If you buy a manufactured computer like dell, hp, gateway ect... theres like a 99.9% chance your stuck with it. maybe a bios upgrade will be available but thats not really gonna do anything
With all that said, most dell systems at least use a standard ATX or mATX (or BTX if it's pretty new) form factor so it is possible to upgrade to a standard motherboard, with a few things kept in mind. One thing is that on many dell systems, they used a proprietary pinout on the power supply (psu) that will plug into a regular production motherboard but will fry it along with the psu when it's powered up. So it's a good idea to plan on replacing the psu with a new industry standard psu if you are changing the dell mobo out with a regular production mobo. Another problem that you will run into when changing out an OEM mobo (of any of the major computer manufacturers, not just dell) for an industry standard mobo is that the connectors for the front panel lights and switches will most probably be proprietary in design for the particular mobo that's in the case and will have to be modded to be used with the new mobo. This can be done (I've done it several times myself), but it can be a real PITA. Finally, dell usually uses a cooling scheme that is unique to each particular model and chassis, so be prepared to have to go a whole different route to cool the processor when changing to an industry standard mobo.
So in a nutshell Be prepared to buy a new mobo ($75-150) , Power Supply ($50-100) CPU ($75-400) and probably a new case also ($35-100).
Lets also thrown in a New Video Card ($100-300), Memory ($100-300), and a new faster larger Hard Drive ($75-200) And Viola you have a new Much Faster Computer!
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Next time build your own computer - It's not hard.
Lets also thrown in a New Video Card ($100-300), Memory ($100-300), and a new faster larger Hard Drive ($75-200) And Viola you have a new Much Faster Computer!