# Dell XPS Studio, upgrade to GTX 980



## Caleb Fagundes (Dec 3, 2015)

Check picture from PSU specs.




I won't do overclock NEVER, everything on factory default.
Wanna know if my current PSU will be enough for a reference model GTX 980.

PSU info:
Switching power supply DELL AC460AM
Part number: 01XMMV

System config (XPS 8900 Skylake):

I7 6700 3.4 Ghz
16 GB DDR4 2133 Mhz
2 x  2 terabyte hdd
1 240gb (Kingston V300)SSD
M2 wireless card
Stock CPU fan (box)
120mm fan on chassi
2 usb 2.0 devices will be used
3 usb 3.0 devices will be used
Bluray optical drive
Front card reader

Average use of 4 hours per day, sometimes 6.

According to Outervision PSU calculator my PSU is enough, should i trust it?.

Outervision results with GTX 980 :

Load Wattage:371 W
Recommended UPS rating:750 VA
Recommended PSU Wattage:421 W

*Amperage* (combined)
+3.3V +5V +12V
*7.9* A *14.0* A *22.9* A


Outervision results with GTX 970: 

Load Wattage:364 W
Recommended UPS rating:700 VA
Recommended PSU Wattage:414 W

*Amperage* (combined)
+3.3V +5V +12V
*7.9* A *14.0* A


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## MxPhenom 216 (Dec 3, 2015)

You will want a new power supply for sure. I would not run a high end GPU on a crappy OEM PSU. Get a quality 500w and you'll be good.

I wouldn't even think that that PSU has 2 6 pin power connector, and don't even think about using the Molex adapter some cards come with. Also that is an interesting 12v rail setup on that PSU. God know why the last rail only has 8 amps. And why those 8 and could just have been put into the other rails, but I'm no electrical engineer yet.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DGHKK7M/?tag=tec06d-20

That EVGA unit can put out more on its single 12v rail than that PSU in your system's total output, while only having a total output of 40w more than what's in your system now. And the rail is 40 amps.


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## Caleb Fagundes (Dec 3, 2015)

And a GTX 970 instead? Will it work?


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## 95Viper (Dec 3, 2015)

Just my opinion of reading about Acbel Polytech's PSUs... I would replace it.
As, a large amount of tests on that series, is they don't always meet the rated output.

The heart of your build is the PSU... would you want to have an inferior heart in your system?



Caleb Fagundes said:


> And a GTX 970 instead? Will it work?



To answer your question... yes; but, how long, and, if, that PSU goes poof! Will it take out that nice graphics card you just got?

Roll the dice.


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## rtwjunkie (Dec 3, 2015)

Caleb Fagundes said:


> And a GTX 970 instead? Will it work?



Not even a 970.  The most I would put on their would be a 960, and not even very long at that. @MxPhenom 216 made a great suggestion, although my comfort level would suggest a 600w quality PSU.


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## tabascosauz (Dec 3, 2015)

Make an easy replacement with a quality XFX TS 550W or even a CX600M. It's not hard. Unplug cables, unscrew PSU, replace PSU, put screws in and connect cables. It's that easy.

Dell's PSUs are not so great nowadays; they used to have some Delta PSUs in their lineup but not anymore. One thing you have to keep in mind, however, is that Dell is not going to choose some cheap, underperforming product for its desktops. If it says that the PSU can deliver up to 460W, you can bet that it's probably going to be able to deliver up to at least 450W for you. Dell will not be risking catastrophic hardware failures in its top-of-the-line desktops; its top config for the XPS 8700 is a 91W 6700K and 120W GTX 960 and the PSU will safely provide for that. It's just that the PSU may be lacking in PCIe connectors for example and the cables won't be sleeved, but it isn't going to be a $20 eBay PSU. That said, you should still replace the unit with a retail one because you never want to be cutting it close when it comes to PSU wattage, ever.

There is a thread on Dell forums with users who have replaced their PSUs and GPUs in the XPS 8100/8300/8500/8700. It's just a conventional tower and virtually any reasonably-sized PSU will work. A relatively small (150mm-160mm length) modular PSU may make your life a whole lot easier since the case has no provisions for cable management.

Also, you may find it hard to fit any card that extends beyond 10" due to the non-removable HDD bays. I know this because I own an XPS 8500. A good idea would be to get something like the CX600M or CS550M and a compact GTX 970 or R9 380 or GTX 960. The Asus DC Mini would save you the effort of jamming PCIe power cables into the confined bay area.


