HP Certified HP Slimline Desktop 290-p0027c onboard graphics/HDMI not working - rant and... options?

[aminamanite]

Hello HP Community,

After 15 years of avoiding all HP products due to the terrible quality, I succumbed to my wife wanting an HP Desktop. So I bought an HP certified refurbished desktop from Microcenter: HP Slimeline Desktop 290-p0027c, for around $400, with a 90 day warranty. Here was a chance for HP to redeem itself. 🙂

I upgraded the 2x8GB slots with 2 8GB DDR4 for $200, because this desktop is a media center and will be connected via HDMI to our 55" LG TV.  So I now have a $600 HP desktop connected to my TV via HDMI.

Everything worked great for 9 months. Then one day, the image on TV flickers and goes black. Turns out the HDMI port "crapped" out. The onboard graphics still outputs to the VGA port, great, but I bought this computer specifically for it's HMDI.

So, ok, HP is still selling crap quality products. Fine, nothing new. Definitely never buying HP ever again, lol, but now I have a $600 computer with no HDMI video output. 

So, I start looking for a compatible graphics card. First I try looking up the model number: Slimline 290-p0027c. Apparently doesn't exist! Fine, the terrible service continues.

but I found:

and

but no hardware specs. I'm not sure what's going on.

Fine forget the crappy HP website resource. I look at the motherboard itself, and see it has a single PCIex16 slot.

A PCIe 1.0 x16 slot!? WHAT THE H--L!?

PCIe 1.0 x16 slot is from 2003!

What is a PCIe 1.0 slot doing on an supposedly modern desktop motherboard from HP!? I was expecting a PCIe 3.0.

I truly hope I'm wrong about this. Please tell me I'm wrong about this PCIe slot being 1.0. Please!

Yes I know graphics card are backward compatible, but I'm paying for reduced speeds!

So now to my question: Assuming my PCIe 1.0 x 16 slot, what is my best graphics card options in term of price?

Is this a good option?: https://www.amazon.com/ZOTAC-GeForce-Express-Graphics-ZT-71115-20L/dp/B00R5UW038/

Is there a cheaper better option?

Thanks,

Amin

[Echo_Lake]

@aminamanite

I have brought your issue to the attention of an appropriate team within HP. They will likely request information from you in order to look up your case details or product serial number. Please look for a private message from an identified HP contact. Additionally, keep in mind not to publicly post personal information (serial numbers and case details). 

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