Dell OptiPlex 7050 Micro Computer, Intel Quad Core i5-6500T up to 3.1GHz, 16G DDR4, 256G SSD, Windows 11 Pro 64 Bit (Renewed)

Mine arrived in excellent packaging with a generic wired keyboard, mouse, and USB 2.0 "n" network dongle. It didn't have the internal wireless system. Not ideal but works just fine. There was some damage to the finish on the housing at the back where it wasn't noticeable. It was covered up with some black permanent marker. Also, at this price point, not unexpected for a refurbished item. I'm using mine as a media station at my 4K TV. I was disappointed at how noisy the fan was but went into the power settings and found that limiting CPU to 70% and changing cooling scheme from Active to Passive in the Windows power settings makes it effectively silent. Even at 70% it has way more CPU performance than the laptop it replaced and has no problem processing video at 4k and the cheap WiFi works just fine for streaming 4k video. The HDMI passes audio through my TV to my 5.1 receiver just fine making for fantastic sound. Paired with an Air Mouse remote control https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DXFPSSSK it's just about perfect for a home media and internet surfing setup. I went from 3 remotes with my Roku to just 1 and ditched the ads while gaining the ability to surf in a real browser. It uses a SATA SSD and has a free M.2 SSD slot and a free M.2 WiFi slot if you wanted to upgrade or ditch the dongle and use something more modern with an external antenna. I get full bars and it's plenty of storage for me, so I probably won't bother with upgrading anything. Over-all I'm extremely happy with my purchase. If it were more expensive, I might knock it down to 4 stars, but for this price you can't ask for much more.

The machine arrived in great condition and fired right up. The first thing I did was create a dual boot for LINUX and windows. They even included a WiFi dongle to get by with until I could install a card internally. I have the larger 7050 desktop tower version, and my first thought was that this would not perform exactly the same as its larger sibling, but this thing is every bit as good! I quickly upgraded the processor and memory and now have a great machine that I can place below the desk on a side shelf, giving me back the top of my desk for the other things I use. This thing sips power like a squirrel, making almost no noise and just running happily as I game away. Even in its stock configuration, the 16GB of memory will play most mid-range games with little concern. Still upgraded it to 32GB just to get it to the best it could be. Still, the stock memory capacity is more than enough for general use, lending itself to more demanding tasks. The other thing I really love is the sturdy, all metal construction of the chassis. You can actually place a fair amount of stuff on it and not worry about cracking or breaking something. I've done this, but not for super long. I mean, showing this thing off is kinda neat. People cant believe that a computer this small can do what it does. :)

For those considering this machine, please read carefully. I selected a reseller with a price higher than the lowest offered. Why? Because at the time of my selection, the lowest price seller had 71% satisfaction rating, but for $6 more I selected another seller with a 90% satisfaction rating (TekRefurbs.com). This is especially important with a renewed computer! Many reviews reflect problems due to the differences in resellers, so it pays to select carefully. The first thing I did on receiving the computer was open the case and remove the new 256 GB ssd, and install a 1 TB nvme ssd into the m.2 socket, and a 2 TB ssd into the hard drive caddy and reinstalled the caddy and closed the case. The computer was spotless inside and out. The next step is very important. I went to the Dell website and downloaded the BIOS update. I run linux on a multi boot system, but linux cannot install the new bios so I booted into windows for the bios update. Just follow the on screen instructions and the update takes just a few minutes. It is crucial to update the bios as the machine is vulnerable until it is done. The machcine is capable of running Windows 11, but apparently the Windows 10 Pro that comes with the computer will not allow updating. Since I did not install Windows 10, but moved my existing drives into the computer, I was all set with Windows 11. Many users prefer Windows 10. I recommend before buying or receiving the computer that the user/owner manual in pdf format be downloaded from the dell site as it is really mandatory if you are going to get your newly renewed machine set up properly. Curiously this computer will run with either the 65 watt or the 130 watt power supply cord; mine came with the 65 watt power supply and it works flawlessy. There are also two other m.2 sockets on the motherboard for WLAN and WWAN cards as shown in the manual for those who want or need them. The cards and cables and antenna are available on Amazon. I hope this information is useful to any who take time to read it. The machines are not for gamers as they do not have the graphics horsepower for that use, but are great for other applications if you choose the reseller carefully. It is a shame the machines suffer less than stellar ratings due to the disparities between reseller preparations. Choose wisely and you will be rewarded.

I received a less than functional unit, it randomly freezes programs that are well within it’s capabilities - I primarily got it to plug in to a tv and use VLC media player to play videos, but VlC will only play for a few minutes before it freezes and requires a restart. Same with Blender and games. I can understand how something like this would slip past QC because it does turn on and operate for a couple minutes. When it’s operating, it’s an impressive unit for the size and the price. I’ve done 3D modeling in blender and before it crashes it handles it just fine. It can run games, stuff like Fallout: New Vegas, roms, Minecraft, etc. it hasn’t had any overheating problems, although that could be because it crashes before I can run a game for long enough to heat up. It seems like most reviewers haven’t had the problems I’m having, so I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another of the same units for the price.