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## GhostRyder (Dec 3, 2015)

Yea I would not trust that PSU with anything above a 960.  Your specs show an OEM R9 370 it seems on the system so it might be fine to handle a GTX 970 but I would not trust it for very long when PSU's that can handle any card can be had for $50 which in turn will protect your system from possible problems.

Here are a couple of deals this week to look at in getting a pretty inexpensive PSU that will handle anything you throw at it.
Rosewill ARC 750watt (Overkill, but dirt cheap currently at $39.99 after rebate or $54.99 before rebate)
EVGA B600watt (Great value, great brand, $39.99 after rebate or $49.99 before rebate)


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## cdawall (Dec 3, 2015)

Dell setup up one of those machines to run the 5K dell monitor display. They took the OEM tower with NO additional hardrives (just a single 1TB) and threw the OEM PSU away. It currently runs 5K video 24/7 with a GTX 980 and an EVGA 500B. 

*Dell* the company that made the computer threw their PSU in the trash to run the 980. Take the hint.


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## AlienIsGOD (Dec 3, 2015)

buy a real psu  i had a budget Tt TR2 500 and it ran a i5 2400 and 7700 fine, upgraded to a R9 270 and POP, there goes the psu.  Dont even consider a new gfx card unless you also plan on upgrading the psu.


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## zithe (Dec 3, 2015)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> You will want a new power supply for sure. I would not run a high end GPU on a crappy OEM PSU. Get a quality 500w and you'll be good.
> 
> I wouldn't even think that that PSU has 2 6 pin power connector, and don't even think about using the Molex adapter some cards come with. Also that is an interesting 12v rail setup on that PSU. God know why the last rail only has 8 amps. And why those 8 and could just have been put into the other rails, but I'm no electrical engineer yet.
> 
> ...



+1 for EVGA. Awesome PSUs!


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## Jetster (Dec 3, 2015)

The EVGA 500B is crap. I had two go out. The RMA process was good though. Get a G2

Cracks me up when someone will pay $500 for a GPU and complains about a $60 PSU

I think I paid $25 for a 500B after rebate


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## Caleb Fagundes (Dec 3, 2015)

I live in Brazil
A good PSU costs 150 dollars here


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## rtwjunkie (Dec 3, 2015)

Caleb Fagundes said:


> I live in Brazil
> A good PSU costs 150 dollars here



Maybe give us a link for some places you might buy from and perhaps a good model more affordable can be found.  Really though, a "good" PSU is the most important part of your PC.  Hopefully a good one can be found online at one of the retailers you provide that is a little more affordable.


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## AlienIsGOD (Dec 3, 2015)

Caleb Fagundes said:


> I live in Brazil
> A good PSU costs 150 dollars here



the coolermaster 750w cost me $100 in my country.  Have to be willing to buy a quality psu, cause as others have said, you dont pair a $500 video card with a cheap $60 psu.


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## Jetster (Dec 3, 2015)

That PSU cost Dell $15

Maybe get a used one off e bay. I bought a few. I got a TX650 for $40


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## BarbaricSoul (Dec 3, 2015)

Caleb Fagundes said:


> I live in Brazil
> A good PSU costs 150 dollars here



equal to $68 USD- 

http://www.shoptime.com.br/produto/...-w1-0500-kr-500w-real-500white-80-plus-branco


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## tabascosauz (Dec 3, 2015)

IMHO OW gave that PSU a score above 8 because of its value at its very low price point and its actually-not-abysmal build quality, not because of performance. I wouldn't hesitate to buy it for a G3220 office PC, but a GTX 980? I'm sure that if the 500W 80+ costs $68 then some other good budget Bronze PSU can't be over 100.

At that shop, the EVGA 600B is priced at 302.01 real. That's just over $80 USD, and is of pretty good value and quite a step above the 80+ 500W. The bare 80+ PSUs from EVGA are intended to power a low wattage PC, not handle a GTX 980.


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## cdawall (Dec 3, 2015)

Jetster said:


> The EVGA 500B is crap. I had two go out. The RMA process was good though. Get a G2
> 
> Cracks me up when someone will pay $500 for a GPU and complains about a $60 PSU
> 
> I think I paid $25 for a 500B after rebate



We sell hundreds if not thousands of them a week. Not only was it just a random 500b off of the shelf it was a customer return lol. The gtx980 doesn't pull much wattage, but it'll be more than that Dell can push


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## Constantine Yevseyev (Dec 3, 2015)

Unpopular opinion in 3, 2, 1...
_Assuming that you haven't done any custom builds before and don't have too much interest in practicing..._

1. *Keep the PSU*. Replacing it in a OEM case will leave you with Hanging Gardens of cables, unless your eye perception is really good and you can manage to tie each and every single one to the one-and-only acceptable hook thingy carved in the back wall.

