Graphic card manufacturer and model number: GTX 560   purchased 12/2012

EVGA SuperClocked 01G-P3-1461-KR GeForce GTX 560 (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

Bios:  A09

Operating System:  W7 Ultimate x64

Power supply manufacturer if not Dell 460w PSU :  Both Dell and Corsair CMPSU -850TX

Compatible:  No, doesnt work

Original card with system that worked:  Radeon HD 7570

From reading other threads, other cards:

Gigabyte GV-R787OC-2GD Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB

no video

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3514/p/19458767/20149864.aspx#20149864

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GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 660 Ti WINDFORCE 2X OC Edition 2048MB GDDR5 PCI-Express 3.0 2x DVI / HDMI / DP SLI Ready GV-N66TOC-2GD

From Amazon review, works!    Note that this card's design looks like it doesn't try to channel airflow out of the back of the case, but rather into the case so might have to keep a close eye on case temps.  

http://www.amazon.com/GIGABYTE-WINDFORCE-PCI-Express-Graphics-GV-N66TOC-2GD/dp/B008UG2W20

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EVGA GeForce GTX 660Ti SUPERCLOCKED 2048MB GDDR5 DVI-I, DVI-D, HDMI, DP, SLI Graphics Card (02G-P4-3662-KR)

From Amazon review, works!  This card has typical EVGA shroud that is supposed to help channel air out of the back of the case.

http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-GeForce-SUPERCLOCKED-Graphics-02G-P4-3662-KR/dp/B008S15XA0

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GIGABYTE GV-N66TOC-2GD GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2GB 192-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

Non reference card that works fine in XPS 8500  from this thread:

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3515/t/19476981.aspx

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PowerColor AX7870 2GBD5-2DH Radeon HD 7870 GHz Edition 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card

Works fine from this thread:

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3515/t/19477554.aspx

You should probably also collect these details:

What version BIOS is XPS-8500 ruuning?

What PCIe card came with machine originally? If you install that original card with original Win7-64 ... does it still boot and work?

Sounds like these systems might be good candidates for a Win7/Win8 dual-boot system (while testing) ... if you are seeing it makes a difference.

http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/p/19473432/20216534.aspx#20216534

You should probably also collect these details:   What version BIOS is XPS-8500 ruuning? What PCIe card came with machine originally? If you install that original card with original Win7-64 ... does it still boot and work? Sounds like these systems might be good candidates for a Win7/Win8 dual-boot system (while testing) ... if you are seeing it makes a difference. http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/p/19473432/20216534.aspx#20216534

Thanks for the reply.    Probably not a bad idea to know that info as well.   PSU upgrade info (if not original 460W Dell PSU) might also be helpful.  I know I was looking for successful GPU and PSU upgrades for the Studio 540 last year and it would have been easier if specific component model information was available.  I will edit the original post.

Ran another test tonight with another EVGA card I borrowed from a friend that worked as well :-)

Graphic card manufacturer and model number:  EVGA GeForce GTX 660 02G-P4-3069-KB 2GB GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 Graphics Card

Bios:  A09

Operating System:  W7 Ultimate x64

Power supply manufacturer if not Dell 460w PSU :  CORSAIR Enthusiast Series CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V v2.2 / EPS12V v2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply.

Compatible:  Yes!!

Original card with system that worked:  AMD Radeon 7570

It was recognized by the XPS 8500, booted up properly, and am using it right now and runs great using the latest 306.97 drivers!   Very nice card.

I upgraded to the 850W power supply because  I'm running 2 hard drives, BR and DVD-RW Optical drives, so I didn't feel comfortable with the stock Dell PSU.    It could probably handle it but  the GTX 660 recommended power is 450w and that is at the upper limits of the Dell PSU.

NVIDIA System Information report created on: 11/06/2012 00:05:40

System name: XPS-8500

[Display]

Operating System:                                          Windows 7 Ultimate, 64-bit

DirectX version:                                               11.0

GPU processor:                                             GeForce GTX 660

Driver version:                                                  306.97

DirectX support:                                               11.1

CUDA Cores:                                                     960

Core clock:                                                       1058 MHz

Memory data rate:                                           6008 MHz

Memory interface:                                           192-bit

Total available graphics memory:                4095 MB

Dedicated video memory:                             2048 MB GDDR5

System video memory:                                  0 MB

Shared system memory:                              2047 MB

Video BIOS version:                                        80.06.10.00.60

IRQ:                                                                    16

Bus:                                                                   PCI Express x16 Gen2

Here is a picture of the working GTX 660 install in this machine before I removed it to return to a good friend that was willing to let me try it.

Has only a single 6 pin power port on the top and fits nicely in the case.  Easy install and the XPS 8500 recognized it right away.

Would be a good choice for anyone looking for an upgrade that works....

.............just hoping I can get some help from Dell or EVGA with getting my GTX 560 working.  

