Can I equip a video card?

[76561198321267455]

I have a Lenovo Ideacentre 310s-08asr. I need to know if it's possible to insert a working video card. I don't need anything too big - maybe about 1-2gb of dedicated video ram is all I need.
Computer specs:

Processor AMD A9-9425 RADEON R5, 5 COMPUTE CORES 2C+3G 3.10 GHz
Installed RAM 4.00 GB (3.87 GB usable)
System type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor

[nullable]

It'll need to be a low profile GPU. But assuming you have a PCI-E slot available that shouldn't be a problem.

Something like this could work https://www.amazon.com/GT-1030-Graphics-Desktop-Computer/dp/B09K43THZD

[Zef]

yes, BUT

check the Watt you have on the power supply of that prebuilt PC, most of these are quite trash (300W range). Also check if you have any remaining 6 or 8 pin power connector cables unused on your power supply. If you don't have any power connector cable's remaining you will need a graphics card that draws it's power directly from the motherboard, like some models of a GTX 1030-1050.

check the dimensions around your PCI-E x 16 slot so you know your graphics card will fit.

tbh for pc's like this i would use a budget card like a 1050 since the remaining specs of your PC are not strong enough for a high end graphics card and will bottleneck your system.


personally i would sell this prebuilt office pc and start from stratch with a new custom pc build.

[Tomi Montana]

look for RX 550/560, RX 460/560
For NVIDIA side: GT 1030 with GDDR5 memory, GTX 750(Ti), 1050
All of the cards, except GTX 1050 and GT 1030, can be found in both 2GB and 4GB variants. GTX 1050 only has 2GB and 3GB variants, with the 3GB variant having a completely different memory configuration and therefore slightly different performance.
Usually the 4GB(3GB again in the case of GTX 1050) are much more expensive and are too weak to fully utilize those 4GB of VRAM but the extra VRAM can be really helpful.
When looking for the GT 1030 make sure again, that you have the GDDR5 variant. DDR4 variant is too bloody slow.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

No point upgrading that PC.
At best I would suggest changing out the 4GB of RAM for 16GB. The on-board gpu will do better with more ram plus the fact that 4GB is not enough for Win8 and later. Maybe get an SSD also and do a clean OS install of Win10 64bit.

GPU card would be rather pointless and your 2 Core CPU would be a heavy bottleneck.

[Tomi Montana]

Also Zef summarised it nicely so also this:

Originally posted by zef:

yes, BUT

check the Watt you have on the power supply of that prebuilt PC, most of these are quite trash (300W range). Also check if you have any remaining 6 or 8 pin power connector cables unused on your power supply. If you don't have any power connector cable's remaining you will need a graphics card that draws it's power directly from the motherboard, like some models of a GTX 1030-1050.

check the dimensions around your PCI-E x 16 slot so you know your graphics card will fit.

tbh for pc's like this i would use a budget card like a 1050 since the remaining specs of your PC are not strong enough for a high end graphics card and will bottleneck your system.


personally i would sell this prebuilt office pc and start from stratch with a new custom pc build.

[Tomi Montana]

Originally posted by Bad 💀 Motha:

No point upgrading that PC.
At best I would suggest changing out the 4GB of RAM for 16GB. The on-board gpu will do better with more ram plus the fact that 4GB is not enough for Win8 and later. Maybe get an SSD also and do a clean OS install of Win10 64bit.

GPU card would be rather pointless and your 2 Core CPU would be a heavy bottleneck.

He can get away with something like a GT 1030/GTX 750 Ti 2GB, I am speaking from experience as I had a CPU not too off in terms of raw horsepower, But I agree a new build would probably be the wisest choice if financially possible.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

What is the full exact model of Lenovo. Cause if it's a Slim or All-In-One... those you generally can't upgrade to a gpu card. Or must use a low profile flavor

[Tomi Montana]

I have just found out It´s a laptop CPU, so probably non upgradeable system. It pretty much mostly invalidates what i have said in the past posts Unless the system has a PCIE 16X expansion slot.

[_I_]

AMD A9-9425 is a bga chip
its most likely a laptop or aio

not worth upgrading

[76561198321267455]

Originally posted by zef:

yes, BUT

check the Watt you have on the power supply of that prebuilt PC, most of these are quite trash (300W range). Also check if you have any remaining 6 or 8 pin power connector cables unused on your power supply. If you don't have any power connector cable's remaining you will need a graphics card that draws it's power directly from the motherboard, like some models of a GTX 1030-1050.

check the dimensions around your PCI-E x 16 slot so you know your graphics card will fit.

tbh for pc's like this i would use a budget card like a 1050 since the remaining specs of your PC are not strong enough for a high end graphics card and will bottleneck your system.


personally i would sell this prebuilt office pc and start from stratch with a new custom pc build.

This might sound strange, but my tower does not have a brick power supply like most towers do. It must be built into the motherboard. I've looked and looked in an attempt to find out my wattage, but I have had no luck.

[Cathulhu]

I sincerely doubt your motherboard has an integrated PSU. It's either a brick within the case, or outside the case. Look to where the power cable is actually connected. That is the PSU.

[Zef]

Originally posted by AzarothDarkFury:

Originally posted by zef:

yes, BUT

check the Watt you have on the power supply of that prebuilt PC, most of these are quite trash (300W range). Also check if you have any remaining 6 or 8 pin power connector cables unused on your power supply. If you don't have any power connector cable's remaining you will need a graphics card that draws it's power directly from the motherboard, like some models of a GTX 1030-1050.

check the dimensions around your PCI-E x 16 slot so you know your graphics card will fit.

tbh for pc's like this i would use a budget card like a 1050 since the remaining specs of your PC are not strong enough for a high end graphics card and will bottleneck your system.


personally i would sell this prebuilt office pc and start from stratch with a new custom pc build.

This might sound strange, but my tower does not have a brick power supply like most towers do. It must be built into the motherboard. I've looked and looked in an attempt to find out my wattage, but I have had no luck.

You wouldn't have An external power Brick by any chance? The components are leading me to believe this is basically a glorified laptop in a small form factor pc case.

If they above is correct i wouldn't bother putting even a low powered gpu in it.

[smallcat]

They say it supports up to GT 730 , which is x8 and 38W . GT 1030 is 30W and x4 so it should run . The processor supports PCI-E 3.0 , hope the mobo supports it too . Therefore GT 1030 , most likely will run , just make sure it s the right size

[my new friend]

That thing has an external power brick, yes. 4 sizes depending on the exact model according to the specs from Lenovo.

65W Adapter - 100V - 240V
90W Adapter - 100V - 240V
120W Adapter - 100V - 240V
150W Adapter - 100V - 240V

[Haruspex]

A lot of these prebuilt workstation type desktops have weird power supply setups. Things like non-standard connections and the like. My wife had an Asus desktop workstation and wanted a GPU upgrade. I quickly discovered that the PSU lacked 8 pin GPU power connectors and wasn't standard, and there would be no way to change PSUs due to the connector on the motherboard. I ended up getting her a new motherboard and case to put it in and the new power supply to allow for the GPU upgrade. While I was at it I went ahead and also got her a better CPU cooler and a RAM upgrade.

We ended up having an almost entirely new computer, just with the old CPU salvaged from the Asus machine. All this just because we wanted to upgrade the graphics card.