This process can be really painful when there are no _proper_ cable management options available, and once you're done with replacing the unit, you'll feel like you have done something terrible to your (no more) new, shiny, and premium XPS. Compare it to just unplugging (literally) a couple cables and putting them back in after a minute.

Not to mention the "void 0" type of thing that you're doing to your warranty.

I swear I'm not possessed with any kind of retail demon right now. It's just my vision of pre-built systems: if you buy one, you want to _upgrade_ it, not tear the whole thing apart. Having tens of zip ties shooting around in the process doesn't help.

2. *Get a GTX 970*. Just don't pick anything with a custom power components layout (ZOTAC Omega, ASUS STRIX) that would require extra watts (see reviews to check which ones do that). Get a card that has a reference PCB and a custom cooler and you'll be fine.

P. S.: Please don't ban me for this.


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## Bansaku (Dec 3, 2015)

Constantine Yevseyev said:


> This process can be really painful when there are no _proper_ cable management options available, and once you're done with replacing the unit, you'll feel like you have done something terrible to your (no more) new, shiny, and premium XPS. Compare it to just unplugging (literally) a couple cables and putting them back in after a minute.
> 
> I swear I'm not possessed with any kind of retail demon right now. It's just my vision of pre-built systems: if you buy one, you want to _upgrade_ it, not tear the whole thing apart. Having tens of zip ties shooting around in the process doesn't help.



Have you not heard of a modular PSU?


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## Constantine Yevseyev (Dec 3, 2015)

Bansaku said:


> Have you not heard of a modular PSU?


I'm talking _exactly_ about modular PSUs. Let's count: two power cables for HDD/ODD, one 24-pin, one 4+4 pin, one 6-pin, two 4-pin Molex. That's basically as many as you'd have with a non-modular design, excluding the extra HDD, FDD and Molex plugs.


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## cdawall (Dec 3, 2015)

The OEM case actually is pretty easy to do cable management in...


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## tabascosauz (Dec 3, 2015)

Constantine Yevseyev said:


> I'm talking _exactly_ about modular PSUs. Let's count: two power cables for HDD/ODD, one 24-pin, one 4+4 pin, one 6-pin, two 4-pin Molex. That's basically as many as you'd have with a non-modular design, excluding the extra HDD, FDD and Molex plugs.



Do you actually have experience with the XPS 8xxx series? 

The stock PSU's cable management, kudos to Dell, is horrendous to begin with. Many people have done PSU replacements with semi-modular PSUs and nonmodular PSUs and it's not the end of the world.


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## rtwjunkie (Dec 3, 2015)

I helped a friend out with his XPS upgrading a little, including slapping a decent Seasonic in there for him 

It wasn't straoghtforward, considering we had to do a little cutting, but once in we found some space to store cables that didn't interfere with airflow.  I will say it was one of the most creative cable managemnt jobs I've done!


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## Constantine Yevseyev (Dec 4, 2015)

cdawall said:


> The OEM case actually is pretty easy to do cable management in...


If, and only if, you have some experience with any kind of cable management prior to that. Now give your PC to your teenager niece and ask her to replace PSU. "Come on, sweetheart, it can't be that hard!" Pro tip: just because someone's using a PC daily doesn't make them an expert in it, just like taking drugs doesn't make you a pharmacist. You think a non-expert should replace a PSU on their own? Then remind yourself of that distinct smell of burning plastic and think again.



tabascosauz said:


> Do you actually have experience with the XPS 8xxx series?


Wha... Why would it matter?! I've only calculated the total amount of cables he'll have on his new, modular PSU. Verdict: it's almost as many as he has right now. What's there you disagree with?



tabascosauz said:


> The stock PSU's cable management, kudos to Dell, is horrendous to begin with. Many people have done PSU replacements with semi-modular PSUs and nonmodular PSUs and it's not the end of the world.


Again, if he's fine with affecting his $1600+ XPS Studio in this way, so be it. Why buy it in the first place if you're planning on making it your playground, when literally the only advantage is that you get a finished product with a bunch of warranty seals slapped on it?..



rtwjunkie said:


> It wasn't straoghtforward, considering we had to do a little cutting, but once in we found some space to store cables that didn't interfere with airflow. I will say it was one of the most creative cable managemnt jobs I've done!


