Will an 8800GT card fit into a Dell Inspiron 530s slim case?

Ruffbeard

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May 14, 2008
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Hey,

I have a dilemma - I want to upgrade my Dell Inspiron 530s (with a slim case) with an 8800GT graphics card. I looked into this and found a forum thread on this website about this very issue, but I couldn't get a proper conclusion from it. The card I'm looking to get is a "GeForce 8800 GT 512MB GDDR3 HDTV/DVI (PCI-Express)". Now, does the "PCI-Express" bit mean it will fit into my computer? Here's what someone said in the older post:

Hold it! I actually work as a sales rep for Dell. You have more options! The 530s has low profile, it is true. But it is PCIexpress, not PCI...

Does this mean that a "PCI-Express" graphics card will fit my slim case? I don't really want to move my entire computer to a new, bigger case because I don't understand how a computer is built and some friends did not recommend doing so.

Thanks in advance,

Ruffbeard.
 
I’m not very good at what each part of the computer does. What exactly is the PSU? My friends tell me my computer would be fine to run this card - but the only problem appears to be if it will fit or not. I really want to get this upgrade and if I really need to, I’m willing to move the computer into a bigger case to facilitate the card. Do you mean that even if I was to move to a bigger case it might not work?
 
No the 530"s" is the slimline version, which means no full height cards only half height (low profile). I think the fastest you can get is a 4670 low profile but it's hard finding one. Plus an 8800GT won't be powered by the PSU. Pretty sure its a 250W right?
 
I had the same problem (upgrading video card in an Inspiron 530S), and I highly recommend the Sapphire low-profile HD 4650.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16814102829

$55 (!)

It runs off the installed 250W PSU without strain, runs cool and quiet, and installing it was just a matter of downloading the latest drivers from the ATI site and popping the card into the slot. And it eats up games. I can play COD4 & 5, Mercs 2 on high at 1440x1050 and getting 30+ fps, etc. etc. I haven't found a game yet I can't play.

Note: I don't know what your computer has under the hood -- you don't say. Mine has the Core 2 Duo E8400 w/ 3GBs RAM. But read the reviews and see how it does on systems comparable to yours. (There're 90+ reviews, and a majority of the purchasers seem to have been looking for a good card to fit a slim factor, off-the-shelf Dell, etc. And found it. But look for yourself.)