I can see why they chose not to support the GTX 560 and other cards on the XPS 8300 as it was at the end of it's product cycle and it was a new card.

But the GTX 560 was released about the same time the XPS 8500 was released, too bad they didn't fix the known problems with video bios after the issues they had with the XPS 8300.   It I only would have known before buying the card that I should have bought the GTX 560ti........

Power supply manufacturer if not Dell 460w PSU :  CORSAIR Enthusiast Series CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V v2.2 / EPS12V v2.91 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply. I upgraded to the 850W power supply because  I'm running 2 hard drives, BR and DVD-RW Optical drives, so I didn't feel comfortable with the stock Dell PSU.    It could probably handle it but  the GTX 660 recommended power is 450w and that is at the upper limits of the Dell PSU.

This is a good upgrade step. You don't want to turn this into a quest to find out how far you can push the little stock Dell Power Supply. It's always better to have extra power "on-tap". At the least, your  PS runs at 50% utilization (which is fine and actually better). Install a nice Corsair and remove "power" from the equation.

Why Corsair:
Dependable with warranty
High amps on 12v rails
Variable speed fan keeps XPS quiet when not maxed (as it should be)
The ones with the modular cables are preferred because there is really no room to stash extra un-used cables (and still have good air-flow).

Has anyone tried to upgrade the GPU to any HD 7850-based card?

I'm looking at the 7850s because the 7870 is a bit expensive and the 7770 isn't much of an

upgrade from my GT 640 in my XPS 8500.

Specifically,

ASUS DirectCU II 2GB Radeon HD 7850

XFX Radeon HD 7850 Core Edition 2GB

Sapphire Radeon HD 7850 2GB

Has anyone found any problems with these?

Okay this might be of some help to those trying to figure out which video cards to buy for the XPS 8500:

Assuming you have an adequate PSU to run the card, It seems from the small sample of working and not working cards that they are falling into two categories:

1)   AMD and Nvidia based reference cards, where the manufacturer such as EVGA, ASUS, Powercolor, etc., is using AMD and Nvidia spec components, in particular the PCB (the board), are most likely to be successful as an upgrade.  On these cards, you should see the Nvidia or AMD trademark on the front or back of the card.

2) Non-reference cards where the manufacturer makes their own boards using AMD and Nvidia GPU's, but have modified the PCB and other components to lessen the cost, or for overclocking and fan mods.   These have not always been working with the XPS 8500. 

With non-working cards, make sure you are running the latest Dell BIOS, and then check the manufacturer for BIOS upgrades.   You will have to put the card into a different machine to flash the BIOS upgrade, then reinstall it back into the XPS 8500.

Two reference cards that work, and both have Nvidia on the boards:

EVGA GTX 660ti:

\

EVGA GTX 660:

Here are two apparent non-reference cards that didn't work, and are not recognized by XPS 8500 video bios.  Both only have manufacturer names on the boards:

My EVGA GTX 560:

Gigabyte HD 7870 that didn't work:

\

Graphic card manufacturer and model number: 2GB Radeon 7850

HIS IceQ X H785QN2G2M Radeon HD 7850 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card

Bios:  A03 (installed on this) and A09 (upgraded to this after installing)

Operating System:  W7 Home x64

Power supply manufacturer if not Dell 460w PSU :  Stock Dell 460W

Compatible:  Works Perfect!

Original card with system that worked:  Radeon HD 7570

Posting to this thread so others can see how we solved this issue.

We just purchased some XPS 8500's with Windows 8, Bios A09 and Radeon 7570 cards from the factory.

We purchased MSI GTX 660 video cards and ran into the same problem...put cards into new machines and get no video (not even post info).

We solved this by putting the MSI video cards into an older Dell Dimension 9200 (funny...it works in the 4 year old dells), and then updated the Video Card Bios while it was in there.  We then moved the cards back to the XPS 8500's and they work. 

Check to see if a new video card bios is available from your manufacturer.  In our case, MSI said the bios revision (which is less than 30 days old) specifically fixed motherboard incompaitabily issues with some motherboards.

Good luck!

Here is another graphics card that works with XPS 8500

MSI GTX 660 Ti Power Edition Graphics Card with Triple Overvoltage and Enhanced PWM Design (N660TI PE 2GD5/OC)

I had to update the BIOS from A05 to A09 first. It doesn't work with A05.

OS Win 8

Dell 460W PS

Original card : GTX 640

After I installed the card, I downloaded new drivers from MSI site : file called nvidia_30697_8764_vga.zip

I have been using the card for nearly a week, but simply for surfing the
net, word and excel. I have not used it heavy. It has been on for 12 plus
hours each day and I have not noticed any heat coming from the fans and the
case is cool. I have not yet tweaked/overclocked the card, but MSI
encourages you to do so with this card.
I'm using the stock power supply which is 460 w.