Dell OptiPlex 780 for gaming

[WolfsDogs]

I have a Dell OptiPlex 780 SFF and mine has Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 @ 3.33GHz the best one for Dual Core from Dell but my question is that for games is it better to have slower quad core or the faster dual core like mine? Also I see that I can actually upgrade to totally of 16GB DDR3 if I wanted too but I only have 4GB now. I also have 500GB HDD. On Dell specs it says only 8GB since that time they didn't make huge rams that had like 4GB each stick so having 4 of them would go up to 16GB.

 

[James Mason]

If it doesn't have a graphics card it'll be complete garbage for gaming.

And as a Small Form Factor (SFF) it also can't have any good graphics cards really, only "acceptable" ones.

Faster dual cores will be better than slower quad cores for most games, but the CPU isn't very good by todays standards. (GHz don't mean anything.)

Having more than 8Gbs of ram wouldn't benefit you very much in a machine like that.

Motherboards also limit how much RAM can actually be read total beyond just how many slots there are, it's very well possible the motherboard only supports 8gbs of ram.

It's likely the HDD is slow as well which would hinder performance in games, because of it's age and the fact it was put in a PC like that.

 

[WolfsDogs]

Well I was hoping it will play most of the games at lowest settings at least but if not I can always play lower demanding ones but I am sure that this motherboard can go up to 16GB using DDR3 1066mhz PC3-8500. But seems like its not worth doing it you guys are saying or just one is saying right? I can just get 4 2GB rams up to 8GB if really 16GB is going to make 0 difference for sure. But I am glad I have the fastest dual core that the Dell OptiPlex 780 series had rather than a slower Core 2 Quad. I noticed that the fastest Core 2 Quad at that time didn't have a 3.33 MHz speed so I guess I was glad to have the fastest Core 2 Duo.

 

[WolfsDogs]

Do you guys all agree that this desktop won't make any difference having 16GB vs 8GB for games? Even lets say this was not a SFF type case and was a tower do you all think that it won't make any difference having 16GB vs 8GB? just wondering

 

[WolfsDogs]

Also I see many people put to get a GeForce GTX 750 TI low profile but is there a AMD low profile that I can use that is the best? I can see the Radeon R5 220 or 230 but is that the best low profile from AMD? Or is the GeForce GTX 750 TI better overall? Is there like a AMD R7 that is low profile? just wondering

 

[iballew]

First of all, the 780 supports the q9xxx core 2 quads which are still great cpus. They are roughly as fast as a modern i3 and even the slower ones would easily beat your e8600. I would seriously consider upgrading to one.. Secondly, going from 8gb to 16gbs of ram (if that machine even supports it) would make no difference in game performance. What you really need to run even the most basic of games is a dedicated gpu. The best low profile single slot gpu that is currently sold is the gtx 750 ti. It is truely a fantastic little card that should run most games on med/high settings. A friend of mine has had it running flawlessly in his slimline (220 watt psu) for 1.5 years. If you need a cheaper option, the gt 740 would also get the job done well. Good luck.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1N83W31386&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleMKP-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleMKP-PC-_-pla-_-Video+Card+-+Nvidia-_-9SIA1N83W31386&gclid=Cj0KEQjwwpm3BRDuh5awn4qJpLwBEiQAATTAQeM9Ss9ZiPJEVkPP2ICDQ1iGfuaO8TeUrxo5wf6sBToaAgZT8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500337&cm_re=gt_740-_-14-500-337-_-Product

 

[WolfsDogs]

Well if the fastest dual core from Core 2 Duo is that bad then how are you going to say about slower ones that are like 2.4 gHz or 2.8 gHz? Or do all Core 2 Duo perform the same and number doesn't matter? I didn't know that any Core 2 Quad is that much better even compared to the fastest 3.33 gHz even the slowest one.

 

[WolfsDogs]

Just wondering but is the AMD Radeon R7 240 or 250 low profile ones best from AMD? Or these better the GeForce GTX 750 TI? Or do you guys not know or tested it?

 

[WolfsDogs]

Ok actually I found out that the Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300 is slower overall than the Core 2 Duo E8600. The Core 2 Quad Q8400 is the same as the Core 2 Duo E8600. So mine isn't really slower than the slowest Core 2 Quad. I looked a CPU Boss site and compared the scores.

But in the real world is the Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 not any difference from the slower ones like or E7600 or E8400 and is just numbers and any Core 2 Quad even the Q8300 is a lot better for games?

 

[hang-the-9]

If you want to setup a system for gaming, don't bother updating yours, it'd a dead end system that will only go so far. Put the money you were going to spend on a used system with a Core i3 or FX-6300 if AMD for low end or Intel Core i5 for higher quality and smoother play in new games. Look for a tower system that will hold a video card and a 300 watt or so power supply in the computer. Should be about $100-150 for a used business class tower, close to another $100 for the video card for games.

The 750 Ti is a lot faster than the R7 240 or 250.

 

[WolfsDogs]

Well I' am also in a tight budget since I live off of SSI Welfare, EBT and have Medicaid so I can't afford a high end system. But I do see a CPU only that is a Core 2 Quad at 3 gHz which is the best Quad core for around $50-$60 at Ebay so I can save up and upgrade the CPU in the future but for now seems like my Core 2 Duo is fine. But I didn't know that AMD cards that are in the Radeon R7 series were not as good as the GeForce GTX 750 TI that is older series. Are normally Nvidia cards better than AMD cards in general? I thought the Radeon R series were better since it has DirectX 12. I heard that DirectX 12 helps smooth out games better than 11.

