Dell Optiplex 360 mobo upgrade to Optiplex 380

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Roger_Tech

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Can a Dell Optiplex 380 motherboard fit into the case of an Optiplex 360 MT desktop computer as an upgrade option? If so, what other specific modifications need to be made to make the system work? I could not quite understand the answer to a post previously given about differences between the Optiplex 360, the 380 and the Xeon E5472 motherboards. The overall focus seems to be more on the Xeon E5472 and it left me rather confused. Thanks for any helpful advice.
 
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Hi mrjack2207:

I got a second opinion on my planned Dell Optiplex 360 motherboard upgrade to an Optiplex 380 and ultimately decided to go with an OEM replacement mobo rather than the model 380 as you suggested. In hindsight, I think that you were right. I got a refurbished mobo that came with a better CPU - an Intel E7500 Core 2 Duo - than the Intel Pentium 4000 CPU that it came with. I also upgraded the OEM 2GB RAM with 4GB Crucial Ballistix DDR2-6400 RAM and installed Windows 7 Professional 64-bit after flashing the BIOS. I'm planning to do some other upgrades - with a replacement micro-ATX PSU and aftermarket sound and video cards - and these should make it even better, over-all. This thing rocks, as it is, and I'm quite pleased...
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mrjack2207

mrjack2207

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What would be the benefit of this ?

 
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spdragoo

spdragoo

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It depends. Theoretically, if the dimensions of the motherboards are the same, and assuming the mounting screw locations match up, you could install the 380's motherboard in the 380's case.

However, I don't see much point to it:

    ■ The cases are nearly identical in shape, size & appearance. So if you have the Optiplex 380 motherboard, you should also have the case...which means you don't need to transfer the motherboard to the old case.
    ■ Even if somehow there's a problem with the 380's case (or that you happened to have the 380 motherboard from somewhere else), you have to make sure that they're the same basic case as well. For example, the Mini-Tower (MT) & Desktop (DT) models seem to use the same motherboards...but the Small Form Factor (SFF) versions use a smaller motherboard. An SFF board would physically fit into the DT/MT cases, but you might have issues with mounting screw placement; the DT/MT board, however, will not fit into the SFF case.
    ■ I'm not really seeing a good reason to even consider the upgrade. Based on their specifications (http://www.dell.com/downloads/ap/products/optix/optix_360_spec_sheet_en.pdf for 360, http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/optix/en/optiplex-380-tech-guide.pdf for 380), they have identical or nearly identical maximum RAM, expansion slots, & even default discrete GPUs. Aside from maybe minor chipset differences (G31 for the 360, G41 for the 380), the only major difference seems to be that the 380's motherboard supports some Core 2 Quad CPUs, along with the slightly faster FSB. But in both cases you're talking about 9- to 10-year-old CPUs that won't run brand-new games (& probably not even run most games from the past few years), & even in non-gaming situations will be outperformed by a lot of newer systems (even one of AMD's APUs with 8GB of RAM will probably outperform either system).
 
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Roger_Tech

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Roger_Tech

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mrjack2207:

The subject of my inquiry was about the Optiplex 380 MOTHERBOARD and NOT an Optiplex 380 computer CASE which I do not have, or plan to get. I do have a non-working Optiplex 360 MT computer that someone else gave up on and gifted me - for free. Since it cost me NOTHING to acquire, it would be an obvious benefit if I can possibly(?) upgrade it at little to no cost with a better motherboard and other relevant components. This benefit alone would be 'the point that you don't see'.

Again, I do not have an Optiplex 380 motherboard, or Optiplex 380 MT case, per your assumption; so I am not in a position to make visual comparisons. I am simply looking into whether it would be feasible to replace/upgrade my old, non-working, 360 board with a better one that might provide better performance - if it will fit - BEFORE making the actual commitment to buy it (a 380 model); that's all. I have no idea what the dimensions of an Optiplex 380 computer case are, or if it would fit the bill; but this is irrelevant as it was not the subject of my inquiry. I am also not a gamer, by the way. I am prepared to make whatever mods are necessary to complete a working system, in addition to whatever I can salvage and reuse. If I understand you correctly - that both system cases have the same INTERNAL layout - then this would answer my inquiry. But assumptions indicate uncertainty. Thank you, anyway, and I will also study the two links that you provided me for comparison of the two systems.
 
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Roger_Tech

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Hi mrjack2207:

I got a second opinion on my planned Dell Optiplex 360 motherboard upgrade to an Optiplex 380 and ultimately decided to go with an OEM replacement mobo rather than the model 380 as you suggested. In hindsight, I think that you were right. I got a refurbished mobo that came with a better CPU - an Intel E7500 Core 2 Duo - than the Intel Pentium 4000 CPU that it came with. I also upgraded the OEM 2GB RAM with 4GB Crucial Ballistix DDR2-6400 RAM and installed Windows 7 Professional 64-bit after flashing the BIOS. I'm planning to do some other upgrades - with a replacement micro-ATX PSU and aftermarket sound and video cards - and these should make it even better, over-all. This thing rocks, as it is, and I'm quite pleased. Thanks a lot!
 
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william p

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The Optiplex 360 is tricky to work with. They both have 2- RAM slots. 4GB DDR2 modules are very rare and therefore expensive especially in the low density type Dell requires. The 360 BIOS also has issues with newer E0 steppings on the Xeons and Q9650 CPUs.
The Opti 380 can run 2x4GB DDR3 1066/1333 modules which are readily available and it can also run Q9650, X5460, and probably X5470 Xeons. You'll save enough on RAM to pay for a Opti 380MB. I'm running a zotac GTX1050TI 4GB in mine. The Zotac drops right in, others don't.I bought mine for $20.
 
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