My computer case is small, what can I do about it?

[mike2012]

Hey, Mike2012 here. I recently bought a new PC a couple months ago, but there's a problem, the case is just too small.

This is what the case look like:
http://www.microcenter.com/product/403683/Pavilion_p6-2123_Desktop_Computer_Refurbished

The main problem is, is that there's no way to put a full graphics card in there without bumping something.

So should I just sell the computer and get one with a bigger case? Or is there a way I could remove the silver thing guarding the disc drive and stuff?

 

[henrypenton]

Wouldn't recommend trying to put a full size graphics card in a machine like that anyway, if you wanna use it for games, with a good card, I would sell the computer and spend a bit more to get a computer with a) a larger case and b) some slightly better parts, otherwise there's gunna be no point in you having a full graphics card, it'll just be massively bottlenecked

 

[bradderzd1994]

You could always just buy a new case and install everything in (it would take a while and i know how much effort it is to do so, if you know what your doing )

 

[toyftw]

Hey, Mike2012 here. I recently bought a new PC a couple months ago, but there's a problem, the case is just too small.

This is what the case look like:
http://www.microcenter.com/product/403683/Pavilion_p6-2123_Desktop_Computer_Refurbished

The main problem is, is that there's no way to put a full graphics card in there without bumping something.

So should I just sell the computer and get one with a bigger case? Or is there a way I could remove the silver thing guarding the disc drive and stuff?

Hi - That tower is physically big enough to accomodate most full size gpu's,
it's larger than my tower and I have a 7870,you might have to move a hdd up
or down a little, but all but the most high end gpu's will fit. I think you are OK to
just start upgrading & keep the case you have. You need to find out what
psu you have before you select a gpu. It's not listed in the links specs.
You might have to pull off the side panel & write down what the psu label states.

If you can afford to do so, and you want quality gaming, you may want to
sell it, set a budget for a new PC using partpicker:

http://pcpartpicker.com/

& assemble it yourself, there are tutorials & youtube videos, if you
want to spend more & not do it yourself, use ecollege PC, as they use
name brand components & allow a lot of choices (& don't try to oversell)

http://www.ecollegepc.com/

Tom

 

[Motopsychojdn]

And theres always the dremel option if your card is too big
Moto

 

[mike2012]

Hi - That tower is physically big enough to accomodate most full size gpu's,
it's larger than my tower and I have a 7870,you might have to move a hdd up
or down a little, but all but the most high end gpu's will fit. I think you are OK to
just start upgrading & keep the case you have. You need to find out what
psu you have before you select a gpu. It's not listed in the links specs.
You might have to pull off the side panel & write down what the psu label states.

If you can afford to do so, and you want quality gaming, you may want to
sell it, set a budget for a new PC using partpicker:

http://pcpartpicker.com/

& assemble it yourself, there are tutorials & youtube videos, if you
want to spend more & not do it yourself, use ecollege PC, as they use
name brand components & allow a lot of choices (& don't try to oversell)

http://www.ecollegepc.com/

Tom

So is that my current HD 7750 is too big or something? I don't know. I describe it this way... You open up the case, then when you put try to put in the GPU, it's impossible to get it in without bumping it. You kind of have to twist it sideways to get it in and even then it's difficult to line-up the GPU, because of a lack of space.

Is the side panel that huge thing above the Hard Drive and everything? Because I think that's mostly what's in the way. If there's a way to remove that, that would solve my whole problem there.

I mean, the last thing I want to do is spend $200 on a GPU just to risk bumping it trying to fit in this small case.

 

[toyftw]

So is that my current HD 7750 is too big or something? I don't know. I describe it this way... You open up the case, then when you put try to put in the GPU, it's impossible to get it in without bumping it. You kind of have to twist it sideways to get it in and even then it's difficult to line-up the GPU, because of a lack of space.

Is the side panel that huge thing above the Hard Drive and everything? Because I think that's mostly what's in the way. If there's a way to remove that, that would solve my whole problem there.

I mean, the last thing I want to do is spend $200 on a GPU just to risk bumping it trying to fit in this small case.

Hi again Mike - as you face the front of the tower, the side panel I'm referring
to is the long side panel on your left (as you face it), on most towers there's
a thumb screw at the top(in the rear of the tower) n one on the bottom. You merely
unscrew these and then slide the panel off the tower completely.

You then should have no problem inserting the gpu into it's slot. The only
issue you might face is it might be to long (I doubt) and bump up against your
hard drive. If that's the case you need to move the hard drive up or
down 1 or 2 bays, but I don't think that'll happen.

As I said above, I have a bigger gpu than your's in a smaller case than yours.


Oh - hope you didn't spend $200 on a 7750 (about double what it should sell for)

 

[mike2012]

Hi again Mike - as you face the front of the tower, the side panel I'm referring
to is the long side panel on your left (as you face it), on most towers there's
a thumb screw at the top(in the rear of the tower) n one on the bottom. You merely
unscrew these and then slide the panel off the tower completely.

You then should have no problem inserting the gpu into it's slot. The only
issue you might face is it might be to long (I doubt) and bump up against your
hard drive. If that's the case you need to move the hard drive up or
down 1 or 2 bays, but I don't think that'll happen.

