Dell OptiPlex Q&A Pt. 2: Power Supply & CPU Cooler Upgrades, NVMe m.2 SSD's & More

[@TheGameBench]

When I said the 1080 Ti consumes about 400 watts, I was talking about the total system power draw, not just the GPU itself. Speaking of GPU's, and the dumpster fire that buying one is right now... would you like to see another build video? I'm working on one right now, but I don't want to fan the those flames, since it's really tough for people to build systems right now.

[@PinkyTech]

I would do it. I still see plenty of people putting systems together. Maybe a mention of where you are picking up components?

[@TheGameBench]

@@PinkyTech Well, I think I'm going to post up a poll to see what people think, but I think I'm going to toss the 570 8GB that's with the parts and find something a little more realistic.

[@crownspirits9122]

@@TheGameBench I have a Lenovo IdeaCentre T540, it has a 310w platinum rated PSU, 1660ti, i5 9400f, 16gb DDR4 2666Mhz RAM, and a 256gb NVMe SSD. I'm wondering if I can upgrade the GPU to a mini ITX RX 5600XT, this guy here used a RTX 2060 with this same PC kzbin.info/www/bejne/Zmi2g52igrqHZ8U&pbjreload=101 ? I have an HP Pavillion with the same specs but it has a 400w PSU so I think in both cases the GPU upgrade will be fine as long as it fits.

[@TheGameBench]

​@@crownspirits9122 Watching that video, he didn't really seem to test the 2060. I'd say it will work, but it's not leaving you much headroom at 160 watts on power consumption, and I wouldn't suggest it. The 5600 XT on the other hand, might be fine. It depends on the model . Some can consume as much as the 2060, and some can be down closer to 140 watts. It just depends.

[@crownspirits9122]

I see well thanks for the input! I will try to find a lower power model 5600 XT that can fit in the PC. For now I will probably just upgrade the Pavillion that has a 400W PSU. I definitely won't do any overclocking.

[@8bit_coder]

Just wanted to say that your videos are filled with great knowledge, and your channel deserves much more recognition. Keep up the great work.

[@dennisdales7504]

Thanks for another informative video. I finished my Optiplex 9020 build last October when I bought and installed a GTX 1660 Super. I had a an old 430 watt power supply in the parts bin so I installed that to run the card. I did have to get a 24 pin to 6 pin adapter for Dell's proprietary motherboard but I haven't had any problems. Temps are just fine and I've been getting a fantastic experience gaming at 1080p at high detail settings in pretty much every game including Metro Exodus and Assassin's Creed: Odyssey. All in the system cost $560 CDN including the video card (this was of course before the price of cards went through the roof). I found doing this project to be a very satisfying and rewarding experience. Your help has been invaluable. Thanks! Keep on with the vids!

[@GamesAnime24736five]

i just want to thank you man ..... i am researching for my first ever GAMING pc and buget is about 200$ .... and it seemed that these opties are good way to go...........and then finding a youtuber who is dedicated to this cause ......i have watched all of your opti related videos and they gave me about every bit of information i need........ really appreciate your efforts man.

[@maxi4fun]

Great video! Your attention to detail and careful craft shows in every video you make! Keep the amazing work. You deserve that silver button asap man.

[@TheGameBench]

Thank you so much!

[@hbrianunderwood4946]

I really appreciate what you do and why you do it. Very smart, very entertaining and very informative.

[@vp-fv1eo]

Thanks man because of you i own a very fast pc, i had a intel celero n 2gb ram, now a intel i7

[@gavinendsley]

I've actually used your Optiplex videos to modify my 3020 case to use for a custom PC build. A sleeper sort of. The tutorials on getting the hard drive cage and 5.25 bay latch out really helped a lot! note: I am aware the power button connector isn't the same. I'll have to rewire it. HDD LED appears to be only 2 pins, and everything else looks standard.

[@DaRyteJuan]

I really like the pacing of your delivery. It’s still a lot of info, but you don’t talk too fast. I think the other KZbinrs drink too much RedBull.

[@PinkyTech]

You are a wealth of knowledge sir. For flipping Optiplex’s do you feel there is a cap in your area? Mine seems to be around $300.

[@TheGameBench]

Thanks! For me, it depends on the hardware. For an i5, I can move them for around $400. I haven't flipped any for a little while, so it could be higher right now considering how sparse the choices are. Most people are selling systems with outdated, underpowered cards just to move systems. With an i7, I've sold them as high as $700 with something like a 1080. Though I think that might be a tough ask, even now.

[@InterstellarCloudd]

Dude you’re such a life saver given the current parts shortage,

[@solution6690]

I just found your channel and I must say I have no clue how you don't have more subs... you are great and appreciate the help!!!

[@TheGameBench]

Thanks! I have a feeling it's because I need to upload more. Or maybe I need to use thumbnails with insane expressions and title like you won't believe....

[@solution6690]

@@TheGameBench uploading more always helps (but your content is 💯) but its all about that YT algorithm.... maybe a vid on the gpu situation and other things to upgrade in the meantime, ways to make the outside of the optiplex better looking, idk I just recently got back into gaming on pc and in process of upgrading a 9010, I've been going through all you videos enjoying them all! Keep it up!

[@stahbz1669]

Waiting for this swaptiplex mr Bench

[@Ji-oo1tt]

Firstly, I really appreciate your optiplex videos. within the last 8 months or so I took a 7020 from stock (or randomly gathered parts such as the ram) and turned it into a viable 1080p beast. I got the i7 4790 with 4x4gb ram(albeit 2 dif't types) , 2tb HDD and Win 10 pro for just over $300. I've upgraded the rear case fan to a noctua slim as well as using your modding method to place a 140 industrial noctua as an intake in the front. One of the fans (either stock cpu or rear case fan) was making a little bit of noise so i replaced the cpu cooler with a cooler master i70. Slapped a 1650oc and an EVGA 700 br and corsair vengeance 2x8 gb ram in there and called it a day. Recently I got the chance to buy an unused EVGA 3060 xc at pretty much MSRP from a bitcoin miner that I befriended in a gaming community. So i've been eyeballing my system and trying to prepare for a revamp, so as to not bottleneck. This means buying a budget (but viable) cpu, the ryzen 5 5600x or 5800x. This, in turn, means that I'd DEF need to consider a better CPU cooling system. So here's my question: do you have any experience with any low profile coolers? I just encountered information that this case would require a 92mm cooler, as the 120 mm guys wouldn't fit. But i'm still eyeballing the low profile noctua coolers. You know, the ones with conventional heat pipes and fins, but just in a horizontal config as opposed to being vertical. Any pointers?

[@mrkemblegilstrap]

hi! I'm always bummed when these chucklehead experts don't take a minute to write back to folks. even if this guy is too upercrust to be interested, I am. what did you end up doing? I just started messing with stuff like Afterburner, Kombustor, GeForce experience and Cinebench and I'm having a blast. I'm trying to learn how to make videos, too. I've got some crappy ones on my channel, I'm trying to get better. good luck to you, sir.

[@invisiblecrumb2027]

i think it would be cool to see a motherboard swap on an optiplex, it would make such a nice sleeper.

[@TheGameBench]

Ah yes... the reverse swap. I've never been interested in swapping an Opti board into another case, and so many other people have done it. This has been on my mind for quite some time though.

