[SOLVED] Dell Optiplex 7040

[tlavanway3]

Hello, I just bought a Dell Optiplex 7040 for my dad in hopes of shoving some hardware in it to make a Decent little Gaming PC he can play Civilization 6 on. The Optiplex 7040 i bought is the Normal tower Version not SFF and i see that the Computer comes with one of them Weird PSUs that are custom made for the computer itself and knowing that i was wondering if i could replace that PSU with a more conventional Seasonic or something.

 

[USAFRet]

Hello, I just bought a Dell Optiplex 7040 for my dad in hopes of shoving some hardware in it to make a Decent little Gaming PC he can play Civilization 6 on. The Optiplex 7040 i bought is the Normal tower Version not SFF and i see that the Computer comes with one of them Weird PSUs that are custom made for the computer itself and knowing that i was wondering if i could replace that PSU with a more conventional Seasonic or something.

Don't buy an Optiplex with the intent of upgrading it.

Far too many hurdles.
As you see, the PSU.

The motherboard and PSU go together.
Change one, change both.

 

[jasonf2]

I have put stock ATX power supplies into factory builds in the past, but it was a nightmare. I am not familiar with your unit but the first thing you do is verify cables. If the cables will connect you generally can get it done. If they are using a proprietary cable set give up. Now to the even less fun part, even if your cables will fit you will usually have to cut the case and drill holes for the power supply screws. Unless you are good with sheet metal tools this is really going to mess up the case, heck even if you are good it is going to mess it up. The only reason I would ever suggest doing it on purpose is data recovery on an outdated critical work machine, which is what I was doing. Other than that don't buy a factory build with grand ideals of upgrading.

 

[punkncat]

The issue I am seeing is they only list this on Dells site as being the Micro, SFF, or MT configurations. The one you would be looking for is DT and doesn't appear this model was made in that size.

The power supply is likely TFX so far as I can tell. Could be Flex ATX.
The case would only accept a half height card, and may not have room between the PSU and PCI-e slot for more than a single slot card. That aspect should be easy to see if you open the side panel.

 

[Bob.B]

Hello, I just bought a Dell Optiplex 7040 for my dad in hopes of shoving some hardware in it to make a Decent little Gaming PC he can play Civilization 6 on. The Optiplex 7040 i bought is the Normal tower Version not SFF and i see that the Computer comes with one of them Weird PSUs that are custom made for the computer itself and knowing that i was wondering if i could replace that PSU with a more conventional Seasonic or something.

Doubtful looks like a proprietary setup 240w.
You will be limited to a gpu that gets all it's power from the slot.
You should be able to upgrade the storage and ram.

 

[WarWolverineWarrior]

1050ti LP is like $300. Get R9 290 off ebay for $100. I'd get a 2nd PSU and paperclip Pin 4&5 to turn it on just to power the R9 290.

 

[USAFRet]

1050ti LP is like $300. Get R9 290 off ebay for $100. I'd get a 2nd PSU and paperclip Pin 4&5 to turn it on just to power the R9 290.

2x PSU ..... Majorly bad idea.

 

[WarWolverineWarrior]

2x PSU ..... Majorly bad idea.

LMAO it's a "poor" idea. You'd have to cut the case to fit the GPU and ductape the 2nd PSU to the top of the case.

But in theory it should work, it's not like the mobo controls voltage to the GPU.

Just googled it and it has been done before.

Separate PSU for a GPU?

So I’m currently running a salvaged Lenovo Thinkcentre which has a proprietary PSU. I’m hoping to build a system from scratch this summer for Ryzen 3rd gen. However I saw a good deal on a Vega 56 but since the PSU I have had no PCIe power, would it be a problem to run 2 PSUs, the proprietary one ...

linustechtips.com

 

[USAFRet]

LMAO it's a "poor" idea. You'd have to cut the case to fit the GPU and duck-tape the 2nd PSU to the top of the case.

But in theory it should work, it's not like the mobo controls voltage to the GPU.

Just googled it and it has been done before.

Separate PSU for a GPU?

So I’m currently running a salvaged Lenovo Thinkcentre which has a proprietary PSU. I’m hoping to build a system from scratch this summer for Ryzen 3rd gen. However I saw a good deal on a Vega 56 but since the PSU I have had no PCIe power, would it be a problem to run 2 PSUs, the proprietary one ...

linustechtips.com

Yes, it has been "done" before.
Many things are doable. A lot of them are bad ideas.