As I said above, I have a bigger gpu than your's in a smaller case than yours.


Oh - hope you didn't spend $200 on a 7750 (about double what it should sell for)

By side panel you mean this right?

If so, are there any good videos on removing it? Or is it simply a matter of removing the screws above the Hard Drive?

This is my card BTW..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125417

And oh no, I didn't mean spending $200 on the HD 7750. I meant spending $200 on the card I plan to get, the HD 7850.

 

[toyftw]

By side panel you mean this right?

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d122/Raides/computer_zps1d921ba6.jpg

If so, are there any good videos on removing it? Or is it simply a matter of removing the screws above the Hard Drive?

This is my card BTW..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125417

And oh no, I didn't mean spending $200 on the HD 7750. I meant spending $200 on the card I plan to get, the HD 7850.

Hi Mike - You have the side panel off in that pic, but it is smaller than
I thought. I took another look at the specs and even tho the ht is
almost the same as my case, the length is 4.5" less(i missed that diff) and that
is why you are having so much trouble (it is small), you might be limited
to a card no longer than your 7750, 8.8". (plz dbl check & actually measure the card)
Does this 7750 fit in there now? If it does, there are several 7850's that are shorter
than 8.8" and will fit if the 7750fits now and is 8.8" long.

 

[mike2012]

Hi Mike - You have the side panel off in that pic, but it is smaller than
I thought. I took another look at the specs and even tho the ht is
almost the same as my case, the length is 4.5" less(i missed that diff) and that
is why you are having so much trouble (it is small), you might be limited
to a card no longer than your 7750, 8.8". (plz dbl check & actually measure the card)
Does this 7750 fit in there now? If it does, there are several 7850's that are shorter
than 8.8" and will fit if the 7750fits now and is 8.8" long.

Well technically the 7750 doesn't fit, you kind have to twist it sideways to get into the slot, so I would need something shorter than it. The main thing that stops it from fitting regularly I think, is the black thing over the fan. So are there any HD 7850's that are shorter than my current HD 7750?

I probably won't have any problems if I remove the side-panel thingy though. The HD 7750 is long but not that long. So are there any good tuts out there on removing the side panel?

 

[toyftw]

Well technically the 7750 doesn't fit, you kind have to twist it sideways to get into the slot, so I would need something shorter than it. The main thing that stops it from fitting regularly I think, is the black thing over the fan. So are there any HD 7850's that are shorter than my current HD 7750?

I probably won't have any problems if I remove the side-panel thingy though. The HD 7750 is long but not that long. So are there any good tuts out there on removing the side panel?

OK - that shiney thing is the side of the hard drive/expansion bay cage,
and you'd want to avoid removing it. So, please measure from the inside
of the back panel to the edge of that cage to see exactly how much
length you have to work with. Hopefully, it's >8.5" but need to know
one way or another.

Oh, I should be OK on here for a couple more hours, but it's possible
I have a power outage coming. Snow has been falling all day(gonna get about 2 feet)
and it's becoming blizzard conditions now, so very likely some power lines are going to be
taken out by the storm. Hopefully, not the ones around here.
So, if you don't hear from me again, that's what has happened.

 

[toyftw]

Mike - I've found two 7850's(2 gb versions) in stock at Newegg that are less than 8.4" long, so try
& get that space measured. Both under $200.

Tom

 

[mike2012]

Well, I looked at the length specifications for my card and it said my card is around 8.8".

I've only been to find 1 HD 7850 that would available at my local store, which is 5.91'' in length...

http://www.microcenter.com/product/403018/R7850_TF_2GD5_AMD_Radeon_HD_7850_Twin_Frozr_III_2048MB_GDDR5_PCIe_30_x16_Video_Card

There's only one available though, so hopefully no one picks it up in the next couple monthes lol....\

I found this one for 184.99, but I'm not sure if it would fit...

http://www.microcenter.com/product/400655/11200-16-20G_AMD_Radeon_HD_7850_1024MB_DDR5_PCIe_30_x16_Video_Card

 

[toyftw]

Well, I looked at the length specifications for my card and it said my card is around 8.8".

I've only been to find 1 HD 7850 that would available at my local store, which is 5.91'' in length...

http://www.microcenter.com/product/403018/R7850_TF_2GD5_AMD_Radeon_HD_7850_Twin_Frozr_III_2048MB_GDDR5_PCIe_30_x16_Video_Card

There's only one available though, so hopefully no one picks it up in the next couple monthes lol....\

I found this one for 184.99, but I'm not sure if it would fit...

http://www.microcenter.com/product/400655/11200-16-20G_AMD_Radeon_HD_7850_1024MB_DDR5_PCIe_30_x16_Video_Card

Hi again - I found 2 in stock at Newegg at less than 8.4", there was also a 3rd, but out
of stock. So, there will be some available when you are ready. The 184.99 one you linked
is a 1g model. If you are going to the 7850, I recommend the 2gb versions:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102998

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150641

a 3rd in stock: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127706

and 4th: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127663

all 4 - 2gb versions

 

[mike2012]

Best answer selected by MIKE2012.