True. But I believe that creativity should always come last and the *skill* first.

So far, we know no-thing about OP (skill-wise). Maybe he just wants to play some games already and be done with modifying this machine in any way, even on the software side. That is, no risks, and no warranty voiding.


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## cdawall (Dec 4, 2015)

Constantine Yevseyev said:


> If, and only if, you have some experience with any kind of cable management prior to that. Now give your PC to your teenager niece and ask her to replace PSU. "Come on, sweetheart, it can't be that hard!" Pro tip: just because someone's using a PC daily doesn't make them an expert in it, just like taking drugs doesn't make you a pharmacist. You think a non-expert should replace a PSU on their own? Then remind yourself of that distinct smell of burning plastic and think again.



I think anyone with any brain cells could replace a power supply. They aren't difficult and yes I think a non-"expert" could do it. My teenage niece pulled up youtube and rebuilt her entire computer all on her own. Guess what it booted without any burning plastic smell.


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## Constantine Yevseyev (Dec 4, 2015)

cdawall said:


> I think anyone with any brain cells could replace a power supply. They aren't difficult and yes I think a non-"expert" could do it. My teenage niece pulled up youtube and rebuilt her entire computer all on her own. Guess what it booted without any burning plastic smell.


See, now you're just angry with me.

Look. All I want to do is to save OP's money through an alternative upgrade path, because everyone so far has been *pushing him to basically take everything apart and redo the build*. No one's right in this situation: you're making him spend a lot of money on quality PSU and high-end GPU (and that XPS Studio is already expensive as hell), plus get rid of the warranty on a machine he's just purchased. I want him to keep that somewhat shady AcBel unit and settle for something less performant and future-proof, because I believe that I understand his intentions better (just like you do).

Just look at this situation from a different angle. He didn't know anything about the quality of power supply he's gonna get with this machine (it's clear from the OP), and you're making him regret the choice he made. Instead of offering RMA, though, you want him to do something he *should've done in the beginning*: go on _Pcpartpicker_ and do the fully customized build, saving hundreds of dollars and getting a proper gaming GPU instead of OEM-supplied R7 370. Except he's already paid for the barebone, and no one is going to give him back that extra $ Dell have charged him for the XPS branding.

Just let him have at least two options before he decides what he's gonna do with this machine. If you think I'm offering something wrong or harmful, then go ahead, criticize it.


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## cdawall (Dec 4, 2015)

Constantine Yevseyev said:


> See, now you're just angry with me.
> 
> Look. All I want to do is to save OP's money through an alternative upgrade path, because everyone so far has been *pushing him to basically take everything apart and redo the build*. No one's right in this situation: you're making him spend a lot of money on quality PSU and high-end GPU (and that XPS Studio is already expensive as hell), plus get rid of the warranty on a machine he's just purchased. I want him to keep that somewhat shady AcBel unit and settle for something less performant and future-proof, because I believe that I understand his intentions better (just like you do).
> 
> ...



Dell XPS's start at $699, that's with a 6700, DDR4 etc. they are not that expensive. The OP has already added a hard drive, added a solid state and is planning on adding a GPU. The AcBel unit will not handle all of that plus a GTX970 so what you are doing is requesting the OP fries his computer. That is not anger on my end that's you either not reading the entire thread or just plain old giving bad advice.

My suggestion is to do exactly what Dell did to upgrade the unit to handle a GTX980. Seems to make sense to me seeing how the Dell gentlemen who came out to do the work makes well into the 6 figure range.


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## Constantine Yevseyev (Dec 4, 2015)

cdawall said:


> Dell XPS's start at $699, that's with a 6700, DDR4 etc.


Well, he's not from the US. Where I live you'll have to pay 1130 USD for a similar configuration of XPS 8700, that's with i7-4790 even, I just checked through their official website. Sounds like a complete rip-off to me, since i7-6700 goes for 426 USD.



cdawall said:


> The OP has already added a hard drive, added a solid state and is planning on adding a GPU


The power consumption of GTX 970 is nearly identical to what R7 370 (R9 370 OEM) draws, except for extraordinary cases, like when running FurMark:

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1590?vs=1557
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/amd-radeon-r9-390x-r9-380-r7-370,4178-9.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nvidia-geforce-gtx-980-970-maxwell,3941-13.html

*172.14 Watts Average* for R7 370, *179 Watts Average* for GTX 970.

