I recently bought a renewed Dell OptiPlex 5060 Small Form Factor desktop with an 8th-generation Intel Core i7-8700, 16GB of DDR4 memory, a 512GB SSD, and Windows 11 Pro. I want to add a graphics card for basic 1080p gaming, mainly games such as Minecraft and Terraria. Because this is a small-form-factor system, the card needs to be low-profile, use 75 watts or less without an external power connector, and preferably be single-slot. My budget is around $150, with $200 as the absolute maximum. I am currently considering a low-profile AMD Radeon RX 6400, but I would appreciate advice on whether it is the best option or if there is a better card available from a major retailer.
3 Answers
For the games you mentioned, the RX 6400 is perfectly reasonable and avoids spending money on a complete system replacement. However, if your goal is newer or demanding games, this Dell has limited upgrade potential because of the small case, PCIe 3.0 platform, and lack of an obvious graphics-card power connector. Selling it and moving to a more upgradeable used gaming PC could provide better value, but that is not necessary for basic games.
The main downside is that the OptiPlex 5060 uses PCIe 3.0, while the RX 6400 only has a PCIe x4 interface. In some games that can reduce performance noticeably compared with a newer PCIe 4.0 system. A low-profile RTX 3050 6GB would be faster and is also designed to run without an external power cable, but single-slot versions are uncommon and usually cost more than your budget.
For a single-slot, low-profile card that runs entirely from the motherboard slot, the RX 6400 is probably the most practical choice in your price range. It should handle Minecraft, Terraria, and other lighter games well at 1080p. Just make sure the listing specifically says low-profile and includes the correct short mounting bracket.
If you can accept a two-slot low-profile card and stretch the budget slightly, an RTX 3050 6GB gives you a better upgrade than the RX 6400. Availability varies, though, so check the card dimensions and power requirements carefully before buying.