---
title: "HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower — RTX 3060 Gaming Upgrade"
aliases: [elitedesk-rtx3060, hp-elitedesk-gaming, g3-tower-upgrade]
tags: [homelab, hp-elitedesk, gaming, rtx3060, nvme, psu-upgrade, budget-gaming]
sources: ["raw/HP EliteDesk 800 G3 RTX 3060, NVMe 1TB, HP 500W PSU, gaming upgrade.md"]
created: 2026-04-30
updated: 2026-04-30
---

# HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower — RTX 3060 Gaming Upgrade

Full gaming upgrade of the HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower form factor, covering PSU swap, RAM/NVMe install, and Asus Dual mini RTX 3060 fitment.

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## Upgrade Specs

| Component | Part |
|-----------|------|
| CPU | Intel Core i5-6500 (stock) |
| RAM | Kingston HyperX 16 GB (2× 8 GB DDR4) |
| SSD | Crucial P3 Plus 1 TB, NVMe PCIe Gen 4 x4 |
| GPU | Asus Dual mini RTX 3060 12 GB |
| PSU | Original HP PA-5501-2HA 500W (proprietary replacement) |

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## Why Upgrade the PSU First

- Stock EliteDesk 800 G3 ships with a ~200 W proprietary PSU — insufficient for a discrete GPU
- HP 500W replacement (PA-5501-2HA) uses the **same proprietary connector**, making it a drop-in swap with no adapters
- Tower form factor has space for a standard ATX alternative, but proprietary HP unit is safest and avoids pinout risks

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## Step-by-Step Summary

1. **Inspect interior** — note proprietary PSU connector; identify PCIe x16 slot position
2. **Swap PSU** — slide out stock unit, slide in HP 500W; same connector fits directly
3. **Install RAM** — seat Kingston HyperX 16 GB in dual-channel slots (both sticks)
4. **Install NVMe SSD** — Crucial P3 Plus 1 TB into M.2 slot; no bracket issues on G3 Tower
5. **Add front intake fan** — improves airflow for GPU thermals; stock case has mount point
6. **Install Asus Dual mini RTX 3060** — mini/dual-slot card fits cleanly; no riser needed; PCIe power connected from new PSU
7. **Power on & validate** — GPU detected in BIOS/OS
8. **Stress test** — FurMark GPU burn-in, then gaming benchmarks

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## Benchmark Results

| Test | Result |
|------|--------|
| FurMark GPU stress | Passed (stable thermals) |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | Playable — RTX 3060 handles it well |
| Resident Evil 4 Remake | Playable at good settings |

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## Key Considerations

- **Tower vs SFF** — Tower G3 has a standard PCIe x16 slot with adequate clearance; the SFF variant requires a low-profile GPU (see [[wiki/homelab/hp-elitedesk-800g3-teardown-upgrade|HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF Teardown & Upgrade]])
- **i5-6500 bottleneck** — 6th-gen CPU will bottleneck the RTX 3060 in CPU-heavy titles; acceptable for casual/mid-tier gaming
- **Proprietary PSU** — always source the HP OEM replacement; 3rd-party ATX adapters exist but add risk
- **NVMe Gen 4 in Gen 3 slot** — Crucial P3 Plus is Gen 4 but backwards-compatible; will run at Gen 3 speeds on this platform — still fast enough

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## Key Takeaways

- The HP 500W PA-5501-2HA is a true drop-in replacement for the stock G3 Tower PSU — no adapter needed
- Asus Dual mini RTX 3060 12 GB fits the G3 Tower without modification
- Adding a front intake fan before the GPU install noticeably improves thermal headroom
- i5-6500 + RTX 3060 + 16 GB RAM + 1 TB NVMe is a capable budget gaming PC for under $300 total investment (used unit + parts)
- NVMe Gen 4 cards work fine in Gen 3 slots at reduced (still excellent) speeds
- Tower form factor is far more upgrade-friendly than SFF for gaming builds

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## Related Articles

- [[wiki/homelab/hp-elitedesk-800g3-teardown-upgrade|HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF — Teardown, Upgrade & Benchmarks]]
- [[wiki/homelab/hp-elitedesk-800g3-proxmox|HP Elitedesk 800 G3 — Proxmox Setup Log]]
- [[wiki/homelab/homelab-from-scratch-budget-build|Homelab From Scratch — Budget-First Design]]

---

## Sources

- Video: ITG Gear — "HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower gaming upgrade" (YouTube, 2024-06-28)
- Raw file: `raw/HP EliteDesk 800 G3 RTX 3060, NVMe 1TB, HP 500W PSU, gaming upgrade.md`
