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Thread ID: 138244	2014-10-28 10:41:00	help with an Alienware X51 GPU and PSU upgrade	MeltedPumpkin (17304)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1386981	2014-10-28 10:41:00	With the release of the AC Unity PC specs I realised that now is probably a good time to upgrade my system. So I've done some research on what I can upgrade but I'm still not sure what will work with my system. I bought my X51 in may 2012 and it has an i7-2600 CPU, a GTX 555 GPU, 8GB RAM and a 330W PSU. Can anyone give me an idea of what GPU's I can use and whether or not its possible to upgrade my PSU. Money is not too much of an issue either.	MeltedPumpkin (17304)
1386982	2014-10-28 17:22:00	330w??!! You sure about that? I have a 750w in mine. Because when I put the one before last GPU in at 620w, it wasn't enough. Of course you can change PSUs, in fact I would!!	pctek (84)
1386983	2014-10-28 19:19:00	Prebuilt systems can taylor the PSU to the exact requirements so they can use much smaller PSU's. I have a 300W SFF PSU I ran an itx MB, an i5, and a GTX760 off. It was marginal enough to make me nervous but it worked fine. PSU recommendations for graphics cards tend to allow for a wide range of possible hardware and a big safety margin so they are not that accurate. Put your specs into something like extreme.outervision.com and see what PSU you need - try choosing various grapics cards to see what difference it makes. If you do want to upgrade the PSU and space is an issue this is a good option www.pp.co.nz but check that it fits first. I'd suggest a 750Ti should fit without issue and not need an upgrade but you'll have to research the size of any card you buy and measure the space in your case to make sure it'll fit. Up to a 760 ti or r9 270x should be possible. Not sure about any more than that. Choose a cooler that vents out of the case if possible as pumping hot air around a compact enclosure is not Ideal. It's definately possible but you'll need to do some research into what will fit.	dugimodo (138)
1386984	2014-10-28 22:24:00	Isn't the X51 the slim alien ware PC with an external AC adapter? If so there is probably no space in the case for a conventional power supply	icow (15313)
1386985	2014-10-29 02:01:00	Isn't the X51 the slim alien ware PC with an external AC adapter? If so there is probably no space in the case for a conventional power supply Yes, sorry I forgot to mention that the power supply is external, that's why I'm uncertain of whether I can upgrade it. Also there is virtually no extra space in my case but I think I can afford to get a GPU that is 4.3 inches high and 10 inches long.	MeltedPumpkin (17304)
1386986	2014-10-29 03:37:00	Are you in NZ or somewhere else? Measuring in inches makes me wonder. Something like a GTX 760 with a blower style cooler might work. I think Alienware offer the X51 with a 760 as an option so it should be possible to put one in yourself. There's about 20W difference in TDP so it might stress the PSU a bit more. On the other hand a 750Ti has a much lower TDP than either but will be a smaller upgrade. These are the two cards I'd consider (or the equivalent AMD) but if you want more performance I think you're pushing your luck in a case that small. A more conventional gaming PC might suit better.	dugimodo (138)
1386987	2014-10-29 03:46:00	Actually seems like a 970 might work and that would be an awesome upgrade. You'd be pushing the limits of the PSU and if you can get a blower style cooler that would be safer I think but i don't think anything better could fit in that case. Attempt it at your own risk. This page might be useful alienware-x51.wikia.com	dugimodo (138)
1386988	2014-10-29 04:39:00	Thanks for the link and the help. I think I'll either get the 750Ti or just get a bigger case and shift everything into that. I assume by looking around that I can't upgrade my external PSU without modding it? (also I am from NZ, but I just used inches as that was what was given for the dimensions from someone else who had asjed what was the max size available).	MeltedPumpkin (17304)
1386989	2014-10-29 21:04:00	Thanks for the link and the help. I think I'll either get the 750Ti or just get a bigger case and shift everything into that. I assume by looking around that I can't upgrade my external PSU without modding it? (also I am from NZ, but I just used inches as that was what was given for the dimensions from someone else who had asjed what was the max size available). Alienware = DELL So dont assume anything. dell have a long history of using non standard parts . Can you even fit normal size vid cards in that case ? Also consider the extra heat from upgraded gaming vid card img2.wikia.nocookie.net	1101 (13337)
1386990	2014-10-30 00:50:00	Good points which is why I keep mentioning blower style coolers - because although not as efficient they blow the heat out of the case. Also a 750Ti uses less power and generates less heat than the original card thanks to improvements in technology, still be good to get a blower type cooler if such a thing exists for that card (I haven't seen one) In fact many 750Ti cards don't even have a power connector as they can get enough power from the PCIE slot, only the overclocked versions tend to need more power. There are some youtube videos that show how to do the replacement, and crazy people have shoehorned all kinds of cards in there including apparently a titan (with some kind of PSU upgrade/mod I think). Search Youtube for X51 graphics upgrade. There are risks involved, but if you are careful, ground yourself frequently, and take your time, it should be ok. No way to be certain though.	dugimodo (138)
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