You might want to try one of the energy efficient 9800 GTs as shown HERE.  They're probably going to be stronger than the GT 240s even though it's older technology and do not require any extra power from the PSU.  Beyond the GT 240 with GDDR5 memory and the 9800 GT, your next step would be the new GTS 450 but it may be pushing it a bit.  I know it works fine on the 375W unit so you're pretty close.  The GT 240 GDDR5 should be more than enough for what you do though.  

Thanks, Jim. This is very helpful.I'm always reading that Dell under rates the poer supplies, but those manufacturer specs still worry me.

How do the GT 240 and GTS 450 compare with the GTS 310 that's offered on the 9100?

btw, Dell should realize that CS5 pushes more on the GPU as well as recognize that CUDA is striclty Nvidia. There are a ton of ATI options, but it's very slim pickings for Nvidia...

Thanks again.

dg

The GT 240 and GTS 450 are superior to the GT 310.  

That agrees with what I read--thanks. It makes no sense that I can get an 8100 with the GTS 240, but I cannot get a 9100 with the better card.  Please  confirm whther this is true. ATI is a dealbreaker for me, as is a mandatory monitor (I already have two great monitors).

One more question: why is there no sound card option  on the 8100 if I select the Nvidia??

And as an aside, I find it larcenous that an add'l 1 TB drive for the 8100 (a $100 item) is shown as $300 (!!!). With other systems like the 9100 there's a markup to $125, but 3X the street value??? For a Seagate? Hmmm...

dg

The 9100 system is only offering the ATI cards as upgrades.  If you want the 9100 system, you would just have to take the included ATI card and then buy your own Nvidia card.  You do have to be careful with their upgrades costs to see if you are getting a good deal on not.  Sometimes you do and sometimes you don't.  I always get my video cards on my own so I can get what I want.  The upgrades costs and the upgrades they offer vary from system to system and also which one you choose to configure. Personally, I don't bother with sound cards any more with the new operating systems as the onboard sound is all that is necessary.  

Thanks, JMichael.

I've been told that this card would work fine is either the 8100 or 9100:

PNY VCGGTS4501XPB GeForce GTS 450 (Fermi) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133343&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10440897&PID=3332167&SID=

although I've always used EVGA:

EVGA GeForce GTS 450 FPB (Free Performance Boost) 1024MB GDDR5 PCIe 2.0 x16 Video Card

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0347361

Would either of these be preferable?

And thanks for the confirmation on the upgrades: sometimes it's a deal and sometimes it's not.

Regarding the sound card, assuming I do swap in a GPU such as one of the above, will the 8100 and 9100 configurations and motherboards allow for a separate sound card later if I wanted one? Are there enough open slots?

I just don't to limit myself in terms of future exapndability.

dg

The GTS 450 could possibly work, but it just seems like it may be pushing it a bit.  It might be worth the try though.  Others have posted that it works on their 375 watt units. I prefer the EVGA brand also.  The EVGA is clocked higher on the core clock speed which may result in it needing a bit more power, but it would not be significant. I would definitely choose the EVGA if I was picking.  

If you had the GTS 450 in the 8100 system, you would have 1 PCIe X1 slot and one PCI slot available if nothing is in them for a sound card.  The 8100 has 2 PCIe X1 slots, but the dual slot video card it would overlap the first one making it unusable. 

As you can see with the 9100 system below, you would have 2 PCI X1 slots #29 & #30 above the card and 1 PCI #25 below the card as the PCIe x1 #26 slot would be covered by the video card.  Sound cards come in both type interfaces.  

Thanks.

>>If you had the GTS 450 in the 8100 system, you would have 1 PCIe X1 slot and one PCI slot available if nothing is in them for a sound card.

So this means that there would be an open slot for a sound card, right?

>>The GTS 450 could possibly work, but it just seems like it may be pushing it a bit.

Then for the 8100, is the GTS 240 a safer choice?

dg

If you had the GTS 450 in the 8100 system, you would have 1 PCIe X1 slot and one PCI slot available if nothing is in them for a sound card. So this means that there would be an open slot for a sound card, right? Yes, as long as no other cards are in the slots like a modem card or something.   >>The GTS 450 could possibly work, but it just seems like it may be pushing it a bit. Then for the 8100, is the GTS 240 a safer choice?

Understood. Thanks.

The above are Nvidia specs for the GTS 450.

The GTS 240 are:

105C

120W

450W

6-Pin

So Nivdia shows them to be higher than the GTS 450.  

Our posts crossed: "Understood"referred to the card slot issue.

Are the specs you just posted those for the GTS 240?

OK. Thanks for the clarifiactions. Must say, the numbering isn't exactly intuitive considering that the 310 is an entry-level, low grade card but the 240 requires more power than the 450. Makes no sense to me...

dg

I have decided against the 8100 and will likely get a 9100. Since I need Nvidia, I'll plan on replacing the GPU.

Based on what you wrote above, I assume that the card would go in slot 28 and take up two slots.

This is the one I am considering:

EVGA 01G-P3-1370-TR GeForce GTX 460 (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130570

Would this be a good choice for the 9100?

Thanks.

DG