Why You Should Buy a Refurb Dell OptiPlex

Are you in the market for desktop computers or all-in-ones for your organization, but aren’t sure where to start?

It’s normal to feel overwhelmed by the countless options available on the market. Whether you’re looking to shop new or refurbished, finding the right partner isn’t easy. 

Let’s simplify your search for you by going over one of the most popular options: the Dell OptiPlex family of systems.

In this post, we’ll show you how you can get quality PCs in this lineup at a surprisingly low price through refurbishing. We’ll cover the ins-and-outs of choosing refurbished, how to choose the right machines, and more.

What Is a Dell OptiPlex?

The OptiPlex line is Dell’s entry into desktop computers and all-in-one systems tailored specifically for corporate clients, such as those in government, healthcare, education, and business. As such, they contain features geared towards the needs of business users, such as Ethernet ports, data protection software, and management features like Intel vPro.

The OptiPlex family has its roots as far back as 1993, but we’re going to focus on its relatively modern offerings for today’s business needs.

What Are the Models of the OptiPlex Family?

There are two types of categories that distinguish OptiPlex desktops from one another. The first is the form factor:

• Towers are the largest and offer the most room for internal components and cooling systems, making these options relatively inexpensive and giving them the biggest potential for high performance.

• Small form factor and micro desktops are exactly what they sound like. These compact variants of the tower save space on your desk. While they might not offer the same level of cooling and upgradability as the tower, they can fit into almost any workspace.

• All-in-ones combine the monitor and desktop tower together into a single, sleek, unibody design that looks excellent on any desk. While it doesn’t have the flexibility of a tower, most business users agree it’s perfect for minimizing desk clutter.

The second category is the series. Dell offers 3000, 5000, and 7000.

• 3000-series OptiPlexes are the entry-level desktops featuring low prices but also fewer features and lower specifications. You might not see as many USB ports, SATA ports, RAM slots, and display outputs as the other series, but the budget-friendly nature of this series makes it ideal for smaller businesses and professionals with light productivity needs.

• 5000-series OptiPlexes are the mid-range option with more “under the hood” compared to 3000. You’ll see more storage slots, display out ports, and more powerful processors. A more robust power supply is also included to boot.

• 7000-series is the high-end offering. You get support for the newest iteration of desktop RAM, DDR5. Expect more storage slots, USB ports (including the new Type-C port in most cases), and more powerful components.

OptiPlex desktops have 4-digit codes to identify each model. The first digit refers to the series mentioned above. The second and third digits signify the generation; a higher number designates a more recent machine. The last digit is always 0.

OptiPlex generations typically involve tweaks to the physical design of the machine and slightly newer internal components.

Why Dell OptiPlexes are Ideal for Buying Refurbished

Business-grade desktops are amongst the best devices for buying refurbished. Desktops themselves are renowned for their durability and longevity, and Dell over-engineers its OptiPlex line to meet the high standards of business clients.

Combine all that with expert technicians at refurbishing centers cleaning and repairing the devices before sending them out, and you end up with excellent quality that’s almost too good for the price.

In fact, refurbishing gives you the original performance and reliability of a brand-new OptiPlex while still letting you save money on the business’s budget. The vendor will ensure you won’t get any faulty components. 

How Do I Choose the Right OptiPlex for My Business?

You might have noticed Refurb.io’s convenient filters for helping you find the best OptiPlex. These filters include:

• Memory. The amount of RAM you need depends on your use case. Professionals who need a lot of tabs open or do specialized work (such as video editing) will need more RAM (generally between 16 and 32GB). More general productivity users will get more than enough from 4 or 8GB.

• Storage. Like memory, storage depends on what you intend to save on your machine. There are two types: HDDs are cheaper per gigabyte but are slower for the computer to access, while SSDs are more expensive but are faster.

• Windows 11 Ready. Windows 11 is the newest iteration of Microsoft’s premier operating system. Getting Windows 11 ensures you have the most up-to-date OS available, but budget-seekers should know that Windows 10 is still in support and is sufficient for the majority of business tasks. Microsoft requires the unit is of TPM2.0 and 8th generation or higher in order to upgrade to Windows 11.

• Home vs. Pro. Microsoft offers professional and home variants of its operating system. Most users only need Home, though Pro adds on some business-specific features like BitLocker device encryption and Windows Information Protection (WIP).

Refurb.io additionally offers a condition grade to help buyers in their search. Grade A refers to excellent condition, while Grade B signifies good condition.

Buyers interested in all-in-ones have one extra factor: screen size measured as a diagonal in inches. This choice also comes down to personal preference.

Shop Dell OptiPlex and Other Professional-Grade PCs with Refurb.io

Want to take advantage of business-class computing, but not sure where to find devices that fit your budget? 

Explore Refurb.io’s refurbished catalog for professionally cleaned and repaired OptiPlex desktops and all-in-ones.

Our experienced technicians have given us over a thousand recommendations from customers and an official certification as a Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher. We offer free shipping and a year of warranty to minimize risk for you.