A Surprisingly RARE Dell Optiplex

Summary

The transcript describes a video where the narrator tests out an unusual Dell Optiplex PC from 2008 featuring a rare AMD Ryzen Pro 1300 CPU. He cleans and upgrades the system, benchmarking performance against an HP system with an Intel i5-6400. The Ryzen has better performance but higher power draw. He tests some games and emulators, finding the GPU to be the limiting factor. As a home server, idle power draw remained high. Transcoding performance was poor. Overall the rare Ryzen CPU makes this an interesting curio but Intel versions may be more practical purchases.

Takeaways

• 😊 The video features a Dell Optiplex 5055 SFF with an unusual AMD Ryzen 3 Pro 1300 CPU
• 👷‍♂️ The system was purchased for $65 and then disassembled, cleaned up, and reassembled
• 🖥️ The Ryzen 3 Pro 1300 is a 4 core, 4 thread CPU with base/boost clocks of 3.5/3.7 GHz
• ⚡ The system has decent expandability with PCIe 3.0 x16 and open RAM/storage slots
• 📈 In benchmarks, the Ryzen system outperformed a comparable Intel i5 system
• 🔋 But the Ryzen system used over 30% more power at load than the Intel system
• 🎮 The GPU (Radeon R5 430) limited gaming performance, even on older titles
• 🛠️ As a home server, power draw was still quite high (35W+) at idle
• 👎 CPU transcoding performance in Jellyfin was mediocre at best
• 🤔 The uncommon CPU means limited upgrade options, but it can be a good value

Q & A

What CPU is featured in the Dell Optiplex 5055 system?

The Dell Optiplex 5055 features an AMD Ryzen 3 Pro 1300 CPU, which is part of AMD's first generation Ryzen Pro series for OEM systems.

Why was the author surprised to see a Ryzen CPU in this Optiplex system?

The author was surprised because first gen Ryzen CPUs typically required a dedicated GPU, which increases cost and power draw, not ideal for lower-end office PCs like the Optiplex.

How did the Ryzen 3 Pro 1300 perform compared to a similar Intel system?

In benchmarks, the Ryzen system outperformed an HP ProDesk 600 G3 with an Intel i5-6400 by 15-30%, but drew significantly more power at idle and load.

What graphics card came with this Optiplex 5055 system?

This system came with an AMD Radeon R5 430 2GB graphics card.

What resolution and framerate could this system achieve in games like Rocket League and COD MW2?

At 1080p, the system could run Rocket League at 60+ fps on lowered settings, and COD MW2 at a smooth 60 fps.

How well could the Ryzen 3 Pro 1300 handle video transcoding?

The quad-core Ryzen chip struggled with video transcoding due to lack of an iGPU, only reaching 20-28 fps during H264/H265 4K to 1080p transcoding.

What power draw did the system have while idle and under load?

Idle power draw was around 28-36W. At load during transcoding, power draw reached 50-55W.

What potential issues exist with using 1st gen Ryzen CPUs in home servers?

Some users have reported stability issues or crashes with 1st gen Ryzen CPUs when used in always-on home server workloads.

What upgrade options exist for the Optiplex 5055 motherboard?

The AM4 socket means the motherboard could technically support up to a Ryzen 5000-series CPU, but the Dell BIOS likely prevents this without modding.

What was the final verdict on value proposition for this type of OEM Ryzen system?

Unless found at a very low price point, Intel-based Optiplexes likely offer better performance-per-watt. But AMD Ryzen Pro chips could still be a good option if extra CPU power is needed.