[SOLVED] Refurbished desktop under $400 for 1080p video editing?

[hbenthow]

I'm looking for a computer that I plan to use both as a regular computer for Internet browsing and such, and for 1080p Blu-ray quality video editing and color grading. I'm just a hobbyist, so I don't need something that's professional quality. I always buy refurbished, as I don't have much money, and that's the best way to get the most bang for my buck.

Keep in mind that I'm not an expert on what CPUs/GPUs/etc are powerful enough to do what I want.

Here are the specifications of what I need:

• I'm looking for a desktop computer on its own (I plan to get a monitor separately).
• It must have Windows 10 Pro.
• It must have at least 4 USB 3.0 or higher jacks.
• I would prefer a computer around the same size as my HP Compaq 6305 Pro, but would consider something larger.
• I'm on a very limited budget, so I don't want to pay more than a few dollars over $400. I'd be willing to consider a used computer if it came with a warranty, but prefer refurbished.
• Hard drive space doesn't matter, as I plan to replace the hard drive with a 1TB Macrium clone of whatever one it comes with and keeping the one it comes with as a backup in case of a hard drive crash. I also plan on putting in my own Blu-ray burner, so the disk drive doesn't matter either.
• However, the case must have enough room and available SATA slots for me to put my LG WH16NS40 Blu-ray burner and at least one extra 3.5 inch SATA hard drive in it. (This doesn't necessarily mean a large case; my HP Compaq 6305 Pro is a small form factor, but has room for both of the aforementioned things.)
• I want at least a quad-core CPU and at least 16 GB of RAM.
• A real graphics card would be nice, but integrated graphics are acceptable if they are powerful enough for what I need the computer to do.
• I'm mainly looking for something powerful enough to edit 1080p Blu-ray quality video and audio with ease. It would be nice if it was powerful enough to play (and maybe even edit) 4K video as well, but that would just be a bonus, and I'm not sure if that's possible in my price range. Being able to easily handle 1080p editing (including color grading and audio editing) is what's essential, anything more would just be a bonus.
• It needs to be stable. What I mean is that I don't want a computer that's going to overheat. I have to limit the processor usage of my current computer (an HP Compaq 6305 Pro), to 88% using Windows settings, because its cooling system isn't good enough to keep its dual-core CPU from overheating when running over 90%.

 

[SamirD]

Okay, some answers for you, as well as some questions.

SFF sizes are limiting in what you can do with a gpu (this is important for 4k) as MT cases will have more space to easily add a nice gpu as well as power supply.

There's a lot of great refurb deals out there if you're not opposed to a few generations old. However, that may limit any future 4k capability.

With the storage you plan to add to the system, I would find a barebone minitower with ample power supply and enough memory slots not only for 16gb, but 32gb. This would give you a lot of what you need without anything you don't as well as some cheap future proofing.

I would definitely invest in a good fast video card--as fast as you can afford. gpu accelerations in anything graphics intensive are leagues above any igpu. And depending on how much you can budget for this, you can get something 4k ready so as long as the rest of your system (cpu, ram, storage) can handle 4k editing, the gpu is ready to go.

If your current system is heat throttling, its probably because the pwm fan isn't working right. (I have an older dc5750 that shares that same case design and the pwm didn't ramp up when the ac in the room failed while I was away, killing the nic. Eventually the system stopped booting.) The solution to this is to use the bios setting to make the fans manually run at 100%. Since you won't need this all the time, you can set it when you need it and you should be able to not have issues with overheating. I would also check the heatsink and make sure it is still properly attached and not covered in dust, which will limit its effectiveness.

 

[hbenthow]

There's a lot of great refurb deals out there if you're not opposed to a few generations old. However, that may limit any future 4k capability.

I'm not opposed to a few generations old. That's what I'm used to, and probably all that I can afford.

With the storage you plan to add to the system, I would find a barebone minitower with ample power supply and enough memory slots not only for 16gb, but 32gb. This would give you a lot of what you need without anything you don't as well as some cheap future proofing.

How can I tell if the power supply is ample enough?

I would definitely invest in a good fast video card--as fast as you can afford. gpu accelerations in anything graphics intensive are leagues above any igpu. And depending on how much you can budget for this, you can get something 4k ready so as long as the rest of your system (cpu, ram, storage) can handle 4k editing, the gpu is ready to go.