[@JohnPaulBuce]

love your channel bro

[@2020Tech4U]

I just need to build PC's right now just to keep sane lol Old Prebuilts are fun to mess with, over coming the manufacturers lil features when swapping cases or other components. I send ppl to this channel for details, so far you get in deep on these.

[@TheGameBench]

I hear ya'... I'm really itching to build some more systems. It's actually been awhile.

[@zellar1]

AWESOME!!! At last! Thank you for this....good info

[@TheGameBench]

You're welcome! Glad you found it useful.

[@richardedwards1979]

I bought a cheap 9020sff on ebay during lockdown for home schooling but like usual, I got the upgrade bug. Currently, it has an ssd, 32gb ram, front fan replaced with 80mm noctua, 40mm noctua exhaust fan, upgraded 315w psu from xe2, copper core heat sink and fan from xe2 and a low profile 1650 gpu in the x4 slot. Everything works fine. Temps aren't bad and I don't use it loads or work it hard but it is fairly noisy, especially since I swapped out 1050ti for 1650. I have been considering the best things I could do regarding heat and noise (and price) and what I'd like to do is move the psu out of the case, which would give more room for air in the case, stop the psu from blocking the gpu fans and I could move the gpu to the x16 slot. So my issue is getting the right extension cables for the psu. I know the pin layout is proprietary and not atx but most of the cables I find are atx or converting 24pin to 8 pin or 8 to 6 etc. I literally just want to extend the 2 cables used from the psu (8 pin and 4 pin I think). Being the xe2 psu it has an additional 6 pin but I don't use that as gpu doesn't require external power. For where the pc and psu are going to be, the psu will probably be behind the pc, don't think there will be room on top, so probably looking at 30cm extension. Can anyone please advise? To reiterate, I am not proposing switching to non Dell psu, just getting enough cable to move the psu outside the case. Thanks.

[@luchomajano5054]

Can you do a case swap for the 9020 ... or any optiplex.. since the 9020 has a 8pin power supply .

[@TheGameBench]

Yep, it's on my list of videos.

[@snowflaky8271]

Thx, this video very useful for my old pc

[@TheGameBench]

Glad I could help!

[@natehancock2423]

My computer came from eBay with a Foxconn dc brushless motor. I’m not sure if Optis use those types of fans but It doesn’t throw codes unless I stop the fan with my finger. Anyways it isn’t a stock intel cooler so maybe that’s answer to your fan question.

[@TheGameBench]

They might have. I've seen a couple of different brands of fans in these. Sunon is another one you'll find a lot of, and Foxconn is a big OEM in the pre-build space for Dell, HP, Acer... etc. I assume it has the same fan connector as in the video? If so, that's likely the case.

[@baksrich]

@TGB... i bought the 8-24 adapter. When plugged in, the CPU fan spins @ 100%...and it doesn't post. Have you ever experienced that before? Using a Precision T1700 to case swap.

[@TheGameBench]

Does the power light flash in any pattern? What if you stick the stock power supply back in. Usually the CPU fan going full blast and no post usually equals a bad motherboard. Try sticking the stock PSU back in and see what happens. Hopefully it's just a faulty adapter.

[@ntclpz]

He's back!

[@Juliano_DJOL]

Hey I found a really cheap optiplex 3080 tower that I want to upgrade for gaming, prolly add a SSD and either a 2070 super or 2080 or 2080 super. If needed I will upgrade the power supply too. Crazy there isn't really any videos or even much info online about upgrading the newer optiplexs. Is there a reason for this or something I'm missing like not being able to change the power supply or I dunno? I've just found all the older optiplexs are high $ on ebay and found newer optiplex models for less $... Plus I am hoping to play Warzone @1440p @100+ fps or better and the newer optiplexs have way better cpus, the 3080 I may get has a i5 10400 or another has a i3 10100 but all of the have a cpu around this speed. I think if you made a cheap but real good performance optiplex Warzone build video alot of people wld want to see it. I know many people in my same situation switching from console to pc that are looking at $1200-$1600 prebuilts that are ehhh crappy like 1660 super or 2060 range. I just think or hope I can build/upgrade a optiplex for around $800-$1000 and end up with a way better machine...plus the MT and tower models have tons of room and DDR4 3200 RAM! Just seems like all the optiplex videos I find are, upgrade this old optiplex from the trash, instead of, upgrade this fairly good optiplex with a real good cpu into as good or better than most prebuilts... Any info helps! Other models I've been looking at include optiplex 3080, 5050, 7050, 7080, 5040, etc I've seen them selling on ebay for just a little more or the same as like a 9020...

[@fuckmvl]

The simple reason why people love the older Optiplex’s is because the newer ones are a lot less easy to upgrade as opposed to these, also the i7 4790 in the 20 series performs the same as the i7-6700 in the 40 series. Yeah you can upgrade the newer ones and have a lot more longevity, but the hassle isn’t worth it, but hey if you really wanna do that, hey, all the respect in the world for you

[@AcidJazzercise]

What's your thoughts on the HP Z4xx (420, 440) workstations in comparison to OptiPlex's? I'm looking to build a budget rendering rig with something along the lines of a 1080 or 2060. Seems that the HP's might be able to support that with the stock PSU but not entirely sure.

[@TheGameBench]

Well, they're much different animals than the OptiPlex. More comparable to the higher end Precision workstations. They use full on Xeon 2011 chips rather the desktop 115x chips. If you wanted something more like the OptiPlex there's the Pro/EliteDesk 600/800 G1 that are direct competitors to the OptiPlex. On the plus side, they have a little more room and a better power power supply with 30 more watts. However, the screw pattern on the CPU cooler is non-standard. Then there's the Z230 workstation that still uses the desktop CPU's, has even more room, and an even better power supply. In most ways, I would say they're better than the OptiPlex. In other ways, not quite as good. Adding a front fan to either is going to be tougher being that there are a lot of drive cages in the way. But if you're enthusiastic about older hardware and you need more than four cores, I suppose the 420/440 would be the way to go, or look at the higher end Precision workstations. The T1700 is another option from Dell that competes with the Z230, but they don't always come with the better 365 watt power supply, which is still behind the power supply that comes in the Z230.

[@AcidJazzercise]

@@TheGameBench Really appreciate the response! After some more digging I'm leaning towards a T1700. Either way it looks like I'll need to upgrade the power supply since the cards I'm considering are all 8-pin.

[@TheGameBench]

There are T1700's that come with a 365 watt power supply that has a 6-pin PCIe power connection. You would need an 8-pin adapter. There aren't a lot of 8-pin cards that are going to need more than that.

[@posxd3865]

Could you get a little more in depth with installing additional front fan to Optiplex? I know that you've mentioned it in "Adding Some Airflow To A Dell OptiPlex" but, as far as I'm aware, you didn't show how to connect it to the motherboard. I know there are some major changes that needs to be done to the plug.

[@TheGameBench]

Yeah, I wasn't very clear in making that series of videos that it was a series and I covered that in the build video of that system. Anyhow, all I do is use a SATA to 4-pin fan adapter which will run the fan at full RPM. If it's too loud, I just used a fan resistor cable to slow it down. You can always use a fan controller of some kind, but connecting it to the fan headers is problematic. Most fans I've tested will throw and error on boot, or they just stop spinning after a certain amount of time, until the system is restarted. I've just found that's the easiest way to get a front fan in.