I'm absolutely confident his AcBel will be able to supply those theoretical 300W, since it's fine with providing 250W at the moment. And those three drives, they barely consume anything, something like 10W for HDD and another 14 for SSDs combined.



cdawall said:


> That is not anger on my end that's you either not reading the entire thread or just plain old giving bad advice.


I've read each and every post so far, now even twice. The picture is this: OP didn't show interest in upgrading PSU. And then there's TPU community (obviously, tech enthusiasts), tossing money around like everyone here can afford latest and greatest. Replace this, add that. Sometimes that's not possible.



cdawall said:


> so what you are doing is requesting the OP fries his computer


Excuse me? In no way can you "fry" a computer by not providing sufficient enough power. If what you've meant is the fact that a cheap PSU can cause harm, then again, your advice should be "RMA the whole unit because they sold you a safety hazard".

You and everyone else are saying that this PSU is "good enough" when used under 65% load (with R9 370) and then "it's gonna fry up" under 75% (GTX 970). The truth is, that's obviously not what's gonna happen, since the increase in power consumption is marginal, and can be easily accommodated even by the cheapest Chinese PSUs. So no frying, no turning off even, it'll just work.


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## cdawall (Dec 4, 2015)

Constantine Yevseyev said:


> Well, he's not from the US. Where I live you'll have to pay 1130 USD for a similar configuration of XPS 8700, that's with i7-4790 even, I just checked through their official website. Sounds like a complete rip-off to me, since i7-6700 goes for 426 USD.



He hasn't listed that the price was an issue I believe he asked if it would work.




Constantine Yevseyev said:


> The power consumption of GTX 970 is nearly identical to what R7 370 (R9 370 OEM) draws, except for extraordinary cases, like when running FurMark:
> 
> http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1590?vs=1557
> http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/amd-radeon-r9-390x-r9-380-r7-370,4178-9.html
> ...



Did you know Lenovo sells a similar unit with an R9 360. SSD, single HDD, Quad core CPU, etc. It comes equipped with a 400W FSP bronze unit. Do you think lenovo uses a larger power supply for a reason?

Or how about the Dell that comes equipped with a GTX 960? 450w AcBell unit.

These manufactures are in the game of making money. If they could cut even $1 per unit on a powersupply they will. They are not designed to have a video card thrown in I cannot tell you how many we get back with in a weeks time because someone added a midrange GPU to a dell and the PSU is dead taking out the motherboard. This is a common problem. I see it quite often.




Constantine Yevseyev said:


> I've read each and every post so far, now even twice. The picture is this: OP didn't show interest in upgrading PSU. And then there's TPU community (obviously, tech enthusiasts), tossing money around like everyone here can afford latest and greatest. Replace this, add that. Sometimes that's not possible.



Then he might want to look into having someone else do this for him, because I cannot recommend a GTX970 on that machine. If he tries it I hope he is good at splicing however. I don't know if you know this or not, but it has no 6 pin PCI-e plugs nor does it have a smart way to add any. Last one I opened had a total of 5 SATA power adapters. No molex at all.



Constantine Yevseyev said:


> Excuse me? In no way can you "fry" a computer by not providing sufficient enough power. If what you've meant is the fact that a cheap PSU can cause harm, then again, your advice should be "RMA the whole unit because they sold you a safety hazard".
> 
> You and everyone else are saying that this PSU is "good enough" when used under 65% load (with R9 370) and then "it's gonna fry up" under 75% (GTX 970). The truth is, that's obviously not what's gonna happen, since the increase in power consumption is marginal, and can be easily accommodated even by the cheapest Chinese PSUs. So no frying, no turning off even, it'll just work.



Any powersupply can have a failure and take out other components. All it takes is the rails going out of ATX specification. That happens with AcBell units there are a multitude of reviews showing this exact situation. Let me tell you ATX does not like when you have 200-400mV ripples and 10.8v running on the 12v rail.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Dec 4, 2015)

Well it seems we lost the OP...


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## Constantine Yevseyev (Dec 4, 2015)

cdawall said:


> Then he might want to look into having someone else do this for him, because I cannot recommend a GTX970 on that machine. If he tries it I hope he is good at splicing however. I don't know if you know this or not, but it has no 6 pin PCI-e plugs nor does it have a smart way to add any. Last one I opened had a total of 5 SATA power adapters. No molex at all.


OK, I guess we can agree that if he wants to be *safe*, he should look for a proper PSU first (+ cable management supplies), and only then plan on upgrading his GPU (whether it is GTX 970 or 980).



cdawall said:


> Any powersupply can have a failure and take out other components. All it takes is the rails going out of ATX specification. That happens with AcBell units there are a multitude of reviews showing this exact situation. Let me tell you ATX does not like when you have 200-400mV ripples and 10.8v running on the 12v rail.