Well, like I said in my OP, easy handling of 1080p is a must, and 4K support is optional. 4K capabilities would be nice, but I don't know if I can realistically expect them within my budget.

Do you mean getting a computer that comes with a good video card, or buying one separately and adding it? I've never replaced a graphics card, so I don't know how difficult or risky it is.

If your current system is heat throttling, its probably because the pwm fan isn't working right. (I have an older dc5750 that shares that same case design and the pwm didn't ramp up when the ac in the room failed while I was away, killing the nic. Eventually the system stopped booting.) The solution to this is to use the bios setting to make the fans manually run at 100%. Since you won't need this all the time, you can set it when you need it and you should be able to not have issues with overheating. I would also check the heatsink and make sure it is still properly attached and not covered in dust, which will limit its effectiveness.

I checked the heatsink soon after I got the computer. I even replaced the silver paste (a process that I found nerve-wracking, and which made no difference). It wasn't dusty, and it was properly attached.

I can't recall if I ever edited the fan settings in BIOS. I only ever used the BIOS a few times, because I'm always worried about messing something up.

 

[SamirD]

I do the same thing--there's a tremendous value in older systems if you can use them for what you need to do.

Basically it should be enough for the motherboard, and other accessories. But the easiest way is to look at the maximum gpu you're looking to install and see the recommendation and go with that. Then you're fully covered. Just be sure to look up the quality of the exact power supply you're planning to get as design vary quite wildly in quality.

I think 4k should might be capable if you can get a 2xxx series gpu. Even a 1080ti would do the trick. And priced right you can probably get one of these at some point to meet your budget since there's still an upgrade cycle going on.

Buying a card and installing it. Integrated video is now on the cpu itself so there's usually no card to remove. And even if there is, it is just the reverse of adding a card. It is easier than the cpu paste job you did.

That's good that you checked the heatsink. The HP bios is pretty simple so you really can't mess anything up as most everything there is in plain english. Also, just don't touch anything you're not sure of. What I usually do is poke around in the bios to find the option I want to change, figure out how to change it, and then exit without making any changes. Then I will go back in and go directly to only that one option, change it, and then save. This way, nothing inadvertently gets changed.

 

[hbenthow]

Just be sure to look up the quality of the exact power supply you're planning to get as design vary quite wildly in quality.

Are you talking about the power supply that comes with the computer, or getting a power supply separately?

Too many purchases on top of the price of the computer itself might run up the budget too much.

I think 4k should might be capable if you can get a 2xxx series gpu. Even a 1080ti would do the trick. And priced right you can probably get one of these at some point to meet your budget since there's still an upgrade cycle going on.

What is the cheapest that one of those is available for?

I've seen some refurbished computers on NewEgg that come with Intel HD Graphics 4600, and one that has a NVIDIA GeForce GT 730. Are those integrated, or real graphics cards? And do you think they're powerful enough to handle editing and regrading 1080p video with ease?

 

[SamirD]

If it comes with the computer and is pre-built, it will generally be a quality unit as manufacturers don't want stuff to fail. You won't have to worry about researching this except to see if it can handle your gpu choice.

That is true, but the goal would be to get as much value for whatever you pay. If you're spending too much, the value will drop and another purchase route might be cheaper and a better value overall.

I don't think I've seen used ones go for less than $200-250, so it will be a significant investment. However, this does get you solid 4k for literally $100 more. That doesn't mean cheaper cards can't do it, but they may struggle. Plus, not sure of how demanding 4k is on the gpu vs cpu. If it's all cpu, it's worth spending more there. Really depends on your software and how it works with hardware.

So the hd 4600 is integrated. It is considered a 'real graphics' card, but it is not a discrete (separate) card. To find out specs on something like the hd 4600 or any other card, do a search for 'hd 4600 techpowerup' and you can hit the techpowerup gpu database that has all sorts of specs on the various cards new and old:
https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/hd-graphics-4600.c1953
https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/geforce-gtx-1060-6-gb.c2862

I don't know much about video editing, but I view 600dpi pdfs all day long on a 2560x1600 Dell. Not 4k, but a lot of pixels, and I notice that even an r9 270 does't make them pop up like a jpeg:
https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/sapphire-dual-x-r9-270-platinum-edition.b2663

So I would imagine video on this monitor would need something beefier for editing. That being said, when I connected this system to my parents 4k tv, it would play 4k youtube without breaking a sweat, so I may be completely off base.

