Changing the PSU in a Dell Precision 490

[Troika]

So, I've had this computer sitting in my storage unit for a few months now and I have a build for it but I need to change the power supply because it has no pci-e power connectors on it. The problem is that its a stupid Dell proprietary psu with a 24 pin system board connector, which is fine, and a 20 pin system board connector, presumably the equivalent of dual 8 pin cpu power connectors. Is there any way to get an adapter that'll let a standard ATX psu work in this system? I'd really like to stick a GTX 670 or GTX 770 in there to be able to give the system to a friend as a basic gaming computer and workstation.

[Lazycat619]

Does the power supply you are using have a part number on it somewhere? I can get an idea of what we are dealing with maybe then.

[Troika]

3 minutes ago, 999moon9999 said:

Does the power supply you are using have a part number on it somewhere? I can get an idea of what we are dealing with maybe then.

The rest of the specs are as follows:
2x Intel Xeon X5450
32GB (8x4GB) 667Mhz DDR2 FB-Dimm
250GB Samsung 860 Evo
2TB Seagate Constellation ES
Some DVD drive that came in the machine
TP Link Archer T6E AC1300
Prospective GPU will be a GTX 670 or better

[Lazycat619]

Although this isn't practical you could try buying a cheapo power supply just to power the gpu. But it seems like you don't have a lot of choices to be honest. it is a little bit out of my range of expertise lmao.

[Troika]

2 minutes ago, Genwyn said:

Its actually a second 20 pin it uses, so it has both an atx 24 pin and atx 20 pin, which is super weird but not unheard of among these kinda proprietary systems

the issue is that you will not find any adapters for it, and no off the shelf psu will be designed to power it or would be able to with adapters, you'd be splitting a 24 in off a psu into a 24 pin and a 20 pin, which would put some extreme strain on the psu and its 24 pin

 

this is a molex to 6 pin situation and then going with a sub 150w gpu that only needs the one six pin

I was hoping not to have to use molex to 6 pin/8 pin pci-e cause it always makes me worried but technically speaking, even with a GTX 670, the maximum sustained power draw will be under 700w. I might be able to get by with a small overclock on the gpu but I'd really be uncomfortable since I don't know the quality of the psu. It is server grade so it ought to be good enough to be server grade.
 

 

2 minutes ago, 999moon9999 said:

Although this isn't practical you could try buying a cheapo power supply just to power the gpu. But it seems like you don't have a lot of choices to be honest. it is a little bit out of my range of expertise lmao.

I would do that, and I have spare psus, but because I'm giving the system to a friend, I'd rather keep it as simple as possible since they aren't tech savvy at all.

[Troika]

3 minutes ago, Genwyn said:

I would suggest a more modern, lower wattage gpu. A GTX 750 or 750ti would be either pcie power only or require a single 6 pin, which would be fine for a molex to 6 pin.

 

A GTX 750 Ti is 42% weaker than a GTX 670 and it'd be another part I'd have to buy that really isn't worth what people are asking for. If I could, I'd throw my spare GTX 780 but I'd have to get a stronger psu. There is a 1000w psu from a Precision 690 that -may- be compatible with the 490 but I'd have to do some more research. From the look of some product pictures, it has two 6 pin pci-e power connectors on it. I may go for that instead.