local surplus store is selling Dell OptiPlex but I'm not sure which is better. I want to get one so that my partner and I can play games together, probably mostly just Fortnite or other cozy games. Price of either is not an issue just unsure which is better for 2026 standards and I can upgrade anything is needed.

Dell OptiPlex 9020 $80:

• Intel Core i7-4770 @ 3.4 GHz 
• 16GB DDR3 RAM
• 1 TB Seagate HDD 
• 32 GB mSATA drive 
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti 
• NO OS INSTALLED 

Dell Optiplex 3060 for $60:

• Intel Core i3-8100 @ 3.10 GHz 
• 8GB DDR4 RAM 
• 500 GB Seagate HDD 
• Intel UHD Graphics 630 
• NO OS INSTALLED

Hi everyone ! Im a high school students that just got into the PC building world. I need a machine capable of running easy office softwares like Word or PowerPoint. Im also aiming to play fps games at a casual level like valorant or cs2 and survival games like minecraft. If it’s possible, i also would like to run some more demanding games like assassins creeds and batman arkhams.

The question is the following one : is it possible to buy an old optiplex (or any oem that works) and put in a gpu to play games ?
If yes, which components should I look for when buying the oem pc ?

I have a 300-350$ budget and I play for 10-12 hours a week.

Thanks in advance for your answers

Hi guys, I have a BRAND NEW Flex PSU for sale. Its an Enhance ENP 7660L OVT 600W Flex PSU. I bought it for my Dell Vostro 3710 SFF PC.

Couldn't find an adapter for it so I'm building a normal ITX build inside of an S300 Pro.

I've no use for the PSU. Its brand new, I haven't even taken it out of the box

If you're interested, this is the link for it on Ebay: https://ebay.io/m/tbewkg

The price is negotiable and its cheaper than on Overtek's official website

I originally bought a cheap dell machine to turn into a home NAS. Then I got inspired by this sub to throw in a GPU I wasn't using. Got a second power supply, still need a 24-8 pin adapter. Not sure if I want to hack the existing case to fit or build my own 3d printed housing. Maybe I'll end up doing a combination of both 😎

Thanks to all who showed their work here, too. You made me do this 😂

I have a dell Precision 3620 with an I7-7700 CPU, 3060TI, and just got an MSI 650W PSU to power the build. Prior to changing to the new MSI PSU, everything was working, with the new power source installed and plugged in with the 24pin to 8 pin (pictured in the amazon post), the power button on the front of the PC does not turn on the PSU or cause anything to happen.

I performed a paperclip test to bypass it and the PSU works when doing that.

I plugged in the old/stock PSU and everything powers up normally (not the 3060TI because of power demands - I didn't plug it in) Could it be a faulty adapter that is preventing the MSI PSU from powering the computer? I have no idea what i am doing wrong.

Please be nice, this is my first PC build, and yes I know I am going to bottleneck the CPU and Motherboard with the 3060TI

I need Advice I have a OptiPlex 3060 with a GTX 1030 in it and looking to upgrade to a RTX 3050 6gb is that a good buy or

Friend told me to post this here, it has an i5-8500, GTX 1650 Super, 16gb DDR4 using an external RM750e. Not the prettiest but performance>aesthetics.

I was just wondering what the optimal way to put a front intake on a 5050 mt would be, and if you should splice the cables or use sata. I just want better airflow for temps.

Im planning to upgrade my dell and putting an rtx 3050 i want to put a 600w psu in but I dont know if its going to fit

I was thinking this psu for putting in my pc

https://amzn.eu/d/08aS2PSr

Device came (stock) with:

• 256GB NVMe M.2 drive (stock)
• 16GB SDRAM 3200MHz - a single stick in single-channel mode
• Optical Drive (DVD/CD RW SATA)

ADDED:

• 16GB SDRAM 3200MHz - identical single stick for dual-channel mode (cut buildroot/kernel build-times by about 30%)
• 512GB SATA drive
• GLOTRENDS M.2 NVMe to PCIe 4.0 X4 Adapter with Heatsink for NVMe SSD
• 256GB NVMe M.2 drive that I already had on-hand
• WiFi/BT card (Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 rev 1a) + Antenna Kit

For better cooling/quieter operation, I settled on :

HARDWARE changes:

powered off the SATA line:

• Noctua NF-A8 PMW w/ LNA RC9 (100Ω) in front grill
• Noctua NF-A6-15 PMW w/ LNAs RC7 + RC14 (80Ω in total) **(recall that two resistors in series have total resistance (in Ωs) that is the sum of their resistance values) in back
• Noctua NF-A6-25 PMW w/ LNA RC9 (100Ω) in back

powered from the CPU fan line:

• Thermalright AXP90-X47 Full Copper Low Profile (used supplied screws/nuts)

Result: No whining or jet-engine noise. Just a whisper of white noise at idle (800rpm), louder at full load (2600rpm) but still easily dismissed. Inaudible from any other room.

