XPS 8960, can I install an RTX 5070 FE?

1. In December I plan to upgrade the hardware of my XPS 8960, I already have a 750W PSU and an i7-13700 processor.

 

2. change that 2TB HDD to a 2TB SSD,

 

3. install 32GB of 4800MHz DDR5 RAM

4. going from an Intel ARC B 580 to an MSI RTX 5070.But I'm unsure if the PC will recognize the GPU with the latest BIOS version.

 

1. Power supply is small for all this (you will always be on the edge) 1000w would be better. You might fall over the edge when system is pushed hard. Is your Intel-i7 Liquid-Cooled?

2. Well yeah, I would have ordered it that way. NVMe-SSD is way-faster, runs cooler, and more reliable than spinning HDD.

3. Dell's are historically finicky about RAM upgrades. All DIMMs should match exactly (for Dual-Channel operation). Some of these Dell motherboards don't like all 4 DIMMs-slots populated.

5. Your PCIe slot is likely just PCIe v4.0 (it will work, but slower). Sometimes, Dell doesn't have all the lanes hooked up on these little XPS ... so it's electrically something else.

MSI cards are good. Most RTX-5070 (16gb) 3-fan cards need long length case-space, 2.5 slots, and some major PCIe-Power cables (how many 6-pinner and 8-pinners do you have to use)?

With the Intel ARC B 580 installed (I'm assuming an upgrade a while back) and now wanting to do more upgrades ... sounds like you are trying to make this little XPS-8960 a Power-User performance-rig of sorts or gaming-rig. You can do some minor upgrading to these, so this might work.

But more often than not, something goes sideways (that's a lot of hoops to get through with success). Are you sure you are not ready to start-over with something more appropriate as the base-computer? 

FYI, the XPS 8950 runs my RTX 5070FE @ PCIe v5 and my M.2 slots are running Samsung/Seagate v4 NVMe SSDs and it's such an improvement.

64GB of Crucial is also nice (certified XPS 8950 memory).

I'm sure the XPS 8960 can do all that as well, if not even better (v4 PCIe would be a step down).

Of course, all this hardware is now 2-3x more expensive and good luck finding a FE GPU. 

@Element115s4​ I see, thanks bro for the information. I assure you I can find the 5070 on Amazon at a reasonable price. I won't install an M.2 drive, but rather a SATA III SSD. They're also reasonably priced at the moment; I found a 2TB WD SATA III SSD for $100. The problem would be the RAM, which I find really deplorable at such a high cost.

@Tesla1856​ In fact, this computer is a tower; it has one of the three fan slots left. It doesn't have liquid cooling because it's not compatible; the PCIe x16 slot is 5th generation. , I've been looking into everything I could install, the only issue is the graphics card; the official website says something different, but it's probably outdated. I bought the equipment second-hand from an old man who had taken it from his grandson, to whom he had given it. The grandson ran away at night with the family car and ended up in an expensive accident. He sold it to me for $500 with the current configuration except for the graphics card; it came with an RTX 3050 which I uninstalled and sold, big mistake. Intel ARC cards are terrible and I wouldn't recommend them to anyone. Keep in mind I bought them with my salary in Mexico, so finding something like this at that price here is a real bargain. The people here who sell their computers demonstrate great stinginess; they sell them for the price they paid for them new, finding GTX 1650s for $200 just because it's a graphics card and that's what they paid.

@ACOSTA2350015​ ,

1. the only issue is the graphics card; the official website says something different, but it's probably outdated.

2. I bought the equipment second-hand

 

3. I won't install an M.2 drive, but rather a SATA III SSD. 

4. Intel ARC cards are terrible and I wouldn't recommend them to anyone. 

 

1. Like what?

2. Now that I understand your situation better ... 

I'm sure you have 16gb ram ... that is fine, just stick with that.

3. The whole point is SATA-3/600 SSD is still kind a slow (will do like 550) compared to a PCIe 4x4 NVMe SSD (they do like 4000-5000). That's what you want ... for a least your C-Drive (boot drive). It could be 1tb if you need to save money. I run Samsung-Pros.

