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Would any configuration of the Alienware Area-51 have power supply connections for any video card?
I need a new PC, either something cheap for the kitchen, or I move my current main system there and buy something better.
One of the ideas I'm toying with is buying a new Alienware Area-51. I'm really pushing it on the price though, so I'm wondering if I bought the base video card (an R9 270 which really isn't BAD for me), whether the power supply would have the connections needed for if/when I wanted to put in something better in a year or two or whatever. If I put in a 980 I assume it would, but I'm already pushing it on price right now.
Same question regarding SLI. If I just paid for the upgrade on the power supply but got the base single card, would I be able to install two cards later on and have all the power connections I needed? The bridge thingee that connects the cards? If I bought the base two card configuration (two GTX 770s, I think) would THAT then have whatever bridge thingee I needed and power supply connections?
Honestly I might never upgrade the GPU, but I'd like the ability to if I wanted to, when I can afford it better.
Also, any long term issues with liquid cooling? I'm really not comfortable with that, and Haswel-E shouldn't need it, but that 's the only way it comes...
May not do this, and I'd need to also buy a monitor + speaker bar thingee, but if I can get by with a base config maybe...
Tesla1856
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November 18th, 2014 18:00
I think your questions can be mostly answered by exercising the options in the online sales configurator.
Standard 875w PowerSupply is fairly powerful. It should run any single card up to and including NVidia 980. If you want to run dual-SLI later (two powerful cards like a 980) then I would go ahead and get the 1500w PS now.
I know that if I was buying the Area51-R2, I would get the optional 1500w PS ... regardless of current processor and video card selections. I would be keeping machine for a very long time and wouldn't want to be limited later.
Processors are liquid cooled these days. If you buy a retail-version Intel processor in this class, it will come with a similar liquid cooler.
tigerwolf7
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November 19th, 2014 07:00
Thanks! So you think even if I get the base GPU (R9 270 I think) t he power supply would still have all the connections I'd need for a higher end card?
I was thinking of doing the higher PSU just in case.
Is there anything else needed to do SLI or Crossfire? I guess the cards need to be connected with some kind of bridge...thing physically connecting them, and I sort of thought that came with the system or motherboard? So not sure I could do SLI/Crossfire if I only bought the system with a single GPU?
At any rate, that's fantastic if I can do at least one video card of my choice later. Makes the system's price a bit easier to swallow. Thanks!
Alienware-Naomi
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December 2nd, 2014 14:00
The base model with the Radeon R9 270 comes with a 875W PSU, so depending on the card you want to upgrade to, you might need the 1500W PSU. You can check power requirements for the card first to find out if it's supported or not.
If you order the desktop with a single video card configuration, the SLI or Crossfire bridge won't be included with the system. If you later decide to upgrade to a dual or triple configuration, you can buy the bridge online or by calling Alienware Tech Support.
Hope this helps!
socalpk
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December 5th, 2014 18:00
My thinking is why get the upgraded PSU when $200 would go a long way to get you a new one when and if you decide to add more video cards (which by then will likely be cheaper), it's not like they are supplying everything else (huge disappointment and very anti-upgrade IMO), I mean you will still need a bridge and wiring for SLI so may as well just get a new PSU when and if you decide to go that way. Personally I'd upgrade the video card and if you fall into some cash SLI the upgraded cards not the old cards with less features and capabilities.