I absolutely agree with you. That machine in my specs originally had a POWERMAN PSU, rated 380W, and when I asked my employer a week ago to add whatever GPU for rendering they could manage at the moment, I was the one who took out that unit and replaced it with an overkill XFX model that I already had. The chip that turned out to be half of the Trinidad Pro doesn't need even 300W, but I've applied same reasoning as yours and figured "if I want reliability, I'd better invest in something both quality-made and, to an extent, future-proof".

But that doesn't eliminate the fact that the machine itself was at risk _before_. The IHV here is the one to blame: in my case, for powering a LGA1156 server with a cheap retail PSU (which used to have a 140W Xeon in it before we re-purposed it for GPGPU stuff), and in OP's case, for putting this excuse of a power supply in a premium desktop product. Still, it has passed the tests and it clearly meets all regulations, so it's not a crime to use that thing with anything up to GTX 980. Hypothetically. It won't work because of the dirt cheap inners of said unit, so it'll probably burn during one of the peak loading scenarios, but on paper, it's perfectly fine.


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## Caleb Fagundes (Dec 4, 2015)

I'm in risk of losing 3 years of warranty if I change the PSU... then I will try the reference model of GTX 970.
Does somebody really understand the power supply diagram ?


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## Caleb Fagundes (Dec 4, 2015)

cdawall said:


> Dell setup up one of those machines to run the 5K dell monitor display. They took the OEM tower with NO additional hardrives (just a single 1TB) and threw the OEM PSU away. It currently runs 5K video 24/7 with a GTX 980 and an EVGA 500B.
> 
> *Dell* the company that made the computer threw their PSU in the trash to run the 980. Take the hint.




I will run games only using 1920x1080


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## Caleb Fagundes (Dec 4, 2015)

Constantine Yevseyev said:


> Unpopular opinion in 3, 2, 1...
> _Assuming that you haven't done any custom builds before and don't have too much interest in practicing..._
> 
> 1. *Keep the PSU*. Replacing it in a OEM case will leave you with Hanging Gardens of cables, unless your eye perception is really good and you can manage to tie each and every single one to the one-and-only acceptable hook thingy carved in the back wall.
> ...




I'm trying to find a reference model GTX 970, non OC with two six pin connectors


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## Constantine Yevseyev (Dec 4, 2015)

Caleb Fagundes said:


> Does somebody really understand the power supply diagram ?


The passport? Yeah, but there's pretty much nothing of interest on it, except for the calculated watt output @ 12V line. Again, if we're talking watts, you're all good. A system like yours only requires 300W during gaming:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8568/the-geforce-gtx-970-review-feat-evga/15

What worries me (and other people) is the quality of this PSU. Are you absolutely sure you don't want to take the proper upgrade path? I mean, It's true that you don't need GTX 980 for 1080p gaming, and GTX 970 isn't exactly a power-hungry GPU, but if you have plans on upgrading your monitor in the future, this might be the right time to prepare for that.



Caleb Fagundes said:


> I'm trying to find a reference model GTX 970, non OC with two six pin connectors


A little OC is fine. If a card is 8+6-pin, just check whether it has a 6-to-8-pin PCI-E power adapter bundled, because if it does not, you will have to purchase a separate SATA-to-8-pin PCI-E power adapter, since your PSU doesn't have any Molex connectors natively. It does have exactly two 6-pin PCI-E ones though, but you know that already.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Dec 4, 2015)

Caleb Fagundes said:


> I'm in risk of losing 3 years of warranty if I change the PSU... then I will try the reference model of GTX 970.
> Does somebody really understand the power supply diagram ?



You wont need the warranty if you become savy enough you fix all the issues you might have later on yourself.


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## Constantine Yevseyev (Dec 4, 2015)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> You wont need the warranty if you become savy enough you fix all the issues you might have later on yourself.


Before anyone upvotes this comment, let's just reiterate over ourselves for a moment here. When was the last time you saw a thread, like, a project log with somebody repairing their motherboard? How many of you guys have actually *fixed* anything in your life? Changing capacitors? MosFETs? Let's face it: "fixing" hardware on TPU has been a tradition of taking out a faulty unit, trashing it, and then putting a shiny new one in place of it. As cdawall would say, _anyone_ can do that, not just a savvy person.

Extended 3 years warranty allows you to save any cash that you would've spent on replacing a failing HDD or a Skylake CPU that got damaged by an incompatible cooler.

