[SOLVED] Choosing a 90$ (no-SFF) PC based on GPU compatibility

[AskenLurom]

Good afternoon. Here it's me, again.

After my previous (closed) question, I'll try to take to very risky path of buying a computer on United States, and doing shipping to my country.
You should then take into consideration I'm now restricted to a maximum budget of 90$, as maritime shipping is worth up to 100$.

Knowing I have no chance on getting a somewhat new PC, I thought on restricting in the old-but-good Intel i5-2400 CPU.

In my previous thread, a good samaritan yelled me I shouldn't at any cost buy a SFF PC. That being said, my current options are:

• Dell Optiplex 390 (https://ebay.to/2D8OhJi)
  
• Dell Optiplex 790 (https://ebay.to/2QLOZod)
• Dell Optiplex 990 (https://ebay.to/2s6qJCS)
• Hp Compaq 6200 (https://ebay.to/34c0fy2)

I already discarded personal preferences, such as minimum 8GB RAM or 500GB HDD. The last thing I'm trying to save is +3GHz i5 CPU.

All that said, now I go back to title: Which one of those options can get a decent GPU? I don't need a 6 GB monster, as I'm planning light gaming (Digimon Masters Online, Skyrim...) but of course I want to upgrade from my Nvidia GeForce 8400 GS 512 MB on my new PC.

That, and what even DMO couldn't be run smoothly in the 8400 GS. It keeps crashing in busy server times, and I keep playing in the most simplified mode of the game hahahaha

 

[jeremyj_83]

Good afternoon. Here it's me, again.

After my previous (closed) question, I'll try to take to very risky path of buying a computer on United States, and doing shipping to my country.
You should then take into consideration I'm now restricted to a maximum budget of 90$, as maritime shipping is worth up to 100$.

Knowing I have no chance on getting a somewhat new PC, I thought on restricting in the old-but-good Intel i5-2400 CPU.

In my previous thread, a good samaritan yelled me I shouldn't at any cost buy a SFF PC. That being said, my current options are:

• Dell Optiplex 390 (https://ebay.to/2D8OhJi)
• Dell Optiplex 790 (https://ebay.to/2QLOZod)
• Dell Optiplex 990 (https://ebay.to/2s6qJCS)
• Hp Compaq 6200 (https://ebay.to/34c0fy2)

I already discarded personal preferences, such as minimum 8GB RAM or 500GB HDD. The last thing I'm trying to save is +3GHz i5 CPU.

All that said, now I go back to title: Which one of those options can get a decent GPU? I don't need a 6 GB monster, as I'm planning light gaming (Digimon Masters Online, Skyrim...) but of course I want to upgrade from my Nvidia GeForce 8400 GS 512 MB on my new PC.

That, and what even DMO couldn't be run smoothly in the 8400 GS. It keeps crashing in busy server times, and I keep playing in the most simplified mode of the game hahahaha

All of them have Power Supplies in the 240-265W range. The HP has a 240, the Dells have either a 250 or 265. I would probably use the Optiplex 790, but with PSUs that small you won't be able to do much more than a GT 1030 for your GPU. Maybe you can do a 1650.

 

[AskenLurom]

All of them have Power Supplies in the 240-265W range. The HP has a 240, the Dells have either a 250 or 265. I would probably use the Optiplex 790, but with PSUs that small you won't be able to do much more than a GT 1030 for your GPU. Maybe you can do a 1650.

Hmm. I'm checking Nvidia GeForce GT 1030 and got surprised all relevant results speak of it as one of the worst Graphics Card.

Price (at current exchange rate): 119,95 US$ (and this is the cheapest one in the whole country, in Caracas price goes up to 140$. Use as exchange rate 33.500 VES/USD, and price of that one is +4.000.000 VES)

Do you really think it's worth buying the GT 1030? I mean, my budget isn't exactly that high. I was planning on buying a GPU 50$ (or less) without needing to change original PSU.

