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Studio XPS 8100, compatible power supplies
The original Delta DPS-350VB C power supply in my XPS 8100 that I bought in the spring of 2010 finally is failing. It sounds like a gas powered leaf blower.
I want to keep this 8100 going at least until 2020 when Microsoft pulls support for Windows 7 so I'm looking for a replacement power supply.
I also would like to bump up the specifications a bit to account for a second HDD and a mildly upgraded video card, nothing exotic there. The video card may even be from the same nVidia 200 series as the OEM GTS 240 that came in the 8100 (I am at work so can't verify at the moment).
I have searched this forum, many other forums, and power supply reviews on Amazon looking for a suitable replacement power supply that will fit the XPS 8100 case without problems. The little bit of information that is out there is pretty old by now and I haven't found anything I feel I can act on with confidence.
Does anyone have any experience with or recommendations for a replacement power supply for my XPS 8100 with bumped up specs (say 550 - 600W or so) that will fit without problems and that won't fry anything either?
Thanks!
ggeinec
41 Posts
1
October 22nd, 2018 04:00
(Edited for formatting)
So, in the end I went with a Corsair CX650M power supply. It is installed and I'm back up and running.
For the record, this model slips right into the Dell Studio XPS 8100 (and therefore, from what I have read, should also fit the 8300 and the 8500, I can't speak to other models in the line).
I had to run to Micro Center (SO happy we have one around here) to get this SATA splitter to connect the Corsair supplied power cable to the hard drives:
http://www.microcenter.com/product/325323/startech-6-sata-power-y-splitter-cable
Dell mounts the hard drives in the XPS 8100 case with the SATA power and data connectors right up against the removable cover side of the case. There is not enough room to attach the power SATA connectors on the Corsair supplied cables without bending them a sharp 90 degrees right as they come out of the connector. And then they rest against the side of the case. Stick one of these splitters on one of the Corsair connectors and then to your mounted hard drives. Works great, no bent cables.
Thanks to all who responded to my requests for help!
Tesla1856
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October 15th, 2018 11:00
Any (properly dimension-ed) mid-level Corsair should work. I suggest a "modular" model so you don't have to "tie-up" a bunch of extra wires.
This is my XPS-8300 (I would not expect much difference).
https://www.dell.com/community/Vostro-Desktops/Vostro-460-XPS-8300-Upgrade-Adventures/m-p/6054983#M1213
Search this old area. Many specific examples.
https://www.dell.com/community/Desktops-General-Read-Only/bd-p/General-desktops
ggeinec
41 Posts
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October 16th, 2018 03:00
Tesla1856 - thanks for your reply.
The Vostro thread you referred me to is very interesting, but it turns out the Corsair tx650w mentioned there has been replaced with a new, larger model that looks like it won't fit the 8100. Of course this is what happens when we read old threads about old computers.
The old search area you sent me to yielded a lot of hits I hadn't gotten in my earlier searches. Thanks for that.
Several possible alternative PSUs popped out but are no longer available or are available at ridiculous prices or are only available used\refurbished.
On further digging several other alternative PSUs popped out that look good in terms of size and fit but there seems to be a problem with the Combined Watts for 5v and 3.3v.
The OEM PSU has 160W for this spec. All the replacement PSUs I found that look like they would fit the 8100 have either 130W or 120W for this spec. I don't know enough about PSUs to know whether or not that difference (160W combined vs. 130W\120W combined) is a big deal.
It seems plenty of people have installed these PSUs with the lower combined 5v and 3.3v wattage and no one mentioned problems. Maybe they just haven't noticed problems or don't have components that would expose them?
At this point I have narrowed it down to the Corsair CX650M 650W 80 Plus Bronze and the EVGA 600 B1 80+ Bronze 600W. But both have 130W combined instead of 160W.
Thoughts?
Thanks again for your help.
Tesla1856
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October 16th, 2018 10:00
Sorry, I can't be more specific. I refer you back to my previous post. I will say that you appear to be on the right track.
But I think you did see that ... many upgrade the PS (in similar vintage XPS) and exact Corsair model is not all that important (as long as watts are high and it physically fits).
That's a keen observation. And actually, 30w of 5 volts is 6 amps (no small amount). But I can't say I've ever used that spec as PS selection criteria.
speedstep
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October 16th, 2018 11:00
Corsair TX series is fine CX series is NOT. Why? because they have LESS THAN 150W on the 3.3v/5v rails on the CX series. In some cases 20A and 100W combined which is too little too late.
Recommended Power Supply that physically fits is specific EVGA 750B1(110-B1-0750-VR)
. Not B2 Not BQ not G2 not GQ etc.