Oh Christ, I'm gonna get so much sh*t for this post...


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## MxPhenom 216 (Dec 4, 2015)

Constantine Yevseyev said:


> Before anyone upvotes this comment, let's just reiterate over ourselves for a moment here. When was the last time you saw a thread, like, a project log with somebody repairing their motherboard? How many of you guys have actually *fixed* anything in your life? Changing capacitors? MosFETs? Let's face it: "fixing" hardware on TPU has been a tradition of taking out a faulty unit, trashing it, and then putting a shiny new one in place of it. As cdawall would say, _anyone_ can do that, not just a savvy person.
> 
> Extended 3 years warranty allows you to save any cash that you would've spent on replacing a failing HDD or a Skylake CPU that got damaged by an incompatible cooler.
> 
> Oh Christ, I'm gonna get so much sh*t for this post...


Dell wouldn't be changing mosfets, capacitors, etc on a system if you send it in. More than likely they would just end up doing the same thing that you would, replace the whole part.


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## Constantine Yevseyev (Dec 4, 2015)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> Dell wouldn't be changing mosfets, capacitors, etc on a system if you send it in. More than likely they would just end up doing the same thing that you would, replace the whole part.


Of course! But at least it's gonna be free.


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## 95Viper (Dec 4, 2015)

Caleb Fagundes said:


> I'm in risk of losing 3 years of warranty if I change the PSU... then I will try the reference model of GTX 970.



Did you purchase an additional warranty? As the XPS 8900 comes with a one year warranty.

Also, look through your warranty papers... Dell could nix your warranty for just swapping out anything.

If you purchased an extended warranty... and don't want to loose it, then don't mess with the innards at all.

Quote from the warranty:



> This limited hardware warranty may be voided by Dell, at Dell's sole discretion, if third party products that were not provided by Dell are installed on your Dell system.



If you decide to go through with upgrading or parts replacement, here is a guide:  XPS 8900 Service Manual


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## PCGamerDR (Dec 5, 2015)

What OP needs to look at is the PSU cut-out on the case, dell is known to use non-reference PSU cut-out so people buy their reference PSUs, he will need a saw to cut his case probably at least the PSU part (if im right).


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## MxPhenom 216 (Dec 5, 2015)

PCGamerDR said:


> What OP needs to look at is the PSU cut-out on the case, dell is known to use non-reference PSU cut-out so people buy their reference PSUs, he will need a saw to cut his case probably at least the PSU part (if im right).



I dont know about that. But I took an old dell dimension 3000 desktop and put a corsair cx430 in it with no problems. 

Not going to doubt the fact that they have changed things in the last 10 years. :/


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## Constantine Yevseyev (Dec 5, 2015)

PCGamerDR said:


> What OP needs to look at is the PSU cut-out on the case, dell is known to use non-reference PSU cut-out so people buy their reference PSUs, he will need a saw to cut his case probably at least the PSU part (if im right).


OP's fine, the 460AM unit is a standard ATX PSU and has all four mounting screws exactly where you'd expect them.

There are people who report that they have successfully upgraded their XPS 8700/8900 PSUs (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-DEL...HU-460AM-00-/281863536240?hash=item41a0603e70).


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## tabascosauz (Dec 5, 2015)

@Caleb Fagundes Alright, I'm going to put an end to this once and for all.

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3515/t/19474677

This thread has a wealth of information on just about everything related to swapping out GPUs and PSUs.

If OP has already added an SSD, Dell may find that sufficient to void his warranty (yes, it's absurd). If you swap out the GPU, Dell will most certainly not cover anything.

The good news is that the only thing that is really proprietary once you have swapped out the PSU is the motherboard. The CPU, cooler (though it's complete crap), RAM, GPU and drives can all carry over to a new build, and since the CPU/motherboard/RAM platform is so new, you won't have any trouble finding a replacement Skylake board to pop your components into. Many people have done successful transplants into retail cases before, if that's what you would like to do in order to accommodate a GTX 980, which is often a long card that may not fit in the stock case. Check here:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/341842-28-will-dell-8300-transplant-case

One thing that may be of trouble is working out Dell's front panel header connections. That page offers a layout that works with the XPS 8300 and most likely XPS 8500, as they are Sandy/Ivy Bridge respectively. I don't know about Skylake. Dell does not offer a diagram in its manual, AFAIK.