 

[hbenthow]

So the hd 4600 is integrated. It is considered a 'real graphics' card, but it is not a discrete (separate) card. To find out specs on something like the hd 4600 or any other card, do a search for 'hd 4600 techpowerup' and you can hit the techpowerup gpu database that has all sorts of specs on the various cards new and old:
https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/hd-graphics-4600.c1953

Hmmn. That sounds a bit underpowered. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 730 looks good, but unfortunately, the refurbished computer that has it doesn't have room for my Blu-ray burner in its case. It only has room for a thin, laptop-style disk drive.

 

[SamirD]

Hmmn. That sounds a bit underpowered. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 730 looks good, but unfortunately, the refurbished computer that has it doesn't have room for my Blu-ray burner in its case. It only has room for a thin, laptop-style disk drive.

Yes, that's why I put the specs for the gtx1060 for you to compare. Just looking at the pixel and texture rates, you see a huge difference--and the 1060 is slower than the cards we've actually been talking about.

The gt 730 is weak sauce too:
https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/geforce-gt-730.c1988

Just compare it to the 1060 and 2060:
https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/geforce-gtx-1060-6-gb.c2862
https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/geforce-rtx-2060.c3310

But also look at the power draws and requirements--you see what I mean by power supply now? A tower system that works with standard parts can swap this out easily as needed. There's no such capability for an sff system as the parts are proprietary.

Most ssds are 2.5" drives too (laptop size), and at some point that will also help since video I know moves a lot of data and ssds can easily exceed hard drive speeds by a factor of 4x.

 

[hbenthow]

But also look at the power draws and requirements--you see what I mean by power supply now? A tower system that works with standard parts can swap this out easily as needed. There's no such capability for an sff system as the parts are proprietary.

I found a computer that seems to match most of my requirements, but I'm not sure what power supply it has, or whether there's a way to add a video card onto it.

Here's the link:

https://www.newegg.com/lenovo-thinkcentre-m93-business-desktops-workstations/p/1VK-0003-18X23?Item=9SIAKWUB1A1946&Description=gen i7 quad-core&cm_re=gen_i7_quad-core--9SIAKWUB1A1946--Product

Do you know of any way to determine whether it's possible to add a video card onto this computer, and whether the power supply it comes with is powerful enough? And do you think that it looks like a good option overall?

I also found this one, which has twice the RAM:

https://www.newegg.com/dell-optiple...e=gen_i7_quad-core-_-9SIAKEKACH1817-_-Product

But it doesn't say whether it has any USB 3.0 jacks.

 

[SamirD]

So I've noticed that the newer the pre-builts are, the more proprietary their power supplies are. 🙁 Looks like the manufacturers are swinging back that way again like they did several times in the past. 🙁

That being said, moddyi will definitely have power supply adapters for the dell and probably for the lenovo so you have options there.

The best way to find out what these systems can do is to simply search the model number and what you are trying to do. Like 'm93p power supply' let me know really quick that there's an adapter cable needed. You can do the same for 'm93p gpu' or 'm93p cpu upgrade' or 'm93p memory upgrade' to find out more.

These are solid machines, although they don't have the 4790k which even in stock form is 4ghz:
https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/Intel-i7-3770K-vs-Intel-i7-4790-vs-Intel-i7-4790K/2vs2226vs2275

You can see that a 4790 isn't much faster than a 3770k, with which a mild overclock would probably be nearly identical to the 4790. This is what makes the 4790k a stronger choice for this generation. Or it makes a strong case for a much cheaper 3770k, which the Dell version as a 7010 MT still uses a regular power supply for an easy upgrade in that department if need be.

For things like usb 3.0 jacks and other details, once you know the model number, check out the offical specs from the manufacturer. You can even look at the manuals, service manuals, etc and really figure out if it is missing anything or gives you additional niceties.

 

[hbenthow]

You can see that a 4790 isn't much faster than a 3770k, with which a mild overclock would probably be nearly identical to the 4790. This is what makes the 4790k a stronger choice for this generation. Or it makes a strong case for a much cheaper 3770k, which the Dell version as a 7010 MT still uses a regular power supply for an easy upgrade in that department if need be.

