Dell XPS 8500

[B7Tech]

Hello, I would like to know if a Dell XPS 8500 would be able to run a very high-performance graphics card? Maybe not this, but will it run the $1000 GTX Titan? Maybe it's ridiculous, maybe its not xD.

 

[coastie65]

Ok. The motherboard in that thing is a Micro ATX. it is about 9" x 9" in size. They Titan is 10.5 " This a pic of the XPS 8500 opend up. It will not fit.

This is simply an incorrect assumption, but the picture is correct. The TITAN will fit in this system. I don't know why you would say otherwise. You must not own one of these systems.

As I stated earlier in this thread, I currently have an XPS 8500 with a 10.6" card in it, and previous to that, I had a card that was over 11.2" long in it (HD 5870 reference design). You can't tell from the picture, but the card can extend substantially inside and below the lower metal and the black plastic video card retainer at the lower center/right of the picture.

The size of the motherboard really has nothing to do with the max size of the video card that this case can hold.

The card that I currently have in my XPS 8500 system is this one:

http://us.msi.com/product/vga/N680GTX-Twin-Frozr-4GD5-OC.html

It is 270 mm (10.6") long.

FWIW, Dell has been using this same basic case design for quite a while, as I currently own three different Dell models that share the same basic case layout, dimensions and the ability to mount large video cards. The Studio XPS 7100, XPS 8500, and XPS 8700 all can handle video cards of at least 11.5" in length.

I just pulled the cover off of my XPS 8700 and stuck a tape measure in the video card space, and it's at least 14.5" from the vertical back of the card where the DVI connectors are to the forward bulkhead of the case. It's a huge open area that nothing occupies other than the video card. The lower perforated metal area in the picture does not contain drive cages or other equipment, it is a large open area where the video card lives.

Look on page 39 of this document:

ftp://ftp.dell.com/Manuals/all-products/esuprt_desktop/esuprt_xps_desktop/xps-8500_Owner%27s%20Manual_en-us.pdf

for a much better picture of how the video card fits into the system

I was using the Motherboard size primarily to get an idea in relation to case size. The case is a Mini tower judging from what I've seen. I know what the size of a mATX motherboard is, so was trying to estimate the distance from the inside edge of the motherboard to the Hdd cage. hard to do with what pics i could find. You have one sitting there so obviously would have a better handle on it. I had an eMachines Mini Tower, That I had a 9800GT mounted in and was thinking I had a bit more room, but not much and that card was 9" I think. Fortunately, although the cards are getting more powerful the size seems to br down a bit. Seems that I remember some 12" cards back when. I was just looking at the pic I posted and it looks to be at least an inch of space from the edge of the motherboard to the cage like thing at the front. With the Motherboard coming in at 9.6 inches and probably a little more that an inch of space beyond that, then you should be able to fit at least a 10.5 inch card. Anyway, you own Dells and have them to look at, so would know. My apologies for seeming to be argumentative. I should have taken the fact that it was an XPS which is Dell's top shelf model into consideration. I had a friend on another board that had both an XPS desktop and Laptop and really loved them both. I'm thinking the case may be a Dell Propritary thing and not really a Mini Tower, but not a Mid tower either. Probably somewhere between. Sounds like the upgrade path is a little better than the eMachines I had, course, those things were never intended to be more than entry level machines to start with.

Ok, thank you very much. And that is great news!! 😀 but I've heard the GTX 690 is better, and its the same price. Should I get the XPS 8500, or the XPS 8700? And in your opinion, should I get a Titan, or the GTX 690??

I think you would be better off with the Titan. The 690 had two GPUs onboard, but that can bring on issues of its own, not the least of which is temp.

 

[B7Tech]

Ok. The motherboard in that thing is a Micro ATX. it is about 9" x 9" in size. They Titan is 10.5 " This a pic of the XPS 8500 opend up. It will not fit.

This is simply an incorrect assumption, but the picture is correct. The TITAN will fit in this system. I don't know why you would say otherwise. You must not own one of these systems.