On the topic of the motherboard, it will be of a standard wide micro-ATX form factor that goes well into just about any mATX case on the market, and its feature set will be not anything new compared to retail boards. However, if it ever goes bad you're on your own. This is not much of a problem as there are plenty of inexpensive H110/B150/H170 boards that can accommodate your CPU and RAM. Plus, by tinkering with anything, you're already risking Dell not covering your board under warranty.


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## PCGamerDR (Dec 5, 2015)

MxPhenom 216 said:


> I dont know about that. But I took an old dell dimension 3000 desktop and put a corsair cx430 in it with no problems.
> 
> Not going to doubt the fact that they have changed things in the last 10 years. :/





Constantine Yevseyev said:


> OP's fine, the 460AM unit is a standard ATX PSU and has all four mounting screws exactly where you'd expect them.
> 
> There are people who report that they have successfully upgraded their XPS 8700/8900 PSUs (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-DEL...HU-460AM-00-/281863536240?hash=item41a0603e70).



I had a past with dell having non-standard PSU cut-outs, just giving another "thought" on things to look out for  .


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## cdawall (Dec 5, 2015)

Constantine Yevseyev said:


> Of course! But at least it's gonna be free.



As long as when he sends the PC back to dell he puts the OEM PSU in it will be free regardless to what upgrade he chooses.


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## Constantine Yevseyev (Dec 5, 2015)

cdawall said:


> As long as when he sends the PC back to dell he puts the OEM PSU in it will be free regardless to what upgrade he chooses.


Ha, this is a pretty evil idea, I like it, but let's not forget about the warranty stickers, marker traces and many other things OEMs do these days to prevent this sort of thing. I still think the service is gonna be free even when he replaces a video card, two out of two IHVs I've dealt with happily accepted machines with HDDs, RAM, and GPUs replaced. My friend was lucky, too, he upgraded his CPU to something like Core i5 "K", and had long going problems with PSU-motherboard relationships before, yet they installed him a new ASUS one and a pretty cool HIPER PSU, if I recall correctly.

You work for a PC shop, right? Maybe you know more about Dell's return policy?.. I haven't been to USA at any point in my life, haven't heard a whole lot of RMA-related stories either, so I have no idea how you guys have it there. Because, well, if it doesn't make sense to keep the warranty (even the extended one, which probably has some benefits), then maybe I'm just fearmongering for no reason here...


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## cdawall (Dec 5, 2015)

Most oems don't give a shit as long as what you added didn't cause the problem.


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## Caleb Fagundes (Mar 12, 2016)

Folks, resurrecting the topic.  
Have you seen that DELL is offering XPS 8900 with a Special Edition ?
It comes with a GTX 980 !!!

But guess what? It will run on the standard 460W PSU.


http://www.dell.com/us/p/xps-8900-se/pd


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## cdawall (Mar 12, 2016)

My 5820k @4.4ghz, 5 ssd's and 2 7950@1150 1.3v pulls 600w at the wall under gaming load through a 80 silver. You are telling me a 460w can't handle a 6700k@stock and a 980@stock? Lol


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## Caleb Fagundes (Mar 13, 2016)

As i said before, did you see that DELL is offering XPS 8900 with a Special Edition ?
It comes with a GTX 980 running on the standard 460W PSU!!!

cdawall, did you overclock your two 7950s and your 5820k?​


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## cdawall (Mar 14, 2016)

Caleb Fagundes said:


> cdawall, did you overclock your two 7950s and your 5820k?









These are 24/7 settings on my rig. Stock is like 850 on my GPU's the BIOS is a little modified to say the least.


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## Caleb Fagundes (Mar 14, 2016)

Sometimes i think people are wasting lots of money with the more expensive PSUs, because their specs are not so demanding indeed...


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## cdawall (Mar 14, 2016)

Caleb Fagundes said:


> Sometimes i think people are wasting lots of money with the more expensive PSUs, because their specs are not so demanding indeed...



I had my current 1200w for a different rig that pulled about what it maxed out at.


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## Caleb Fagundes (Feb 16, 2017)

Resurrecting this thread...
I'm currently running an EVGA GTX 1080 Founders Edition  

Despite the Intel cpu stock cooler on the I7 6700, adding the heat generate by the card (82º C), the CPU is reaching 70º C (LOAD).

The 460W PSU  was running pretty fine, but on LOAD it was a little bit noisy, in fact it was the only concern.
I talked to DELL support and i won't lose my warranty replacing the PSU.
I chose the COOLER MASTER G750M, and i never reach 50% of load, so it is running almost dead silent (120mm fan from PSU at 800 rpm).   

Thank you all folks.


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