[@posxd3865]

@@TheGameBench I tried powering fan with molex but it was to laud for me, and any sort of regulated resistor didnt cut it. some of them just burned out after a while. The regulation was problematic. Isn't there an option to add auto regulated fan in there? Some sort of microcontroller that act as an inercial regulator with separate fan seed controller based on the temperature? And if not will you mind helping with desining one?

[@rockrecordreport7136]

Really like your videos and presentation style. I've been picking up Dell Optiplexs for years, but mostly by trial and error. But I had no idea of the best winners in the line, and which are more desirable. I find Craig's List the best place to find low prices. I'm not into gaming but very much graphics and video editing. I assume the same qualities are required for both types of users. I've learned a lot from your vids, thank you.

[@TheGameBench]

Thanks! I'm glad you found them helpful. And yeah, a good gaming PC can't also be a good editing PC. I'd say that one of these with an i7 4790 would probably be best suited for 1080p, without diving heavily into After Effect, or similar software. It also depends on the software. Some leverage the CPU more, and other the GPU, and some aspects with leverage one or the other.

[@Juliano_DJOL]

What do you think about the newer optiplex models like the 5040, 7040, and 5050mt vs the 9020mt? I've been looking for a 9020mt with a i7 4790 or better processor, then I started looking at newer models like the 7040 that were only $20 more than the 9020mt. Are the newer models harder to work on and upgrade? They look like the same set up to me...

[@TheGameBench]

It's funny you mention those. I just got a 7040 and a 7050 in and I've started testing with them. They definitely have their limitations compared to the xx20 series. They're smaller and have weaker power supplies. Though I'm liking the size, but I like a challenge. The difficult parts about these is you're limited on GPU size and there's only so much you can do since the case is thinner. This also means that the CPU cooler is smaller than the 9020 MT and doesn't cool as well. Then you're dealing with a TFX power supply, the same 240watt that's in the 9020 SFF, so you're pretty limited there. And replacing the power supply isn't so straight forward.

[@Juliano_DJOL]

@@TheGameBench thats what I was worried about, they looked to be about the same size but configured differently. The 9020mt are just hard to find a good deal on right now and I wld really like to get a cpu with like i7 6700 or better. Just thinking I wld rather pay another $50 to get a better processor... But the best processor I've seen in a 9020 (that hasn't been replaced) is a i7 4790 I think, ideally I'd like a i7 8700 so I cld have some room to grow as well...

[@Juliano_DJOL]

@@TheGameBench oh and it wld be a bonus to find one that runs ddr4 ram instead of the ddr3! I have found your videos really helpful tho!

[@gabord701]

Inspired by your videos I built myself a 7010 about a year ago (16GB, 1650 Super, 1TB SSD, and the PSU had to be replaced). Recently I swapped the i5 with an e3-1270 v2. Under stress the CPU temperature was 80C, so I decided to replace the cooler with a Xilence I402 tower cooler and a cheap aliexpress adapter. This cooler can be easily installed without removing the motherboard and it works with no problem. Now max temperature under stress is 73C with low fan rpm. As the Optiplex doesn't let you play with the fan speed, I think if you want even better cooling then a 120mm cooler is the way to go, provided you find one that fits into the case. Thx for the videos, keep up the good work!

[@TheGameBench]

Thanks! Glad I could help. What stress test were you running? AIDA64 Prime95 small FFT? That's pretty toasty, and quite the improvement. Nice to know it bolts right to the stock backplate on these too. And no fan error? A 120mm would be nice, but sadly... I don't know of one that will clear the side panel. You don't have a lot of room to work with. I'd really like to grab the Noctua U9S for some testing. Might be the best cooler you can fit in the stock case, but the fan will definitely throw errors.

[@gabord701]

@@TheGameBench CPU-Z stress test. The fan works fine. During gaming max temp is 67-68C.

[@timcollins9800]

I enjoy your Dell videos.But could i ask you if you can do one on Dell 580 ,There are few videos on here Can this take a ATX psu with out moding..Amd what would be the best PSU for it?If you can recommevd any.Iwould be grateful .Keep up the good work.

[@Random12347]

Could you just splice a fan to work in a optiplex and would that avoid getting a code ?

[@TheGameBench]

You "should" be able to do that. I've seen people do that to avoid the error. But I can't say it will work everything, but it's likely that it would.

[@mrgood4371]

How to use the front io port cable to new motherboard that using 'normal' front io port?

[@neukam5083]

Thanks for the OptiPlex videos. I'm interested in more 9020 SFF builds. I think I've maxed out my video card height with a EVGA GT1030 in the bottom slot... What would be the best low profile single slot card? I def couldn't fit a 1650 or 1050 or any 2 slot cards without fan/cooler modifications. I had to remove the shroud off my 1030 to fit. And would the 1650 require power upgrades?

[@TheGameBench]

The GT 1030 is the best single slot LP card on the market right now. However, you don't have to limit yourself to single slot cards. I'm not sure why they put the x16 slot next to the PSU, but the x4 slot next to the CPU is open ended and you can install a 1050 Ti or a 1650 in that slot and it will work just fine. Having only four lanes to the GPU might hold back every so slightly, but it's pretty marginal.

[@neukam5083]

@@TheGameBench Thank you very much. I knew it was upper slot was slower, but didn't know it would still be acceptable for the higher end cards. I'll be content with my 1030 until prices drop. The 1030 was the most expensive part on this free ultra low buck system. Your work is awesome and can't wait for next video.

[@visordo]

I had a 1050ti in a 9020sff on the 4x slot. It works OK, the only problem i was having is that it will stutter a lot if the HDD or SSD is working, i believe this is because the 4x slot is connected to the chipset sharing resources with the SATA, the 16x goes direct to the CPU. Depends as well what games you play, if the engine streams assets from the storage frecuently, then you will suffer a lot of stutter.

[@TheGameBench]

@@visordo Odd, I've not heard this from several people that I know who have done this. You can always grab a good riser cable and handle it that way.

[@lt_jones5418]

@TheGameBench Did the 9020 ever get Rebar firmware update?

[@TheGameBench]

Not that I can find. You can make a custom BIOS that should enable it, but you're taking a big risk with the only real upside of being able to use Intel Arc cards. I don't feel the risk is worth it to enable it on NVIDIA or AMD cards.

[@lt_jones5418]

@@TheGameBench Thanks, had a good look in the meantime couldn't find anything for the Optiplex but it's not something I'd risk myself not being practiced enough in such things :)

[@chadrankin4749]

Would kill for a detailed optiplex 9020 SFF case swap video.

[@TheGameBench]

The only problem with the SFF models is that there's not straight forward way to swap the case and adapt the front panel like mini towers. However, I've got an idea to make a baller SFF system... without the case swap.

[@coletraintechgames2932]

@@TheGameBench I picked up 3 7020sff's for a little over $100 in 2019. I love them for what they do. I did get a 250 gig ssd for them and would absolutely recommend that upgrade. I found 3 8750's for about $7 and did that upgrade. (I know those GPU's are stinky but they are better than nothing and let the cpu breath a bit) (my kids are young and only one game that they want to play is unplayable) moving forward, you reccomend looking at a gt 1030 with gddr5 for easy of low profile and no psu upgrade. I probably just overpaid for 1 of those to try it out, before overpaying for 3. I really appreciate your channel and would love a little SFF love. I am pretty sure I would try doing whatever you reccomend immediately x3. 😉

[@animeconnoisseur2904]

I’ve asked you about this before but can you do a Dell OptiPlex case transfer into a cooler master mb311L

[@TheGameBench]

Depends on the OptiPlex. The mini-tower systems I talk about on the channel are all standard micro-ATX boards and that case I a micro-ATX case. So, those will work just fine. Some small form factor boards would transfer as well, but not as cleanly since the Harbin adapter kit doesn't work with those. If you're looking at anything newer than the 3020, 7020 and 9020, I don't think those used a standard mATX screw pattern and might not transfer to a standard ATX/mATX case.