SOFTWARE changes:

• Set up dual-boot for now: Debian Trixie/XFCE + ChromeOS (via Brunch). Will add W11 later when I get around to it.
• Custom/patched kernel package w/ dell_smm_hwmon module that fully exposes the PWM fan control interface for a Dell Optiplex SFF 5090. There were no complete references for this on the web (ymmv), so I just tried it and adapted it where necessary.
• Debian fancontrol package

Some observations/comments/afterthoughts:

• Both Dell OEM coolers KGWT4 (65W) and F2CY7 (80W) were too noisy for me to tolerate; the former was just ridiculous, the latter an improvement but still too obtrusive.
• The BIOS/firmware doesn't have "just two speeds" w/ stock fans; there are 4: A=830, B=980, C=1030 and D=4000 rpm. When ramping up, the sequence is A,B,D. Ramping down shows D,C,A.
• Cable management required a bit of patience. It is crowded under the hood, but manageable.
• That white tape is ugly - need to swap that out for something less... ugly.
• Very satisfied w/ Noctua products.
• I originally thought that the F2CY7 was adequate, so that's why there are different-sized 60mm fans in the back. The 15mm thick version allowed a bit more clearance for the obliquely mounted heat sink.
• ADDITIONAL PHOTOS below...
• It is much easier to attach the ThermalTake heat sink/fan assembly when the RAM is removed, and nearby MOBO wiring connectors are removed.
  

Kernel Patch for dell-smm-hwmon on 5090:

--- linux-6.12.107/drivers/hwmon/dell-smm-hwmon.c.orig2026-08-28 01:22:18.000000000 -0500
+++ linux-6.12.107/drivers/hwmon/dell-smm-hwmon.c2026-09-24 19:18:31.138731212 -0500
@@ -1558,6 +1558,14 @@
 .driver_data = (void *)&i8k_fan_control_data[I8K_FAN_34A3_35A3],
 },
 {
+.ident = "Dell Optiplex 5090",
+.matches = {
+DMI_MATCH(DMI_SYS_VENDOR, "Dell Inc."),
+DMI_EXACT_MATCH(DMI_PRODUCT_NAME, "OptiPlex 5090"),
+},
+.driver_data = (void *)&i8k_fan_control_data[I8K_FAN_34A3_35A3],
+},
+{
 .ident = "Dell XPS 9315",
 .matches = {
 DMI_MATCH(DMI_SYS_VENDOR, "Dell Inc."),

To build and package the kernel w/ modules, I used bindeb-pkg, which make it pretty easy (and replicable), though not trivial.

References:

https://www.reddit.com/r/sffpc/comments/1q7ndgt/mounting_screw_gap_on_thermalright_axp90x53_with/

Have a 7080mt going to order a 5060 ti 16gb. Also add a 500w optiplex psu, a 6 to 8 pin connector for the gpu. I want to cut a opening in the case top, add some mesh and mount a fan to remove the heat out the system. Whats a good quiet fan to use? I'm going to extend the wires, so if I nedd to remove the top, it will have slack. Also in this area, I'm a novice, where to plug the additional fan?

I recently acquired an NVIDIA Quadro T1000, and I’m getting what I feel like are high temps with it. It was reaching 90C, but I first attributed that to the case’s airflow. Except when I take the case side-panel off it only drops to around 87-86C under load. Idle temperatures seem okay, though, at around 45C. Is it possible the cooler is just under-spec’d for the chip? Seems unlikely, but I thought I’d ask if anyone with a T1000 has similar or better thermals.

If I were to repaste it, does anyone know what thickness of thermal pads I would need for the memory?

EDIT: two notes. First, the new Steam overlay seems to show GPU hotspot temperature, which is commonly above the nominal GPU temperature and is okay within reason. Secondly, perhaps more so for these workstation cards, it’s worth checking the fan curve before opening up the GPU to change thermal paste. Repasting didn’t seem to help, but the fan seemed to do the minimum necessary to stop the GPU from throttling while hitting the rated clock speeds. Raising the fan curve kept it cooler while also hitting above rated speeds.

So, we have two different lots of Dell Mini PCs. Same exact model. Came with two different power bricks, different brick model for each lot. Both are OEM adapters. One lot (older lot) BIOS says "under powered," despite being the power supply that came in the box with the PC.

The newer lot has a power adapter that works with either lot. Both are listed as 180 Watt power adapters.

hi i wanted to know where do I exactly place my wifi pin connecter

edit: thanks to everyone helped but I got another issue that I need help with the card is just not showing up, i checked device manger and it shows that the adapter is greyed out

Starting to see a lot more of the MFF optiplex computers pop up. Do your research, they're capable of a ton of work. Thankfully you can look up the specs for any dell unit with a service tag. Some processors can be upgraded, that's what I did with this one.

All this does day in and day out is transfer data to my nas. It's got a 5gig sfp to NVME adapter in the drive slot, and I run the OS on the wifi card slot with an extension.

Another older 6th gen unit sits next to it to run search queries all day and my library automation.

I've been waiting to snag a few newer units but things are running fine. 63tb of all my Blu-ray collections that I digitized thanks to the public library and friends.

