Dell XPS 8930 case front and back pannel

Dell XPS 8930

Specification and Upgrade Options

The Dell XPS 8930 is a scalable home and gaming desktop designed for heavy office workloads, content creation, and home flexibility. First released in 2017, it is built on the Z370 chipset and supports 8th gen Intel Core processors and up to 64GB of DIMM DDR4-2666/2933 memory. Thanks to its larger chassis, it accommodates dedicated graphics cards, making it an excellent candidate for a gaming PC conversion or a high-performance workstation.

If you are looking for a system with maximum upgradability, Dell XPS 8930 is a good option. Models in this category usually have 4x PCIe slots, several drive bays and better cooling.

Specification

Model
Form factorMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen8 i3/i5/i7;
ChipsetZ370
Dedicated GPU *GeForce RTX 2060 Super
RAMDIMM DDR4-2666/2933
RAM slots4
RAM speed2666 MT/s
RAM max64 GB
USB portsUSB 3.1 Type C; USB 3.1 Type A; (2x) USB-A 2.0; (6x) USB-A 3.0;
Video portsHDMI 1.4; DisplayPort 1.2;
Other portsRJ45; Mic; Headset; Card Reader;
Optional portsN.A.
SATA ports3
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; (x2) PCIe x4;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays(3x) 3.5in;
PSU460 W
Weight8.20 kg (18.08 lb)
Released2017
Manuallink
Price**Check Price

* Dedicated GPU warning: Check if your particular power supply model has enough power. Additionally some PSUs don't come with an auxiliary PCIe power connector and you may need to buy a SATA to PCIe power adapter.
** As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Can you upgrade Dell XPS 8930 to play games?

Yes, Dell XPS 8930 is a home and gaming machine pre-assembled with dictated graphics card. You can easily play games and upgrade it with better hardware components. Processors, memory modules, and storage devices are easy to install. However, these PCs sometime have proprietary elements like the power supply unit, the chassis or the power connector, which can make it difficult for users to install aftermarket PSUs to support better GPUs.

Does Dell XPS 8930 support Windows 11?

Yes, Dell XPS 8930 is compatible with Windows 11. According to Windows 11 specification, all models that have Intel 8th Gen processors (or newer) with TPM 2.0 support and a UEFI BIOS with Secure boot, are eligible to upgrade form Windows 10 to Windows 11 through Windows Update.

Processor

The Dell XPS 8930 supports Gen8 Intel Core technology on a Z370 chipset. 8th generation Intel Core CPUs (Coffee Lake) significantly increased core counts, improving multitasking and parallel workloads. Higher-end models perform well in software development, virtualization, and gaming scenarios.

Best CPUs for Dell XPS 8930 upgrade:

Model Cores (Threads) Base frequency Turbo
Core i5 8500 6(6) 3.0 GHz 4.1 GHz
Core i5 8600 6(6) 3.1 GHz 4.3 GHz
Core i7 8700 6(12) 3.2 GHz 4.6 GHz

GPU upgrade

Dell XPS 8930 is a gaming computer and comes assembled with a dedicated graphics card. According to the specification the best possible GPU you can use with it is GeForce RTX 2060 Super. You can upgrade Dell XPS 8930 graphics card, but you should select a model that requires 460 W or less.

GPU upgrade options for Dell XPS 8930 with the stock 460W power supply:

GPU Power consumption Memory Req.
AMD RX 6600 160 W 8 GB DDR6 *Dual SATA to PCIe adapter
NVIDIA RTX 2060 170 W 6 GB DDR6 *Dual SATA to PCIe adapter
AMD RX 6600 XT 165 W 8 GB DDR6 *Dual SATA to PCIe adapter
NVIDIA RTX 2070 175 W 8 GB DDR6 *Dual SATA to PCIe adapter
NVIDIA RTX 3060 170 W 8 GB DDR6 *Dual SATA to PCIe adapter
NVIDIA RTX 2070 Super 215 W 8 GB DDR6 *Dual SATA to PCIe adapter
NVIDIA RTX 2080 220 W 8 GB DDR6 *Dual SATA to PCIe adapter
* Typically, the stock power supply in a OEM gaming PCs have the necessary 6 or 8 pin connectors and you don't need any adapters to power the GPU. However, if this is not the case, you may need to use a low-power GPU or a SATA to PCIe power adapter. Alternatively, you can change the entire PSU.

