XPS 8940, recommended graphics card

which XPS?

what is your PSU wattage??

Intel® Arc™ B580 Graphics

It's the 8940 and the PSU says 500W, which I think is too small.

Can anyone suggest a card that would be OK?

@mrglwatson​   it is going to be hard to find a worthwhile upgrade with a 500 watt PSU. Even the RTX 3070 is looking for 650 watts.

would an rtx 3060 be a worthwhile upgrade?

@mrglwatson​  you can give it a try.

This is a LINK MSI GeForce RTX 3060 Gaming X  with a recommended 550 watt PSU. Depending on your other components and power draw, your 500 watt PSU may be sufficient. The linked graphics card is 276mm long and 131mm wide . . . so triple check that it would fit in your XPS 8940 before any acquisition.

Have a look at Six best GPUs for 500W PSU and GPUs for 500W and 550W PSU. Probably other similar reviews too...

### Will a PCIe 5.0 Graphics Card Work on Your Dell XPS 8940?

To determine if a PCIe 5.0 graphics card will work with your Dell XPS 8940, let’s break it down based on your PC’s specs and PCIe compatibility.

#### Your XPS 8940’s Relevant Specs
- **Motherboard**: Dell custom H570 chipset (based on official Dell documentation for the XPS 8940 with 11th Gen Intel i7-11700).
- **PCIe Slot**: Supports PCIe 4.0 x16 for the primary GPU slot.
- **PSU**: Likely ~500W (exact wattage needs confirmation; check the label inside the case or via Dell SupportAssist).
- **CPU**: Intel Core i7-11700 (PCIe 4.0 support).

#### PCIe 5.0 Compatibility
- **Backward Compatibility**: PCIe 5.0 graphics cards are backward compatible with PCIe 4.0 and 3.0 slots. This means a PCIe 5.0 GPU (like the NVIDIA RTX 5090) will physically fit and work in your XPS 8940’s PCIe 4.0 x16 slot.
- **Performance Impact**: 
  - PCIe 5.0 offers double the bandwidth of PCIe 4.0 (32 GT/s vs. 16 GT/s per lane). However, for GPUs in 2025, even high-end models like the RTX 5090 don’t fully saturate PCIe 4.0 x16 bandwidth in gaming or most workloads (per benchmarks from TechPowerUp and AnandTech). You’ll lose negligible performance (0–5% in worst cases) running a PCIe 5.0 card on a PCIe 4.0 slot.
  - Your H570 motherboard’s PCIe 4.0 x16 slot is ideal for any modern GPU, including PCIe 5.0 ones.

#### Key Considerations for Your PC
1. **Power Supply (PSU)**:
   - PCIe 5.0 GPUs, like the RTX 5090, often require 400–450W+ and a 12VHPWR connector or multiple 8-pin connectors. Your ~500W PSU is likely underpowered for high-end PCIe 5.0 cards. For example:
     - **RTX 5090**: Needs ~850W PSU (per NVIDIA’s 2025 specs).
     - **AMD RX 9070 XT**: May need ~700W.
   - **Solution**: If you’re eyeing a high-end PCIe 5.0 card, upgrade to a 650–850W 80+ Gold PSU (~$80–$150). Check if your XPS 8940’s PSU is standard ATX for easy swaps.
2. **Case Clearance**:
   - High-end PCIe 5.0 GPUs (e.g., RTX 5090) are large—up to 3.5 slots thick and 330mm long. The XPS 8940 mid-tower should fit most cards, but measure your case’s GPU clearance (check Dell’s manual: max ~314mm length).
3. **Cooling**:
   - Your XPS 8940 has decent airflow, but a power-hungry PCIe 5.0 card will generate more heat. Ensure good case ventilation (add a fan if needed, ~$20).
4. **BIOS/Driver Support**:
   - Dell’s BIOS should handle PCIe 5.0 GPUs fine, but update to the latest BIOS (via Dell’s website) to avoid compatibility hiccups. Install the GPU’s latest drivers post-installation.

#### Recommendation
- **Yes, a PCIe 5.0 GPU will work** in your XPS 8940’s PCIe 4.0 x16 slot with no significant performance loss for gaming or creative workloads.
- **Best Fit**: For your setup, a mid-range PCIe 5.0 card like the AMD RX 9070 (~$500–$600, ~263W) is safer for your PSU and case. If you want a flagship like the RTX 5090, budget for a PSU upgrade and confirm case space.
- **Action Steps**:
  1. Check your PSU wattage and connector types (8-pin or 12VHPWR availability).
  2. Measure case clearance for GPU length/width.
  3. Share your budget and target resolution (e.g., 1440p/4K) for a more tailored GPU pick.

If you confirm those details, I can refine the recommendation further!