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How does Dell's OptiPlex Desktop cater to the specific needs of businesses in terms of performance and reliability?
What security features are incorporated into OptiPlex Desktops?
Can OptiPlex Desktops support remote management and IT administration tools?
So ive never bought anything used when it comes to electronics. However, i'm back in college for networking and cyber security. (better late than never.) I started piecing together parts to build a PC, and scratched the idea, as I wasn't confident enough, and new desktops are too much for me right now.
Found this on ebay. Dell OptiPlex 7060 MT Desktop i7-8700 3.20GHz 6-Core 16GB RAM 256GB SSD WIN11P for about $240
Wondering what the general consensus is? Going to use dual monitors on this. Id be using it for school work. Id like to use a VM for linux, some light to medium multitasking, youtube, netflix, etc. Would this be enough? how do these hold up over time? Any info is appreciated!
Thanks everyone!
Starting my first home lab, what do y'all think?
I live in a boom bust corporate city that should have lots of optiplex supply. I see quite a few on FB and Kijiji (Canadian) in Calgary Alberta.
What are the GPU capable form factor holy grail machines I should be looking for?
I'm looking for a machine that I can add a decent GPU to. Latest CPUs. PSU upgrade if required.
Machine would be used for general browsing and older title gaming on higher settings, medium to low for newer titles.
I don't care about size so I'm assuming bigger I better.
What optiplex models should I be shooting for?
A lot of people post about using a used Dell Optiplex as a Plex server, so I have consolidated some of my previous responses here for future reference.
What is an Optiplex
Optiplex is a line of business desktops made by Dell. They are mass produced for business and enterprise customers which means they are pretty reliable and can also be found cheap used because companies tend to retire them after 3 to 5 years. Buying a used Optiplex is often cheaper than a NUC or other mini-PCs.
Form Factor (physical size)
They have several different physical form factors: Micro, SFF, and MT (mini-tower / desktop). The smaller ones are easier to conceal in an entertainment center or hide in a closet, but the larger ones offer more expandability (PCI slots and internal drive capacity). The choice of size is personal preference, I personally like the SFF and MT because they are bigger and can accommodate a pci card if I want to add a GPU or 10gb nic or something in the future. But a lot of people like the Micros because they are tiny and you can stick them in your entertainment center/TV stand and no one will notice.
Micro (smallest)
example ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/225784090935 (archived version)
specs: https://dl.dell.com/topicspdf/optiplex-7060-desktop_specifications3_en-us.pdf
service manual: https://dl.dell.com/topicspdf/optiplex-7060-desktop_service-manual3_en-us.pdf
SFF (small form factor, second smallest)
example ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/295929261178 (archived version)
specs: https://dl.dell.com/topicspdf/optiplex-7060-desktop_specifications2_en-us.pdf
service manual: https://dl.dell.com/topicspdf/optiplex-7060-desktop_service-manual2_en-us.pdf
MT (mini-tower, largest)
example ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/155389653743 (archived version)
specs: https://dl.dell.com/topicspdf/optiplex-7060-desktop_specifications_en-us.pdf
service manual: https://dl.dell.com/topicspdf/optiplex-7060-desktop_service-manual_en-us.pdf
Disclaimer: eBay links are just examples, I did not research those specific sellers and can't vouch for them.
CPU Models
Intel Core 7th gen or later is preferable because 7th gen is when Intel's QSV (quick sync video) got a lot better and added 10 bit HEVC transcoding, which pretty much eliminates the need for a separate GPU even for 4K.
There is also a pretty good bump in both total performance and single threaded performance with the 8th gen specifically. The i5-8500 is now a 6 core CPU, and it's single threaded performance even outranks older i7 CPUs.
So the 7th gen is the minimum you need to get the bump in QSV codec support, but 8th gen gives you a nice performance increase for not much more money.
| CPU | PassMark total | PassMark Single Thread | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| i7-4790 | 7239 | 2230 | |
| i7-6700 | 8086 | 2298 | |
| i5-6500 | 5643 | 2115 | |
| i5-7500 | 6027 | 2268 | |
| i5-8500 | 9603 | 2475 | now a 6 core |
(edit: adding more info)
Expansion
Expansion options are limited, especially in the Micro and SFF versions. There is generally only room for 1 harddrive and 2 slots of memory. Some generations of SFF can support one 3.5 inch and one 2.5 inch drive. Double check the users manual before purchasing. These machines are generally meant to be the server only, and not house all your storage. Similar to how many people use the Intel NUC or other micro/mini PCs. You will need to find another option for storage if you need multiple drives.
Common Storage Options
Attach an external harddrive via the USB port. The Western Digital Easystore line is very popular.
Buy a DAS (direct attached storage) that connects to the Optiplex via USB. A DAS is essentially a drive enclosure that can accommodate multiple harddrives. They may or may not have RAID depending on the version you get. One of the advantages to a DAS over a regular external harddrive is the DAS has multiple drive bays so you can add more drives as you go. It is also usually more compact and tidy than having a ton of external drives, and you just have a single USB cable going from the enclosure to your PC. I personally use the Terramaster D4-300 which I have been pleased with. The downside to a DAS is that it is attached directly to your computer (as the name implies) and you can’t directly access it from other computers. This is fine if all you want to do is store Plex media on it. But if you want to also use it as a file share for your other computers, then you might want to look into a NAS.
Buy a NAS (network attached storage). A NAS is like a DAS, but it attaches to your network (via ethernet or wifi, try to do ethernet if possible) instead of your PC. This means multiple computers can access it. It also means that it doesn’t need to be in the same room as your Optiplex. For example, you could have the Optiplex in your TV room and the NAS in your basement plugged into your internet router. QNAP and Synology are two common NAS vendors.
Build your own storage server. This is a huge rabbit hole to go down but can be cheaper and more powerful than buying an off the shelf NAS. There are storage operating systems dedicated to this, such as TrueNAS and Unraid. My “easy plug-and-play” recommendation is to buy a big external harddrive for your Plex storage, and then eventually buy a NAS to backup your storage to. This works fine for most beginners.