But.....
Cutting up the case, siamesing 2x PSU, tape, paper clips, etc, etc....

For a 'dad PC', starting with a basic office level Optiplex.

Done wrong, and you're looking at a new house.

There are/were better ways to create this system.


In theory, there is no difference between practice and theory.
In practice, however...

 

[Darkbreeze]

Yes, this is exactly why you DON'T by a Dell (Or most any other prebuilt system) and expect to be able to just throw random aftermarket parts in there. Usually, it doesn't work out because half the crap is proprietary, which is what I assume you meant by "custom made for the computer itself".

That is what is known as "proprietary", meaning, it only works with the parts the manufacturer intended to be used with it. Yes, there are often work arounds, but they are almost unilaterally bad ideas and about half the time the end result is a lot of crying and/or screaming.

If you can get your money back by selling it, or returning it, and then trying to find another option, it would probably cost a little more but there would be far less hair pulling or hammer bashing involved.

 

[tlavanway3]

guy this thread was about a PC that I ALREADY BOUGHT just so my dad can play Civilization, and its turning into a Toxic and useless thread, I'm starting to think that i should not use "Toms Hardware" anymore. you have people telling me to Put a r9 290 in a PC that in no Universe would ever need a card of that power. You got people telling me to Use TWO PSU's which is a god awful thing to do and would make the PC looks like absolute garbage. Then you got people telling me to cut a damn hole in the case, and a person just straight up telling me to not buy a dell when I very clearly said that I already did, like WTF kind of answers are these? All I asked is if I could put a normal PSU in the case, a simple NO and WHY would of sufficed, I bought the PC already knowing that a i5 6600 and a GT 1030 would be perfectly fine on the powersupply the PC Already comes with.......and you people are pretty much telling me to just build an entire new PC, with hardware that makes ZERO sense for its intended purpose.

 

[USAFRet]

And we're just saying...."you can't get there from here"

Turning you underpowered Dell office system into a medium level game system is not going to happen.

 

[tlavanway3]

yeah this is the last time i'm using this website, u know for a Moderator you would think u would know anything about computers, if u think i cant turn a i5 6600 Based system into a Mid level gaming PC Then u must be Very unknowledgeable about that Particular CPU, u could very VERY easily go and buy a GTX 1050 TI low Profile and put it in the PC which doesn't Require a 6 pin power connector. and it would be a gaming PC that could play almost any game, have a nice day.

 

[DSzymborski]

yeah this is the last time i'm using this website, u know for a Moderator you would think u would know anything about computers, if u think i cant turn a i5 6600 Based system into a Mid level gaming PC Then u must be Very unknowledgeable about that Particular CPU, u could very VERY easily go and buy a GTX 1050 TI low Profile and put it in the PC which doesn't Require a 6 pin power connector. and it would be a gaming PC that could play almost any game, have a nice day.

Since you only like answers that you want to hear, it's more efficient to simply do that on your own, without the needless middle step of asking a question.

 

[Bob.B]

guy this thread was about a PC that I ALREADY BOUGHT just so my dad can play Civilization, and its turning into a Toxic and useless thread, I'm starting to think that i should not use "Toms Hardware" anymore. you have people telling me to Put a r9 290 in a PC that in no Universe would ever need a card of that power. You got people telling me to Use TWO PSU's which is a god awful thing to do and would make the PC looks like absolute garbage. Then you got people telling me to cut a damn hole in the case, and a person just straight up telling me to not buy a dell when I very clearly said that I already did, like WTF kind of answers are these? All I asked is if I could put a normal PSU in the case, a simple NO and WHY would of sufficed, I bought the PC already knowing that a i5 6600 and a GT 1030 would be perfectly fine on the powersupply the PC Already comes with.......and you people are pretty much telling me to just build an entire new PC, with hardware that makes ZERO sense for its intended purpose.

Try not to get excited.
When you come to a forum you can get all kinds of answers.
You might find that a different psu will fit but the dell mobo uses oddball connectors
C6 does not appear to be too demanding so the 1030 may work fine.
Give it a test drive.

 

[Darkbreeze]

I tend to prefer to ask my own self questions that I know nobody else is going to give me the answers I want to hear. That way, I'm never disappointed. Well, usually anyhow. Occasionally even I give myself answers I don't like.