I have a Dell Inspiron 530s slim form factor PC that I would like to upgrade the video card on. I play the Sims 2 and would like a better graphics card. (Right now I'm using the onboard.) Can any one suggest one? I bought an e-Geforce 6200 graphics card on AMAZON and it ended up that I didn't have a powerful enough power supply to support this card. (It is a 250W max, +12v 17 amp.) This card needed 18 amps. Every time I tried to power the system on, the fan would spin and the power light would stay a STEADY orange and wouldn't power on. If you need any other details, I'm at work and will get back to you later on. Thanks for any suggestions you can give!With a 250W PSU, you won't be upgrading video cards, if a 6200 won't work there's nothing out there for you.
Also, with a small form factor PC, better PSUs and indeed video cards will be hard to find.
Sorry to be the bearer of BAD news, but you'd need a new case and PSU, and very likely motherboard before you could consider an upgrade.Wow, that'll teach me to go for the cheaper pc. From now on I'm going with the full towers instead of the slim form factors. Thanks for the advice. Here's another question, do all Dells come with a 250w power supply? I have three of them and two have a 250w and one has a 200w.Not all Dells come with a 250W, but most come with PSUs that are just adequate for the system they're in, and not much more, to prevent upgrades.
It's all to do with profit - you want to upgrade your Dell? heresy! But . . . we'll sell you a proprietary PSU for an extortionate amount of money, and you'll buy it because nothing else will fit in your case or work with the also proprietary mobo!
ATX standard cases are always best in terms of upgradeability, micro-ATX aren't too bad, but proprietary slimline boxes as sold by Dell, HP, etc are just no good. I've been STUNG by the same thing myself with a Compaq, although that was a decent machine apart from the fact that nothing else fit in it.
Sorry for rambling by the way.Keep in mind also NEVER use a Dell PSU in another machine as they are propietary and can damage another machine as they are most times wired differently...