195W)

while your PC is microATX, then you need to search for microATX power supply (or the dimensions looks like your PSU)

third, answering your question, NO, its not a safe upgrade
and yeah, getting to another box is better (since larger box fits larger PSU which is better, but this is optional since putting PSU outside of case is just as fine, but with some risks)

 

[USAFRet]

Bottom line...starting from that HP is a poor place to think of an "upgrade".

The case, PSU, and motherboard are very likely NOT standard ATX.
As such, all would need changing.

The Sempron LE-1250 is a AM2 socket
Your Athlon II is AM3 or FM1.
Incompatible.

Starting with that $80 box is $80 wasted.

 

[USAFRet]

You can find a refurb i3 or even i5 a couple of generation old, for ~$200.
Which would crush anything you could possibly do with that $80 HP.

 

[zomboromano]

Thanks for the responses. I agree that there are better options and solutions but I do not want to build my own computer and I want to have a very slim and thin case so it seemed to be one of my better options. Can someone look at my computer specs and give me some new power supply options? I'm willing to pay $30 or $40 to get a 300W power supply.

As far as the processor upgrade, it was listed as an upgrade that's compatible with the motherboard which is why I mentioned it.

The only power supplies that look like they will work had extremely loud fans and some bad reviews, any reasonable power supplies 300w or more that would fit? Can someone who knows better places to search help me find a replacement power supply that will fit in the case I have?