Upgrade path for a Dell Optiplex 390

[iagoab73]

I bought a Dell Optiplex 390 last month, and put it together with a GT 1030 I already had.

So now it has an i5 2400, 8gb DDR3 ram, 500gb HD, and the GT 1030.

I'm happy with it's performance so far, it's fine for the games i usually play, but i plan on upgrading it. I haven't looked much for a cpu upgrade, cause i plan to focus on the vídeo card and a ssd.

That's where my problems start. It wouldn't be a problem to plug in a ssd, but there's nowhere on the case for me to put it, unless i just leave it loose on the case. Would a piece of velcro be that bad?

The other problem is the video card. The first that comes to mind is a gtx 1050, cause it has low profile models. But it has a tdp of 75 watts, 45 more than my gt 1030. Would the 250w psu be able to handle it? If that's not the case, would i be able to find a psu that would fit on such a small case (desktop form factor)?

Another option would be a case swap. I would be able to upgrade my psu easily, would not have to worry about the gpu being a low profile, and the ssd is not a problem anymore. But would it be possible, considering the proprietary aspect of the Dell optiplex's motherboards?

I know it's a bunch of questions, but any help would be appreciated (even grammar corrections, english is not my first language).

Thanks!

 

[feelinfroggy777]

If you are going to put a bigger GPU, such as a 1050, you should go with a bigger PSU. The OEM PSUs in the OptiPlex are not designed for gaming workloads. It can handle a 1030, but it is pretty simple, but moving up into the 1050 or higher, you should get a bigger PSU. I would suggest a decent PSU from EVGA, Seasonic, or Corsiar.

I have used Velcro on a SSD in the past and never had any problems. I am sure there can be a concern for ESD with the Velcro, but I never had an issue. But getting a new case may be an easier option in the end. You can get budget cases for pretty cheap these days.

If I were you, I would not try and upgrade your platform. The 2400 is starting to get a little long in the tooth and any money you put in the platform should go to something more modern. So I like your plan get an SSD and a better GPU. And when you want more performance and have the cash, look at a new platform upgrade (CPU/RAM/Mobo) down the road.

 

[iagoab73]

If you are going to put a bigger GPU, such as a 1050, you should go with a bigger PSU. The OEM PSUs in the OptiPlex are not designed for gaming workloads. It can handle a 1030, but it is pretty simple, but moving up into the 1050 or higher, you should get a bigger PSU. I would suggest a decent PSU from EVGA, Seasonic, or Corsiar.

I have used Velcro on a SSD in the past and never had any problems. I am sure there can be a concern for ESD with the Velcro, but I never had an issue. But getting a new case may be an easier option in the end. You can get budget cases for pretty cheap these days.

If I were you, I would not try and upgrade your platform. The 2400 is starting to get a little long in the tooth and any money you put in the platform should go to something more modern. So I like your plan get an SSD and a better GPU. And when you want more performance and have the cash, look at a new platform upgrade (CPU/RAM/Mobo) down the road.

Thanks for answering! I agree with everything you mentioned and i think getting a bigger case would be my best option as well. The problem with that would be the front panel connections. I believe the motherboard does not have the connections necessary for a normal case, but i might be wrong.

The solution to that would be finding a case for the Optiplex 390 mini tower form factor, but i can't seem to find any available.

 

[feelinfroggy777]

The motherboard for the 390 does have front I/O connection pins. So you should be able to get power on/off, HDD LED, and Reset connections for a case. But I don't know the layout of which pins go where, but you can probably find that out or go trial by error.

 

[william p]

The 250W PSU should be OK. The Dell PSU is sized to power the CPUs that were offered (95W limit in Optiplex) and all the bays and expansion slots (very few). The rating seems small becuase Dell doesn't sell PSUs by the Watt. It willl be rated for continuos 250W not peak "advertised" Wattage. It will also be UL rated to not be a fire hazard if it fails.
The 1050 ti low profiles are all 2 slots wide due to a hard mounted DVI port. Make sure you have room for a 2 slot wide card.
There are adapters to put the SSD into the 3.5" bay but Velcro works also. Turn off Auto Defragmentation in System Tools. Dell has it on by default and SSDs don't like that.
Some small Dells have a PCIe slot power limit but I don't see one listed in the manual for that computer.
https://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/product-support/product/optiplex-390/manuals
Here are some builds for that system. I see some 2500k and 2600K running there.
http://www.userbenchmark.com/System/Dell-OptiPlex-390/1958

 

[iagoab73]

The 250W PSU should be OK. The Dell PSU is sized to power the CPUs that were offered (95W limit in Optiplex) and all the bays and expansion slots (very few). The rating seems small becuase Dell doesn't sell PSUs by the Watt. It willl be rated for continuos 250W not peak "advertised" Wattage. It will also be UL rated to not be a fire hazard if it fails.
The 1050 ti low profiles are all 2 slots wide due to a hard mounted DVI port. Make sure you have room for a 2 slot wide card.
There are adapters to put the SSD into the 3.5" bay but Velcro works also. Turn off Auto Defragmentation in System Tools. Dell has it on by default and SSDs don't like that.
Some small Dells have a PCIe slot power limit but I don't see one listed in the manual for that computer.
https://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/product-support/product/optiplex-390/manuals
Here are some builds for that system. I see some 2500k and 2600K running there.
http://www.userbenchmark.com/System/Dell-OptiPlex-390/1958

Thanks for your input! I read somewhere about that psu information, but i coudn't find anyone who've done it, so i am sceptical. I also knew about these adapters, but the case only has one bay, so it only would work if i used only the ssd.

 

[william p]

It's been done even with the 230W PSU in the SFF size. It's just about impossible to overload a Dell PSU. They don't put enough connectors on them to allow it.

 

[iagoab73]

It's been done even with the 230W PSU in the SFF size. It's just about impossible to overload a Dell PSU. They don't put enough connectors on them to allow it.

Yeah, i did some more research and it looks like it might handle it, so i'll probably try. GPUs are really expensive where i live right now, so i'll wait a little bit on that, gonna focus on the ssd for the time being.

Thanks for the answer!