There are whole computers with a 4790 CPU, plenty of RAM, etc, that I could buy for less than it would cost me to get just a 4790K CPU + a power supply upgrade on their own. Comparing the tradeoff between getting a computer with a 3.6 Ghz CPU at a price that I can afford and a cheaper, slower one that I could maybe eventually afford to upgrade with a 4.0 Ghz one, I think I'd rather the former.

For things like usb 3.0 jacks and other details, once you know the model number, check out the offical specs from the manufacturer. You can even look at the manuals, service manuals, etc and really figure out if it is missing anything or gives you additional niceties.

For the Dell (which is the one that I'm most interested in out of the two that I linked to), I found this page:

https://www.dell.com/support/articl...uide-to-your-computer?lang=en#Additional_Info

According to it (the details can be seen by clicking "Mini Tower (MT) Front View" and "Mini Tower (MT) Rear View"), there are four USB 3.0 ports (two in front, two in back). Am I correct in assuming that the refurbishing process would not have changed this?

Also, in the rear view, I noticed that one of the expansion slots can hold what the diagram calls an "optional graphic card". Does this mean that it's easy to install a graphics card there (assuming that it's one that the included power supply is powerful enough for)?

 

[SamirD]

There are whole computers with a 4790 CPU, plenty of RAM, etc, that I could buy for less than it would cost me to get just a 4790K CPU + a power supply upgrade on their own. Comparing the tradeoff between getting a computer with a 3.6 Ghz CPU at a price that I can afford and a cheaper, slower one that I could maybe eventually afford to upgrade with a 4.0 Ghz one, I think I'd rather the former.



For the Dell (which is the one that I'm most interested in out of the two that I linked to), I found this page:

https://www.dell.com/support/articl...uide-to-your-computer?lang=en#Additional_Info

According to it (the details can be seen by clicking "Mini Tower (MT) Front View" and "Mini Tower (MT) Rear View"), there are four USB 3.0 ports (two in front, two in back). Am I correct in assuming that the refurbishing process would not have changed this?

Also, in the rear view, I noticed that one of the expansion slots can hold what the diagram calls an "optional graphic card". Does this mean that it's easy to install a graphics card there (assuming that it's one that the included power supply is powerful enough for)?

The problem is that if you're aiming for a 4790, you're already paying a lot more for the slight performance difference between a 3770k and a 4790. It's about a $100-$150 gap from what I've found. And there are means to software overclock the 3770k on dell hardware (search for the throttlestop techpowerup thread). This would put more money towards a gpu. Again, this is if what you are using is more gpu bound than cpu bound. If it is more cpu bound, it actually makes more sense to go the route of the 4790k and a much smaller gpu budget or even going without one.

Generally refurbishing won't change anything from the original specs. And depending on who is doing the refurbishing, they may not even do anything to the system except repackage it and send it out. There's all sorts of companies out there and you'll want to deal directly with any of them--not through a 'marketplace' like newegg or amazon that they can hide behind when/if you have problems. Most legit refurbishers will have their own web sites. PCliquidations is the one I most frequently look at.

There are expansions slots available on most motherboards and most computers sold. If the slot is a pcie x16 slot, it generally can be used for a video card. The slot being referred to in the picture is one of those slots, and actually there's 2x of them in that system. Depending on the motherboard design and size, there can be even more slots.

And these expansion slots can be used to add all sorts of hardware--usb 3.1 cards, esata cards, sas controllers, wifi network cards, and more. That's what has made the PC as versatile as it is.

Now, installing the card is just part of the process. There must be bios support as well as software drivers available for most devices to work, video cards included. But thanks to the wide variety of support and plug and play drivers in modern operating systems, most things 'just work' or do with a simple driver installation.

An additional requirement for video cards is additional power, which you will have to check the stock specs on the system and then figure out what will work. Otherwise you will be looking at upgrading the power supply, if even possible. This is usually the biggest problem with pre-built systems as a larger power supply costs manufacturers more money so they don't have one.

 

[hbenthow]

The problem is that if you're aiming for a 4790, you're already paying a lot more for the slight performance difference between a 3770k and a 4790. It's about a $100-$150 gap from what I've found

According to CPU Benchmark, the 4790 is $149.99, which is $239.89 cheaper than the 3770k (which costs $389.88), although I don't know how accurate that is. I searched for each of them separately on both Amazon and NewEgg, and the prices are generally fairly similar (both selling in the $300-$400 range new and $200 range used).

