XPS 8300, upgrade MSI GTX 1660?

This forum thread should help. Briefly though the 1660 requires UEFI which the 8300 does not have so you need an older GPU and the link addresses that.

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

Would this be what I'm looking for?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adapter-Cable-Bolongking-Express-Inches/dp/B07P5MHWSR/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=2TMAPEHY97GI2&keywords=y+pin+pcie+adapter&qid=1660155204&sprefix=y+pin+pcie+adapter%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-3

Will this mean the old BIOS wont be an issue?

Thanks

Hi, 

Thanks for the reply, in the thread it mentions an RTX, is an RTX the same as an GTX?

Would my only option be to get a new motherboard or a new pc?

Thanks

the amazon 6 to 8 pin adapter is good.

the user benchmark is evidence that the card works in 8300.   upgrade bios to latest.

Thanks, will that adapter be the best or is there a better brand?
Also is there a way to find out what BIOS I should be on or how to upgrade?

this one may be better than amazon.  Original EVGA Dual 6 Pin Female To 8 Pin Male Cable Factory Sealed YELLOW-BLACK | eBay

On Windows hit Windows+R, type “msinfo32” into the Run box, and then hit Enter. The BIOS version number is displayed on the System Summary pane.

install and test the gpu before you upgrade bios.  if it boots you do not need to upgrade bios.

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@SpeedyOT wrote:

Hi all,

I've got a family pc which is a XPS 8300, it's had a SSD upgrade and RAM upgraded to 32GB.

I've been trying to find out if it will handle a new graphics card.

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Yeah, I still have one also. Nice little machine, but I don't have a use for it.

Like someone mentioned, lack of full-UEFI is going to limit your video card options. Mine has an old AMD-7750-1gb (DX-12) discrete video-card (DVI, HDMI, DP) 

Also has an upgraded Corsair 650w PS and a SATA-3/600 SSD. 

... so with HDMI, could possibly work as a Kodi-box. I guess some Games, but only old ones.

Best bet it to gift it away to the kids. Time to get a new machine (use that "video card" money toward that).

Well, I guess just use it as is and save your money up for a new one.

Putting any more money into this old one is a waste. It could die at any time. 

Also, no guarantee upgrades will even work 100% .

I did have a look at new desktops, but they seem sky high for anything with a Core i7 in at the moment.

The BIOS are currently A04 20/06/2011 on an 0Y2MRG board according to MSINFO32.

small but not great performance boost to move from 8300 to 8700 or 8900 (i7-2600 to i7-4790 or i7-6700, all 4 cores), but when you upgrade to 8930 level (i7-8700 6 core) there is notable improvement of cpu benchmark.

if you want 10th to 12th gen i7 yes price is high.  one IT person recommended once that always stay at least 2-3 gen behind the current vogue to avoid paying premium.  indeed for gaming you will still get a lot of bang from 8th gen cpu or 4th gen (the latter more economic b/o DDR3 memory support).  I would calculate a potential prudent investment based on comfort zone budget, and invest in used but like new stock old tech.  

for gaming get the fastest gpu that you can afford now if you plan to upgrade cpu/chipset in the future even if it means it will be bottlenecked by 8300 now.  for solid 1080p gaming you really do not need very new cpu or gpu. if 1660S is the highest you can buy now, so be it.

1660S + i7-2600 gaming benchmark High settings

I have a dell XPs 8300 running a  i7 3700k took me bit get this to work it’s ivy bridge cpu but it’s also a multi gen cpu. 3.5 ghz 3.9 boost oc to 4.1 GHz. 32 gb ram 2 tb ssd and anther 2tb ssd. Ssd a must. Zotac duel fan gtx 1650 super. Oc to 2100 . The gpu I had to to go into bios and tune on multi screen to auto reboot have screen plug into integrated vid. No temp issue just have to keep pc clean. No cpu cooler. After market fans tho. I am gonna add a fan controller. One I chose has control for four fans. It uses older plus off the power supply. I’m running a 1 k watt psu. I got 1.5 time more watts I needed. Gpu I have I have so many extra plugs I can’t remember the old four pin plugs but that’s what it uses to power the controller. I’m gonna add two case fans at front of case one to the removable panel. Allready did research to best place ment. That will be intake along with front panel. Removing lower 3 slot covers and added screw holes. These fans can be adjusted via knobs. 

@JOcean​ not sure about 1660s but the 1650 super is uefi as well but I found way make it work. Bios turn on multi screen to auto save reboot and have screen plugged into integrated. This can make it tricky to install gpu as it will try and install drivers to gpu1 location u want it to say gpu0 on performance tab to fix that if not get pc booted have to have both screens plugged  to boot then disconnect second. I will also want make sure in display setting I have ur gaming screen it will make it screen 2 go down to below and check the make this main monitor save. Also I went in and set it to where certain programs uses the gpu. Do all this and will work great. The booting from on board is why it work as legacy gpu boot from bios y u see gpu info soon boot. Uefi boots after but with my trick it boots using second screen. U can use vga or hdmi. Then loads driver for gpu and u game and play from gpu.