What is the most powerful gpu this dell can handle?

[Druid]

It's a XPS 600, so it has:

PD 3.2 GHz
2 GB Ram (3 really but OS only reads 2 due to channeling)
650 Watt psu

The psu isn't a problem obviously. Since the system's mobo does support sli, and could have been customized with sli 7800 gtx's, it is obviously good in this department. When we got it 4 years ago, we only when with a 6800 which was quite week for the cpu.

If I were to upgrade it just because, what would be the best thing it wouldn't bottleneck. I've been googling and been seeing some different stuff. Could it really handle a 5770?

 

[orihS ‪‪‪Shiro]

It could handle any GPU with that PSU.
Does it have PCI-E 16x 1.0 or 2.0?

If it's 1.0 a 5870 would be limited like 99% on it I think.
A 5850 probably would run at 99%~ capacity
A 5770 would probably run at full capacity just fine.
So if you upgraded and you only have PCI-E 1.0 a brand new series card would only be limited at max like 5%
And would be an amazing improvement over your 6800 none the less.
I'd recommend going with a 5770 personally to save some cash and still get amazing gains.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/HD_5870_PCI-Express_Scaling/25.html

PCI-E 16x 1.0 is the same as PCI-E 8x 2.0
Bandwidth wise

 

[Druid]

Maybe I'll just wait on it then. I made a custom built pc for them that they got in the basement. In like a year or something, maybe I'll upgrade the gpu on that one and then just slide the 260 down to this other comp.

 

[patonb]

Most likely the psu doesn't have a pci-e plug either, so expect to lose 2 4 pin connections.

 

[S0ULphIRE]

^even then it has to be able to supply enough amperage. Depending on the gfx card you get, it might not be able to handle it in that regard.

 

[orihS ‪‪‪Shiro]

Most likely the psu doesn't have a pci-e plug either, so expect to lose 2 4 pin connections.

If it was a system made to handle SLI 7800's it has two PCI-E connectors.

And SLI 7800's take about 150 watts.

He should be good to run a modern single GPU that isn't extremely demanding.
5770 would run just fine.

[Edit]
Confirmed the 7800's used a 6 pin connector.
My guess is that since it's OEM but it could be customized with 7800's in SLI...
It probably has two 4 pin + 2 connectors or a single 4 pin + 2 connector and a 6 pin connector.
If OP would open up his case and look at the connectors he could just tell us.
[/Edit]

Either way I'd bet $100 OP's PSU can handle a 5770

 

[patonb]

But as its a prebuilt, theres a good chance it doesn't have them, especially as he had 6800s which seem to run off 4pins, as far as i can tell

 

[Druid]

I can't open it up. I'm at college and its at home. I just got curious. Maybe in the summer I'll put something in it.