Cheap Build Help

[kylelogan833]

Hi guys, im going to be buying a new PC. What im wondering is, i can buy a cheap Dell optiplex machine with a i5 CPU @ 3ghz with 4gb ddr3 ram. Its just a barebones PC from dell no GPU or anything fancy. But as the dell optiplex is a Small form factor PC i doubt getting a GPU uograde would work so my question is, can i buy this pc, and just get a new case, something from nzxt, and put the mobo from the dell pc into it? Then upgrade the CPU cooler and add a new PSU and GPU? Would this work? Like all the screw holes would they align up with a gaming case. Im on a tight budget so this dell PC offering me 4gb ram and a i5 cpu for only 85 new seems like a good deal. But the case itself that it comes with is SFF so uogrades could be hard. Basically can i take everything out of this dell optiplex and out it in a new case and do some small upgrades?

Sorry if this is the wrong section

 

[richiestang_78]

Dell tends to use off standard motherboards, so without knowing the exact board there no guarantee is follows standard ATX mounting. Not to mention the powersupplies dell uses are usually pretty bad and under powered and again sometimes not a standard size..

What is your budget?

 

[kraelic]

You can put in a low profile 1050 TI in the optiplex
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125952

The new case will not work with the optiplex motherboard, the power switch, power LED, Hard drive activity LED and USB ports have certain non standard connections that the board will complain about if not using the OEM connectors.

 

[william p]

I would suggest 8GB RAM. It would help if you specified which Optiplex you're getting. I think there was one SFF LGA1156 that was still BTX layout (Opti 980 SFF) and may have GPU limitations from that. It's best with Dells to use them as whole systems and not swap cases around. They build enough of each type to design them all to suit their specific purpose. Dell PSUs are quality parts and are sized to match the slots, and bays, and CPUs of the systems they come in. But once you go below the MT size they get offf standard sizes. The MT size is much better to start with.