Dell optiplex 745 dt compatible graphics cards

[SparkyDellUser]

Hello,

I need help finding a graphics card for a Dell Optiplex 745 Desktop PC (DT) size Case. I have a power supply box in the case of 280Watts as standard. Below is the link and information to the motherboard and slots on the motherboard etc.

I know I will need a low profile card, I just need choices of graphics card which will be safe to use with the system specs.

http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/optix/en/opti_745techspecs.pdf

 

[Faustus]

My optiplex 745 desktop has a riser board

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04&sku=430-2598

This should permit two full height cards although my riser board was then fitted with a low profile card. Do you have this riser boad in your computer?

My computer refused to boot and I thought the machine was dead until I removed the riser - it still works but I'm currently running off the onboad graphics which I find is okay for the web and flash movies.

I started looking for a replacement but was unsure how many watts I had spare considering the size of the power supply.

There are various site which have power supply calculators - after consulting some of these I came to the conclution I would need to go for the very bottom of the video card market - which didn't seem worth it.

This is the card that was originally fitted to my machine:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Profile-X300-Graphic-Dell-Optiplex/dp/B007L0JT8G/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1351034939&sr=8-2

- so you may be able to purchase something like this. I decided it wasn't worth it as the onboard graphics do for me for now except i can no longer run two monitors.

 

[Faustus]

Search for a power supply calculator - this is the first one I used :

http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

If your hardware knowledge is as lacking as mine then its not very friendly.
It led me to believe I had around 30 watts to play with but its only a guesstimate due to capacitor aging (I think, maybe).

 

[SparkyDellUser]

I do not have a riser board inserted but will buy one if it's restricting me in anyway, I have done research into the x1300 pro graphics card recommended and supported by dell as they offer the drivers on there website. I was thinking about something better knowing PSU restricts me quite a bit. I looked for a PSU replacement for the DT case and can not find one anywhere.

I have been looking at charts on power consumption and noticed the Radeon HD 4550 uses the same as a x1300pro with a requirement PSU of 300 Would this work?

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/geforce-radeon-power,2122-6.html

A person also mentioned that this card works well on a 300 PSU

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B004I8W4VI/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used