What graphic card will fit in a DELL Optiplex 745

I recommend you to use a GeForce 8400GS up to 512MB, because your desktop it's too thin to get a really good card it's note ready for a card wich requires a good cooling system.

Try this one for example. It has twice the vRAM so you should see a visible efficiency burst.

XFX PVT72GWANG GeForce 7300GS 512MB(256MB on Board) 64-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150128

In general, buy a card that has more vRAM than your current and supports the newest version of DirectX you can find.

The 745 has a PSU that delivers around 280w which together with the space available for your card are the two limiting factors.

A low-profile 9600GT would out perform everything mentioned so far.  Normally the low profile cards are sold fitted with a full height bracket and the low profile bracket is separate in the box.  These are commonly added by gamers who have a ex-corporate box they want to play on.

Try something like the Galaxy GeForce 9600 GT LP which needs about 65w - it's low profile but because of this the heatsink is offset making the card longer.  It will fit a normal low-profile desktop case but not SFF or USFF.

Also check the fan won't be obstructed before buying.  I'm not going to get you to buy a new machine, just be aware that for gaming the box is a compromise - will be fine for WoW though :)

I read that 8400GS will not run good on my system. Tons of links on Google complaining about that card and low fps

Cannot find any low-profile 9600GT card in my swedish webshops.

Would this card work in my Optiplex 745 desktop?
http://www.treg.se/PartDetail.aspx?q=p:2598723;c:36132

The card itself is like wow, but it's not low-profile

Well the best GeForce low-profile model is the 8800GS, and Ihad once this card and worked fine. But there another and very insteresting choice you could check, the XFX Radeon HD 5450 . You have just to check is there is nothing in the way on MB.

it says in the info that CLUB 3D GeForce PCI-E 9500GT 1024MB HDMI/DVI (CGNX-G9524YLI) is low profile.

I will check on my MB that nothing is in the way. Hopefully I can fit a good card. I will check 8800GS if it's good

I'm sorry the 8800GS is not a lowprof model, i misunderstood with 8400GS, that was actually the card I already had once. Take a look on the Radeon I wrote above, it's probably your solution.

Found http://www.dustinhome.se/pd_5010380223.aspx

Looks like I am gonna try that.

An XFX Radeon HD 5450 will way exceed your PSU's capacity - you'll need a minimum of 400w

Here's a 9600 GT LP in Sweden

9600GT doesn't exist in any of the large webshops in Sweden. (as posted in a previous post).

HD5450 doesn't require 400w, see http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1202/11/ (at bottom of list)

just calculated on HD5450 and I won't have enough watt, it so close that I won't risk in buying it. If I can get something that is 2-3 times better than the old x1300, then I'm satisfied.

Club 3D GeForce 9500 GT low profile says on http://www.h-online.com/priceinsight/a515503.html that is has Max. power consumption: 50W

How is that card compared to my old radeon x1300?

It's not just the card that needs power - the recommendation for the HD5450 is 400w minimum for a PC containing one.

The 9500GT outperforms the X1300X on all tests but it is also the last of the nVidia 9-Series with a 128mb memory interface.  If you are going along this line consider the 9600GT as a far better improvement but if you just want to see things running better than the X1300X the 9500GT will do this.

Some sites says I need 350W for the 9500GT card and on another it says the card max usage is 50watt. What shall I believe?

So let's list your options then you choose the best for you:

Nvidia GeForce 8400GS

GeForce 9600GT

ATI Radeon 4350 (this one it's probably your choice, requires a 300W power suplly)

according to http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Reviews/sapphire_x1300_xt/10.html
Radeon x1300 (the one I have now and that is standard in Optiplex 745) draws between 108-135w

>>What shall I believe?
Again they are quoting two values
One for the card's maximum consumption on its own and one for the total power for a PC containing it.

The issue is back to the Optiplex which is built by Dell to a budget.  The components they put in don't need more than a 280w PSU so why make the customer pay for a better one.

I do know that there are plenty of gamers who have converted their 3 year old 745's to basic games machines using 9600's and the power consumption of the 9500 is rated fractionally lower so despite the requirement for 300w for the system the 280w Dell PSU seems to be able to cope.

The low profile x1300's draw no more that 30w - that's why they are used routinely in the machines.

Here's the HP equivalent's specs
http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/12425_na/12425_na.html

Which say 25w
                 ^-^

ATI Radeon 4350 is out. Too high power consumption according to http://www.anandtech.com/show/2630/6

ATI Radeon 9600GT is not available in swedish stores.

Geforce 8400GS seems too close to what I have already

Agree with the 4350 needing too much juice.

You found a 9500 though?
Although it's not ideal it will behave better than the X1300.

I guess given your constraints it's that or stay with what you have.

I read about the motherboard I have in the Optiplex 745. It says I have 25w maximum on the pci-express. Can any explain that? How can I run the Ati x1300 then with that limitation? I'm confused

I think will be very hard find a card that requires no more than 25w and it's better than yours. Maybe it's time for you to buy a new PC, and this time fatter than Optilex (laugh)

found card myself.