[@animeconnoisseur2904]

That would be dell optiplex 9010 MT for you, mATX motherboard

[@animeconnoisseur2904]

Oh yeah also the case I have comes with an argb controller

[@middle_pickup]

What does the cpu fan error look like? Will it interrupt the boot sequence? Does it require pressing an F-key or something to get passed? I use my dell as a headless plex box.

[@TheGameBench]

Yep, it will interrupt boot and require you to press F1 before it will continue. Are you planning on changing out the CPU cooler and you're worried you might get the F1 error?

[@middle_pickup]

@@TheGameBench I'm using the pc for handbrake video encodes too, and it's reaching mid 80's. Kind of uncomfortable with it that hot. Not sure what to do.

[@TheGameBench]

@@middle_pickup Ah! Okay, I do a lot of Handbrake encoding too, and that would be a little warmer than I'd be comfortable with too. What model OptiPlex are you using?

[@middle_pickup]

@@TheGameBench 790 with an i7-2600

[@TheGameBench]

@@middle_pickup Okay, so I assume it's a mini-tower? If so, I've found a 120mm cooler that will fit in the mini-tower case and the included fan does not throw the F1 error. Might be a bit overkill for the 2600, and it will require you to cut off the mounting tabs for the stock cooler by removing the CPU retention bracket, but it would alleviate all your problems. It's the Thermalright Silver Soul 135. There also the Silver Soul 110, which is a 92mm version that should work fine as well, but I don't have one of those to test the fan for the F1 error. Either should be listed on Amazon. Unfortunately, it's just hard to find aftermarket fans that don't upset the fan controller on these.

[@victorfigueroa9385]

To boot natively from NVME, you'll need to dump the bios and inject NVMExpressDxe into the dumped bios then reflash. Pretty much works for any AMI motherboards, dell oem boards being one of them.

[@sa0azs]

It´s indeed possible. I have done that mod on a 7010 SFF, that now boots from an NVME SSD in a PCIe adapter. It made it work extremly well for a computer of that age.

[@victorfigueroa9385]

@@sa0azs Yep, puts the machine on a completely different level.

[@iihamed711]

what GPUs are compatible with the Lenovo Thinkcentre m92p Sff?

[@-mustang-9383]

do you have any idea for building budget ITX ?

[@TheGameBench]

Ah... ITX and budget don't really go hand in hand. How much are you looking to spend?

[@-mustang-9383]

@@TheGameBench 500$ max, perhaps you do know, which combination of used/new parts that fits better. Or perhaps some modifications from Optiplex? Because reducing a bulky desktop case into a compact form, similarly like xbox series X, might be a great solution for a mobility (instead of buying a gaming laptop). Especially for a student who moves around for student dormitory to another dormitory

[@TheGameBench]

@@-mustang-9383 I guess this all hinges on if you have the GPU already or not.

[@TheTalonts]

9020 USFF - YES, it can boot from the mSATA slot. Many sites say it won't, but I hashed out the argument on one site because I have one with the mSATA as the only drive, and Windows 10 boots happily from it.

[@coletraintechgames2932]

I enjoy it. Thanks

[@TheGameBench]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@AA-db9cb]

You're a hero for kids

[@flocka1236]

I have a question so I want to use my old hard drive with windows 10 on my new pc build will windows 10 still be there?

[@TheGameBench]

Are you wanting to use it as the boot drive? You can. Windows 10 has gotten better about transferring into another PC. I don't suggest it though. I would suggest doing a clean install of Windows. If you decide to, you might need to reactivate Windows though.

[@flocka1236]

@@TheGameBench alr thx luv the content keep it up 🔥

[@burgerkingfootlettuce1880]

I want an led fan for the cpu and back of the system, any suggestions?

[@TheGameBench]

Might be hard to find an 80mm and 92mm LED fan these days. Was a lot easier back in the early 2000's since they were used a lot more than they are now. If you really want LED fans might be easier to change the cooler and use a different rear fan, but then you run into those same compatibility issues with the fan controller throwing the F1 error.

[@652T4V0]

hey! I hope this is related: I bought a optiplex 990 for cheap with a i7 2600, right now the pc have 16gb of ram in dual channel, 650w power supply and a amd rx550 (the 4gb variant with polaris architecture). the setup runs smooth and it handle all my needs, I play a lot of fh4 and insurgency so it's handling everything very well. for the future i'm planning on swapping the front panel of this dell 990 with the dell t140 front panel, adapt a cooler at the front for cold air intake, I also wanted to swap the pc case but didn't wanted to leave the "dell" theme so I searched for old xps and alienware cases but they aren't that cheap as some models are considered as colector item.

[@652T4V0]

your videos really helped me to visualize what I needed and what I could do to achieve it, the i7 2600 is good enough for gaming and light work, some people might want to change the mobo for a more capable one. other route you can go is overkill and fill all the slots, I mean, the dell mobo can handle up to 32gb and as long as you have the right power supply you can install most graphic cards that are avaliable

[@TheGameBench]

Didn't know the T140 used a similar chassis. That front panel looks pretty good, and that would be a pretty good looking Opti. Looks like the T140 could fit a 240mm rad in the front. It could make a pretty good sleeper system.

[@jameswatson9796]

I don't remember you covering my model OptiPlex 790 I have been having an issue adding memory even though everything I have read said I could run up to 32gigs of ram I haven't ever gotten the comp to except more than 8 and only on 2 slots is it possible there are damaged slots?

[@TheGameBench]

Yeah, I've only ever covered the comparative performance, but I haven't gone in depth on any of the x90 models. It should accept up to 32GB, so 8GB per slot. There could be a number of issues causing the problem. The first being that the 790 initially only supported 16GB total as 4GB per slot. You might need to update the BIOS in order to utilize 8GB per slot. Another issue to speak of is RAM compatibility. These systems can be pretty picky about RAM. Have you made sure than they all work individually in the system? If so, then that shouldn't be the issue, but it's still not out of the question. As for two of the slots not working, can you not get any RAM to be recognized in them? And are they corresponding slots, as in one matching channel? It could be bad slots, but it could also be damaged pins in the CPU socket that correspond to the memory controller on the CPU. It could also be the memory controller on the CPU have one bad channel. I would start by taking out the CPU and looking for any bent pins in the socket and damage to the pads on the bottom of the CPU. You could try running Intel's processor diagnostic tool to see if it throws any errors. Then, you can always try updating the BIOS.

[@The0nlyJuan]

Do you know how to fix this issue where my optiplex 3020 wont restart properly? After I restart it, the desktop stays on but doesn't display anything and my peripherals turn off. The only way to get around it is by holding the power button to turn it off and then turning it back on again

[@toghuja.741]

will upgrading the PSU on an OptiPlex 3080 tower damage anything, And does it need a 24 pin or a 6 pin power connector?

