XPS 8900, looking to get a new motherboard

Re: Ideally, I want to have something that I don't have to worry about being locked out of future CPUs for at least a while and can handle at least a reasonably beefy CPU, Intel line preferred. 

The lastest 700 chipset mobo with LGA 1700 socket for Intel 14th gen cpu will likely be outdated in a few years and Intel will come up with a new socket for newer cpu, which means the LGA1700 socket would be locked out.  that is life of tech now.

looking back, Intel has been doing this all along from LGA 1155 to 1150 to 1151 then to LGA 1200.

worse still, Intel often updates chipset within same socket which locks out older motherboard from newer cpu.  example is Intel 100/200 chipset with LGA 1151 socket locking out 8/9th gen cpu even though socket is the same.

In that regard AMD socket is more forgiving to keep using same socket for a line of beefy cpus.  If you choose the latest AMD socket, it will outlast intel LGA1700 in terms of cpu compatibility.

reference:

LGA 1851  is an upcoming Intel socket for Arrow Lake-S and Arrow Lake-S Refresh desktop processors, estimated to release in 2024.

The number of contacts has increased, from 1700 (for LGA 1700) to 1851 contacts.

LGA 1700: Release date November 4, 2021

LGA 1200: Release date May 27, 2020

@BlazeTemplar 

If you are looking to stuff it into the 8900, no go (usually). Dell's cases are not standard ATX ready... so you'd probably be restricted to only 8900 motherboards that might be on E-Bay or some other place. Doubt you'd find any that have the TPM to allow W11 to 'normally' install.

If you want to do something else, buy a case and motherboard you want/like, and then scavenge/salvage and h/w you can out of the 8900... drives and video card should work, probably/possibly not the RAM though.

Alternatively, buy a new PC. If you expect to keep what you buy, and occasionally swap out motherboards, then shop wisely for PC that can handle the swap.

Re: Dell XPS 8900, but its CPU is running on Skylake, which at this point is ancient and can't handle upgrading to windows 11. However, the motherboard is Skylake locked according to the research I did, so it means I need a new motherboard. I'd like to get something with enough oomph to last for a long while and fits in the case.

8900 is a good case for standard microATX motherboard.  if you want a good upgrade yet do not need to have the latest and best consider LGA1200 socket intel 400 series mobo for 10th gen cpu which is a good leap from your current 6th gen cpu in 8900 on a 100 series mobo.

this video shows 8900 tear down.  the front IO has a top usb2.0+audio module and a front USB3.0 module.  both modules have standard connectors compatible with most non-Dell microATX board.

psu is standard ATX too.

@redxps630​ 

I wasn't aware of Intel doing that. That's a bit scummy lol. Fair. AMD looks a lot more appealing now. 

@ispalten Oof, So, I might have to just get a full new case too? That's fair. 

So I guess I could get the components from my 8900 and build up from there. Bit rough but you do what you have to. 

Ram should be okay, it's a 16 gb rig thankfully but it's getting on the lower end for capacity nowadays from what I can tell.I was sort of hoping to keep the frame, but I guess I should start hunting. 

So, an ATX ready case, AMD chip? Any suggestions on the chip? 

@redxps630 

I'll admit I'm not the most familiar with motherboards, but from what the other suggestions were, it didn't sound like the microboards could handle the win11 upgrade and future proofing? I'm happy to be corrected if possible though. 

microATX mobo is fine.  micro is just the size of board.  Dell has microATX board in XPS 8930 and Aurora R7/8 which are c/w Win 11 because those boards have Z370 chipset for Intel 8/9th gen cpu

you need at least 300 series intel board to meet official Win 11 requirement but I am running Win 11 on Intel 4th-6th gen all the time no problem.

@BlazeTemplar​ 

I was going by my past experiences.... many years ago... Dell cases have 'studs' in different places than the ATX boards and the PCI bus spacing if different... so you can't really use the case. It could be different now as @redxps630 says the 8900 is standard ATX.

Still, even if you can swap out a motherboard for another, there might be other reasons for problems, like the PSU and connectors?

RAM size is not the issue, compatibility and speed with a new processor is.

I'm not sure you'll ever be able to keep up with the 'latest'. Although, building it yourself is better than trying to shoehorn everything in, and then a year to two later changing or some parts.

This is 8900 motherboard diagram

https://www.dell.com/support/manuals/en-us/xps-8900-desktop/xps-8900-desktop/system-board-components?guid=guid-388a3877-1e4f-4e7e-b491-27fd22165f13&lang=en-us

when you replace the board with standard micro ATX board, you will connect case power switch and FIO connectors #9, 13, 14, 15 to new board. you can connect case back fan connector #1 to new board. 

@redxps630​ 

That makes sense, Glad to know that I can still use a micro board. So, do you have a model number of a micro board I should look at or should I do some hunting? Appreciate the help! Sorry, got hit by a nasty blizzard and got sick. Still a bit Ill, but wanted to reply. 

I'll admit, I'm not terribly up to date on Modern Micro ATX boards. So I wouldn't complain over getting a few suggestions.

@redxps630​ That's.. Fair. I'll have to do my research again then. Thanks! Both of you and @ispsaiten have helped sort this. 

I've already modified my tower a fair bit with like a stronger PSU and GPU, and a few other bits, but if it'd be cheaper to upgrade via a prebuilt, I can see using my tower in the front room or something and just move the GPU and PSU to the new desktop. 

in a short discussion, if you want a better future proof, upgrade cpu to at least intel 10th gen or better 12th gen.  you do not have to leap to 13/14th gen.   next question is whether you want i5 or i7 or even i9.  price goes up as cpu spec goes up but for some people, i5-10400 is good enough. 

i9 cpu has many many cores that you may not need.

then the next question is do you want ddr4 or ddr5.  the newwer ddr5 is a faster.  ddr5 is almost certainly helpful for 12-14th gen cpu.  10-11gen cpu does not support ddr5.

of all the componet upgrade, cpu is probably the most expensive since you alreayd have upgraded gpu. 

i7-10700 is around 150-160.  i7-12700 is 210-250.

a new microATX board can be found at around 100 if you do not have to have Z chipset (the premium chipset in Intel consumer series).  since you do not game heavily, you would not need the lastest very expensive gpu at this point