In need a of a low profile video card that will fit in a Dell Dimension C521

[mitchafi]

My dad wanted to hook up a second monitor to his C521, so I ordered him a basic low-end Nvidia card to put in the PCI slot (he is currently using onboard video). This is the card:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121019

He called me today and said that the card simply doesn't fit in the case. I haven't actually seen it myself but I assume he is doing everythng right and that the case is simply too small to fit this card. Are there any other cards that might be smaller? What are my options here?

Thanks,
Mitch

 

[mruffin75]

By the looks of that picture, yes the card itself is low profile... however the bracket is not... Therefore the card won't fit in a low profile slot..

This

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127267

Or this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814145138

Have both got Low-profile brackets.. *however*.. going the low profile route will only give you one video output... you'd have to find some other way (eg. handy with a dremel).. to have access to the 2nd output..

 

[mitchafi]

Originally posted by: mruffin75
By the looks of that picture, yes the card itself is low profile... however the bracket is not... Therefore the card won't fit in a low profile slot..

This

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127267

Or this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814145138

Have both got Low-profile brackets.. *however*.. going the low profile route will only give you one video output... you'd have to find some other way (eg. handy with a dremel).. to have access to the 2nd output..

hmm, I don't quite follow...those cards won't fit into the case normally? What is a low-profile bracket? I didn't actually know there were cards specifically designed for low-profile cases, I thought you just had to find one that happens to fit in a slim case. Is it possible to use the onboard video to power one monitor and the one available input on the video card to power another?

 

[mruffin75]

There's two sizes of cards, full height and low profile. Full height cards fit in standard atx cases, whereas in some Dell/HP etc. cases which are built to look small and cute, you need low profile cards so they'll fit in the case.

The card you purchased, says it's low profile, which is sort of right and wrong.

The PCB itself *is* low profile, but the card is supplied with a full height bracket (the metal strip at the back of the PC that has the connectors on it). So therefore, without a low profile bracket, it won't physically fit into a PC that requires low profile cards.

The two cards I suggested both are fitted as standard with the full height bracket, but also come with a low profile bracket you can swap. That makes it possible to fit them into both full height slots and low profile slots. However by using the low profile bracket, you miss out on one of the connectors at the back, as there isn't enough physical space for two connectors.

As for using the onboard as well as the video card, it's possible... I can't say for sure about that particular PC, but most of the time it is possible.

 

[aka1nas]

Some low profile cards have a seperate low profile bracket for the secondary display output.

This one comes with both brackets:

Newegg

 

[hellokeith]

His problem might be there is already a PCIe card in the box, and so only a PCIe x1 and PCI (legacy) slots are available.

From Dell C521 web page:
Expansion Slots
PCI: 1 Slots
PCIe x1: 1 Slot
PCIe x16 (Graphics): 1 Slots

 

[mruffin75]

Originally posted by: hellokeith
His problem might be there is already a PCIe card in the box, and so only a PCIe x1 and PCI (legacy) slots are available.

From Dell C521 web page:
Expansion Slots
PCI: 1 Slots
PCIe x1: 1 Slot
PCIe x16 (Graphics): 1 Slots

Unless they specifically ordered another video card, the 521 comes with onboard video..