As I stated earlier in this thread, I currently have an XPS 8500 with a 10.6" card in it, and previous to that, I had a card that was over 11.2" long in it (HD 5870 reference design). You can't tell from the picture, but the card can extend substantially inside and below the lower metal and the black plastic video card retainer at the lower center/right of the picture.

The size of the motherboard really has nothing to do with the max size of the video card that this case can hold.

The card that I currently have in my XPS 8500 system is this one:

http://us.msi.com/product/vga/N680GTX-Twin-Frozr-4GD5-OC.html

It is 270 mm (10.6") long.

FWIW, Dell has been using this same basic case design for quite a while, as I currently own three different Dell models that share the same basic case layout, dimensions and the ability to mount large video cards. The Studio XPS 7100, XPS 8500, and XPS 8700 all can handle video cards of at least 11.5" in length.

I just pulled the cover off of my XPS 8700 and stuck a tape measure in the video card space, and it's at least 14.5" from the vertical back of the card where the DVI connectors are to the forward bulkhead of the case. It's a huge open area that nothing occupies other than the video card. The lower perforated metal area in the picture does not contain drive cages or other equipment, it is a large open area where the video card lives.

Look on page 39 of this document:

ftp://ftp.dell.com/Manuals/all-products/esuprt_desktop/esuprt_xps_desktop/xps-8500_Owner%27s%20Manual_en-us.pdf

for a much better picture of how the video card fits into the system

I was using the Motherboard size primarily to get an idea in relation to case size. The case is a Mini tower judging from what I've seen. I know what the size of a mATX motherboard is, so was trying to estimate the distance from the inside edge of the motherboard to the Hdd cage. hard to do with what pics i could find. You have one sitting there so obviously would have a better handle on it. I had an eMachines Mini Tower, That I had a 9800GT mounted in and was thinking I had a bit more room, but not much and that card was 9" I think. Fortunately, although the cards are getting more powerful the size seems to br down a bit. Seems that I remember some 12" cards back when. I was just looking at the pic I posted and it looks to be at least an inch of space from the edge of the motherboard to the cage like thing at the front. With the Motherboard coming in at 9.6 inches and probably a little more that an inch of space beyond that, then you should be able to fit at least a 10.5 inch card. Anyway, you own Dells and have them to look at, so would know. My apologies for seeming to be argumentative. I should have taken the fact that it was an XPS which is Dell's top shelf model into consideration. I had a friend on another board that had both an XPS desktop and Laptop and really loved them both. I'm thinking the case may be a Dell Propritary thing and not really a Mini Tower, but not a Mid tower either. Probably somewhere between. Sounds like the upgrade path is a little better than the eMachines I had, course, those things were never intended to be more than entry level machines to start with.

Ok, thank you very much. And that is great news!! 😀 but I've heard the GTX 690 is better, and its the same price. Should I get the XPS 8500, or the XPS 8700? And in your opinion, should I get a Titan, or the GTX 690??

I think you would be better off with the Titan. The 690 had two GPUs onboard, but that can bring on issues of its own, not the least of which is temp.

Oh alright, should I stick with the 850W psu now or go for an upgrade? And would you recommend me getting the XPS 8500, or the XPS 8700? I asked chucko that but no response.

 

[coastie65]

If I remember correctly, I think I liked the Processor in the XPS 8500 which is a 3rd gen i7 3770. I think the XPS 8700 had a 4th gen i5 something. The 850w should handle the Titan well. I have one in here and have no qualms about going sli on a secong GTX 680 ( except for the cost ).

 

[B7Tech]

If I remember correctly, I think I liked the Processor in the XPS 8500 which is a 3rd gen i7 3770. I think the XPS 8700 had a 4th gen i5 something. The 850w should handle the Titan well. I have one in here and have no qualms about going sli on a secong GTX 680 ( except for the cost ).

Oh alright, so I should go for the XPS 8500?

 

[coastie65]

I will be fine. You are upgrading it anyway and it has a good processor.

 

[B7Tech]

I will be fine. You are upgrading it anyway and it has a good processor.

Well, I say again coastie, thank you for all your help, it means a lot. 😀