XPS 8300, GPU upgrade, #11

Read this thread, which is the 10th thread on this topic. And you can read here for #1 - #9.

I've read through the threads, and looks like the cheapest GPU that would work in my computer is a GT 1030...  I see this GPU is offered in either DDR4 or GDDR5 memory.  My XPS 8300 use DDR3 memory.  Would my computer be compatible with a DDR4 or GDDR5 GPU?

This is what I have now:

Core i5-2320 processor (6MB Cache, 3.0GHz)

6GB DDR3 SDRAM at 1333MHz

AMD Radeon HD 6450 1GB DDR3

Windows 10, 64 bits

460W PSU

This card will do the trick. Its not a gaming card.

Works fine with ASUS

ASUS PB277Q 27" WQHD 2560x1440 75Hz 1ms HDMI DVI VGA

https://www.pcliquidations.com/p95246-amd-radeon-hd-8490

https://www.cnet.com/products/amd-radeon-hd-8490-graphics-card-radeon-hd-8490-1-gb-e1c64at/

• Max Resolution Details
  DVI: 2560 x 1600
• DisplayPort: 2560 x 1600
• VGA: 2048 x 1536

Re: Would I be able to get some budget (< $100) GPU that supports 2560x1440

A cheaper gt730 gddr5 would give you the resolution you need too on DVI, but not sure whether it can run at 75Hz of your monitor.

I see I can change the frequency of 75Hz to other frequencies from the display Settings.  So do I need to run my 2K monitor at 75Hz, or would changing to lower frequencies (like 60Hz) affect on its picture quality? (I'm not a computer-savvy person, so please excuse my ignorance in this field).

Re: do I need to run my 2K monitor at 75Hz, or would changing to lower frequencies (like 60Hz) affect on its picture quality

at 60hz or above most people wold not notice difference in video quality as long as video signal is not changing highly rapidly such as those fast moving scenes in combat gaming application. For regular web surfing 60 is good enough.  Old movie refresh rate used to be 30 fps which is when human vision begins to connect discrete static pictures played in tandem to a motion picture. Speaking from a non savvy perspective, 30hz is minimum to be good enough and below it you will notice flickering on screen. If you can adjust your current 2k to 30 Hz and feel satisfied with its borderline refresh rate, then it would work for you.

@redxps630 

https://www.pcliquidations.com/p95246-amd-radeon-hd-8490

is $20 right now so I fail to see how there is a cheaper card.

they will sell out fast.

So I bought a used "AMD Radeon HD 8490 1GB GDDR3 PCIe DVI DP (07W12P 7W12P)", and I swapped my current GPU for the 'new' one.  I powered my computer up with the 8490 GPU installed, but nothing showed on the screen.  The monitor couldn't get any signal at all from the GPU, and it's just blank. (btw, I hooked up using DVI [GPU] to HDMI [monitor] cable)

Is it supposed just a 'swap and play' (i.e. without doing anything else), and the computer should recognize the 'new' GPU automatically?  Or do I need to change any settings on the computer before swapping to the 8490? Or something is wrong with my 'new' GPU?

Has anyone tried the AMD Radeon HD 8490 (or any comparable GPU) on a XPS 8300 and had same issue?

@tmdg  - Sure the "new" card works?

Did you try re-seating it in the motherboard slot? There's a little "hook" on the bottom edge of the card, under the fan, that should be hooked onto the motherboard slot.

If you put the original card back in, does it still work? 

It works when I put the original card back in.  I'll try putting the HD 8490 in again and re-seating it with hook engaged, and will see if that'd help.

Btw, I notice the 8490 (lower - green color) doesn't have as many contact pins as the original 6450 (upper - blue color); so I don't know if that would be an issue (i.e. compatibility)?

Thanks for your help.

@tmdg  Hmmm... What are the specs for that "new card"?

That looks like it's an x8 card designed to fit into an x16 slot. So it only will use 8 of the 16 lanes available for a video card in that slot. And that probably means lesser performance.

Bigger question is will an XPS 8300 motherboard work with an x8 video card in its x16 video card slot?  I dunno...

The other question is what version of PCI-e does the XPS 8300 motherboard use and what version(s) does this card support?

Cards that are X4 and X8 rarely work because removing pins removes power carrying pins.

The other thing is interface. DVI is required for what you want.

DVI: 2560 x 1600 / VGA: 2048 x 1536

That's why there are versions of RADEON 7XXX 8XXX, GT 710 730 etc where some work and others do not even from the exact same vendor.  Note the physical difference not working vs working.

The chipset on the XPS 8300 motherboard is Sandy Bridge.  Its bios requires MSDOS VESA video mode 103.

Its a windows 7 legacy bios. Newer cards don't have that.

https://www.ebay.com/p/18021691862

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324620192634

DOES NOT WORKWORKS FINE

Sounds like the 'new' card is not compatible with my computer...  Good thing is it's so cheap that I don't waste much money on it.

Do you think it would work if I put a 8490 with X16 pins? I know I can get the 8490 at really low price that I don't mind to try it (with X16) again.

So far the recommendations I've got are GT 1030, GT 710/730, HD 8490.  Which one do you think would most likely work with my XPS 8300, or any of them could possibly be a hit or miss?

@tmdg  - Have a look at userbenchmark which compares a few GPUs that are compatible with the XPS 8300. This is an older PC model so the GPUs shown are probably not a complete list of what's compatible, but at least you'll know what is listed should work.

And it may depend on what version of PCI-e the XPS 8300 mobo has and what version the cards need...

Any chance you can send the one you bought back, or maybe sell it online?