Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

A client is about to buy 50 Dell PCs for their office. They have two
unusual requirements: A small case which can be used horizontally or
vertically, and a real video card (not embedded). They selected Dell
Optiplex GX280 small form-factor PCs. (P4 2.8GHz, 1GB RAM, 80GB SATA disk,
128MB ATI Radeon X300 PCI-Express video, floppy, CDRW/DVD.)

The specs look good to me, except it's hard to believe a 160W power
supply is adequate. On one hand, I would like to be confident that Dell
wouldn't sell them PCs which won't work reliably. On the other hand,
Dell sold these same people a PowerEdge server and PowerVault tape backup
unit with no way to connect the two together.

Does anyone have experiences with the small form-factor GX280? Any
reassuring or cautionary words about the power supply?

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"ljb" <ljb220@mindspring.no.spam.com> wrote in message
newsJWEe.4246$6f.2054@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net...
>A client is about to buy 50 Dell PCs for their office. They have two
> unusual requirements: A small case which can be used horizontally or
> vertically, and a real video card (not embedded). They selected Dell
> Optiplex GX280 small form-factor PCs. (P4 2.8GHz, 1GB RAM, 80GB SATA disk,
> 128MB ATI Radeon X300 PCI-Express video, floppy, CDRW/DVD.)
>
> The specs look good to me, except it's hard to believe a 160W power
> supply is adequate. On one hand, I would like to be confident that Dell
> wouldn't sell them PCs which won't work reliably. On the other hand,
> Dell sold these same people a PowerEdge server and PowerVault tape backup
> unit with no way to connect the two together.
>
> Does anyone have experiences with the small form-factor GX280? Any
> reassuring or cautionary words about the power supply?

Typically with Dell the PS spec is usually under rated (I don't have a
figure on exactly how much) AND I can tell you from direct experience that
the PS in the GX280 SFF is more then sufficient for your spec. I have
several at various sites and have had 0 problems with PSs.

HTH

--

Rob

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

The OptiPlex GX280s are end of life systems - unless the client has
other installed models of this type (GX240/260/280), I'd skip the 280s
and go for the newer 170, 520 or 620 systems. This new chassis will be
around for a while, and the power supplies are more capable overall than
the older ones were.

Note that the small format systems are effectively appliances - they're
not very upgradeable (if at all), so the power supply need cover only
the as-shipped configuration.

Note that the other element of the design is that the power supplies are
proprietary, so you are tied into Dell for replacements (the same will
apply to the Gateway, HPaq and IBM/Lenovo business desktops as well).




ljb wrote:
> A client is about to buy 50 Dell PCs for their office. They have two
> unusual requirements: A small case which can be used horizontally or
> vertically, and a real video card (not embedded). They selected Dell
> Optiplex GX280 small form-factor PCs. (P4 2.8GHz, 1GB RAM, 80GB SATA disk,
> 128MB ATI Radeon X300 PCI-Express video, floppy, CDRW/DVD.)
>
> The specs look good to me, except it's hard to believe a 160W power
> supply is adequate. On one hand, I would like to be confident that Dell
> wouldn't sell them PCs which won't work reliably. On the other hand,
> Dell sold these same people a PowerEdge server and PowerVault tape backup
> unit with no way to connect the two together.
>
> Does anyone have experiences with the small form-factor GX280? Any
> reassuring or cautionary words about the power supply?

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Not all business desktops from Gateway, HPaq and IBM/Lenovo. Some of the
IBM/Lenovo ones use standard power supplies. Others use oddly shaped ones,
which, yes, does lock one into the name brand company for any spares, which are
not generic, hence more expensive... Ben Myers

On Mon, 25 Jul 2005 01:07:12 GMT, "Edward J. Neth" <ejn63@netscape.net> wrote:

