[SOLVED] Upgrading Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 SFF w/ GTX 1660 Ti

[embdd_sys]

Howdy partners,

I'm interested in combining M900 with proper GPU.

So I was wondering: is it possible to install a fully fledged GTX 1660 Ti (or similar card) in Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 SFF? -- of course, only after PSU upgrade. I have a spare SilentiumPC 450W Elementum E2 unit lying around -- I know that it would require 10-pin adapter, because that's what Lenovo used for M900 mobo. I am also aware that 1660 Ti won't fit in SFF -- new pc shell or mod is a must, but that's not a problem.

Dunno if it matters, but official specs card says that PCI Express 3.0 x16 on this computer provides only 45w @ maximum.

Would it work? Anyone done that?

 

[tennis2]

You're limited to low-profile cards, and yes, that 45W is going to be a hard limit. You're not going to be able to fit a card requiring external power in that case, unless you somehow miraculously find a low-profile card with a <90W TDP and a rear-facing power connector.

If you've got a solid return policy, you could attempt at a downclocked RX6400 (53W TDP)

 

[embdd_sys]

Forget the case-fitting problem. I can move the entire system into another shell and change the PSU to mentioned 450w unit (from what I've found out, I would need 10-pin cable adapter in order to power the mobo from an ATX standard PSU, is that right?).

Would 1660 Ti work in such environment?

What about this 45w limit? In above config, GPU would be naturally additionally powered via PSU's 8-pin cable. Would the card draw necessary power from such 8-pin? Or would it be somehow underpowered because the rail provides only 45w?

In theory, M900 + GTX 1660 Ti -- or some other GPU -- makes quite a nifty system. I'm wondering if such combo would work. Don't want to buy the card for nothing.

 

[tennis2]

I believe it was back during the AMD RX480 launch when people realized those cards were initially drawing more than the standard 75W from the PCIe slot. Because of that, you benefit! Toms measures(d) the power from the slot and aux separately. It seems they've slowly relaxed that practice (the equipment needed is probably at one reviewer's house)
Read:
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nvidia-geforce-gtx-1660-ti-turing,6002-4.html

Asterisk time!
It seems that a typical* worst case scenario is that a GPU splits power evenly from the slot and aux. In your situation, that would suggest* you may be able to use a GPU that draws up to 90W (45W from slot, and 45W from aux). YMMV

In the case of the linked article (drawing 30W from the slot), I would say that's only valid for the exact card tested (EVGA 1660Ti XC Black). Don't assume that applies equally to all 1660Ti models.