[@TheGameBench]

The 3080 looks to have the same 6-pin connector Dell used as of the xx40 series. That being said, I don't know if the pinout is the same. There are adapters that go from 24-pin to 6-pin, but if the pinout is different, it could damage the system and/or the power supply. If it is the same, then you can replace the power supply, but there's nothing in that form factor that's really going to be better than what you have. An SFX power supply would fit, and look kinda' jank, but you could do some cutting at the back and make it looks good if you wanted to.

[@toghuja.741]

​@@TheGameBench You're a life saver! Thanks a lot❤ The reason I'm upgrading the PSU is to also upgrade the GPU, since the the stock PSU comes at only 260 watts, its not even close to powering a GTX 1660 Super.

[@papachigly3799]

I don't know if this has been answered before, but which monitor would you recommend for a 9020 i5 4590, GTX1060 6GB or GTX 960 4GB? I'd obviously want to keep the cost relevant to the build. I have been through a hand-full of your videos and there is a simply staggering amount of useful information, delivered concisely and at a nice pace so that even I can learn. Brilliant channel!

[@TheGameBench]

When I was selling these, I was just pairing them with pretty basic 1080p 60Hz panels. So long as they had decent contrast and response time, and not terrible colors, it was pretty easy to find something that fit the bill for around $100. So I don't really have any specific models, but I'd tell you to look at VA or IPS panels with a decent response time and you should end up with something that's decent for not a ton of money. On the other hand, I would say that you could spend about $250 and get a VERY nice 1080p 144Hz+ monitor that could last you a very long time. I guess it all depends on how long you plan to stick with the 4th gen system. And thanks! I really appreciate that. Nothing makes me more happy than to hear these videos are helping people out.

[@papachigly3799]

@@TheGameBench Thank you for taking the time to answer.

[@alannotemo2835]

I have a optiplex 980 the cpu cooler has a giant heat sync and a metal fan i’m pretty sure the metal fan is what makes noise can i switch it out no problems?

[@2020Tech4U]

I put a AIO on my kids and I didnt see any big drop in temp, I did it just for the look and the RGB, hes a kid and I had a few AIO's laying around so its not for temps just looks with these

[@b.s5980]

Hi ive got a Precision t1700/opti 7020 16 gb ddr3 Intel I7 4790k and an amd rx 570 4gb. I have a pcie x16 nvme adapter and a evo m.2 ssd. Can i make it a bootable C drive on this motherboard withWin 10 OS and all. thanks your awesome

[@Kurry-zq2zg]

Some games have the Nvidia relfex + boost. This option is a variable oc on the gpu. I have a 1650super and 290w optiplex 9020. Can I safely use this settings in games.

[@TheGameBench]

If it were a 1060 6GB or one of the 1660 models, I'd say no. But with the 1650 Super, you should be consuming around 100 watts, and with an OC I don't see it pulling more than a 1060 6GB. However, you might want to consider using a dual SATA to PCIe adapter since you could exceed the wattage of a single SATA power connection.

[@Kurry-zq2zg]

@@TheGameBench how much power does a single sata to pcie adapter provide

[@TheGameBench]

@@Kurry-zq2zg A max of 54 watts. Just keep in mind, most GPU"s do not consume 75 watts from the PCIe slot.

[@Kurry-zq2zg]

@@TheGameBench Thanks a lot, I’ve been using HWiNFO64 to monitor the ofc and it’s been sitting at around 96 watts max with average of 93 watt. Idk how accurate the software is but the pull from the nvidia boost oc is nice and reduces some bottleneck

[@dannyb2455]

Have you tested CL9 or 10 DDR3 in the 20 series?

[@TheGameBench]

I've tried it, as have some others. I've not seen a single kit run at CL9 or 10. It either runs at a higher latency, drops the clocks down to 1,333 M/T or just refuse to work at all.

[@santospoland]

Hi, I was wondering what you think of the z240 or z440? I know these are about 4x the price of 3020 but can they spec'd out much higher. There don't seem to be good videos on youtube covering these machines. Actually I don't know if you would cover this series because it does seem outside of the budget philosophy but if you run into one and care to cover it I would be grateful. By the way, I love your channel. Great tips, advice, points of consideration and you dig fairly deep on the topic. Keep up the great work!

[@robertwilliams3457]

Thanks for the video. I recently purchased an Optiplex 7020 I7 4770 with 32Gb. I use it primarily use it for video editing (not 4k) and have noticed the screen goes black and that comes back on. Is this due to over heating? I am going to order new thermal paste for the CPU and hopefully that will help. But also would a GPU help? The GPU prices now are crazy but still searching for my best low budget option.

[@gumpert1537]

Can I swap motherboards between optiplexes? For example a 9020 motherboard in a 990, I'm asking this simply because this procedure is way cheaper for me

[@TheGameBench]

The motherboard screw pattern is the same between the cases, but the power supply that comes with the 990 will need an adapter to work as the 9020 uses an 8-pin power connection. The front headers are different, so while you should be able to get the power button to work, the rest of the front panel is entirely different and won't work though.

[@gumpert1537]

@@TheGameBench I didn't know it would be that difficult aside from the power supply, I already knew about the different adapters, but I thought they have the same chassis overall, I live very far from the US and shipping costs at least double the price of this case itself, but I'm really willing to get it no matter what. I also found a Fujitsu Esprimo p920 for about 170 usd, do you think that is a fair price? Anyway thank you for the quick reply!

[@Metaphysticles]

This video is awesome. I needed this… (18) 9010’s in the spare room. I know this depends, but when you mod and resell what how much are you putting into it to upgrade? Is there an average range of sale price that you’d be willing to say?

[@Shittyke]

Thanks for the video! For the fan list: I replaced the stock ones with a Noctua nf-a8 and a9 (just to get a taste with them), and those give fan error too, I plan to add one more for intake after removing the cage, so eventually the fans cost more than the machine :D (7020 + gtx1650 super owner here).

[@TheGameBench]

Yeah, I had the same experience with several Noctua fans. The really don't like them.

[@bobharrison9620]

Sir Thank you for sharing all your hard work and learning. Sir I do have a question or 10 on CPU coolers.. I would like to find one and have only bought off Amazon but am able to learn.. Is our Dell mt 9020s cpu a standard or proprietary or something else Dell throws at us wierd. Are we able to get a cooler or do we need to with a rear mount and will it fit? cut out the case to fit? Are the push in pin types any good? . Does the ram get in the way.. Can a 120mm fan fit.. This is a wierd one, does it take the rewire adapter like the rear? I gota get one with a blue fan... LOL. This is a fun project and the front and paint don't look like a Dell anymore.. Thanks again and any advice on this would be real help..

[@fahimahamed8029]

Can I use a 1660 super with my 260 watt Dell PSU for like a month? Until the 8 pin connector arrives and I upgrade my PSU? I'll try to play with low settings and use power saver mode or whatever

[@TheGameBench]

Linus put a 1660 Ti on a 9010 with a 265 watt PSU... so you should be fine until the new power supply shows up. Just be sure to use a dual SATA to PCIe adapter.

