PCI-E x16 Graphics Card in Dell Optiplex GX520 Desktop form factor?

[kevinakerberg]

Hi everyone,
I was looking to pick up a Dell Optiplex gx520 desktop version and was thinking after that a graphics card upgrade. I just wanted to make sure it had a pci-e x16 slot for a modern gpu. Thanks.

 

[laviniuc]

nope

 

[kevinakerberg]

nope

They don't have one?

 

[reedo_43]

He is right. Does not have one...

 

[kevinakerberg]

He is right. Does not have one...

That's unfortunate. Then can I put in an Optiplex GX620 board in? It does have the pci-e slot and it looks identical to the gx520 board.

 

[10tacle]

nope

They don't have one?

They 620 mobos have a PCIe port but not a 520.

 

[10tacle]

He is right. Does not have one...

Yeah it looks like Dell used two different mobos.

 

[10tacle]

Then can I put in an Optiplex GX620 board in? It does have the pci-e slot and it looks identical to the gx520 board.

The 620 board has two more memory slots and is speced for a more powerful PSU (for the X600 video card option). Your problem is going to be if you are still on the original PSU with the 520. It won't be able to handle a dedicated GPU and probably doesn't even have a PCIe connector for power if you are wanting to slap a video card in there that requires one.

Most lower tier PCIe cards don't need an external power connector though and get all their power from the PCIe slot (like the GTX 750Ti). But with such an old PC you'd have a severe CPU bottleneck by a Pentium 4 anyway.

 

[reedo_43]

Depends on the form factor. Desktop does, small form factor does not.

 

[kevinakerberg]

Then can I put in an Optiplex GX620 board in? It does have the pci-e slot and it looks identical to the gx520 board.

The 620 board has two more memory slots and is speced for a more powerful PSU (for the X600 video card option). Your problem is going to be if you are still on the original PSU with the 520. It won't be able to handle a dedicated GPU and probably doesn't even have a PCIe connector for power if you are wanting to slap a video card in there that requires one.

Most lower tier PCIe cards don't need an external power connector though and get all their power from the PCIe slot (like the GTX 750Ti). But with such an old PC you'd have a severe CPU bottleneck by a Pentium 4 anyway.

Yeah, I might have to upgrade the PSU, but I wasn't planning on keeping the Pentium 4. Maybe a Pentium d or a core 2 duo if it's supported