# Need a video card that supports a 275 watt power supply for a Dell Optiplex 745 SFF



## angelt (Nov 2, 2010)

I'm trying to find a Video Card for a Dell Optiplex 745 SFF (Small Form Factor) computer. I want to upgrade the power supply, but I haven't been able to find one bigger than the 275 watt that it comes with. This is not the regular desktop power supply, it is thin and long.

I've found many low profile video cards, but they all require a 300 watt power supply.

Please help, thank you.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

What are you looking to use the PC for?
The x16 slot on that board is only wired in a x4 configuration, it was designed for low end business graphics not for any type of gaming.


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## angelt (Nov 2, 2010)

Don't worry this computer is for my daughter, she's not a gaming fan. I just want to add a video card that's better than the onboard graphics, and that if possible has HDMI connector, so, she can connected to her HD TV.


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## HanmerTech (Oct 26, 2010)

I don't think you'll find a card with HDMI running on a PSU under 300watts. She can also plug in the regular VGA into the TV, most of them have a computer input...


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## angelt (Nov 2, 2010)

Yes, she has one connected, but the graphics don't look good because is a 32 inch HDTV and the VGA plug has only one resolution. I think is like a laptop resolution 1200 x 768, I know it's really low and it doesn't look sharp.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

What CPU does it have, they used Celeron, Pentium 4 and Pentium D's the Pentium D's do OK with HD video below that it's choppy at best.


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## angelt (Nov 2, 2010)

It has a Intel Pentuim D dual core 2.8 ghz. I found this one: ATI Radeon HD 3450 256MB GDDR2 DVI+HDMI PCI-Express 2.0 x16 Low Profile Video Graphics Card, but it does not have the power supply requirements. But it reads that is for Small Form Factor computers.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160479136032&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:US:1123

What you guys think?


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## 1 g0t 0wn3d (Jan 31, 2007)

That card requires Connection to 550 Watt (750 for CrossFire™) or greater power supply with two 2x3-pin PCIe® power connectors is required.

You would have the best luck with this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...o_card_pci_express_x16-_-14-125-336-_-Product

the card itself pulls a max of 33 watts under full load


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## angelt (Nov 2, 2010)

I cant see the power supply requirements on that nvidia geforce 8400 either.

Yes I saw those power supply requirements for the ATI Radeon HD 3450 on the ATI/AMD site, but then I was looking here: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Radeon-HD...ner=jXot6eVeYJg&sourceid=20330556773803318469

Look at the bottom of the page for the questions and answers, the person that asks a question about power supply, and a person answers him that a 250 watt power supply would be enough. I don't understand.

Look here: http://www.legitreviews.com/article/652/13/ 

Is the lowest in power consumption.


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## 1 g0t 0wn3d (Jan 31, 2007)

Power supply recommendations are a joke, the card pulls 22watts idle and 33 watts under load, based on one website that reviewed it and even less from another.

Upon double checking the 3450 you listed it actually does not consume much power ether, 17-~25 watts


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## angelt (Nov 2, 2010)

The seller of the Ati Radeon HD vide card 3450 from e-bay, just answer me a the question about the power supply requirements. This is what he saids:

"Power supply requirement on this card is 250Watt. However if you computer is made by dell, HP/Compaq, Gateway, IBM/Lenovo, SONY, ACER, eMachine name brands, then 150Watt is the minimum. Tks."

*- god.speed

This is another answer he gave me:

*Thanks for the inquiry. Power supply from name brands such as Dell, HP/Compaq, Gateway, eMachine, ACER, SONY, IBM/Lenovo are all overspec'd, they meet or exceed graphics card power requirement by at least 100Watt. In your case, your Dell Optiplex SFF 745 model's 275Watt power can easily support graphics cards with 400Watt requirement. Tks.

*- god.speed*

* 
Anybody has something to add, or dispute. Please do so. Thank you.
*


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## 1 g0t 0wn3d (Jan 31, 2007)

I defiantly don't agree with the 150 watt thing but i believe it would work with your system, and is your best bet of finding a card that will run on your system.


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## emosun (Oct 4, 2006)

I actually have a pentium D 2.8 system in my living room and it is not a good cpu for hd. You MIGHT be able to get away with certian file types in HD. But any cpu intensive programs like hulu or youtube or quicktime in HD will lag on it. I would just stick with the onboard the pc has to avoid bigger problems.


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## angelt (Nov 2, 2010)

Thanks 1 got own3d for your help, but i'm not too sure of buying it, because I just read two reviews from persons that bought it from another site, they say that it gets too hot, and that his Vista PC would always pop up a recomendation to shut down the Aero. They don't recomend it, and they called it a crappy card. I want this card for Windows 7, and i don't want my daughter to be having problems with aero. Right now the onboard graphics moves the aero with no problems.

I'll go tomorrow to Compusa, and buy a ATI card with 300 watt power supply requirement, and try it out. If it doesn't work, I'll return it. I like better the Nvidia Video Cards, but since I want to connect it through a HDMI connector, I prefer the ATI video cards because they come with sound. The Nvidia Cards don't come with sound, you have to use the computer sound if you plug it through HDMI. But if your motherboard doesn't have the internal spdf (digital sound) connector, you would not be able to use the HDMI connector.