[@rafaelinfante0303]

Thanks amigo! I recently bougth a Optiplex 9020 from Ebay. I live in Peru, I have this power supply PB 500 GIGABYTE, a friend of my said i dont need a converter, cause separeting 4 pins from the 24 pins and using toghether 2 conectors with 4 pins, i can used those together the 8 pin wich the mother board need , With my PB 500 GIGABYTE is enough or I really neet the converter? I m really apreciatte your anwser .Vibes from the peruvian jungle my friend. Thanks

[@TaylorHaubrich]

I really enjoyed your video on the 4790k in the Optiplex. Can you tell me what's the best build for my $500 budget? I was thinking about a i7 4790k $130, 3020 small form factor motherboard $10, 3020 290w power supply $14, 16gb ddr3 $30, 120gb ssd $20, gtx 1650 $280. Total of $484. I'm trying to get best performance for under $500. I like the 3020 sff mobo because it's small, simple, and there's so many of them out there for like $10. Same thing with the 290w power supply (80 plus Gold) for like $14. It's simple, only two connectors coming out of the PSU.

[@robskitlz4391]

I have the 9010 do I need a bigger psu for a 1080 ti..? Also I have an i5-3570 do I need to exchange that for an i7..? If so which i7..?

[@TheGameBench]

As for the power supply... absolutely. You'd need at least a 500 watt for stock clocks, and it would have to be a top notch 500 watt. That being said, the i5 would be bottleneck city. Your best option is the i7 3770, but you're going to bottlenecking it pretty badly at 1080p as well due to IPC limitations. I made a video comparing the 2nd, 3rd and 4th gen and I tested the 1080 Ti. It can give you a good idea of what to expect, but with the 3770, I'd shoot for 1440p over 1080p with the 1080 Ti.

[@Harvz78]

Can you make a video how to change the DELL boot logo.

[@GlennMarshallRocks]

Can I get a 850w or 1000w PSU that will fit in Dell Optiplex 9020 case...? Every power supply I've seen that is 750w or more is too big... I've got a 650w in there right now, but a lot of users with Nvidia GeForce 3070 GPU's have reported problems with the cards with 650w PSU's, and going to a 850w or 1000w has made the card work properly. I've seen a lot of power supplies in the $60 range on eBay, but none of them are a standard ATX size. I'm just trying to find a standard ATX sized 850w or 1000w PSU... any idea who might make one...? Thx...

[@altafahmad1979]

i am using m.2 nvme samsung 980pro as boot drive in my dell optiplex 9020 , amazing speed i got ,more than 3200 mbps windows booting time just 4 or 5 second , so every body should install an nvme with adapter in pci slot install driver in bios and enjoy m.2 nvme speed

[@peterharband326]

Always good info bro. Yes, would like to see more build videos. I know its rough now but patience and persistence will pay off in the long run.

[@TheGameBench]

Well, I've been working on benchmarking for said video today, so it's in the works and I think I can do a spin on it that will make it more palatable for people trying to build something right now.

[@Random12347]

Is the stock optiplex psu enough for a gtx 1660 6gb super ?

[@TheGameBench]

Yep, just use a dual SATA to PCIe adapter since you'll draw more power than a single SATA connector can provide.

[@Random12347]

What would happen if I leave a single SATA connector ?

[@TheGameBench]

@@Random12347 If you just used a single SATA to PCIe adapter, you'll overload the SATA connection as you'll be pulling more than 54 watts through it. This can cause it to overload the connection and result in various problems. You could fry the connector, it could damage the components plugged into it... or it could even start a fire. If you only have a single, I would high suggest not using it and buying a dual. They're not expensive, and very cheap insurance not to cause a fire or damage your new GPU. Here's a link the one I use: www.amazon.com/Power-Express-Video-Cable-Adapter/dp/B007Y8FSMQ/ref=sr_1_2?crid=266XR56P4MDO7&dchild=1&keywords=dual+sata+to+pcie+8+pin&qid=1617895460&sprefix=sata+to+pcie+8+pin%2Caps%2C216&sr=8-2

[@Random12347]

@@TheGameBench thank you I appreciate it I will take your advice. Thank you for the hours you put into helping people such as myself.

[@lt_jones5418]

@TheGameBench Can I use 2 sata 8 pin (6+2) for 6 pin gpu i.e. just leave the 2 pin hanging or do I require 2 sata 6 pin?

[@TheGameBench]

Yep, perfectly fine. The extra two pins are just ground and if you had a power supply with dedicated PCIe power, it would have a 6+2 pin and you'd just not connect the extra two pins. So, you're good to go. But just to be sure, you're trying to power a card with a single 6-pin using a dual SATA adapter and NOT a GPU with two power connections with two SATA adapters?

[@lt_jones5418]

@@TheGameBench Thanks dude appreciate the response :) and no to the second part lol just a 6 with a dual. Thanks again :)

[@massoudwazir6389]

How can I add additional fan in dell optiplex 9020 for better airflow?

[@TheGameBench]

You can, and I have a video on modifying the case to add a 140mm fan. But now I actually cut the front panel out so it's not obstructed. To connect the fan, since there's no extra fan header, I use a SATA to 4-pin fan adapter. Since that will run the fan at full speed, I also use a fan resistor cable to slow it down if the fan is too loud.

[@jeremebp]

@@TheGameBench Are you sure there's no extra fan header on the 9020? Mine has a rear fan and a cpu fan installed, and one empty sys_fan 4 pin plug.

[@jubrilo1465]

Hey I got a 3020 and I’m really happy with it. I’m running a Xeon e3-1240 v3 and a gtx 1060 3gb

[@royrodriguezsandoval7676]

Did you swap the psu?

[@jubrilo1465]

@@royrodriguezsandoval7676 no I didn’t really see it as necessary

[@TheGameBench]

@@royrodriguezsandoval7676 Yeah, with a 1060 3GB and the 1240 v3, he might be pulling around 200 watts max for the total system.

[@TheGameBench]

And I really need to get my hands on the 1271 v3 to put it up against the 4790 to see if the better binning leads to a noticeable performance bump.

[@TheTalonts]

@@TheGameBench - I'd love to see that video. One of my 9020 MTs has a 1230v3, and I'd like to know how useful that upgrade would be.

[@borzadiga7718]

Hello there I own Dell optiplex 1070 and I'm looking to upgrade my RAMs from 8GB (2gb x4) to 16GB (8gb x 2) getting Hyperx black series 1600mhz 8Gb looking through the dell compatibility manual they should work fine or correct me if am wrong(?) And if they do work how am I supposed to place the ram sticks into the mobo sockets to achieve "dual channel"? Thank you in advance

[@TheGameBench]

I'm assuming you meant a 7010? That being the case, I've been testing RAM in these systems, and it's a crap shoot. I've had some HyperX RAM kits work at their rated speed and other only run at 1333 MHz. To run in dual channel, there should be four slots. Two with black release latches, and two with white. Just put them in the white slots and you should be good to go.

[@Globalbye]

Really enjoy your videos TBG. I have a 7040 MT motherboard that I want to move to a larger case. Can I move the mb into a 9010 case? I know the front panel connection is not compatible, etc. I had a couple of 9010 motherboards die on me and did not want to risk another 9010 mb die on me. Will the 9010 case standoffs match some of the 7040 mb standoffs. If 3 or 4 matches that would be okay. Can I use kapton or electrical tape on the unused standoffs to prevent esd? I too cheap to buy another case and also my 9010 has a good psu and probably better air circulation.

[@TheGameBench]

As far as I know, I have a 7050 here, the standoffs in the models after the xx20 series are not standard mATX, so the holes won't line up. As far as I could see, you might be able to line the upper left one up, but I don't think any other will. You can always remove the board in the 7040 and look. However, even if you have three line up, you don't want standoffs where there are no holes, otherwise you're risking a short. So, I wouldn't suggest it, or at least cut the unused standoffs out.

