Dell Inspiron 3020 Desktop PC (2023 release) Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.ค. 2023
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You’ll receive the PC tower, 6 ft power cable, USB optical mouse, USB keyboard, and quick start manual. The tower measures 6” wide, 11-1/4” deep, and 12-3/4” tall. The front of this machine has a grayish blue color called mist blue and a ridged texture. From top to bottom, there is a DVD+RW, power button, SD card slot, combo mic/headphone jack, two USB -A 2.0 ports, one USB-A 3.2, and a USB-C 3.2 port. On the back in the upper left corner is a speaker out jack, HDMI out and DisplayPort out for the monitor, which can be used simultaneously for dual-monitor support. Below that you have two additional USB-A 3.2 ports, two USB-A 2.0 ports, and the RJ45 Ethernet jack for a wired network connection. The PC supports WiFi-AX (WiFi 6) and Bluetooth 5.2 as well.
I recommend connecting the USB keyboard and mouse to the slower USB ports and reserving the SuperSpeed ports which are blue, for devices that would benefit from the faster speed, like external hard drives. I do like that it has a USB-C port on the front since this connection type is becoming more commonplace on newer devices. While there are four slots in the case for additional cards, there are only 2 expansion slots inside. At the bottom is the input for the power cable.
To open the tower for upgrading the components, you’ll need to remove two knurled thumbscrews, that are designed to be removable without tools, but if you find they are too tight, you can use a Philips screwdriver to loosen them. You don’t have to fully remove them from the panel. There is a security tab for you to add a lock on the case to prevent internal access, and a Kensington lock slot for additional security. Inside are a Foxconn 80 mm CPU fan, m.2 NVMe Gen 3x4 512GB SSD and 8GB of 3200 MHz DDR4 RAM pre-installed. There’s an open PCIe x1 slot for port expansion, a PCIe x16 slot for a graphics card, and a second RAM slot for additional memory up to 64GB total max. There are also several SATA power and data connectors available and room for a 2.5” or 3.5” HDD at the front. Just be sure any additional components added will stay within the 180 Watt maximum for the power supply.
When you power on the machine for the first time, you’ll need to complete a brief setup for Windows 11, which takes about 15 minutes. Once that’s done, you can start using the computer. The harddrive has about 450 GB free with 50 GB used for the OS and pre-installed programs like McAfee LiveSafe and Office 365. The hardware specs are mid-tier and neither exceptional nor minimalist. The machine runs on an Intel 13th Gen Core i5-13400 CPU with 10 cores, 16 threads, and 2.5 GHz base clock with a 4.6 GHz boosted max. The machine is quick and responsive and out-of-the-box is efficient at running multiple applications simultaneously for most computing tasks. There was no significant lag or delays experienced with common everyday usage.
The tower is very quiet when operating and doesn’t produce a lot of heat, though you’ll need to keep the vents on the back and left-side clear for proper airflow. I was surprised that the tower had a DVD drive as most software can be downloaded digitally nowadays, but if you happen to have software CDs, movie DVDs, or like backing up to physical media, I suppose it’s nice to have. It’s a pretty basic one though, with a motor-less pop-out tray that you have to push back in, like one you’d see in a laptop. The USB mouse and keyboard are also really basic but work just fine. The full keyboard is thin and lightweight with fairly quiet keys. The optical mouse is also lightweight and feels plasticky, but does have a clickable scroll wheel.
Overall, this PC isn’t a bad option for an entry-level tower PC. It has a small footprint, decent processing power and speed, and just enough specs to handle everyday computing and is suitable for most home office or personal uses. You could probably play some casual games on it too, or use it for media consumption, if you’re not looking for maxed out visuals and top of the line performance.
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Thank you Phil
very straight forward review
Just got the 3030, slapped my rtx a2000 and 32gb of ddr5. Definitely like the minimalistic design this year
Hi Phil. Nice review, well done. I bought one with a 1TB hard drive for file storage. I would like to swap it out for something much larger, say 8Tb or even 10Tb. Is that as easy as swapping the existing one with a new formatted HDD? Do you have any recommendations for the HDD? I’m conscious of the power capacity limitations you mention and it is hard to know what the other draw is to do the calculations.
I just set this Pc up tonight and it seems pretty solid...the sound seems a bit light. What would be the best speakers to buy for this PC? Thank you so much! xo Susan
In the past I’ve always ‘overbought’ when it came to PC’s and ended up with desktops that were very over spec’ed for the non gaming tasks I used them for. This time around I thought I’d just buy what I probably needed for my home office so I got one of these Inspiron 3020’s with the i7 13700, UHD 770 with no dedicated Graphics Card, 16GB RAM, and 1 TB SDD. I have to say I am pleasantly surprised with it as I experience great streaming video quality, it has decent (non 5.1) sound, is very fast and runs the Windows Office Suite without difficulty. It also has a nice relatively small footprint compared to my past XPS models, for once I feel I bought the computer I actually needed instead of getting carried away buying all the big number internals.
Very smart. The biggest money drain is a GPU, and if you're not a gamer you don't need to be spending $250-$1,500 for a current generation RTX graphics card. Even if you do want to game, you can probably do so at low (if not medium) settings on an iGPU.
Well since you bought over specced I hope you atleast used them for 10+ years. Computers starting from 2008 and on are still good for basic non gaming tasks such as streaming video running office applications and browsing the web so it’s probably a huge waste buying a new one like that every couple years even if you are just buying something more affordable just cause it got a virus or whatever. With your current specs you could EASILY get 10+ years out of that with only basic use since you got an i7 which is way way newer and more powerful than the i7 3770 from 2012 I use to play games like cyberpunk etc. people VASTLY overestimate what they need to run modern stuff.
@@9852323 My last PC was from 2011 and originally shipped with Windows 7. I got 12.5 years out of it so I’d say I got my moneys worth out of it.
I wouldn’t need one since I upgraded my 2009 dell optiplex 780 to windows 11 an SSD and 16GB ram for cheap, but it’s still nice to see what the new ones are like even if I’m not gonna buy one.
Would definitely recommend adding a second stick of RAM as running in single channel reduces performance especially when the on-board igpu is being put through its paces.
Great suggestion, thanks!
Great review - very informative. Thanks.
If I add a second memory card does it have to be the same size at what is already installed ? It has 1 x 16GB 3200MT/s card. Coud a 32GB card be added to the second slot ?
While they don't have to be the exact same capacity e.g. one could be 16GB and the other 32GB, it's generally recommended so that you have a 1 to 1 matching for dual channel use. It should still work if one memory stick has a larger capacity, it's just that any amount beyond the capacity of the smaller chip will simply run in single channel, which is slightly slower.
Can the 1660 super be installed without changing to a higher watt PSU?
How many internal 2.5 & 3.5 hdd bays, and what sata version
Hi Phil, I bought Dell Unspiron 3020 desktop PC 16Gb Ram, 256Gb SSD + 1tb hdd. I wanted to know if I can use it a server for my office. Runs promas landlord real estate software. If so, what do I need to do to switch from desktop OS to server OS
Can you add a second SSD hard drive?
Very informative video, thank you! I note that you said the following: "Overall, this PC isn’t a bad option for an entry-level tower PC. It has a small footprint, decent processing power and speed, and just enough specs to handle everyday computing and is suitable for most home office or personal uses."
I plan on using this PC for computer programming, mostly building machine learning models and neural nets (so more than everyday computing). As such, I am planning to go with the Core i7 processor rather than the Core i5 and 16GB of Ram instead of 8. Do you think this will suffice? I am leaving myself the option of installing a NVIDIA GPU later if I need it for the neural nets, rather than spending the extra money now and not needing it.
If you are gonna multitask or have several programs running at once its always better to have more ram to offset the workload
Does this pc have internal speakers?
I bought the core I7-13700, 1TB HDD, and 32 GB ram. I believe this configuration will work nice for home and office along with Multi Media. The speed of the I-7 is about 5.
Is there a way to use an *integrated GPU* with this PC? 🤔
Can this PC run street fighter 4 without problems?
Were you allowed to keep this pc? If so, how has it been in the long run? I want to buy this same pc. Thanks!
Yes, it's been fine so far. We are using it as an office computer so it gets use daily, but not such heavy use like gaming or content creation. It's okay for internet browsing and watching TH-cam. Still feels like it's running pretty fast.
What's the best way to connect it to an LG 4k display monitor that has all the latest connection types?
DisplayPort will give you the best performance and features on current generation monitors.
I have a very old desktop which has a great Creative Labs Audigy 5.1 Can I replace the sound card in this pc with my old one?
If it's got a PCIe x1 connector (see 2:39) then you should be able to install the sound card in this PC.
I'm looking at the Dell 3020. I have now a Dell 570. My monitor that came with it is still good. Will it work with the 3020? And I don't understand a lot of tech talk, please.
It depends. If your monitor has HDMI or display port inputs (see 0:51), then it would be compatible with the Dell 3020. If your monitor only uses the older VGA or DVI type connections, it won't be compatible.