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/Intel-i7-3770K-vs-Intel-i7-4790-vs-Intel-i7-4790K/2vs2226vs2275

A 7010 with i7-3770k being $100 cheaper than a 9020 with i7-4790 but performing nearly as well sounds nice on paper, but in practice, I haven't been able to find any 7010s with an i7-3770k. To have that combination, I'd have to buy and install the i7-3770k myself, which would run me a minimum of $200, negating any savings I would have made by buying a 7010.

Also, I've found several videos (such as the one below) that show that it is easy to upgrade the power supply of a 9020 with an adapter cable. If power supply compatibility is the main reason to buy the 7010 over the 9020, it seems that the effectiveness of these adapter cables renders it moot.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g4wa3EF6T4

 

[SamirD]

Ah yes, the k on any of these processors messes up the pricing for sure. The 3770k is more expensive than a 4790 for sure. However, a 3770 non-k is very close in performance and is literally $150 cheaper than an identical 4790 machine at pcliquidations:
https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/Intel-i7-3770-vs-Intel-i7-4790/896vs2226

https://www.pcliquidations.com/p110142-dell-optiplex-7010-mini

Dell OptiPlex 7020 | Reliable Performance, Durable Design

Save big with a refurbished Dell Optiplex 7020. In-stock and good as new. 13,000+ happy customers. Free Shipping on purchases $500+.

www.pcliquidations.com

The adapter cable isn't the sole reason--remember it is the overall cost and performance that determines the value. And even though we are talking about cpus, I don't know if the cpu is as important as the gpu in your workflow. Without the knowing the answer to that, we won't find the best solution to be honest.

Using the example prices from the pcliquidation links, we can make two systems, one more gpu oriented (3770) and one more cpu oriented (4790). (These are rough numbers which may not be exact as I haven't bought some of these components in years.)

3770 - ~$220
16gb - $25 (3x 4gb)
New power supply for gpu - $70
gpu - $85
Total: $400

4790 - ~$390
16gb - $25 (3x 4gb)
Total: $415

Additions:
New power supply for future gpu - $70
power supply adapter cable - $15
gpu - $85
Total: $170 + $415 = $585

If your workload is more cpu intensive, then the 4790 setup would work better, and you can still add a gpu for acceleration later. However, if the workload can benefit significantly from a gpu, the 3770 with the gpu should actually perform faster than the 4790.

And this is the challenge with system design--figuring out the right mix of components for the biggest bang for buck for a given task or workflow.

 

[hbenthow]

Ah yes, the k on any of these processors messes up the pricing for sure. The 3770k is more expensive than a 4790 for sure. However, a 3770 non-k is very close in performance and is literally $150 cheaper than an identical 4790 machine at pcliquidations:

I found a 9020 with an i7-4790 on Amazon for $229.99, with Windows 10 Pro, a DVD-RW drive, Wi-Fi, and 8GB of RAM. For $35, I can buy a 3-year warranty from Amazon, and for about $150-$170, I can buy 32GB of RAM (I want the most RAM possible, as my web browsers always use a bunch of it). Altogether, that comes to $415-$435.

https://www.amazon.com/Dell-OptiPlex-9020-Performance-Business/dp/B07TGGKRFS/

I selected the options in the drop-down menu at PC Liquidations on the page for the 7020, and to get the same specifications as the 9020 on Amazon (Windows 10 Pro, etc) as well as 32GB RAM and a 1-year warranty (as opposed to Amazon's 3-year one) would cost $471.94.

Even just selecting the same specifications as the Amazon 9020 (Windows 10 Pro, 8GB RAM, DVD-RW drive, Wi-Fi, etc) on the 7020 at PC Liquidations without any bonuses like warranties or extra RAM would run $337, as opposed to Amazon's $230.

If your workload is more cpu intensive, then the 4790 setup would work better, and you can still add a gpu for acceleration later. However, if the workload can benefit significantly from a gpu, the 3770 with the gpu should actually perform faster than the 4790.

And this is the challenge with system design--figuring out the right mix of components for the biggest bang for buck for a given task or workflow.