[@ryanmiller4646]

Can I run 1080ti 3770 16gb ram on 500w power supply? 1080ti says it requires 650 watts, and I know sometimes they are way over what is necessary. My power supply is Corsair and rated 80 bronze efficiency

[@TheGameBench]

Depends, are you playing at 1080p? If so, you're going to be bottlenecking the 1080 Ti to the point that it likely won't even consume more than 400 watts for the total system. If you're playing at 1440p, then more of the GPU is going to be utilized and it's going to push past 400 watts and it's not going to leave you much head room, and I wouldn't suggest a 500 watt PSU at that point.

[@ItsKevin06]

I also just built my first gaming pc. Im 15. Its a optiplex 7010 With a 500w psu and gtx970 4gb

[@ItsKevin06]

Just got an Rtx 3060 ti fe

[@insomniacbritgaming1632]

I've got a 3020 4th Gen I3 coming in the post in the next few days, got a I5 CPU lined up, I'll be buying a SSD/HDD mount for one of the 5.25", my main issue is that is there a way I could relocate the front IO so I could put 2x120mm fans controlled by a external fan controller mounted in the second 5.25" Bay. Is there any way it can be done?

[@TheGameBench]

Two? Well, I'm sure you could. You'd just have to get creative about where you would want to relocate the front panel, then cut a hole for it. Mounting it and looking nice would be the real challenge. With it moved, two 120mm would fit just fine. Might even be able to fit both without moving it if you're fine with it being a bit jank. It can certainly be done, you're just going to have to get creative.

[@CouchPotator]

How do I install a new cooler? The motherboard I bought didn't come with one and the backplate interferes with the new cooler's backplate. The backplate holds onto both the CPU and the cooler, so i can't just use the cooler's.

[@TheGameBench]

You would have to remove the processor retention bracket and cut off the mounting tabs for the stock cooler. I do not suggest using something like tin snips to cut them off as it will bent the metal which could damage the board with a sharp edge. I suggest using a rotary took or grind it down and then smooth them off with some sandpaper. Might even want to use some electrical tape on the ends to insulate the exposed metal. That being said, be very careful as you would be exposing the socket pins.

[@MrDelsoleg11]

I purchased a 9020 with an i5-4690, gtx 1650 4gb,16gb ram and a 2tb Samsung hard drive all for $350 locally. As is it ran fs 2020 at 50 fps on high settings and on f1 2020 average was 65 on ultra settings and 100 plus at anything lower. After upgrading the cpu to i7 4790k it now runs average 70 fps in fs2020 on high and in f1 2020 it runs upwards of 80 fps on ultra all at 1080p. All in all i have 450 bucks in it and couldn't be happier. Would like to give a heads up to anyone looking into optiplex's, and that 1080p and high settings with anything over a 1050 card will have a cpu bottle neck. The i5 ran @100% the entire time while gpu was at 50-70%. The i7 variants will also perform roughly the same with maybe a 2-5% increase in gpu usage. So with that being said if you're new to gaming and just want something that'll work with any game out there you can't beat the value, but if you plan on upgrading bits or eventually going hard-core gamer I wouldn't get into them. They use outdated components and have very limited aftermarket support. Not only is the 4790k the only cpu you can use on it that offers better performance, it uses ddr3 memory so it won't be the fastest. I would recommend going a different route if you fall into that category. Hope that info helps out.

[@TheGameBench]

Yeah, in part one I said that I feel like the OptiPlex, or the older OEM route in general, is great for the person who only has a very small amount of money to spend. If they have the money, build something for sure. That being said, bottlenecking really depends on the game. But you should be able to run up to a 1060 6GB, or 1660 without bottlenecking in most games. There are some newer ones that just don't like quad cores at all, and they're even problems for the i7's. I actually have a whole video dedicated to testing out the 2nd, 3rd and 4th gen i5's and i7's.

[@DJ_Driven]

Curious do you have any videos on modifying Dell optiplex 3010, 3020, 3050 computers to turn them into crypto miners?

[@JCHerrera007]

Thanks for making these videos, they are great, smart and professional. I had a few old machines laying around and decided to make it a project with my son. I have a Gefore GTX 1080 Nvidia and i7 9020, I replaced the PSU with a GameMax V600. My 1080 nvidia Fan won't even turn-on nor is being detected as a video card on the BIOS PCI slots. is there a sure way to know if an Nvidia GPU card is bad? the GPU fan won't even spin when turning the computer on. Thanks

[@TheGameBench]

That's a bummer about the 1080. The fans most likely won't spin because of 0dB mode. However, they should spin up when you initially power on the system and then spin down and stop. If they don't, that's generally an indicator of a dead GPU. If you wanted to verify, I'd test it with a different power supply or maybe in a different systems as well. If the problem follows the GPU, it's dead.

[@valerysinitsine5949]

Sometimes you have to pop the CMOS battery and power the system up. Then it should work, if the card is good (you can put the battery back in after). Also, I think you need to enable legacy ROMs in BIOS.

[@ilyasslemarocain5537]

corsaire cv450 can work in optiplex 3010 MT?

[@TheGameBench]

Yep, absolutely. No adapter required.

[@Kurry-zq2zg]

I have a question? For a 9020 do you think DDR3 1866mhz is supported or is 1600mhz is max

[@TheGameBench]

DDR3 1600MHz is the max supported. Doesn't mean that faster RAM won't work, but it will only run at 1600MHz rather than 1866MHz. Might not be compatible and it could only run at 1333MHz instead, or it might not work at all. Your best bet is to stick to the OEM style RAM that comes in these, like Samsung, Elpida, SK Hynix and Micron. I'm partial to SK Hynix. The fancy RAM with heat spreaders often works, but compatibility is spotty. Found some Crucial that worked perfectly, and another kit that looked the same that wasn't compatible.

[@Kurry-zq2zg]

@@TheGameBench any particular amazon links for 2x8gb ram that will work?

[@aednichols]

If you can find one used, the Samsung 950 Pro lineup has a special option ROM that allows bootable PCIe on Haswell and older systems. No software or modding required.

[@TheGameBench]

Interesting... The only problem I see with this is that you'll have to boot in legacy mode rather the UEFI. Might not be an option for some, but certainly good info. Wish I still had one to test with. Might have to find another one and make a video.

[@aednichols]

@@TheGameBench my Haswell custom PC has UEFI with CSM (compatibility support mode) that allows best of both worlds. No idea whether the Dells would also.

[@TheGameBench]

@@aednichols Yeah, there's no CSM in the OptiPlex BIOS.

[@chrisreynolds6391]

@@aednichols that points out a major advantage of “pc building” motherboards over prebuilt. I tried to upgrade my brother’a old Lenovo desktop with a i5 3570k and it didn’t work. Bios support wasn’t there. Same for booting from PCIE. The recommended motherboards for the cpu I’d just bought were all “pc building” type. And those boards were all selling for ridiculous prices $100+ on eBay from China. The same gen oem boards were $15-$40, but with zero support!

