XPS 8910, move components to retail case

Question

Hi there as the title says i am going to upgrade the case on my xps 8910. but the only problem is I don't know if the stock PSU can be removed and installed in a regular PSU slot on my new case ( if you were wondering it's a NZXT s340 elite) I'm not sure because on the 8910 the PSU is sitting above the motherboard and flips up when you want to access the motherboard. If anyone knows anything please reach out to me and have a nice day!

Vic384 · Answer

I am not sure this answers your question, but there have been reports in this forum that the OEM power supply can be replaced with a standard power supply. So if your case is compatible with a standard power supply, I don't see why the OEM power supply would not be compatible.

I would be more concerned whether or not the Dell motherboard is compatible with the standard USB, audio, and power switch connections of the new case. Also I am concern whether or not the back panel will fit the opening in the new case.

speedstep · Answer

Stock PSU can be replaced with specific NON OEM models.

EVGA 750W B1 works fine HOWEVER B2 BQ G2 does not.

110-B1-0750-VR

https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-SuperNOVA-Modular-Warranty-110-B1-0750-VR/dp/B00K85X23O

Astroenaut · Answer

I really didn't make this clear in the original post but i was asking if i could use the stock PSU in the retail case.

sorry if you answered this already because I read the replies late at night. Have a nice day!

Vic384 · Answer

The stock PSU will mount fine in the retail case if the mounting for the PSU in the retail case is like this: https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=VaguurGv&id=41C76C247F7153C087960C7F0CA80898B11ECF66&thid=OIP.VaguurGv0OSZNgNQMzRhowHaK0&mediaurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpi-amp.com%2FPi-Amp%2Fimages%2F40.jpg&exph=730&expw=500&q=mounting+holes+on+an+atx+power+supply&simid=608017197990086723&selectedindex=1&ajaxhist=0

The bigger issue like I said before is whether or not the back panel on the Dell motherboard fits the retail case and whether or not the front panel connections are compatible with the Dell motherboard.

Tesla1856 · Answer

@Astroenaut wrote:  i am going to upgrade the case on my xps 8910.    Why? What are you trying to accomplish?

Astroenaut · Answer

Hi there! I am swapping the case of the PC so it looks nicer and i can put RGBs in it (and actually see them). also just because I am incrementally upgrading my current pc every now and then until it is basically a new PC instead of waiting longer and just buying everything at the same time and building a seperate PC.

- Charlie

ZeusMastah · Answer

Yes. You can move absolutely everything (except the optical drive in certain cases) into a new standard ATX/mATX case quite simply. I know this because that is what I personally did with my 8920 after I bought a new GPU which I later realized would not fit in the original 8920 SE case (which should be the same dimensions as the 8910 if I remember correctly. The service manual, available online, gives detailed instructions on how to remove the PSU from the swinging arm and how to disconnect it from your mobo.

For those wondering, the case I am using is a NZXT h500 series case and it came with absolutely everything I needed to connect the mobo to the front i/o panel, which is usually the issue people run across when moving any of the 8910, 8920, 8930 dells into a new case. The h500 is a relatively cheap case compared to most but is a really well made case with decent airflow (compared to the OEM case from Dell). The only thing I suggest doing is making sure you purchase some pwm y cable splitters for your fans because the mobo only has a single fan header and that way you can take advantage of every fan in your new case. The fans will all run as if your mobo thinks it's one fan, which means they will all be at the same RPM, but if you are aiming for negative air pressure in your case (which is the standard config for the h500) then this is not an issue at all. I am aiming for positive air pressure in my case because it creates less dust inside the case (which is necessary for me since I have a dog that sheds quite a bit). I did this by moving the two fans the h500 came with to the front as intake fans and adding in the XPS fan from my original case in the top of the case as an exhaust. Even with all fans at the same rpm, two fans will move more air than just one, plus it helps move air over my new gpu.

If you need any help with that, I can see if I can upload some pics or give a step-by-step of how to connect everything.

Like I said, I'm not sure about other cases, but the NZXT h500 worked perfectly for me! I only lost the optical drive since this case does not come with a slot for one, but I can purchase a usb version if absolutely necessary.

*Also, for the one who said a BQ EVGA PSU would not work is also wrong because that is exactly what I have in my rig.

Vic384 · Answer

I would like more information on the front panel I/O connections, including the power button module, from the new case to the motherboard. How did you handle the Dell power button module since the LED light also functions as a diagnostic indicator and not just a simple power switch like on most cases?. Everything I have read indicates the that connections on the Dell motherboard is not standard and that there are no wiring diagrams for the Dell motherboard. Thanks.

