Store Bought PC Upgrading Help

[Sors]

Another issues with Dells is that they have proprietary connectors for the front usb, audio, leds and buttons, (Is really just a jumper from a grounded pin to the only unused pin in the connectors, you can wire it in a normal case, but is a problem never the less).  You can't move the motherboard to another case without those proprietary cables because it will show an error at startup,  and that heatsink for the processor can not be used with another case either, they made it so the side of the case integrates the backplate for the heatsink.

[gibbsy81]

Wrong. BTX is for the case and motherboard. You can still stick a GPU and PSU into a Dell without issue(unless the GPU is too long).

I allways thought btx was the main side panel was on the opposite side to atx.

[LogicalDrm]

BTX is just form factor like ATX and mATX. Nothing more to that. Changing mobo might be possible without bigger modding if screw holes happen to match.

 

Anyway more pointer to this. Besides Brand prebuilts (like your Dell there), there are many computer shops and bigger builders who will do the dirty work for you. Pros are that you get exactly those components you want, no warranty issues or limits on upgrading and they can give you advice on stuff about building. Cons are that support for any non-hardware problems is limited and built cost might be rather big compared to branded machines.

[Blackterror25]

Don't, you never know what restriction the manufacturer put in there, tried upgrading a friends HP to a GTX760, didn't work in any way possible.
tried card in different PC and worked perfectly. There was an AMD gpu that needed upgrading and tried an AMD upgrade and that worked without any issues.

Your safest (and probably cheapest) bet will be with an entire custom system.