A gamer wants to cheaply upgrade a PC he received as a gift. Since there is not much space in the compact case, he comes up with a brilliant idea. This way you can use a graphics card that is actually too big and thus save money.
It often happens that companies sort out their old PC systems and replace them with newer models. Reddit user DntPMme also found himself in this situation and received a mini PC from his company for free.
However, you received the device without a hard drive and without a graphics card suitable for gaming. To keep the financial expense as low as possible, the gamer opted for a standard graphics card that did not fit easily into a compact case. But there are also cases where the newly purchased graphics card is unknowingly too big for its own case.
As a 3D printer owner, he had the idea of attaching the graphics card to the outside of the computer using a self-printed bracket. You can find out how it proceeded in detail here on MeinMMO.
The manufacturer shows a stylish case and the players are delighted: “Excellent design! Goes straight to my wish list”
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Gamer shows how a full-sized graphics card “fits” into a mini PC
What is it about? A Reddit user received a mini PC as a gift. It is a Lenovo ThinCentre M720s with a compact design, the so-called SFF (Small Form Factor) format. His employer had dismantled several such systems and had given him one as a gift. For data protection reasons, the hard drive was previously removed and disposed of correctly.
Sometimes lucky people find fully functional gaming PCs, including data storage, in the trash.
He gave the following specifications:
- Processor: Intel Core i7-8700, base clock 3.20 GHz
- RAM: 16GB DDR4
- Power supply: 180 watts
DntPMme’s plan was to convert the old office computer into a gaming system for less demanding games for little money. For this I needed a new data storage medium and a suitable graphics card. Suitable graphics cards, with a low profile and a low overall height, were too expensive for him on the second-hand market, with prices between 85 and 140 euros.
So the gamer decided to buy a full-size model and mount the graphics card on the outside of the case. Due to the small power supply, he chose an Nvidia 1050 TI from Gigabyte for about 50 euros. Installed a Cruical 1TB NVMe SSD as new data storage. The SSD also cost 50 euros.
How did DntPme proceed? According to him, the amount of labor needed was quite manageable. In 10 minutes, he used a CAD program to design a fixture suitable for mounting the 1050 TI. He then produced the finished design with his 3D printer and attached the bracket to the PC case. One hobbyist had to put in a lot more work to completely refurbish his old Xbox console.
Using a small saw, he removed a piece from the top of the case so he could connect the graphics card to the rest of the computer. Use a newly purchased PCIe riser cable for about 15 euros between the motherboard slot and the external Gigabyte 1050 TI.
These types of expansion cards/cables are normally used to be able to install large graphics cards vertically, saving space. The player was able to do without an additional cable for the power supply because the card draws its power only through the PCIe port.
Did DntPMme succeed in his plan? According to the comments on your post, yes. He has now done some testing and put the system through its paces with less graphics-intensive games. He says older titles can be played at medium graphics settings and newer games can be played at low settings.
The player is satisfied with his project and is already thinking about whether he could install a more powerful and therefore larger power supply. However, it leaves open the question of whether you want to mount a larger power supply inside or like the graphics card on the outside.
If you are currently looking for a new power supply, we can recommend a model that will save you time and nerves.