What I'm leaning toward doing right now is to focus on getting the best deal on CPU and RAM, then upgrading the power supply (using an adapter cord) and GPU later on if I so desire. I might not even need to upgrade those. It really comes down to how fast my editing previews and render speeds are. If I find them satisfactory enough, I might not need to upgrade anything.

I just now ran an Internet search to see whether CPU or GPU is more important for Vegas (the main video editing software that I use), and most sources say that CPU is far more important, and recommend getting a CPU from no lower than the i7 series.

https://forums.creativecow.net/docs...id=24&postid=987766&univpostid=987766&pview=t

They also say that editing 4K isn't likely to go well on a CPU with less than 8 cores. I think I'm going to forget about 4K editing for the foreseeable future (something that I suspected was a pipe dream at my budget anyway), and I don't really need to play 4K on my computer (a 4K disc player for my TV would be cheaper and more effective).

Ultimately, it appears that the CPU is what's most important for 1080p video rendering. The graphics card is probably only especially important for previewing in Vegas, not rendering. If I can preview my edits without the preview getting stuck, then my GPU is probably good enough to get by on.

 

[SamirD]

Great research! 😀

So the 4790 deal you found is definitely the way to go. And keep in mind that a power supply upgrade is only necessary if you're going with a high powered video card. Many cards can easily exceed igpu performance without even needing an external power connector, so it would be as simple as just adding in a gpu like the 1650 for a massive boost in video performance without a power supply change:
https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/hd-graphics-4600.c1953
https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/geforce-gtx-1650.c3366

And it was good to know that 4k is out of reach with even an upgraded platform, so 1080p is all you have to shoot for right now. Definitely makes the upgrade path less relevant so you don't have to worry about that as much.

All in all, I think you've got the best possible solution for your budget and requirements. 😀 Congrats!

 

[hbenthow]

And keep in mind that a power supply upgrade is only necessary if you're going with a high powered video card. Many cards can easily exceed igpu performance without even needing an external power connector, so it would be as simple as just adding in a gpu like the 1650 for a massive boost in video performance without a power supply change:
https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/hd-graphics-4600.c1953
https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/geforce-gtx-1650.c3366

To be sure that I understand you correctly, do you mean that the video card (GTX 1650) that you linked to could be added to the 4790 without having to upgrade the power supply? And if so, does this apply to all of the variants listed in the "Retail boards based on this design" section?

That card does look like a great option if I ever need more power for previewing in Vegas.

 

[SamirD]

To be sure that I understand you correctly, do you mean that the video card (GTX 1650) that you linked to could be added to the 4790 without having to upgrade the power supply? And if so, does this apply to all of the variants listed in the "Retail boards based on this design" section?

That card does look like a great option if I ever need more power for previewing in Vegas.

Yep, it should depending on if the stock power supply has enough power, which I believe it should since most Dell towers are almost 300w if not more.

This does not necessarily mean the spec is the same for all the variants however as each manufacturer can change the design. So just research the exact card you might use. And keep in mind that newer cards will also come out that will be even faster in the same power profile. You can also get a cheaper card that wouldn't be as fast like a 1050, 1030, or even a quadro or 750ti. All of these are available in a 75w power profile and are just slower than the 1650 and because of that cheaper, sometimes much cheaper (like my 750ti which I got for $40 shipped). And don't forget about amd's offerings as they have some as well like the rx560. However, from what I could tell, the 1650 currently provides the most performance in the 75w power profile.

I think the 1650 compared to a stock 4790 would be literally night and day. It is truly amazing what a boost a gpu can make to a system. One of my systems is an older Dell Precision 670 with a 3.6ghz xeon socket 604. Not a very powerful processor by today's standard, struggling with youtube videos beyond smaller sizes.

But I added a gtx260 that someone gave me and the next thing you knew, it was snappy and could play 720p video with ease--completely changed the system entirely. Back in the earlier days of pc computing, a video card could make a difference, but not that much of a difference. Today's gpus are like adding an extra 100 horsepower to a 200 horsepower engine. 😀

 

[hbenthow]

Yep, it should depending on if the stock power supply has enough power, which I believe it should since most Dell towers are almost 300w if not more.

Thank you for all of the information. It's been very helpful.

 

[SamirD]

You're welcome. Happy upgrading!