4. That's what I heard (but their main-processors are good). Too bad you sold the RTX-3050 as that is a good-card. I run RTX-3080 and RTX-4080 in my two Intel-i9 (custom built) MSI-Motherboard (liquid-cooled) tower computers.

I also have a Nvidia GTX-1070 in my old Aurora-R6 and a MSI Gaming-X Nvidia GTX-1070 is my (even older) Aurora-R1. Still say GTX-1070 is an awesome card. It's a little faster than a GTX-1660 (but I gave the whole Dell system with Intel-i5 and GTX-1660 to my grand-nephew).

@Element115s4​ ,

FYI, the XPS 8950 runs my RTX 5070FE @ PCIe v5 and my M.2 slots are running Samsung/Seagate v4 NVMe SSDs and it's such an improvement.

64GB of Crucial is also nice (certified XPS 8950 memory).

Yeah, Crucial is good (I've always trusted them). But I haven't really purchased any memory in a long time (I build/buy our computers fully loaded). Glad to hear it worked though. At one time, they were the gold-standard.

I just ran across your RTX-5070 Upgrade thread, so he might want to read it:

https://www.dell.com/community/en/conversations/xps-desktops/xps-8950-rtx-3060-ti-to-rtx-5070-fe/681fa4b6e74a52187115cf04

@ACOSTA2350015​ 

My recommendation is a real NVMe SSD (Samsungs used be a great option but with pricing now, it's crazy).

Also, you are saying FE but MSI is not FE (true FE pic).

For a Dell, I would stick with FE nVidia GPUs......I never have gone wrong there.

Also, I do have the Liquid Cooling since I run a i5 12600K Processor but maybe someday I swap in an i9 12900K (your XPS can run this same cooler which is available under other brand names).

Minimal gain in small cases like the 8950/8960 though because cooling would be a real challenge.

Your advantage is that you could drop a MUCH better processor in the 8960. :)

@Tesla1856​ 

At today's part pricing, your advice on a new PC with what you want might actually be a good way for him to go (Aurora R16 or the new Dell Towers anyone?).

@Dell-Michael S​ Hi, I have a question. Could you share a link to the Dell programs and applications that I need to have installed on my XPS computer?I'm going to format my computer because of the high RAM usage it's experiencing even with no programs running, and no antivirus software is detecting any viruses. RAM consumption exceeds 71% with no applications open and all startup applications disabled.The best option is to format, so I would appreciate it if you could send me a link to the basic Dell applications for my computer, thank you. 

@Element115s4​ ,

@Tesla1856​ 

At today's part pricing, your advice on a new PC with what you want might actually be a good way for him to go (Aurora R16 or the new Dell Towers anyone?).

Actually, I was going to suggest a custom-build in a tower-case. Like with a retail  motherboard (like MSI) and a Corsair 1000w PS . 

@ACOSTA2350015​ ,

1. Could you share a link to the Dell programs and applications that I need to have installed on my XPS computer?

2. I'm going to format my computer because of the high RAM usage it's experiencing even with no programs running, 

1. No Dell programs are required for your XPS desktop to run Windows-11, Programs or Games. This is how I do a clean-install.

https://www.dell.com/community/en/conversations/latitude/can-only-install-an-os-with-secure-boot-disabled/6a15e3005e24e611a54e471a?commentId=6a15ef801ef492466d5cc190

2. Ran across this the other day. Seems like Windows-11 defaults to this System-Managed lame-way and the old-school way is STILL BETTER.

Windows-11
Custom-Size Virtual-Memory
Page File on C-Drive (NOT System Managed)
Min:5,000mb  Max:10,000mb

The wsappx process manages Microsoft Store app installations and updates. 
High CPU usage usually occurs when a system update triggers multiple background app updates, or when an installation gets stuck in a loop

Of course, Drive-C is preferably a SSD.

@Tesla1856​ 

Yes and while you will get more performance than a pre-built like Dell, he'd be in the same situation with part pricing.

The bundle like a Dell can provide can be a really great deal.