Please note that upgrading to a more power-hungry GPU requires a better PSU. However, in most cases, this may not be possible because most OEM pre-built PCs have motherboards that use a proprietary power connector. Nevertheless, this problem can be solved by using a power adapter. The more challenging problem arises when the model has a non-standard chassis or power supply, in which case upgrading the PSU becomes much harder.

Memory

Dell XPS 8930 supports up to 64 GB of DIMM DDR4-2666/2933 RAM across four DIMM slots, with memory speeds up to 2666 MT/s and dual-channel support depending on the installed configuration.

Actual supported memory capacity and memory channels may vary depending on the installed CPU and chipset.

Typical Dell XPS 8930 memory configurations include 8 GB for everyday productivity and 16 GB for gaming, heavier multitasking, or professional workloads.

Wi-Fi Support

Dell XPS 8930 supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth combo card with the on-board M.2 2230 (Wi-Fi/BT) slot. The card contains a Wi-Fi module that supports various Wi-Fi standards, as well as a Bluetooth module. It is small circuit board that is designed to fit into a dedicated slot on the motherboard.

Keep in mind that the card is not always included and you have to install one yourself.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless adapter upgrades for Dell XPS 8930:

Model Speed Frequency Interface
WiFi 6E (Gig+) Kit 3000 Mbit/s 2.4GHz / 5GHz NGFF M.2 A/E Key
Rekong AX210 3000 Mbit/s 2.4GHz / 5GHz NGFF M.2 A/E Key
Gigabyte GC-Wbax200 2400 Mbit/s 2.4GHz / 5GHz PCIe
TP-Link Archer TX50E 2400 Mbit/s 2.4GHz / 5GHz PCIe
TP-Link Archer T9UH 1300 Mbit/s 2.4GHz / 5GHz USB 3.0

Ports

Dell XPS 8930 provides a fixed set of external I/O ports for connecting peripherals and displays. Port availability and versions determine supported data transfer speeds and display capabilities.

USB ports

Dell XPS 8930 includes ten USB ports in total in the following configuration - USB 3.1 Type C; USB 3.1 Type A; (2x) USB-A 2.0; (6x) USB-A 3.0;The model include two USB 3.1 ports supporting up to 10 Gb/s transfer speeds.

Video ports

Dell XPS 8930 features one DisplayPort 1.4 output, suitable for modern digital displays.

HDMI output is provided via one HDMI 1.2 port.

Motherboard video outputs require a CPU with integrated graphics. Systems equipped with a dedicated GPU must use the video ports on the graphics card instead.

SSD storage - M.2 sockets and SATA ports

The Dell XPS 8930 comes with three SATA port(s) for connecting storage devices.

Dell XPS 8930 has also one M.2 socket(s) that supports PCIe NVMe (PCIe 3.0 x4) or SATA M.2 drives with speed of up to 4 GB/s. This configuration works very well for both gaming and work related tasks.

The M.2 PCIe SSD connector in combination with an NVMe drive allows for higher transfer rates, compared to the old SATA interface. In some situations, NVMe device connected to the M.2 PCIe socket can be more than 5 times faster.

*Keep in mind that some M.2 connectors may not support SATA SSDs. Check the motherboard manual to confirm compatibility.

Best PCIe NVMe drives for Dell XPS 8930 storage upgrade:

Model Form factor / Interface NAND type DRAM
Samsung 980 PRO SSD M.2/x4 PCIe 4.0/NVMe TLC Yes
CORSAIR MP600 PRO M.2/x4 PCIe 4.0/NVMe TLC Yes
SAMSUNG 970 EVO Plus M.2/x4 PCIe 3.0/NVMe TLC Yes
Western Digital Black SN770 M.2/x4 PCIe 4.0/NVMe TLC Yes
Kingston A2000 M.2/x4 PCIe 3.0/NVMe TLC Yes

Power Supply

The Dell XPS 8930 comes with a 460 Watt PSU. Having a power supply with high power rating is important, especially if you are doing upgrade with addtional components, like dedicated GPU and more HDDs. Will this 460 W be enough, it all depends on your specific use. Please keep in mind that some models might have more than one PSU option. Whenever possible get the most powerful one, as it might make future upgrades easier.

Motherboard

Dell_XPS_8930_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout