Dell OptiPlex 7020 Mini Tower (MT) w/Intel Core i5-4690 (4 cores / 4 threads), ZOTAC GTX 1060 w/6GB GDDR5 RAM, 32 GB DDR3L RAM, 480 GB SSD and 1 TB HD and Windows 11 Pro
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Product Description:

Listing Update...This is not so much an update as it is a brief comment about the computers and related parts I have available for sale. Personal computers (and in particular desktop computers) have always been a hobby of mine. I've enjoyed tinkering with this stuff over the years and have accumulated a number of items during this time...some new and some used. I am not an expert on the subject...more of a "do-it-yourself" enthusiast...but I will still try to answer any questions you may have related to my computer listings. Thank you.

Original Listing...
We are replacing some of our Dell OptiPlex computers with newer machines. These are computers that have supported our new-old-stock bicycle shop and we've also had a few of them at home over the years. There is nothing wrong with them. In fact, they are all running a licensed copy of Windows 11 (the "Pro" version in this case) and receive the automatic updates when Microsoft releases them. We're just upgrading to some newer computers. Although, with the upgrades we've made to get them ready for sale, they are now much better machines relative to their original/stock configuration. This is most evident with the graphics card upgrade. Intel's integrated graphics have been historically bad. Although, they have improved over the years, and you can make a case that these Intel 4th generation processors have "passable" integrated graphics for basic Windows/Office functions, web browsing and video streaming. Having said this, there is no comparison between these integrated graphics and the ZOTAC (NVIDIA) GTX 1060 6 GB graphics card that we have installed to replace them. More specifically, this graphics card (with NVIDIA's Pascal architecture) offers far better video decoding, web page rendering and connectivity. There are even some 1080p gaming capabilities with this graphics card (with it's desirable 6 GB of GDDR5 memory), as discussed in more detail below.

The processor that is paired with this graphics card is an Intel 4th generation (Haswell) Core i5. Other meaningful component upgrades include 32 GB of DDR3L RAM, a new ACER SA100 480 GB solid state drive (SSD) that includes a digitally licensed copy of Windows 11 Pro and a new Seagate Barracuda 1 TB hard drive (HD). With respect to the storage upgrades, even basic SSD boot drives (such as this one) represent a significant performance boost relative to traditional hard drives. Additionally, the new hard drive is noteworthy because many of these used computers will include a used hard drive that may already have "a lot of miles on it". This one does not because it is factory new. Finally, the expanded memory (to 32 GB) is a real luxury to effectively run Windows and other programs simultaneously (even with a number of internet browser tabs opened at the same time). Now these office-type machines will never be mistaken for the powerful computers built with today's newer technology. Although, at this lower price point, and with the aforementioned sensible upgrades, these office computers (that will do some gaming) are a good value.

Having said all of the above regarding the computer highlights, I thought it might also be helpful if I shared a specifications sheet of sorts that provides more details.

  • CPU: Intel 4th generation Core i5-4690 (4 cores / 4 threads running at 3.5 GHz base / 3.9 GHz turbo for the clock speed and rated at 84 watts for power consumption). I should also mention that I uninstalled the Dell stock cooler to check the thermal paste. Upon noting that it was dry and possibly the original thermal paste applied at the Dell factory, I cleaned it off and applied new thermal paste to ensure  proper cooling.

  • Motherboard: Proprietary Dell OptiPlex model with the Intel Q87 Express chipset that comes standard with the Model 7020 computer.

  • Case: Dell OptiPlex mini tower chassis with a black and gray finish. Construction material is mostly steel with a plastic front panel / bezel. Case dimensions (H x W x D) are 14.17" x 6.89" x 16.42".

  • Memory: Timetec branded 32 GB (4 modules x 8 GB of DDR3L, PC3L-12800 RAM running at 1600 MT/s or MegaTransfers/second). This is not to be confused with the true clock speed of 800 MHz x 2 (because DDR memory performs two operations per cycle). Said another way, MT/s is sometimes labeled as effective MHz, which is why we also see the clock speed of 1600 MT/s referred to as 1600 MHz. Then there is memory timing...measured as 11-11-11-28 for this particular memory kit. These numbers generally describe latency, which is the amount of time between memory operations (including the amount of time it takes for memory to respond to a data request). So in summary, higher clock speed numbers are better (because this tells us how much data our memory can move...send/receive...per second), while lower timing/latency numbers are better (because this generally measures the delay between memory operation).

  • Storage: ACER SA100 480 GB solid state drive (SSD) with a licensed (digital) copy of Windows 11 Pro installed and a Seagate Barracuda 1 TB 3.5" hard drive (7200 RPM). Note: the SSD and hard drive included with this computer are new.

  • Optical Drive: Hitachi model with DVD / CD read and write capabilities. Note: I also want to point out that Microsoft discontinued its Windows Media Center (including Windows Media Player) application in 2015. Now this application may still be available in some versions of Windows, but it does not appear to be as robust of a program for audio and video playback as some other available options. For example, I have a difficult time getting Windows Media Player to playback video files on DVDs (and a quick search of various internet forums indicates that I am not alone). As a result, I have loaded the freeware VLC Media Player software on this computer to fully test this optical drive. To this end, I was able to play both CDs (audio) and DVDs (video) without any problems using this software. As a convenience, I will leave this application installed, so the users of this computer will enjoy the full capabilities of this optical drive.

  • Graphics: ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1060 AMP! Edition running at 1556 MHz (base clock) and 1771 MHz (boost clock) with 6 GB of 192-bit GDDR5 RAM (running at 8008 MHz) and a compact dual-fan cooler. Then there are the rear shield ports: 1 x HDMI, 3 x DisplayPort and 1 x DVI-D (Dual-Link). As mentioned above, this is a used graphics card that has been thoroughly inspected, cleaned and tested. More specifically, we carefully disassembled this GPU so we could inspect the PCB, heat-sink, fans and fan shroud. This allows us to (at minimum) clean these component pieces with high pressure air and apply new thermal paste on the heat spreader that covers the GPU die. I also inspected the thermal pads and they were in good shape. Lastly, the fans still spin like new, so I left them alone (other than a good cleaning).

    The graphics card incorporates GeForce 10 Series technology (Pascal architecture) released by NVIDIA in 2016. So it's an older graphics card and should not be considered as an equivalent to many of today's newer and more expensive offerings. Still, at the time of its release, many in the industry hailed the GeForce 10 Series as more than just a refresh of the formidable GeForce 900 Series (Maxwell architecture). The GeForce 10 Series offered meaningful performance improvements not often experienced between a single generation. For this reason, it probably comes as no surprise that this Pascal architecture holds up fairly well to newer/lower-end, GeForce 16 Series (Turing architecture) graphics cards. For example, this GTX 1060, with a respectable 6 GB of RAM, is going to be more powerful than a newer model GTX 1650 and comparable to a GTX 1650 Super. Note...the GTX 1650 Super is probably a little more powerful graphics card, but this is at least partially offset by its lower memory (4 GB) specs.

    Notwithstanding the architecture discussion, this graphics card is still a "value-play" relative to newer and more expensive models, but for those that enjoy gaming in their spare time, this GPU has respectable capabilities (especially at "1080p"). Newer big-budget ("Triple-A" or "AAA") titles will be a challenge (even at lower settings), but casual and less demanding games (new and old) should offer a good experience. In other words, this graphics card should play (and meet the minimum requirements for) most games, as long as you are willing to dial down the settings when necessary.

  • Audio: Integrated on the motherboard (integrated means the sound card is built onto the motherboard).

  • LAN: Integrated Intel I217LM Ethernet LAN chipset w/transfer rate up to 1000 Mbps or 1 Gbps

  • Wireless LAN (aka WiFi): Not included, but I can upgrade to an Intel dual band wireless (AC 3168) 5th generation PCIe card with Bluetooth capabilities for an additional $20.

  • Power Supply: Dell branded 365 watt (non-modular)...which is adequate power for the computer as currently configured.

  • Input/Output ports (front panel): two black USB Type-A (2.0 running at 480 Mb/s), two black USB Type-A (3.2 Gen 1 running at 5 Gb/s), an audio input (microphone) and an audio output (speakers/headphones)...there is also a hard drive LED (white) and an on/off button with a white LED indicator

  • Input/Output ports (rear shield): two PS/2 (mouse and keyboard), video (see "Graphics" above), four black USB Type-A (2.0 running at 480 Mb/s), two black USB Type-A (3.2 Gen 1 running at 5 Gb/s), a RJ-45 Network (LAN) with LED indicator, an audio input (microphone) and an audio output (speakers/headphones)

  • Storage ports/sockets: two SATA 3.0 ports (blue and black) and two SATA 2.0 ports (white). Note: The SATA 3.0 data transfer rate is stated at 6 Gb/s (750 MB/s), but it's actually less due to the overhead caused by the 8b/10b SATA encoding scheme. This lowers the actual transfer rate to about 80%, or 4.8 Gb/s (600 MB/s). Then there is the SATA 2.0 stated data transfer rate of 3 Gb/s (375 MB/s), which is also less for the same reasons. So the actual SATA 2.0 transfer rate is 2.4 Gb/s (350 MB/s).

  • Expansion slots: one PCIe 3.0 x16 slot running at x16 lanes, one PCIe 2.0 x16 slot running at x4 lanes and one PCIe 2.0 x1 slot running at x1 lane. The PCIe 3.0 data transfer rate is 8 Gb/s (1 GB/s) per lane and PCIe 2.0 data transfer rate is 4 Gb/s (500 MB/s) per lane. So as it relates to PCIe supported sockets, just multiply the number of lanes available by the applicable PCIe transfer rate and this will give you the theoretical maximum bandwidth for that socket. FYI: PCIe overhead is only about 3% due to an efficient encoding scheme. So PCIe transfer rates are closer to their theoretical maximums relative to SATA transfer rates.

  • Operating system: Windows 11 Professional (64-bit digitally licensed copy that has been updated...see discussion below)

  • Peripherals: Not included, but I have some relatively inexpensive keyboards/mice that we can add on for a reasonable price.

BIOS Update and Windows Installation...
In an attempt to make the computer as "turn-key" as possible, I performed the following tasks. First, I updated the system BIOS to the latest version from the Dell website. Next I used my Windows 10 Installation Media flash drive created from the Microsoft website to install a clean and digitally licensed copy of Windows 10 Pro. I then clicked through the Windows prompts with an offline/local account setup to update Windows without entering any personal information. FYI, Windows is likely going to prompt you to create an online Microsoft account, or login to an existing account, once you begin using this computer. In fact, Windows Security (within Windows Settings) considers a Microsoft account, and the benefits that go with it, to be a security enhancement. I suppose opinions may vary as to this claim, but a Microsoft account does have some benefits. One that comes to mind is the free access to 5 GB of Microsoft's cloud storage (referred to as OneDrive).

For years, this was the extent of my Windows installation process. Although, Windows 10 is no longer supported by Microsoft and these older machines do not meet all of the declared requirements (critical or not) to upgrade to Windows 11. Now there are a lot of these older machines running Windows 11 and they are doing so through various software upgrade methods (and I have researched a lot of them). For me, the goal was not the path of least resistance to upgrade to Windows 11, but to bring this older machine as close to Windows 11 compliance as possible (in the Windows 10 environment) and then without using any third party software, upgrade this machine to Windows 11. Fortunately, that's what I've been able to do with this machine and many others like it. I now have new and old machines running Windows 11 and they all function fine. The older machines, like this one, still get the automated Windows updates and I have yet to identify an operating difference between the machines in the Windows 11 environment.

At the risk of getting too far into the weeds, I will explain some of the steps I took to accomplish the Windows 11 upgrade. First, I realized there are two disk formatting/partitioning standards...GPT (GUID Partition Table) and MBR (Master Boot Record). GPT is newer and more advanced, capable of formatting/partitioning much larger drives. Additionally, GPT is highly recommended (and some would say essentially required) for effectively running Windows 11. So this was my first step, to convert any drives from MBR to GPT. Fortunately, there are Command Prompt instructions within Windows 10 that do this fairly easily. Next, I needed to migrate this machine from the old legacy BIOS firmware to the newer UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) standard. The latter is more advanced and offers many more security features not available on the old legacy platform. Fortunately, UEFI recognizes GPT disk formatting/partitioning quite well, which allowed for an easy transition after entering the Dell system BIOS. After only a few clicks/keystrokes, I was able to migrate the firmware platform to the UEFI standard. I then enabled Secure Boot and TPM (Trusted Platform Module) once in the UEFI environment. These are enhanced security features, especially during the boot-up/startup process of this machine.

