XPS 8900, CPU backplate, i7-6700

Dell did sell the XPS 8900 with a 6th Generation Intel Core i7 Processor, according to the specs, so they should have a heatsink/fan for it.

Do you actually know the i7 uses a different heatsink/fan than the i5 in this PC model?  Maybe you should contact Dell Spare Parts. Have your Service Tag handy. They should be able to tell you if it's the same heatsink/fan.

If you use a non-Dell CPU fan, you're going to get a "fan failure" error at every boot because Dell OEM CPU fans have sensor that BIOS has to read. And if BIOS doesn't see that sensor...

I suspect -but can't verify- they used the same heatsink/fan for both i5 and i7 CPUs in this model. So a quick call to Dell Spare Parts could answer that question for you.

The Service Manual shows you only need to loosen/tighten 4 screws to remove/replace the existing heatsink/fan unit, assuming you can re-use the same one.

You will need a small tube of thermal paste, eg Arctic Silver, to apply a thin coat of fresh paste to the heatsink after gently cleaning off the old paste.

Thanks for the info. No, I don't know if the I7 & I5 models used the same fan or not, I really wasn't going to chance it by testing it :-). I was hoping there would be something out there that I could install without completely dismantling the motherboard. I am not a computer tech, by any standard .

Not sure what you mean by "backplate". The Heaksink assembly sits on top of the mounted CPU.

Y8T2X Heaksink/fan assembly for 65w CPU (K80PX i7-6700, 1GXR3 i5-6400, FY4X6 i3-6100)

VWMTJ Heatsink/fan assembly for 95w CPU (K991T i7-6700K)