XPS 8500, video card, power supply, upgrades

The EVGA GTX660 and GTX 660Ti SC models both fit very nicely in the XPS 8500 without having to remove anything, and perform very well.  I have yet to throw a game at my GTX 660 that did not play well at 1080P with all the setting cranked to maximum.  

The only caveat I will add is that the single cooling fan in the XPS 8500 is not very reactive, meaning it does not spin up when playing a game.  You need to adjust the fan profile for your video card, so its fan will spin up more aggressively.  If you do this you can eliminate lockups, and prevent the NVida Kepler chip from going over 69c which is important, as it clocks down above that.

The throttling steps are 13mhz at 70, then another 13mhz at 80, 85, & 95 before the final full throttling at 97c.

Mine does not reach 70c in my XPS 8500 with a fan profile that ramps to 75% fan at 60c.   The software that comes with either an MSI or a EVGA (I prefer EVGA), will allow you to adjust this.

To be honest I am very suprised, and pleased that I have been able to build my budget $600 XPS 8500 into a good gaming machine, by only adding a 200 dollar GPU.  

Oh I forgot to add that Dell is now offering the GTX660 as an option on the XPS 8500 on their website, so they must feel comfortable with the video card, and the power supply working together.

Given a solid internet connection and no latency issues, if anyone is having problems with an annoying stuttering where fps drops 50% or more for just a second on their XPS 8500 with a GTX 660 or 660ti and Blizzard games, there is a setting on the Nvidia control panel under "Manage 3D Settings" where you choose the game program .exe that you are using and change the settings of Vertical Sync to "Adaptive".   It will cap settings at 60 fps down from 100 fps, and should get rid of the annoying stuttering.   Beta Drivers fixes the issue, the normal release drivers did not.

Using GeForce 313.96 Driver BETA

I think I saw that option for a GTX 660 also. However I don't think it allows you to get one with the option of Windows 7.

I think I might go for the EVGA GeForce GTX 660 though I', not sure how long the card is. Thanks for clearing up the Windows 8 thing.

Just got my XPS 8500 a few days ago and replaced the card. It was a super tight fit but it worked. I did have to replace the SATA cables for the HD and DVD drive so they would reach the motherboard connections.

Graphic card manufacturer and model number:  XFX ATI Radeon HD7950 3 GB DDR5 2DVI/HDMI/2x Mini DisplayPort PCI-Express Video Card (FX795ATDFC)

Bios:  A09

Operating System:  Windows 8 (not Pro)

Power supply manufacturer if not Dell 460w PSU :  Stock Dell PSU

Compatible:  Yes

Original card with system that worked:  NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 1GB GDDR5 for Win 8

And the EVGA will definitely fit; it is based highly off of the reference cooler which is quite short. I am doubtful about

the ASUS DirectCU II and HIS IceQ ones though.

The GTX 660 offered by Dell is an OEM version. It is a GK104 silicon, not a GK106 like the retail. Otherwise, it is roughly the same as the 660 interms of fill rate etc. but it has only 1.5GB of VRAM as opposed to a minimum of 2GB on the retail boards.

www.geforce.com/.../specifications

www.geforce.com/.../specifications

Sorry but I meant to say that I was planning on updating it from a NVIDIA GeForce GT 620 1GB DDR3 and not a AMD Radeon HD 7570 1GB GDDR5.

This is sort of another noobish question but is this referring to the motherboard BIOS or the video BIOS that needs to be updated?

Just got my XPS 8500 a few days ago and replaced the card. It was a super tight fit but it worked. I did have to replace the SATA cables for the HD and DVD drive so they would reach the motherboard connections. Graphic card manufacturer and model number:  XFX ATI Radeon HD7950 3 GB DDR5 2DVI/HDMI/2x Mini DisplayPort PCI-Express Video Card (FX795ATDFC) Power supply manufacturer if not Dell 460w PSU :  Stock Dell PSU

Nice card. If you are going to use this card for its intended function, I suggest you upgrade your Power Supply before it blows or dies.

If it will fit, a nice Corsair modular should work ... maybe a 650w or 750w. Will allow PS to run at lower % output level ... more stable voltages and will last longer.

I have been reading this thread today and i would like to make some questions.

1) I am thinking of buying the XPS 8500 model with the nvidia card 660 with the 3 year guarantee.

Is a good idea to include a two year or a three year guarantee in first place??? I would like to know if some day i take the decision to replace my graphics card and the psu with new-ones while on guarantee, i will have to ask DELL if i am allowed to? or else automatically i lose my guarantee???

2) Also, if i buy the model with the nvidia 660 1.5gb and would like to replace it with a better one, lets say  the nvidia 670 2gb. Would it fit and work with the already installed psu or not?

I read that for a nvidia 670 is recommended a 500 W psu while for a 660 a 450 W. The standard psu in XPS 8500 is a 460 W, BUT DELL is claiming that it can provide a dedicated 225 watt power for graphics. The max power that a nvidia 670 needs is about 170 watts according to the nvidia site. So why should we change a psu of such quality especially if it can accomplish such a task??? And if it can accomplish such a task why DELL might cancel our guarantee if we proceed to the upgrade???

3) XPS 8500 is for quite sometime in the market. Is it really a good idea to buy one now or they will bring the new model in the market soon???

  Last but not least i would like you to inform me if anything of my arguments is false.

I am waiting for your answers because i really need a desktop computer right now and i find XPS 8500 really attractive as long as the above issues are met, especially the one that is referring to the guarantee.

Thank you in advance!!!

Why would you spend an extra $300 on the GTX 660 model if you're only going to replace the GFX card?? :emotion-42:

Just get a model with the GT 620 or HD 7570 and replace it afterwards; the other specs including mobo and PSU

are exactly the same as the higher end models.

First of all i would like to know if i can make upgrades on my pc while i am on guarantee.

For example, if i buy the one that you say with hd 7570 and 8 gb of ram plus the 3-year-guarantee and i want to replace the graphics card and upgrade the ram to 16 gb, what am i going to do?

1)Take it to Dell and do the replacement and upgrades so as my guarantee remain still on?

2)Replace and upgrade on my own buying the parts and  then what? Losing my guarantee?

Thats why i asked you if it is worth to buy a 3-year-guarantee in first place.

Also, i dont know while i am on guarantee if i can make changes on my desktop or the permssion of Dell.

Last but not least i would like to know if i can customise the XPS 8500 from top to bottom because i want:

1)i7 ivy bridge.

2)12 or 16 gb of ram.

3)nvidia 660 (if i can change the graphics card after purchase without any problem with guarantee then ok).

4)3 year guarantee.

5)1 tb hdd (if i do not even include an hdd thats fine because i have one and an ssd. For saving money i would like at least the option of 1 Tb hdd and the 256 ssd).

I can spend around 1050 GBP (BRITISH POUNDS) or 1220 euros and i am trying to find the best option available.

I saw the option of alienware aurora but is more expensive i guess.

I don't think Dell will help you replace your graphics card. However, the manual for XPS 8500 details procedures for replacing

RAM and graphics card.

If you're going to replace so many things, what's the point of buying this desktop? Just go build your own.

"Customize the XPS 8500 from top to bottom" is not the smartest choice money-wise. Just saying.