This concluded everything I could do from a Windows 11 compliance standpoint for this machine. I was close to compliance with all of the changes/updates, but Microsoft's "PC Health Check" program still flagged two items that were not Windows 11 compliant. The first was the processor, which honestly seemed kind of silly. Microsoft clearly states the minimum processor core requirement is "two cores or more". As noted above, this machine has an advanced Intel 4th generation i5 processor with 4 cores, which offers more than enough compute power. The other concerns the TPM version. I enabled TPM 1.2 within the UEFI firmware, which is the most recent version available for this machine, but Microsoft wants TPM 2.0. Now I cannot pretend to understand the differences between these two versions of TPM. Although, enabling both Secure Boot and a version of TPM within the more advanced UEFI firmware platform seems like a fairly significant jump in security features. This is especially the case when compared to the older legacy BIOS firmware previously controlling this machine, which did not have any of these security features.

With all this in mind, I thought the gap between Microsoft's stated requirements for Windows 11 compatibility and this machines functional capability to run Windows 11 was just not that significant. So my next task was to identify an upgrade path using only Microsoft.com resources and/or Command Prompt instructions within the Windows environment. Fortunately, I was able to do this, using a Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) file that was downloaded from Microsoft onto this machine. Although, I still needed to "convince" Microsoft during the upgrade/installation process from Windows 10 to Windows 11 that their compatibility concerns were not meaningful enough to prevent the upgrade. Once again, I was able to identify some fairly simple Command Prompt instructions that accomplished this task during the upgrade/installation process. The end result is a clean, working and licensed copy of Windows 11 Pro that receives automatic updates from Microsoft, while also remaining in the "local account" status (with no personal information).

Stress Testing for Stability...
Finally, I go through a routine that attempts to test the reliability/stability of the computer before I put it to work in our shop or at home (or make it available for sale). This testing attempts to "stress" the computer to bring to light any hardware problems in a timely manner. Now I know there are many approaches to stress testing a computer, and I am not implying my approach is the best, but I take comfort that I likely stress these computers (for brief periods mind you) beyond anything they will probably incur during normal use for their lifetime. I understand this stress testing is more applicable for the new (and higher end) computers I build, because I've been using these basic office-type computers for years. So there is already a proven track record of reliability with these computers. Having said this, I still like to stress test these basic office computers to make sure everything is functioning properly.

For those that are interested, I load the following freeware programs: CPU-Z, FurMark, HWMonitor, IntelBurnTest, Prime95, Unigine Heaven and Superposition. Some of these programs help to identify and monitor system hardware, while others attempt to stress this hardware. More specifically, here is my approach to stressing the computer to give me some assurances the system is stable. First, I will run IntelBurnTest at the standard setting as an initial stress test to the processor/system (and I will run 10 cycles, which does not take very long). I then run Unigine Heaven for around 30 minutes to test the discrete graphics card. If I do not identify any problems at this point, I will then re-run IntelBurnTest at very high settings for another 10 cycles (which takes longer). Next I will load the newest Unigine benchmarking application, Superposition, and run this a few times to further assess performance and stability. If I still do not detect any problems (meaning all the programs to this point are running fine and system temperatures are reasonable), then I run the Prime95 blender test for maybe 8-10 cycles to further stress the processor/system for close to an hour. Finally, I run FurMark, which really stresses the graphics hardware for maybe another 20-30 minutes (or until temperatures appears to level off). 

It's also worth noting that I monitored system temperatures during stress testing. These temperature readings were taken in an office environment with an ambient temperature of around 20 degrees Celsius (so around 68 degrees Fahrenheit). All of these temperatures were well within factory specs. and likely higher than anything you would experience given the unrealistically heavy load placed on this computer during stress testing.