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## angelt (Nov 2, 2010)

emosun: 

Which OS are you using. Windows 7 is way better for HD, also you need to have the right codec pack. I use Windows 7 Codecs from here: http://shark007.net/index.html. He also has a codec pack for Vista and XP. With the right video card, I don't see what other problem I could have. The Pentuim D 2.8 dual core processor is a good processor. I watch HD content with no problem.


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## 1 g0t 0wn3d (Jan 31, 2007)

angelt said:


> emosun:
> 
> Which OS are you using. Windows 7 is way better for HD, also you need to have the right codec pack. I use Windows 7 Codecs from here: http://shark007.net/index.html. He also has a codec pack for Vista and XP. With the right video card, I don't see what other problem I could have. The Pentuim D 2.8 dual core processor is a good processor. I watch HD content with no problem.


I also agree i have a system with a pd and a xpress 200 gpu that plays hd just fine.


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## emosun (Oct 4, 2006)

I'm sure there's all kinds of software fixes , video conversions , and software loopholes you can jump through to get a picture that look HD but when it comes down to it the cpu is 5 years old and is still considerably slow to invest money into.

However if your comfortable with it then by all means go for it.


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## angelt (Nov 2, 2010)

I solved the problem. Today I went to Compusa and bought this video card: 
PNY VCGG2105XPB GeForce 210 Video Card - 512MB DDR2, PCI-Express 2.0, DVI, HDMI, VGA, Low Profile

You can see it here: http://www.compusa.pr/applications/...1&csid=ITD&recordsPerPage=5&body=#ReviewStart

This cards Power Supply requirement was 300 watt, but I install it in my Dell Optiplex 745 SFF with a 275 watt power supply and it works great. It surprise me that the HDMI works with sound right out of the box. I have another Nvidia GeForce 9800 GT installed in my Dell XPS 410 that to have sound through the HDMI connector I have to connect this small cable from the card to the motherboard's Spdf internal connector. The problem is that this motherboard has an external toslink (spdf) Digital connector, but it doesn't have the internal. Anyway I have this computer connected through DVD-D to my Dell 24 inch monitor, so I haven't had the need to use the HDMI connector.

So, going back to the Optiplex and the Nvidia GeForce 210 Video Card - 512MB DDR2, PCI-Express 2.0, DVI, HDMI, VGA, Low Profile, it looks like Nvidia finally added a small sound card to this video card, so , you can get video and sound, out of the box, through HDMI.

Well, thanks to all you guys who tried to help me solve this problem. You will be hearing from me more often here, since, I repair computers, and motherboards, and it's always nice to hear what the experts have to say.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

They added Pass through ability from the motherboard sound subsystem.

We said it before but, over taxing the supply will cause a early failure, hopefully it'll just fail quietly and not do any other damage.


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## angelt (Nov 2, 2010)

Well, Sorry, but I don't agree with you about the early failure, because this card does not consume much power, and it all depends the use you give to the computer. My daughter is not a extreme gamer, like I said before, she only wants to connect her 32 HDTV.

About three years ago, I bought this big ATI Radeon 1950 video card, that was on sale. I installed it in my Dell XPS 410 ,that at that time, it had a 375 watt power supply. And you know what? The computer would not boot. Took it out, installed the other video card, and the computer booted again. When I read the power supply requirement, it was at least 500 watts. So, I just took it back, and exchange it for one with less power supply requirement. My point is, that if a power supply cannot handle a Video Card, the computer won't boot. 

Recently, I changed the Power Supply to a 650 watt, and now have a Nvidia GeForce 9800GT. I also upgraded from 4 gb of Ram to 8 gb of Ram. I have four 2 gb sticks of Kingston PC2 6400 at 800mhz. I also upgraded from Windows 7 Ultimate x32 to x64. I'm really happy with this computer now. Right now it max out, I can only upgrade the power supply and the video card. Won't be doing that though.


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## 1 g0t 0wn3d (Jan 31, 2007)

Read "psu info" in my sig for information about power supplies


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## angelt (Nov 2, 2010)

I just used the PSU Calculator. My Ultra LSP 650 Pro, 650 watt, is 44.45% over my Minimum PSU Wattage at 100% work load, that is 436 watts.

This is a nice tool. Thank you for it.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

But you want the PSU to be running in the 70% range not 100%


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## angelt (Nov 2, 2010)

Yeah, but I went to the extreme to check it. It's better to check it at 100% work load. If I check it at a 70% work load, then it would be 55% plus over my minimum PSU Wattage. Doesn't matter if at 70% or 100% work load, the important thing is that my 650 watt PSU exceeds the minimun PSU wattage.

Oh, get it clear, i'm talking about my Dell XPS 410 computer, i'm not talking about the Dell optiplex 745 SFF.

I just checked with PSU calculator for the Dell Optiplex 745 SFF. The results are these:

At a 70% system load: Minimum PSU Wattage 201w, the recommended PSU Wattage 251w. This computer has a 275watt PSU. It's tight but, acceptable.


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