You would have to buy an adapter. But honestly if you only use your computer for non gaming tasks I’d just keep the Inspiron 570 and upgrade it. Computers last a lot longer than you think. I have the Inspiron 570 and upgraded it to gaming levels for way cheaper than buying this new non gaming pc.
The one at Costco for Christmas is going for $999 with RTX 3060 12 GB (460W PSU) , i7-13700, and 1 32 RAM.
Seems like a great deal. Any thoughts?
that's a great deal. hope you got it
I upgraded my computer from 2014 to similar specs for cheaper.
I am planning to upgrade my gpu to gtx 1060 super. Do I need to upgrade my power supply? If yes any recommendations?
I would recommend it, just make sure you check the dimensions of the PSU to make sure it'll fit in the case. Dell notes that the system will support a Bronze 300W power supply.
Were you allowed to keep the pc after the review?
Yes
Can i use this for gaming with the quest 2?
I think it meets the minimum requirements for Quest 2, but I don't think it'll run well with all maxed out settings and the performance may be hit or miss.
Do someone know if this PC is good for 4k editing video? obviously with i7 and rtx 3060..many thanks to who can help me!
4k video editing? If I'm not mistaken, according to the Dell site, someone like you should get an XPS. Go to the section of their site where it says, "Which Dell Tower is Right for You". 4k video editing is listed as an "intensive", "creative" tasks suitable for the XPS.
can change that small case to a deffrent gaming case ?
Respectfully… why??
I just ordered similar CPU with almost same configuration , it runs i7 1370 with 16 GB ram, but I just found d out this processor require up-to 219watts to perform it's best, How come Dell Sold me with no options for higher psu
If you ordered the build with the i7-13700 it should've shipped with the 300W Bronze PSU
Do you think it can handle the game Flight Simulator ?
My gaming computer is from 2012 and can run any game. As long as you have a graphics card it should have no issues gaming
Can i change the psu and gpu? I want upgrade this to become gaming pc
Yes, they can be removed and upgraded, but just be mindful of the dimension of the new GPU as the casing is quite small (e.g. NVIDIA RTX 3050) and make sure to stay within the limitations of the power supply unless you're upgrading that component as well (recommended if you are upgrading GPU/CPU) or have the 300W version of this model. The motherboard will support up to 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13700 CPU.
You don’t need a new computer for gaming. I upgraded an optiplex 7010 from 2012 to gaming and it was way cheaper than this and it has more upgradability options.
Is there an 8 pin connector for GPUs?
it will requiere the 300w PSU
@@mathewshoyt1763300w is kind of trash though.
What Graphics Card Do you recommend me for this pc?
According to Dell, these are the compatible discrete GPUs that can be used in this system:
NVIDIA RTX 3050 8 GB GDDR6
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 TI 6 GB GDDR5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER 6 GB GDDR6
I'd go with what fits your budget.
@@ReviewedByPhil And these are the only options? If so which one is the best GPU I don’t really have a budget thank you for responding.
I’m having a hard time setting up
Sorry. That sucks. I'm experienced the same thing with my router. Hope you finally got it going. :)
can you play valorant with it?
$600 for a computer made in Malaysia? I hope it's good;
It surely is better than the one made in China .. LOL
They must really like you to send a $700 system free for review;
😂
the PCIe is still gen 3 ? Please wake up Dell !!!
Honestly most of these people buying this don’t even need a new computer. For basic non gaming tasks you can get away with computers from 2009 and on maybe even older. My gaming PC is from 2012 and runs all games.
can add GPU RTX 3060 ?
According to Dell, these are the compatible discrete GPUs that can be used in this system:
NVIDIA RTX 3050 8 GB GDDR6
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 TI 6 GB GDDR5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER 6 GB GDDR6
The likely reason that it'll support the RTX 3050 and not the 3060 is because the wattage requirements are much higher for the 3060, and the power supply in this system is small.
@@ReviewedByPhil so what is the story with the power supply ? Can we upgrade that ? 180w man, that is pulling down the processor power a lot. Do you know that it can be updated ? Do you know if the actual cpu fan can be updated ?
I am asking as the I5 13400 is a quite good processor, but everything in this design just pulling off all the benefits that we could have with it.
I am planning to get this one as for 500€ it is affordable, but I gotta change staright the power supply, memory and probably the processor fan...
If you added in those, you can get some virtual machines running easily, do some quality big file scraping or handle architectural quantifications....
Costco has one with 3060 12 GB and 460W PSU
U don’t need a gaming pc u just need RTX card and good ram
Can you play gta on it
Yes, this PC meets the minimum spec requirement to run GTA V