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February 9th, 2025 05:33
Adding a discrete GPU to an Inspiron 3020 desktop
As mentioned in the title, I have an Inspiron 3020 desktop, and would like to upgrade from the on-board Intel graphics to a dedicated GPU card.
As we are all aware, this card must be a single-slot as well as low-profile to clear the PSU.
These constraints narrow the field considerably.
I initially looked at the AMD RX 550 vs. the GeForce GT 1030. These are rather low-end cards, but my needs are modest. I then ran across information on a single-and-low variant of the AMD RX 6400, which seems to be a much better card, even on the PCIe 3.0 bus.
My concerns: I have heard of some incidents of AMD GPUs causing Dell systems to lock up at the logo screen. Nvidia cards seem to work fine.
Worse, there are a LOT of complaints regarding the AMD drivers.
Is the GeForce GT 1030 really my only choice? It seems to be the least of the three, and though I'm aware that none of these are high-performance cards, I would like to play some of my old games again with decent quality graphics.
Are my concerns valid? Are the AMD issues overblown? Are there some Dell-specific factors that I need to consider? (Why I'm here, really.)
I'll take any thoughts that you can give me right now.
Oh, and my PSU is 460W, so power should not be a factor.
Thank you all for your help, as always.
redxps630
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February 9th, 2025 15:36
If you have the Inspiron 3020 tower (not a small desktop), you don’t need to worry about low profile gpu. You can install full height gpu in the tower.
If you have the Dell oem 460w psu, it indicates you probably have the tower. The 460w psu would not fit small desktop.
If you actually had the small desktop Inspiron 3020, what you said about a low profile thin heatsink gpu is correct.
The potential issue of Dell PC not detecting AMD card initially can be solved eventually. The RX6400 card may not be plug and play but it is still possible to solve the problem.
(edited)
redxps630
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February 9th, 2025 15:41
Assuming you have the 3020 tower you can install double slot width full height gpu and there are many options
https://www.reddit.com/r/Dell/comments/1f6rbc5/can_the_dell_inspiron_3020_tower_be_upgraded_from/?rdt=45640
redxps630
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February 9th, 2025 18:27
Re: Would the slot/PSU spacing be different? Probably not.
correct. higher power psu is only wider but does not change spacing btn psu and PCIe slot. look at the pic of reddit I sent, there is ample room for dual slot gpu.
WDBillDavis
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February 9th, 2025 17:16
Thank you for your reply.
I do indeed have the 3020 tower as pictured.
I was definitely under the impression that I needed a single-slot low profile card. There really didn't seem to be much room between the PCIe x 16 slot and the top of the PSU. That PSU also has a couple of 6+2 connectors, so I may not be strictly limited to PCI bus power.
One note: The 460W PSU is an upgrade from the 180 W the system came with. Would the slot/PSU spacing be different? Probably not.
Anyway, thank you once again. This opens up a whole new world of GPU shopping.
Take care.
WDBillDavis
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February 9th, 2025 20:20
Excellent. Thanks again.