Upgraded Dell T5500

GIdontknowyet · Apr 22, 2017

Hi,
Bought a Dell T5500 from Dell.com as a refurbished 5 or 6 years ago. A few months ago I upgraded to Windows 10 pro and the computer was running like a snail. I lost my interest in using the PC because it was just TOO SLOW to do anything. I was looking online and decided to upgrade RAM and CPU and so I did and now my T5500 is BLAZING. Now I am in love this PC again! I need to upgrade the graphic card from the OEM Nvidia FX-580 though.

Original System:
DELL T5500
CPU: E5506 @ 2.13GHz (1 CPU)
RAM: 2Gb, PC3-8500,1066
HARD DRIVE: 160Gb
Graphic Card: Quadro FX580

Upgraded System:
DELL T5500
CPU: E5680 @3.33GHz(1 CPU) $88
HEAT SINK: U016F, $15
RAM: 24Gb, PC3-10600,1333, $41
DISK: Evo 580 500Gb SSD, $100
DISK CONTLER: PERC H310, $30
Graphic Card: Quadro FX580

Total upgraded cost: $274

I am looking to upgrade the graphic card but I don't feel like spending over $100 for it. I am not a gamer. Do you have any suggestions on the graphic card and any other upgrades that I may have missed? Thank you for this forum for giving more life to my PC.

tsnor · Apr 22, 2017

"...I am looking to upgrade the graphic card but I don't feel like spending over $100 for it. I am not a gamer. Do you have any suggestions on the graphic card and any other upgrades that I may have missed? .."

What will you use the upgraded video card for? IS there anything you are trying to do that the card is failing to accomplish ? The old Quadro FX580 should be a very solid low power card. https://www.techpowerup.com/gpudb/1324/quadro-fx-580

GIdontknowyet · Apr 22, 2017

tsnor :

GIdontknowyet · Apr 22, 2017

Thanks. I want to get this card gigabyte gtx970 for around $100 on Ebay. Will this card fit? I want play a few games, autoCAD, photoshop, YouTube,

william p · Apr 22, 2017

See if you have enough PCIe cables to run that card. It probably requires an 8 pin cable. If your PSU has 2x6pin cables you can use an adapter to get a single 8pin.

GIdontknowyet · Apr 23, 2017

william p :

GIdontknowyet · Apr 23, 2017

I have two 6-PIN and one x8-PIN power connectors from the main PSU.

william p · Apr 23, 2017

Be careful about the 8pin, it may be for a 2nd CPU on a daughter card. The CPU connector will have 4x12V, and 4xGRD wires, the 8pin GPU will have 3x 12V. and the rest GRD and signal wires.

GIdontknowyet · Apr 23, 2017

william p :

So what type of graphic card do I need to use the two 6-pin connectors?

william p · Apr 23, 2017

You can run 2- seperate 6 pin cards(AMD only I think), or one 8 pin card with a 2x6 pin to 8 pin adapter. I would avoid a single 6 to 8 adadpter on a Dell. The multi rail PSU is pretty strict about rationing power to connectors. R9 Fury Nano ITX would be a powerful 8 pin card. The regular Furys need more power to O/C higher.. I'm sure there are many others, R9-380 for instance.
2x6 pin was an old type, the 8 pin has the same 150W power as 2x6pin 75W. The single 8 pin started to appear on ITX cards to make them smaller. It's common now. Any card up to 225W should work. 75W from the PCIe slot, and 150W from the cables.

GIdontknowyet · Apr 23, 2017

william p :

I thought selecting a graphic card is easy. It is a lot more complicated than upgrading RAM and CPU. I still don't get between the 6 and 8 pin power. Are you saying I should be looking for a card with two 6-PIN connectors?

william p · Apr 23, 2017

No look for a 2x6pin to 1x8 pin PCIe adadpter. I don't know if any new cards use the 2x6pin any more. I think they just go straight to the equal powered 8 pin. There is no difference in power. Most aftermarket PSUs just use a 6+2 pin connector that works as either one. But Dell doesn't usually supply the needed 150W power to the 6 pin cable. You MB has 2x 16x PCIe slots so Dell cabled it to run 2x GPUs. They also cabled it to run 2x CPUs. The PSU has sveral separate power "rails" so if one device fails it won't damage the rest of the computer, or other devices connected to it. So the power you're not using for the 2nd CPU isn't available to the GPU cables. An equal sized aftermarket PSU could easilt power 2x 8 pin GPUs or maybe more (hint hint) and would have the cables to do so. A video card with 2x6pin, or single 8 pin is still a 225W GPU. I f you need more than that then you need an aftermarket PSU.

tsnor · Apr 23, 2017

Before you look at what cables you need, figure out if your power supply has enough wattage to run whatever card you are considering.

