up vote 1 down vote favorite
share [g+] share [fb]

I have a Dell Optiplex GX280 which has a 250 Watt PSU.

It currently has 512 MB RAM, built-in graphics chip and a 40 GB HDD.

I am thinking of upgrading the RAM to 4 GB, the HDD to 250 GB, and adding a GPU to the PCI Express x16 slot which has the bus type 1.0a and it's a half height slot, not to sure what that means.

I understand which RAM and HDD I need to get, but I am not confident enough to get a GPU yet.

Will I need one of these low profile cards?

LINK

Plus, those cards don't say if they are for the 120 pin PCI Express interface, or if they are for the 240 pin interface. Am I correct to say that a full length PCI Express interface is 240 pin and a half height version is 120 pin?

Also, if I do go through this upgrade, do I have enough wattage to power all this?

link|improve this question
100% accept rate
1  
Half-height refers to the amount of physical space in the case. Cards come in 2 types - full height (about 4 inches hight) and half height (about 2 inches or so). It sounds like you'll need the smaller version. This has no reference to the bus type - all bus types come in full or half height varients. – Majenko Feb 27 '11 at 10:29
Also, looking at the pictures there's only one on that list that isn't x16 (judging by the size of the connector on the card) – Majenko Feb 27 '11 at 10:35
feedback

1 Answer

up vote 2 down vote accepted

You will need a low profile card (they're "half height")

To confirm if a card is x16 or not just google the manufacturer part number, find the manufacturer's site, and read the specifications. For example, the first on the list:

http://www.zotacusa.com/geforce-8400-gs-lp-512mb-64-bit-gddr2-567mhz-667mhz-zt-84meh4m-hsl.html

In "specification" it says "Interface: PCI Express x16"

link|improve this answer
feedback

Your Answer

 
or
required, but never shown
discard

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.