Follow-up...I am getting some folks that are asking questions about any scores recorded during some of the testing. I don't know them all, but I do write down a few, and will share them here...

  • Unigine (two runs at high detail):
    • Heaven: 3240 (128.6 fps) / 3243 (128.7 fps)
    • Superposition: 6410 (47.9 fps) / 6421 (48.0 fps)

Please keep in mind these scores are based on all hardware running at manufacturers' stock speeds out-of-the-box (so no overclocking). This is my preference for computers that will be relied upon in our small business and for those (like this one) that I make available for sale. Please also understand, I cannot warranty a computer I sell that has been overclocked once it leaves my shop (and please see below for more warranty details).

Condition and Packaging...
In terms of condition, I want to confirm (again) this is a used computer that still shows fairly well. The case/chassis has some scratches, but I don't believe I see any dents in the case. I can also confirm the front bezel is in good shape and all of the small rubber feet are still intact. I've also taken the time to clean/dust the inside of the computer, so it really should be ready to power up (upon receipt). I don't have the original packaging/box for this computer, but we will still take time to re-package this computer for safe transit. We will also purchase online tracking, full insurance coverage and signature confirmation service with all computer sales to protect both of us in the unlikely event there is a shipping problem. I know the additional packaging and shipping services cost a little more money (and we won't charge for these extra packaging/service costs in our shipping fee), but we like the peace of mind knowing we are doing our absolute best to protect the computer. Listing Update...I actually have two of these computers that are identical in every respect and this is the second one (the first one already sold).

Support and Warranty Information...
As alluded to above, this computer is similar (in terms of the parts and specs.) to those that support (or have supported) our bicycle parts business, as well as those we have at home. So I expect them to function for years, and hopefully until they age to the point where they need to be upgraded or replaced. Now I cannot warranty a computer for years (especially a used one). Although, I still want to make sure you have a properly functioning used computer upon receipt. So I'll offer a 30 day warranty period from the date of purchase against any hardware defects. All I ask in return is that you exercise reasonable care in using this computer, and this includes no overclocking, as this will void any warranty. 

Unfortunately, I cannot warranty software and related problems. My solution (when I have software problems) is usually to re-install a clean copy of Windows. Microsoft makes the process fairly easy with the ability to create a Windows Installation Media flash drive. Of course, you will also have to reinstall all of your other programs, as a clean install means the boot drive is wiped clean. Although, this is likely preferable, because you'll then have the opportunity to re-load programs one at a time, while monitoring your system to see which one is causing problems. I can also try to help with the reloading of any drivers that I may have installed during my original Windows setup (prior to selling/shipping the computer). If you have any other questions related to this re-installation process, I will do my best to help. Although, questions related to other software you may load onto the computer are likely beyond my level of expertise (just trying to be honest here) and should be directed at the applicable software vendor.

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Note to domestic customers regarding oversized package shipping...
For domestic packages, FedEx Ground or FedEx Home Delivery Service generally offers the lowest ground shipping rate for oversized packages in the continental US (i.e., the "Lower 48"). My domestic shipping costs to Alaska, Hawaii and the US Territories are much higher. It's also worth noting if cost is not as much of an issue (or if you prefer US Postal Services "USPS" over FedEx), then USPS Priority Mail service is generally the most timely of the domestic shipping options.

Note to international customers regarding oversized package shipping...
International shipping requirements vary for larger packages (including size limitations from country to country). As a result, international customers should contact us before purchasing larger items. We are then able to research shipping options to determine if we are able to ship a particular oversized item to your country and then provide an accurate shipping quote. This way we will avoid any confusion or misunderstanding with respect to international shipping of oversized packages.

Note to international customers regarding customs...
We also apologize to those that feel their country import taxes, duties and brokerage fees are excessive. As a small US business, we are required by customs' laws to declare each order as a retail sale. Additionally, the declared order value must be equal to total store purchases and/or winning auction bids (less any shipping costs, as these are not considered in the declared value). As a result, each customer will be responsible for paying his/her own country taxes, duties and brokerage fees, which will be collected upon delivery. Again, we apologize for these additional costs, but we cannot afford the penalties and fines that come with breaking customs' laws...so we have to strictly abide by them.