PSU wattage will be on the (usually yellow) sticker visible on the power supply. You can post the 12V amps if you see them, an older PSU will have too much 5V and too little 12V for a modern PC like you are building.

If the PSU is too weak you can replace it -- that's easier than the CPU swap you already did.

GL

GIdontknowyet · Apr 24, 2017

william p :

No look for a 2x6pin to 1x8 pin PCIe adadpter. I don't know if any new cards use the 2x6pin any more. I think they just go straight to the equal powered 8 pin. There is no difference in power. Most aftermarket PSUs just use a 6+2 pin connector that works as either one. But Dell doesn't usually supply the needed 150W power to the 6 pin cable. You MB has 2x 16x PCIe slots so Dell cabled it to run 2x GPUs. They also cabled it to run 2x CPUs. The PSU has sveral separate power "rails" so if one device fails it won't damage the rest of the computer, or other devices connected to it. So the power you're not using for the 2nd CPU isn't available to the GPU cables. An equal sized aftermarket PSU could easilt power 2x 8 pin GPUs or maybe more (hint hint) and would have the cables to do so. A video card with 2x6pin, or single 8 pin is still a 225W GPU. I f you need more than that then you need an aftermarket PSU.

GIdontknowyet · Apr 24, 2017

So you are telling me DO NOT USE THE 8-PIN power connector from the PSU? And instead use the two 6-PIN power connectors? Most graphic card come with one 6-PIN and one 8-PIN. Do you need to connect the power to both of these connector or either one?

tsnor · Apr 24, 2017

GIdontknowyet :

I don't think he meant to say use a adapter to get an 8-pin connection if your PSU has one.

"Most graphic card come with one 6-PIN and one 8-PIN." This is surprising. Very few graphics cards need the 300W that a 6-pin plus an 8-pin plus the MB deliver.

If the video card has both connectors then you need power to both connections, it is not a choice.

Your upgraded system did not list a new power supply. there is no way the original PSU on a system shipped with a E5506 has a PSU with connections for a 300W video card. did you upgrade your PSU ? If not verify that the PSU you have provides enough current for the card you pick.

GIdontknowyet · Apr 25, 2017

tsnor :

GIdontknowyet :

I don't think he meant to say use a adapter to get an 8-pin connection if your PSU has one.

"Most graphic card come with one 6-PIN and one 8-PIN." This is surprising. Very few graphics cards need the 300W that a 6-pin plus an 8-pin plus the MB deliver.

If the video card has both connectors then you need power to both connections, it is not a choice.

Your upgraded system did not list a new power supply. there is no way the original PSU on a system shipped with a E5506 has a PSU with connections for a 300W video card. did you upgrade your PSU ? If not verify that the PSU you have provides enough current for the card you pick.

The computer came with 875W PSU.

william p · Apr 26, 2017

The T5500 wasn't sold to consumers as a gaming machine. The 875W PSU is very different from an aftermarket PSU. The T5500 supports 2x CPUs, and the PSU is designed to support that option. You need to realize that it's built more like 6X150W separate PSUs. I absolutely did mean to use an adapeor from 2x6pin to 8pin. The T5500 supports a 2nd CPU on a riser card with memory slots and cooling fan. The 8pin cable could be there to power what is basically a 2nd motherboard. If it is it would be a very bad idea to plug it into a video card. Dell builds their computers to support only the options that they sell. If they didn't offer GPUs with 8 pin connectors there won't be a cable there for it. The best solution would be an aftermarket PSU that's designed for what you want to do. The Dell PSU is designed and wired to support that specific computer, and the options Dell offered PERIOD!

Upgraded Dell T5500

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