 

[jeremyj_83]

The GT1030 isn't one of the worst GPU. It is the lowest end GPU that nVidia makes, but is very low powered and doesn't need any additional power from the PSU, it is able to get it all from the PCIe slot. What GPU were you looking at getting?

 

[AskenLurom]

The GT1030 isn't one of the worst GPU. It is the lowest end GPU that nVidia makes, but is very low powered and doesn't need any additional power from the PSU, it is able to get it all from the PCIe slot. What GPU were you looking at getting?

I really have no idea about GPU world. Introduced in 2018 my first one, and it's dated 2007. Really sorry

That's why, when you gave me the recomendation, went to YouTube for GPU Reviews. Of the first 10 videos, 6 claims it's one of the worst GPU Nvidia ever did. I think that's a reason for getting worried, right? haha

If you put that together to market price, it's enough for you to jump from the chair and ask again, don't you think?

However, found it's much cheaper on eBay. Is this one the GPU you're suggesting me to buy, right?

 

[jeremyj_83]

I really have no idea about GPU world. Introduced in 2018 my first one, and it's dated 2007. Really sorry

That's why, when you gave me the recomendation, went to YouTube for GPU Reviews. Of the first 10 videos, 6 claims it's one of the worst GPU Nvidia ever did. I think that's a reason for getting worried, right? haha

If you put that together to market price, it's enough for you to jump from the chair and ask again, don't you think?

However, found it's much cheaper on eBay. Is this one the GPU you're suggesting me to buy, right?

Yes that is the GPU I was talking about. There are 2 versions, one with DDR4 RAM and one with DDR5 RAM. The one with DDR5 is the better card and what you linked is the DDR5 version.

 

[stonecarver]

Out of the 3 Dells the 990 is you best bet. Has legacy BIOS and or UEFI you can choose how you want to run it. The 990 has 4 memory slots for future up grades. Newer Video card now will only work with UEFI Bios.

https://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/optix/en/optiplex-990-tech-guide.pdf

https://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/optix/en/optiplex-390-tech-guide.pdf

https://clascsg.uconn.edu/download/specs/O790.pdf

And yes power supply will need to be upgraded in any of these Dells as there light weight crud.

I have a 990 running 32gb memory, i7 2gen , 2 tb HDD with a RX 580 8gb running UEIF Bios. It's my Tv watching rig. Actually it's on in the back ground playing Rick and Morty lol.

I did put a 600+ power supply in it like I said the Dell factory Power supply is crap.


And just an FYI the Dell I bought was $80.00 off ebay with hard drive and 8gb of memory. The rest was jumping on the right deal at the right time.

Graphics Cards tested and working on Dell 990
GTX 1060 6gb
GTX 780ti 3gb
GTX 990 4gb 3.5 really
RX 580 8gb
R9 380x 4gb
RX 470 8gb

I will let others speak for the HP I have no hands on on that model.

Here is a Dell 990 to get the idea

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3cH1H3aK8Q

 

[AskenLurom]

Out of the 3 Dells the 990 is you best bet. Has legacy BIOS and or UEFI you can choose how you want to run it. The 990 has 4 memory slots for future up grades. Newer Video card now will only work with UEFI Bios.

https://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/optix/en/optiplex-990-tech-guide.pdf

https://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/optix/en/optiplex-390-tech-guide.pdf

https://clascsg.uconn.edu/download/specs/O790.pdf

And yes power supply will need to be upgraded in any of these Dells as there light weight crud.

I have a 990 running 32gb memory, i7 2gen , 2 tb HDD with a RX 580 8gb running UEIF Bios. It's my Tv watching rig. Actually it's on in the back ground playing Rick and Morty lol.

I did put a 600+ power supply in it like I said the Dell factory Power supply is crap.


And just an FYI the Dell I bought was $80.00 off ebay with hard drive and 8gb of memory. The rest was jumping on the right deal at the right time.