>The OptiPlex GX280s are end of life systems - unless the client has
>other installed models of this type (GX240/260/280), I'd skip the 280s
>and go for the newer 170, 520 or 620 systems. This new chassis will be
>around for a while, and the power supplies are more capable overall than
>the older ones were.
>
>Note that the small format systems are effectively appliances - they're
>not very upgradeable (if at all), so the power supply need cover only
>the as-shipped configuration.
>
>Note that the other element of the design is that the power supplies are
>proprietary, so you are tied into Dell for replacements (the same will
>apply to the Gateway, HPaq and IBM/Lenovo business desktops as well).
>
>
>
>
>ljb wrote:
>> A client is about to buy 50 Dell PCs for their office. They have two
>> unusual requirements: A small case which can be used horizontally or
>> vertically, and a real video card (not embedded). They selected Dell
>> Optiplex GX280 small form-factor PCs. (P4 2.8GHz, 1GB RAM, 80GB SATA disk,
>> 128MB ATI Radeon X300 PCI-Express video, floppy, CDRW/DVD.)
>>
>> The specs look good to me, except it's hard to believe a 160W power
>> supply is adequate. On one hand, I would like to be confident that Dell
>> wouldn't sell them PCs which won't work reliably. On the other hand,
>> Dell sold these same people a PowerEdge server and PowerVault tape backup
>> unit with no way to connect the two together.
>>
>> Does anyone have experiences with the small form-factor GX280? Any
>> reassuring or cautionary words about the power supply?

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

That's true only of the tower and full desktop systems.

I've yet to see a standard form factor for a small format machine.


Ben Myers wrote:
> Not all business desktops from Gateway, HPaq and IBM/Lenovo. Some of the
> IBM/Lenovo ones use standard power supplies. Others use oddly shaped ones,
> which, yes, does lock one into the name brand company for any spares, which are
> not generic, hence more expensive... Ben Myers

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Edward J. Neth" <ejn63@netscape.net> wrote in message
news:mY7Fe.701$gt5.582@newssvr17.news.prodigy.com...
> That's true only of the tower and full desktop systems.
>
> I've yet to see a standard form factor for a small format machine.
>
>


Ed's right.

This particular beast has a flat, rectangular power supply that would almost
surely force replacement from Dell simply due to its housing and wiring
harness configuration/lengths.

They are also not particularly fun to replace due to any number of plastic
clips needed for wiring routing in such a small case.


Stew

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

ejn63@netscape.net wrote:
> The OptiPlex GX280s are end of life systems - unless the client has
> other installed models of this type (GX240/260/280), I'd skip the 280s
> and go for the newer 170, 520 or 620 systems. This new chassis will be
> around for a while, and the power supplies are more capable overall than
> the older ones were.

Very interesting to know. The client has a special purchase arrangement
with Dell that gets them really good prices on a limited selection
of PC models and features. I wonder if Dell is using that vehicle to
dump old systems?

> Note that the small format systems are effectively appliances - they're
> not very upgradeable (if at all), so the power supply need cover only
> the as-shipped configuration.
>
> Note that the other element of the design is that the power supplies are
> proprietary, so you are tied into Dell for replacements (the same will
> apply to the Gateway, HPaq and IBM/Lenovo business desktops as well).

Yes, we're used to that with Gateway too. All the small form-factor
boxes use odd power supplies, and some use odd cards too (like the old
NLX AGP cards, or half-height PCI cards). But with the Dell's they will
get a 4 year warranty, and anything that fails after that usually isn't
worth replacing.

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

ljb wrote:
> A client is about to buy 50 Dell PCs for their office. They have two
> unusual requirements: A small case which can be used horizontally or
> vertically, and a real video card (not embedded). They selected Dell
> Optiplex GX280 small form-factor PCs. (P4 2.8GHz, 1GB RAM, 80GB SATA disk,
> 128MB ATI Radeon X300 PCI-Express video, floppy, CDRW/DVD.)
>
> The specs look good to me, except it's hard to believe a 160W power
> supply is adequate. On one hand, I would like to be confident that Dell
> wouldn't sell them PCs which won't work reliably. On the other hand,
> Dell sold these same people a PowerEdge server and PowerVault tape backup
> unit with no way to connect the two together.
>
> Does anyone have experiences with the small form-factor GX280? Any
> reassuring or cautionary words about the power supply?


We have a ton of 'em where I work and have never had problems. I think
you will be safe. As others have stated, the box is not really
upgradeable, so the PS only has to run what it comes with. It will be
fine for that. Dell is very conservative with their power supply
numbers anyway. it may say 160, but it could probably handle 250 or
more honestly.