 

[hang-the-9]

Well I' am also in a tight budget since I live off of SSI Welfare, EBT and have Medicaid so I can't afford a high end system. But I do see a CPU only that is a Core 2 Quad at 3 gHz which is the best Quad core for around $50-$60 at Ebay so I can save up and upgrade the CPU in the future but for now seems like my Core 2 Duo is fine. But I didn't know that AMD cards that are in the Radeon R7 series were not as good as the GeForce GTX 750 TI that is older series. Are normally Nvidia cards better than AMD cards in general? I thought the Radeon R series were better since it has DirectX 12. I heard that DirectX 12 helps smooth out games better than 11.

The power supply in your small form Optiplex would be too weak to run a comparable AMD card to the 750 Ti. Depending on the power supply you have even the 750 Ti may be too much for it to handle. AMD cards use more power in the same speed range, although are cheaper.

 

[WolfsDogs]

I have a 235 watt PSU and it says 17A on +12v. But most cards I noticed that are low profiles don't use much watts but does the GeForce GTX 750 TI use alot? I see it says it needs actually 50 watts but is that too much? The Radeon R7 250 uses around 65 watts I see but will that work also? I saw someone posted here on these forums when I google it and they said the Radeon R7 250 should work fine. Someone had the same Dell OptiPlex 780 SFF tower with same processor but had 1 TB hard drive and mine is only 500 GB.

 

[WolfsDogs]

This is what one person said about the same Dell desktop I have and putting this video card.



"I think you'll be fine, I remember toms building a mini-itx budget PC with a 7750 (more or less the same) using a 150w PSU, also as that card has no power connecter so it can only take a max of 75w from the PCIe slot, that cpu has a TDP of 65w, I'd be surprised if you broke 130w all in, a draw of 141w would be 60% the power supply."

 

[WolfsDogs]

But if this is wrong then I will need to get a lower end card that will for sure work. I know that the AMD Radeon R5 220 or 230 uses around 19 watts so that should work for sure.

 

[hang-the-9]

I have a 235 watt PSU and it says 17A on +12v. But most cards I noticed that are low profiles don't use much watts but does the GeForce GTX 750 TI use alot? I see it says it needs actually 50 watts but is that too much? The Radeon R7 250 uses around 65 watts I see but will that work also? I saw someone posted here on these forums when I google it and they said the Radeon R7 250 should work fine. Someone had the same Dell OptiPlex 780 SFF tower with same processor but had 1 TB hard drive and mine is only 500 GB.

It may work, it may not work and break, along with the motherboard maybe. I don't like taking chances with power in the computer. I would not run a 750 Ti on a 235 watt power supply nor let anyone I know do that unless they were fine with trying and buying new parts if the system burned out.

If you buy a low power weak card, it will be bad for any games past old ones or basic online games. A regular 750 may work better than a Ti if you insist on trying. R5 220 or 230 is OK, but they are not gaming cards at all. You can hook up a 20 foot boat to a Cooper Mini and try to town it, does not mean it's a good idea to do it. Trying to get something working in a system not made for it, you will just get bad results. Either slow performance or a burned out video card or motherboard or power supply if you try to run a card that the system can't power.

Best thing is to change the system to a usable one for games before you buy more RAM or a video card, once you have the platform to take the video card, then get that. Even if you get a older quad core CPU instead of a newer i3 or something, at least get a tower system with about a 300 watt power supply.

Or just go with a low power card like you seem to want to and see what results you get.

 

[WolfsDogs]

Well I see that I can change my CPU to a Core 2 Quad that is 3 Ghz for around $40-$50 on Ebay but maybe I can in the future save up and get that then I will get better performance. But I guess if you think both the Radeon R7 250 or 240 and the GeForce 750 TI is too much power then maybe as you said the normal GeForce 750 would work or the Radeon R5 220 or 230 to be safe. But do you really think the normal GeForce 750 would work fine that is without the TI? I know some cards have just GeForce GT *** or so and didn't know what is the exact model you were talking about. Thanks

 

[iballew]

I never said your core 2 duo is bad, it should get the job done for gaming. The 750 ti is actually quite a bit faster and uses less power than the r7 250 (r7 250 tdp: 65 watts, gtx 750 ti tdp: 60 watts). That 235 watt psu should be plenty to power that relatively efficient core 2 duo and a lower wattage gpu. In fact, it shouldn't even break a sweat. Dell put quality power supply's in those old optiplexes (I know from personal experience)

The q8300 is actually faster than your e8600. proof: http://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare.php?cmp%5B%5D=957&cmp%5B%5D=9&cmp%5B%5D=1049

 

[hang-the-9]

Well I see that I can change my CPU to a Core 2 Quad that is 3 Ghz for around $40-$50 on Ebay but maybe I can in the future save up and get that then I will get better performance. But I guess if you think both the Radeon R7 250 or 240 and the GeForce 750 TI is too much power then maybe as you said the normal GeForce 750 would work or the Radeon R5 220 or 230 to be safe. But do you really think the normal GeForce 750 would work fine that is without the TI? I know some cards have just GeForce GT *** or so and didn't know what is the exact model you were talking about. Thanks

You can try a 750 Ti if you want, if you upgrade to a quad core it will be a decent match to that. People say you should be able to run the Ti in your system, so up to you to give it a shot. I don't have any card in that power range to test, even though I do have a Core 2 Duo small form Dell hanging around. All my cards are either less power than the 750 models or double the power use.