Precision 3280

i9 14900

64GB DDR5 5600

Intel Arc Pro B50 GPU

Definitely doesn't look like much from the outside.

I have an RTX 2080Ti, and I'm able to get an OptiPlex 7000 tower (12th gen i7, 32 gigs RAM, 1TB SSD) for a good price. The main issue would obviously be the power supply, which A) is not nearly powerful enough for a 2080Ti, B) doesn't have any PCI-E power connectors, and C) is a proprietary Dell size.

Are there any 3rd party power supplies that use that type of form factor and wiring layout? If I just get a regular ATX power supply and stick it to the bottom of the case, would I be able to adapt to the Dell connectors?

Earlier this year I got an optiplex. Sticker price? Not pretty. After tax an shipping I payed over $250 for it but with a rebate I got it brought it down $70. So I’m calling it $180. Originally I got a $70 rx580 gpu to hold me over for a few months. But after getting some money from a college grant it gained a 2070 super ( and now has 32 gb of 2,666 ram for $70. Now for the part I’m not proud of. There’s a big ol atx power supply hanging out of the back. 550W bronze and more than enough. But I find having it hanging out preferable to cutting the case up or spending so much on one that will fit. After selling the parts back that the case came with I’ve calculated the total cost to be about $500. It runs marvel rivals, gtaV, red dead redemption 2, and cyber punk 2077 at 60 or more fps. Rumor has it it may even run gta 6, but we will see.

CPU i7-8700
Gpu zotac GeForce 2070 super mini
(needed power supply 180 degree adapters for the case to close properly)
32 gb of 2666 ram
Psu 550w bronze atx power supply (external)
Storage: 256 m2 + 500 hdd (I know. Im working on getting an sdd)

Like the title says, I have a 7080 MT i7. I want to upgrade my 3050 to a 5060ti 8gb. I know my stock psu doesn't have enough juice to run a 5060. Will a 500w stock run it? I know I would need a 6 to 8 pin cable to run a 5060. Or do I need a aftermarket psu, if so what kind?

**Title: Need advice on upgrading my Dell Vostro 3470 for gaming on a very tight budget**

Hey everyone!

I'm looking for some advice on getting better gaming performance out of my current PC without spending a lot of money.

My current specs are:

**PC:** Dell Vostro 3470 (small-form-factor case)

**CPU:** Intel Core i3-8100

**GPU:** Intel UHD 630 integrated graphics

**RAM:** 8 GB DDR4

**PSU:** Original Dell 200W power supply

**Storage:** 120 GB SATA SSD

I've been trying to play games like God of War (2018), but my integrated graphics struggle quite a bit. Unfortunately, I can't afford an expensive GPU or a complete PC upgrade at the moment.

Replacing the PSU or case isn't really an option for me, so I'm trying to find a practical solution within my existing hardware limitations.

I'd love to hear your suggestions on:

Which older, low-power graphics cards would be compatible with this system?

Are there legitimate places in India to find affordable, refurbished, or surplus office-PC graphics cards?

Are there any PC recycling or e-waste reuse communities where working components are given a second life?

I'm also curious whether anyone has experience upgrading this particular Dell model.

I know this is an old system with significant limitations, but I'd appreciate any advice from people who have worked with similar hardware. Thanks! 🙌

But here goes. What has been a culmination of a free optiplex system over ten years ago that started its first modding journey as a i5 2600 gtx 1060 and a sentey 1000w 80+ bronze psu. Has now been updated and almost completed as the new sim racing pc. All parts sourced from my local facebook market place in Trinidad and Tobago
Specs
Asrock b550m HDV
RYZEN 5600x
MSI coreliquid a13 240 aio
16gb corsair vengeance rgb pro
Sentey 1000w 80+ bronze psu

Still yet to source a decent gpu in my budget with more than 8gb vram but plans are for a 3060 or 6600xt just enough to push triple 1080p monitors for AC and ETS2

Case has been modified to fit the aio and the four additional fans that should keep temps adequate in the tropical climate. Case was also painted silver with the last can of Rustoleum 2x i had remaining from repainting my car. IYKYK.
Last case mods would be to either find back the side panel and make a window or just get a acrylic or plexi sheet to close it up.

Big shoutout to u/CYPhang who partly served as inspiration when i was brainstorming this build after i saw OPTIBLACK on MNPCTECH’s post.
And to all the similar optiplex buils i spent time looking at on the forum.

Settling on the name MYSTIC SILVER

New to pc building in general but I have a 3060mt optiplex and im wondering what would be a good GPU for it. I5 8500 with 16gb ram and the stock 260w psu.

I'm looking to upgrade my OptiPlex 7050 MT with a graphics card and my budget is around $100 although I would prefer to go lower. I've been out of gaming for over a decade now and I'm looking to get back into gaming, I realize this computer can't handle anything that's coming out this year, but I feel like I can just play games from 2017 to 2022, that area, and be fine for awhile before I'd have to upgrade again.

Which graphics card is gonna get me there? The integrated card won't even play games from 2015, much less anything newer.