Case for SFF motherboard, how to check if they are compatible?

[KennethC90]

Hi, first post here, but my google skills aren't capable of figuring this out.

 

I have this Dell Optiplex 9020 with a gt 1030 graphics card. The gpu is really bottlenecking the pc's performance. So what i want is to upgrade to a GTX 1650 which should be compatible with my motherboard (According to google )

 

But my current case isn't wide enough to fit the "new" graphics card. I have a OXCR8D motherboard which is a SFF mbo. But as far as i can read, then there are different types of SFF boards/sizes. 

 

Can you help me figure out how to select a new case that fits both my current motherboard and my graphics card upgrade?

 

/Kenneth

[jaslion]

Your optiplex uses a NON STANDARD board that DOES NOT follow atx board rules so it can only fit in it's own case.

 

It also uses a proprietary psu and other cabling so removing it from its case will impact functionality.

 

Your sff 9020 CAN fit a 1650 but it has to be a LOW PROFILE unit. This is a half height gpu like your gt1030.

 

If you do want to caseswap you will need a new cooler, psu + adpaters to make it work and case at the minimum that you'll have to drill in to to modify it.

 

This is gonna cost just as much if not more than a tower version of this old system.

 

What are rhe specs of this one? Depending on that its simply more cost effective to replace instead of modify.

[daygeckoart]

There are low profile graphics cards that you can get. There is an RTX 4060 that should fit, though it might not be on the full 16x PCIE slot depending on the layout of the motherboard

[Agall]

8 hours ago, KennethC90 said:

Hi, first post here, but my google skills aren't capable of figuring this out.

 

I have this Dell Optiplex 9020 with a gt 1030 graphics card. The gpu is really bottlenecking the pc's performance. So what i want is to upgrade to a GTX 1650 which should be compatible with my motherboard (According to google )

 

But my current case isn't wide enough to fit the "new" graphics card. I have a OXCR8D motherboard which is a SFF mbo. But as far as i can read, then there are different types of SFF boards/sizes. 

 

Can you help me figure out how to select a new case that fits both my current motherboard and my graphics card upgrade?

 

/Kenneth

Those OEM systems don't usually use standard motherboard layouts or standard power supplies or standard headers.

 

Outside of fitting an equally sized card in the system, like an RTX 3050 6GB, I'd recommend saving up for a whole new system instead. RTX 3050 6GB uses no AUX power and is the most powerful card that can be low profile without any AUX power. Since its a newer-ish Dell OEM system, you can't simply power supply swap it either to get something with AUX power, if it doesn't have an 8 pin already available.

[tkitch]

@jaslion @daygeckoart @Agall - this model optiplex has the GPU slot on the very bottom edge, meaning it's only going to hold a single slot card (and all LP cards that I know of are 2 slot coolers.)

 

So, you could *try* to find another case to put it in?  but it'll be kinda rough:

 

1) Front buttons and usb won't plug into this board.

2) Normal PSUs won't hook up without adapter cables

3) the screw hole spacing will be off.

 

This isn't to say you can't make it work, but it's not going to be easy or simple to make it work.1

[daygeckoart]

2 hours ago, tkitch said:

@jaslion @daygeckoart @Agall - this model optiplex has the GPU slot on the very bottom edge, meaning it's only going to hold a single slot card (and all LP cards that I know of are 2 slot coolers.)

 

So, you could *try* to find another case to put it in?  but it'll be kinda rough:

 

1) Front buttons and usb won't plug into this board.

2) Normal PSUs won't hook up without adapter cables

3) the screw hole spacing will be off.

 

This isn't to say you can't make it work, but it's not going to be easy or simple to make it work.1

That's what I was thinking but I know in later models they changed the order of the slots.

 

You can use the top slot. I think it is 4X so it should work OK for graphics. The end should be open to accomodate a full x16 card

[tkitch]

15 minutes ago, daygeckoart said:

That's what I was thinking but I know in later models they changed the order of the slots.

 

You can use the top slot. I think it is 4X so it should work OK for graphics. The end should be open to accomodate a full x16 card

are you gonna walk someone through cutting open the end of the x4 slot to put in a gpu?

I sure as hell ain't.

[daygeckoart]

23 minutes ago, tkitch said:

are you gonna walk someone through cutting open the end of the x4 slot to put in a gpu?

I sure as hell ain't.

It comes open, you don't have to cut it

[Agall]

On 4/20/2024 at 12:10 PM, tkitch said:

are you gonna walk someone through cutting open the end of the x4 slot to put in a gpu?

I sure as hell ain't.

Nothing a riser, some zipties/duct tape, and a smartly wired display out cable can't fix  

[KennethC90]

thanks a lot for all the responses. I get it now, why i could figure this out by googling.

 

I just wanted to upgrade the PC to gain some experience and to see what a new gpu could do to performance, but i think i will be better off starting from scratch and buy a new case, mbo and power supply, and then just go from there.