How to upgrade graphics card of HP DC7700 SFF

NAVEED_04

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Mar 26, 2012
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10,510
Hello,
Any one tell how could I upgrade the graphic card of my HP Compaq DC7700 SFF and to what extent it could be upgraded?
 

bucknutty

Distinguished
What are you hoping to get out of the system, Games, multi monitor support, or just better performance?

The DC7700 small form factor is a great PC, but your GPU options are going to be limited by 2 factors.
Size, you need a half size video card, there are lots out there.
Power consumption. That computer has a 200 watt PSU so we cant go to big.

I would say AMD 6570 would be your best bet. Like the one here.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127611

If you wanted to rebuild your PC in a standard case and get a standard PSU you could get any video card you wanted.
I put an older half size sparkle 9800gt in a DC530 with only a 200 Watt psu. It works but it draws 210 from the wall at load. Its only a matter of time until my PSU explodes.
 

snehne

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Jun 13, 2012
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Just found this thread -- hope you gurus are still able to see (and reply to) this.

I am in the same situation -- having a dc7700sff and wanting to upgrade the video. Mine is fitted with a 1.86GHz C2D, 4 1GB RAM sticks, 1 1TB WD Green, 1 DVD drive, and a pci wifi card. The power supply is 240W (probably not 80+ -- not sure about this).

My main objective at this moment is to be able to play Civilization V. I actually got an old HD5450 card with 512MB DDR2 :-( and it was able to run Civ V with minimal settings (1366x768 with all effect off), but I'd like to get a bit better effects, and I've read that people with low graphics ran into problem later i the game (with larger maps etc.). So I'd like to get a better card. The choices:

* 5450 with 1GB DDR3: I suppose it will be better, but probably not much, and not a worthy "upgrade". True?

* 6450 with 1GB DDR3: This would be visibly better I suppose, but still not by much -- I read the benchmark results and it does not seem to add a lot to Civ V experience.

* 6570 with 1GB DDR3, 128bit: I am mostly interested in this one. I am mostly interested in this one.

My main concern is power -- the TDP is more than 30W higher than the 5450; will it push the 240W PS? (I could remove the DVD, but I suppose it won't help much.)

More of a concern is that per the tech spec of dc7700, the pci-e slot has a rated max power of 25W. Even the 6450 is over that. Some people say that the pci-e standard is 75W so this should not be a concern, but ...

I will appreciate advice on the choices here (especially regarding the 6570 -- if someone has successfully tried it, please share your experience).

Sean
 

CraftingTableX

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May 29, 2013
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I see your problem. Try to look for some space inside the pc . If you see some small gaps you could build in a external psu for the graphics or you could switch the motherboard