Graphics Cards tested and working on Dell 990
GTX 1060 6gb
GTX 780ti 3gb
GTX 990 4gb 3.5 really
RX 580 8gb
R9 380x 4gb
RX 470 8gb

I will let others speak for the HP I have no hands on on that model.

Here is a Dell 990 to get the idea

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3cH1H3aK8Q

Hearing about someone else experience with one of this PCs is very useful. Now you have me real hope of getting a somewhat good PC, investing on it slowly.

I'll choose your answer as best solution, but would like to know if you could share components you currently using (PSU, Motherboard -I guess it isn't the original one-) with me privately.

 

[stonecarver]

No magic here with the exception I moved parts to an vintage Lian Li 2004 or so case. All dell parts just added new memory and power supply. And RX580. Just get low latency memory and no XMP hot rod memory . This was an Office computer that just happens to be a sleeper Cheap gaming computer. Honestly haven't looked at the power supply in a while an computer is kinda tucked in where she sits. But it is 600+ watts. and Just so you know all parts were installed into the Dell virgin case and used for a while so yes the RX 580 will fit in the Dell.


This is the model case it went into. I have a black and a sliver model so the Dell 990 I put into the black.
http://www.dansdata.com/pcv1000.htm

also if you do upgrade case here is some additional help info.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8sv_33W3FI

 

[talonts]

While the x90 series is nice (I have several), don't set aside the Dell 3010/7010/9010 series of MTs. They have third gen CPUs, USB3 ports, and still support standard aftermarket power supplies. And if you watch carefully, some will be in your budget.

The only real problem with the x010 series on Ebay is slogging through all the SFF versions you don't want, to find the MT versions. You can't count on sellers using SFF/DT/MT, so you'll probably just have to sort by picture.

 

[stonecarver]

Only problem with the 3010/7010/9010 Dell pulled a Dick move and only put two ram slots on the newer boards.. USB 3 can be fixed with a $20.00 add in card.

 

[talonts]

Only problem with the 3010/7010/9010 Dell pulled a Dick move and only put two ram slots on the newer boards.. USB 3 can be fixed with a $20.00 add in card.

On the uSFF chassis, but not the SFF and MT.

My data comes from the 7010 SFF and 9010 MT 5 feet from me - both have 4 memory slots. I don't have a uSFF x010 to check, but would assume it is similar to the x90 and x020 uSFFs I have, which do have 2 full size DIMM slots.

Unless they changed it mid-production...which I wouldn't put it past them to save a quarter per machine.

 

[AskenLurom]

No magic here with the exception I moved parts to an vintage Lian Li 2004 or so case. All dell parts just added new memory and power supply. And RX580. Just get low latency memory and no XMP hot rod memory . This was an Office computer that just happens to be a sleeper Cheap gaming computer. Honestly haven't looked at the power supply in a while an computer is kinda tucked in where she sits. But it is 600+ watts. and Just so you know all parts were installed into the Dell virgin case and used for a while so yes the RX 580 will fit in the Dell.


This is the model case it went into. I have a black and a sliver model so the Dell 990 I put into the black.
http://www.dansdata.com/pcv1000.htm

also if you do upgrade case here is some additional help info.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8sv_33W3FI

While the x90 series is nice (I have several), don't set aside the Dell 3010/7010/9010 series of MTs. They have third gen CPUs, USB3 ports, and still support standard aftermarket power supplies. And if you watch carefully, some will be in your budget.

The only real problem with the x010 series on Ebay is slogging through all the SFF versions you don't want, to find the MT versions. You can't count on sellers using SFF/DT/MT, so you'll probably just have to sort by picture.

Thanks for the advice talonts, but following stonecarver suggestion, yesterday I bought the Dell Optiplex 990 MT.

Refurbished: 4 GB RAM, 500 GB HDD, Intel i5 (I hope it being the i5-2400, seller still don't answer that question).
Price: 81.19$ (it was a Best Offer purchase)
eBay Link

Now I should wait until Jan-Feb for it to arrive Venezuela, and pray for the machine not getting broken in the trip.