Help With Video Card for my optiplex 3010

You need an x16 PCIe graphics card, and it goes in the blue slot.  It can't be a super-powered graphics card, given the 3010 will not handle much of a power draw.

which OptiPlex 3010 did you buy?  mini tower?  low profile?  or SmallFormFactor?  we need to know to give you accurate advice

The mini-tower, desktop and small form factor all have PCIe-x16 slots. The desktop and SFF are both low profile and thus the selection of cards is more limited, with the Sapphire 7750 being as good as you can get.

I believe I have the low profile, not sure, but definitely not the SFF because when I looked it up, the front side of the case looks different. 

I ordered a card which had the description of low profile but it dosnt fit as the end with the plugs is too long as it had an additional connection which makes it unsuitable.

Now my question is if I can just move cases as I still have an older bigger sized case in which the video card would fit. Are there any spacial measurements I should be aware off  or is it just a standard case swap?

Thanks for all the help so far,

Archie. 

ok ... you need a low profile card that comes with low profile brackets ... some "low profile" cards come with these brackets in the box and you have to take to tall metal brackets off and put the low profile ones on the card.  If the card you bought doesn't have these brackets in the box I would return the card and buy one that does.

an example of a new card that comes with low profile brackets and would work with your computer's small power supply: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121799

Switching cases is no small task as Dell motherboards usually only work with Dell cases as the front controls on the Dell cases have special wiring that only matches the specific motherboard.

I really can't give you any advice about Nvidia cards as they don't have many that work with smaller power supplies.  AMD out performs them at the low end side of graphics cards.

Now my question is if I can just move cases as I still have an older bigger sized case in which the video card would fit. Are there any spacial measurements I should be aware off  or is it just a standard case swap?

If this model is akin to its OptiPlex 390 predecessor, the front panel connector is proprietary, so it's not a standard case swap.

It's cheaper to buy a Sapphire 6450 low profile ready video card.

Yea I gathered that when I looked it all up so I just bought the asus R7240 which comes with a low profile bracket. That should work right?

Thanks again for all the help,

Archie. 

Thank you all!