ZeusMastah · Answer

You can take a look at a Tom’s Hardware post that talks about the specifics when it comes to the connectors (which I don’t have a link to right since I am on mobile), but in my situation, the plug that connects to the front panel slot/port on the motherboard from my Dell XPS 8920 SE was identical to the one that came with my new NZXT h500. That was just by looking at it and comparing the pins and where they would fit, but that post that I am mentioning from Tom’s Hardware explains how to use the separate adapter that comes with a lot of cases, or you can purchase, to plug things in just how they would be in the XPS case. I didn’t have to use that adapter and was able to use the stock front panel cable from the h500 the exact same way that the XPS had it wired. Everything is working absolutely just fine and I have had no issues. As for the diagnostic indicator you are talking about, I haven’t had any LED issues and haven’t noticed how that would affect a new case anyways since your PC should be able to tell you if there is an issue on startup. The indicator only makes the power button on the OEM case turn orange, which is not a feature my new case has, but I don’t see as necessary anyways. Also, even though the mobo is not a standard mATX (and is too small to be a regular ATX), it still fits that criteria and the screw holes lined up just fine on the new case (which should be standard amongst cases that can hold mATX and ATX sized mobos). I give a lot of props to NZXT for the case I have because it is very intuitive and has extra spacers to help with mobos that have odd screw placements. If you are really wanting a more detailed wiring explanation, I do suggest searching google for 'Dell XPS 8920 case upgrade' and clicking a Tom’s Hardware link where someone has done a much better job explaining the connections and how they match to other front i/o panel connectors. I am also more than happy to try to take a picture of the inside of my pc to show you that the plug for the fron panel port on the original case and the new case are identical if you would like. I just have to get home first later tonight.

ZeusMastah · Answer

No problem! I do suggest it if you intend on finding better cooling options or if you accidentally purchase a GPU that is too large for your OEM case (such as I did). Like I said several times though, I cannot say what other cases are like, but the NZXT h500 case is a relatively inexpensive case that is really good quality, has tons of cable management options, has all the necessary cables to connect to your mobo, has plenty of space for rather large graphics cards, and has tons of cooling options. Just remember to get a y splitter for your fans so you can run two fans off of the single fan header on the mobo or even three if you add the fan from your OEM case as well. The h500 has several different color options and all have tempered glass on the side. The only issue you will have when moving to another case is the fact that Dell XPS 8910, 8920, 8930 all have a back i/o shield that is not removable, which means that, no matter what case you move to, your mobo i/o’s will not have a 'cover' that have the symbols saying what each port is. I already knew which ones I used so this wasn’t an issue for me, but that is something to be aware of. I plan on making my own by measuring the size of plate I need and cutting out the ports myself, but that’s for a much later time.

HanoverB · Answer

Take a look here, there is some info that could be relevant to your case swap since the XPS 8930 is similar to the XPS 8910 / XPS 8920. The headers that they share should be very close in configuration

https://www.dell.com/community/XPS-Desktops/XPS-8930-CPU-Liquid-Cooler-GTX-1080-Hybrid-GPU-Upgrades/m-p/7189904/highlight/true#M21680

Vic384 · Answer

Thanks for the information. I will file this for the future in case this is something I wish to do.

ZeusMastah · Answer

Thank you! This should help a lot of people out! I answered to the original post, but just in case anyone comes to reference this one, the issue that was addressed in the linked post was wether or not having an open 'card reader' header would cause a BIOS error of sorts and I can confirm that it does not! Also, I might just have to use that i/o shield that was mentioned as well, unless I just want to get creative.

ZeusMastah · Answer

Several things: 1. Congrats on the gpu upgrade 2. If you already have that PSU, then swapping it out would not be hard at all in the XPS cases because I upgraded my PSU before I ever upgraded to the NZXT case and it was super simple and had nothing to do with the cpu cooler. This would save you the money of a new case and all the other stuff you mentioned. If you don’t have it yet, you can get an EVGA 750 watt BQ that fits just fine for around the same price as the 650. In case you were still looking. 3. I am still more than happy to get onto making a step-by-step with some pictures if you would still like. I really suggest a new case due to airflow improvements. Especially when using a higher end gpu that will produce more heat. Also, only get the NZXT h500i if you buy an RGB hub with it because the motherboard on the Dell XPS series does not have an RGB addressible plug and that case comes with rgb lighting. I suggest the regular h500 because it’s about $25 cheaper. Long story short, if you want a new case, get it. If you are looking for one solely because of the psu situation, then save the money for the new case for future upgrades because the psu swap is easy! Note, with a new psu, unless you buy adapters, which are hard to find, you are gonna lose your optical drive (CD/DVD) drive. Be aware of that and plan on getting a usb powered one, or just know you won’t have one.

MrLAX · Answer

'If you need any help with that, I can see if I can upload some pics or give a step-by-step of how to connect everything.' Yes please!!! I just bought a refurb Zotac 1080 GTX thinking it would be a simple swap into my 8910 (with RX480) but soon found out I needed two 8 pin connectors (my  Dell had a 6 and a 6+2), necessitating a PSU upgrade, and then saw how that required a relatively complex reassembly of the CPU fan, replacing thermal paste, etc., and for a marginal cost could just get a new case that would provide better airflow and more upgradeability. The NZXT gets solid reviews so thinking of going with that (the 500 or the 500i, any suggestions?), plus the EVGA Super 650W. Requires thus a parts transplant to the new case, and I've never built a PC so this is new turf for me. Any details you can give to do this build would be greatly appreciated -- am probably going to be close to your setup.  Thank you!

XPS Desktops

XPS 8910, move components to retail case

110-B1-0750-VR

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