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA96K7TC9058&cm_re=SuperNOVA_750_B1-_-17-438-025-_-Product
Currently over priced on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-SuperNOVA-Modular-Warranty-110-B1-0750-VR/dp/B00K85X23O
https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-BRONZE-Warranty-Tester-100-B1-0700-K1/dp/B018JYHBE6/
Tesla1856
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October 16th, 2018 12:00
And that why I said "mid-level" Corsair. :Smile:
After he posted his findings, I dropped by corsair.com to see what their current line-up is like (I remember they released a "less than ideal" budget series a while back ... CX or similar was it).
You know, it's sad that everything has to have a model-series that is just "barely good enough". In the "old days" (ie , a few years ago :Smile: ) you could tell a person to get "a Corsair power-supply" and it would be nice and work. Now-days, you have to avoid these Corsairs, those eVGAs ... it's stupid. :Angry:
ggeinec
41 Posts
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October 18th, 2018 14:00
Given that 150W or the same 160W that the original OEM power supply has is best and is preferred for the combined 5v and 3.3v rail, what practical consequences are there for installing a power supply that only supplies combined 130W?
I'm asking because I don't know and I would like to understand.
Thanks!
Tesla1856
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October 18th, 2018 19:00
I know +12v is used for (dedicated) GPU (and lots is needed).
Looks like +5 and +3.3 is for MB (and things on it like CPU and RAM).
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/untangling-the-wires-getting-to-know-your-power-supply/
speedstep
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October 19th, 2018 06:00
If you only have 130W combined it does not work or it reboots or it crashes or it dies when you put a PCI-E video card in it that trys to use 75W from the PCI-E slot on the 3.3v/5v rails. Really cheap units fail catastrophically and FRY EVERYTHING including hard drive and ram and cpu and motherboard etc.
PCI-E uses 12v and the 3.3v rails. The motherboard uses 5v and 12v and 3.3v rails. 75W use on the 3.3v Rails REQUIRES 22 AMPS. 20Amps or less is TOO LITTLE TOO LATE. Units that support 150W combined typically show 25A on the 3.3v and 5v rails. The consequences are POOF ! BANG! FIRE! DEAD! On good units the system tries to come on and shuts down. Some have a bippping where it comes on and says oh no too much current and shuts off then does it over again. This too can cause physical irreversible damage. People are keying on the PRICE of the power supply rather than the SPECIFICATIONS.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCI_Express
The EVGA B1 750W series is fine the others are not.
A 500w POWER SUPPLY that is $29 is not likely to work but is likely to kill everything.
The $30 UNIT below IS never ever recommended and yet people gravitate to it because of its price. RAIDMAX XT Series RX-500XT BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD NOT NOW NOT EVER.
NEVER USE THIS UNIT YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA9ZN5N38370
The EVGA 750 B1 typically sells for $79 to $119.
EVGA SuperNOVA 750 B1 110-B1-0750-VR
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817438025
That specific unit is known working and tested in many dells and works just fine. I personally own several of these.
Power Supplies are not a single spec of Watts and a Single Rail of 12v.
The lowest this gets is 142W on specific Dell Units.
Older models down to 305W have 150W combined on the 3.3v/5v rails.
The Dell 875 raises this to 225W.
DELL 875W
ggeinec
41 Posts
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October 19th, 2018 11:00
speedstep -
Thanks for this additional information. I still don't completely understand but I do have a better understanding than I did before.
Unfortunately I found the EVGA SuperNOVA 750 B1 110-B1-0750-VR only from OutletPC for $127 and from the third party vendor at the Newegg link you provided for $85. $127 is into buy a new desktop territory and I'm nervous about ordering from the third party vendor at Newegg. :smileysad:
I was able to track down a new EVGA 700 B1, 80+ BRONZE 700W, 100-B1-0700-K1 from B&H that appears to have 150W combined on 5v and 3.3v (link is to Amazon instead of B&H to show the specs, Amazon only offers used copies):
B&H link (new):
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1285892-REG/evga_100_b1_0700_k1_nex_700w_bronze_power.html
Your Amazon link (only available used):
https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-BRONZE-Warranty-Tester-100-B1-0700-K1/dp/B018JYHBE6
The one from B&H appears to be the same EVGA 700W psu that you show as acceptable from Amazon in the list in your message farther up.
Is that correct? Would this EVGA psu work for me in my XPS 8100?
Thanks again for all your help with this!
vzzytx
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November 26th, 2018 19:00
Nice choice. I went with a Corsair CX 450M because it fit the case, my budget and a 30 W GPU on a 2010 pc.