[SOLVED] Dell Optiplex 780 DT over Optiplex 760 SFF : Upgrade path

[testsubject2575]

So here I am again asking you about the project I am currently doing.

So I've found a Dell Optiplex 780 for 20 dollars after I bought my Optiplex 760 for 37 freaking dollars! Should I continue upgrading my 760 or buy the 780 and upgrade that instead? Which has a good upgrade path? I am trying to upgrade small form factor PCs because it is challenging and looks fun for me but Desktop PCs have more variety of upgrades. So, yeah.

 

[velocityg4]

SFF have way too many limitations. It's not like a DIY mini-ITX or mATX builds. Half height cards, proprietary PSU form factors, motherboard PCIe power limitations, poor airflow and so forth make SFF a bad choice. If you want to do anything beyond a low end GPU, RAM, Storage and CPU upgrades.

 

[testsubject2575]

SFF have way too many limitations. It's not like a DIY mini-ITX or mATX builds. Half height cards, proprietary PSU form factors, motherboard PCIe power limitations, poor airflow and so forth make SFF a bad choice. If you want to do anything beyond a low end GPU, RAM, Storage and CPU upgrades.

I can fit a single fan GTX 750 Ti in a SFF PC but that requires me to dremel the back plate. What other limitations do I have aside from the GPU?

 

[velocityg4]

I can fit a single fan GTX 750 Ti in a SFF PC but that requires me to dremel the back plate. What other limitations do I have aside from the GPU?

As stated. The PSU is likely limited in replacement options. There may be CPU limitations too. Such as only low power versions of CPU but that can be true of any OEM computer.

Any non half-height cards won't work. Although you're probably not going to be installing a full sized RAID controller, sound card, quad NVMe adapter, &c.

You likely won't be able to move the motherboard to a full sized case. As they often use proprietary screw placements.

 

[SamirD]

The biggest limiter I've seen on SFF is the power supply since these are typically very proprietary. DT all the way!

But it also depends on what you're getting in terms of specs on both of these although both are dirt cheap!

 

[testsubject2575]

The biggest limiter I've seen on SFF is the power supply since these are typically very proprietary. DT all the way!

But it also depends on what you're getting in terms of specs on both of these although both are dirt cheap!

Oh yeah, well time to buy a DT instead. Thanks!

I like to mod potato PCs because they look cool but for real it actually runs like a potato!

 

[testsubject2575]

As stated. The PSU is likely limited in replacement options. There may be CPU limitations too. Such as only low power versions of CPU but that can be true of any OEM computer.

Any non half-height cards won't work. Although you're probably not going to be installing a full sized RAID controller, sound card, quad NVMe adapter, &c.

You likely won't be able to move the motherboard to a full sized case. As they often use proprietary screw placements.

Yeah I could get an empty DT case for free and move the entire SFF parts into it. Thanks!

 

[SamirD]

Yeah I could get an empty DT case for free and move the entire SFF parts into it. Thanks!

Actually, you probably can't do this because of the proprietary sff parts.

 

[testsubject2575]

Actually, you probably can't do this because of the proprietary sff parts.

Oh. Okay, well... I guess I'm just stuck with my SFF PC then.

 

[SamirD]

Oh. Okay, well... I guess I'm just stuck with my SFF PC then.

Check the specific motherboard and how it varies between the SFF and DT/MT versions. If it is the same, you can move it over without any issues. I know if varies between the different series in Dell's line up and generations.

 

[testsubject2575]

Check the specific motherboard and how it varies between the SFF and DT/MT versions. If it is the same, you can move it over without any issues. I know if varies between the different series in Dell's line up and generations.

It looks like the SFF motherboard have less PCIe slots and has a smaller design, it does not fit perfectly I guess.

 

[SamirD]

It looks like the SFF motherboard have less PCIe slots and has a smaller design, it does not fit perfectly I guess.

Even though that may be the case if everything else like power and mount holes line up, it should be an easy swap over.

 

[testsubject2575]

Even though that may be the case if everything else like power and mount holes line up, it should be an easy swap over.

Yeah I'll try that. Thanks!

 

[SamirD]

If you download the dell service manual it will usually go into assembly and disassembly of all the different chassis of a particular model so you can see if and how they're different.

 

[william p]

The 780 DT is much better. It can handle 16GB DDR3 RAM. The CPU choices are the same. Q9650, or a tapemod E7500 to 3.66Ghz.
RW134 is the heatpipe cooler for that if yours has the aluminum chunk. There is a full height GPU riser for the DT.
https://www.amazon.com/Dell-HX727-G5459-Optiplex-Assembly/dp/B004Z1K712
You can shop around for one of these. G5459. Make sure you get the card, and the bracket assembly.
A Zotac GTX1050Ti 4GB Mini will fit. You might need an expansion slot exhaust fan in the PCI slot above it to pull hot air out.

 

[testsubject2575]

The 780 DT is much better. It can handle 16GB DDR3 RAM. The CPU choices are the same. Q9650, or a tapemod E7500 to 3.66Ghz.
RW134 is the heatpipe cooler for that if yours has the aluminum chunk. There is a full height GPU riser for the DT.
https://www.amazon.com/Dell-HX727-G5459-Optiplex-Assembly/dp/B004Z1K712
You can shop around for one of these. G5459. Make sure you get the card, and the bracket assembly.
A Zotac GTX1050Ti 4GB Mini will fit. You might need an expansion slot exhaust fan in the PCI slot above it to pull hot air out.

I already upgraded my 760 SFF since I can't find any 780 DT around my location (the item was sold for bulk orders only). Q9650 is in it, I got it last February, and I will buy a dual fan 750 Ti maybe this month because my Zotac 750 Ti was already sold (financial problems). Finally, I've decided to wall mount it instead of moving it into another case, because my room is also small.

Thank you for the additional info though.

 

[william p]

The DDR2 800 is just as fast due to lower latency as the DDR3 1066 in the 780. It's just that you have an 8GB limit which is OK with the GPus that you can run in that.