[@PaulLemars01]

I really enjoy your videos and your approach. I'm currently typing this on a 2014 HPZ420 workstation. I shoehorned an EVGA 1080Ti FTW3 into it and it runs fine except that I had to modify the front fascia to increase airflow because the GPU and the CPU got stupid hot with the case closed. One of my other interests is 3D printing and I designed a new front grill and three internal ducts. The rig looks stock on the outside but internally the case stays at ambient temp and running Heaven the 1080Ti is running at 63C/1949Mhz consistently. Why all this work? because just like you I get a lot of enjoyment modding old surplus stock and taking these systems to places they were never designed to go. Something I'd be really interested in is what is the performance difference between running dual channel and quad channel memory. The performance jump between single channel and dual channel is well covered but I've yet to see a video discussing quad channel. Along with my 1080Ti I'm running an E5-1650V2 at 4.1Ghz all core with 32GB (4x8) of 1866 DDR3 and it runs all the modern AAA games I want to throw at it at reasonable settings. I suspect that a big part of that is the Xeon CPU and the HP motherboard support quad channel. As per your suggestion I think I'll install some LEDs to make it go faster.

[@feovz9178]

Does a i7 2700k fit in a optiplex 9020 ?

[@t3mpl3tw3]

Did you paint the front of that opti. It looks really good.

[@TheGameBench]

Thanks! Yeah, I painted it. Started doing it on the third Opti I did. I felt like it really made it look less dated.

[@abdulsalamshar5601]

can i use dell 460w psu to my mt 9020 with i7 4790 &1660s? or im better off with 500w aftermarket

[@TheGameBench]

Either a 460 watt or 500 watt is going to be WAY more than enough to power a 4790 and a 1660 Super. Hell, I would tell you that you would be just fine running the stock 290 watt power supply with 1660 Super as they only consumer about 110 to 120 watts and you'll likely have around a 100 watt buffer zone on the 290 watt. Just be sure to use a dual SATA to PCIe adapter. If you would still like to replace the power supply, it depends. What model is this 460 watt out of? It may or may not be able to work with the 9020, depending on the main power connection. It might not be worth the hassle. However, I wouldn't suggest getting an 80+ White 500 watt aftermarket unit either.

[@linuxlol3609]

Super late but if anyone sees this - while trying the built in diagnostic utility on my 7010 I noticed the cpu fan can spin up to 3900 rpm, and the errors that it's throwing may be because it detects a lower rpm, so it might work with something like a delta server fan

[@TheGameBench]

I came to the same conclusion at one point. I tested the theory out and still got F1 errors with high RPM fans. Now I'm speculating it has to do with minimum startup voltage.

[@gediminasbielskis8346]

Would optiplex 9020 work with Xeon 1270 v2??

[@TheGameBench]

No, that is an Ivy Bridge Xeon. You would need to use a Haswell Xeon, so something like the 1270 v3. I'd suggest looking at the 1271 v3, as it's the direct equivalent of the 4790, but should cost you a little less, and will likely run you the same as a 1270 v3.

[@filipkobas6038]

Are 7010 optiplex worth it

[@TheGameBench]

I would still suggest the 7020 or 9020 over the 7010 or 9010, but at the right price, I'd say they're worth it. I wouldn't suggest one with an i5, go for one with an i7 and they're worth it at around $160 USD.

[@VMX-pc2ye]

so when using 5pin to 4pin fan adapter for dell mobo and still get error message? some people say the error message will gone but i never try it

[@TheGameBench]

It might go away, it might not. The fan controller in these systems is VERY picky, so it just depends on the fan whether you'll still get the F1 error or not.

[@krystunletchworth7843]

Question! I got an asus hyper m.2 x 16 card v2 in my 9020 and whenever im using a graphics card i have mouse stuttering. I think its pushing to much data, suggestions?

[@TheGameBench]

That's entirely possibly depending on how many m.2 drives you have populated in that m.2 card and how much data is being accessed and what GPU you have and how much data it's using. Keep in mind that the second x16 slot in the 9020 is only wired as an x4 slot, not the full x16. And even if it was, you don't have enough PCIe lanes available from the CPU to fully utilize two x16 slots. So if you're using your GPU and it's using a lot of bandwidth across the x16 as well as the m.2 card using a lot of bandwidth, it's possible it could choke the USB bus.

[@krystunletchworth7843]

@@TheGameBench I had a feeling i was just pushing to much data. Im a broke pc gamer so more or less any questions i head rite to your videos. Thanks for the reply man. You are the optiplex expert!

[@alannotemo2835]

Hey do you need to install a new copy of windows if you take the hard drive out and go with a fresh ssd

[@TheGameBench]

No, you can use a program to clone the drive to the new SSD. I like to use Macrium Reflect. They have a free version and it works great. However, if it's been a long time since you've done a re-install, I'd suggest it. Windows just gets gunked up over time.

[@alannotemo2835]

@@TheGameBench if I was to take a ssd from a previous dell optiplex which wasn’t wiped will it wipe itself once I put it in a new system

[@arsalixxl]

Hi, I had an optiplex 3020, to which i recently swapped the motherboard and front io to those from an optiplex 9020, everything seems to work fine. Although there is now an air temperature sensor error along with cpu fan speed being unusually high, temps are fine and cpu has been repasted, bios is updated to a18, the rear chassis fan, since i didn’t have one i used a 5 pin 80mm cpu from an old optiplex 780 for that. What do you suggest i do?

[@arsalixxl]

I figured it out. I just need a new case fan, and a thermal sensor cable.

[@TheGameBench]

Yeah, without that sensor plugged in, the fans go full speed. Glad you got it sorted.

[@paulwood2329]

I bought a Dell OptiPlex with windows 7 on it to play my old games, the game's that windows 10 don't know how to play! It works great.

[@TheGameBench]

Well, if you want to install Windows 10, your Windows 7 key will activate it. If you need both, you can do a dual boot.

[@qbertqbert7005]

Greetings! I`m glad to discover this channel, your videos are very interesting and informative! I don’t know what progress Dell-users have at the moment in their search for properly working fans, but I`m also interested in this issue. I have a couple of assumptions that need to be tested (unfortunately, I can`t do it by myself yet): 1. DELL often uses `server` fans with high RPM limit (probably some special type of PVM signal is used too, I dunno for sure, but if so - i have no idea how to solve it), so perhaps, thats why most generic_aftermarket_fans don`t pass the test and this causes an error. In other words, maybe fans with an increased lower and upper limit of RPM have more chances to be determined successfully by the mobo. 2. I found one interesting tip about using a Y-splitter for CPU fan: one end for the replaced fan, and another one - for the stock DELL fan, keeping it just for control. Perhaps this trick could help (or not =))

[@qbertqbert7005]

Btw, i had bought a CM Hyper TX3 Evo for my 7010 MT - and it just works, no error at startup (only diagnostics test 'Cpu Fan' cannot be passed, looks like fan`s max. RPM is not enough) and everything seems to be ok at overall usage/gaming.

[@imb4dm4n66]

Hi! i want to ask, can i swap a dvd drive sata port with an hdd? i tried before but it doesn't show the drive in windows menu do i make any mistake?

[@TheGameBench]

Absolutely. There could be a couple of reasons why it's not showing up. It could be disabled in the BIOS. If it's unchecked, you can just uncheck it and it should be good to go. If they're all enabled, the drive might need to be initialized. This you right click on the my pc and go to manage, then disk management, it should ask you to initialize the drive. This will happen with any new drive, they have to be initialized first. If it's a used drive, that's much less likely, but when I sell HDD's I wipe them so they need to be initialized, so it's still a possibility.