Dell OptiPlex 7090 2020, Core i7-10700, 16GB, 1TB SSD, Black

The Dell OptiPlex 7090 is a capable office desktop with a strong 8-core CPU and fast SSD, but the integrated graphics kill any gaming potential. Our gaming score of 16.7 out of 100 is the lowest we've seen in a while. At around $1,100 USD, it's overpriced for what you get unless you find a deal.

The i7-10700 is a solid 8-core chip that boosts to 4.8GHz, and paired with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, day-to-day tasks feel snappy. Boot times are quick, apps open fast, and you can juggle a dozen browser tabs without much fuss. The storage sits right around average for this category, and the CPU is a bit below the middle of the pack compared to newer desktops, but for office work it's more than enough. The GPU is the elephant in the room. Intel HD Graphics with shared memory is fine for driving monitors and playing video, but it's a dead end for modern games or GPU-heavy creative work.

Stacked against the HP OMEN GT22-3080 or the Lenovo Legion Tower 5a, the OptiPlex 7090 looks like it wandered into the wrong room. Those machines have dedicated GPUs and are built for gaming and creative work, while the Dell is a business tower with a DVD drive. The Apple Mac Studio M4 Max is in a completely different league for performance, though it's also a different price class. The CLX SET and MSI Aegis similarly outclass the OptiPlex for anything beyond office tasks. If you need a gaming or content creation rig, any of those competitors will run circles around this Dell.

At around $1,100 USD or $1,259 CAD, this is a tough sell for a refurbished machine with integrated graphics. You're paying for the Dell OptiPlex name and the business-grade build, but the specs don't justify the price when newer systems with dedicated GPUs are in the same ballpark. If you can find it on sale or through a corporate surplus channel for less, it makes more sense. At full asking price, you're overpaying for what is essentially a capable but aging office PC.

The Dell OptiPlex 7090 is a refurbished office workhorse, not a gaming rig. It packs a 10th Gen Core i7-10700, 16GB of DDR4, and a 1TB SSD into a mini-tower that still has a DVD drive, which is either charming or a sign of its age depending on your vibe. For spreadsheets, email, and general multitasking, it's got plenty of muscle.

But the integrated Intel HD Graphics are a hard stop for anything beyond light photo editing or very old games. Our gaming score of 16.7 out of 100 says it all. This is a business machine through and through, and it knows it.

Skip this if you need any kind of GPU power. Gamers, video editors, 3D artists, and anyone running GPU-accelerated software should look elsewhere. Also skip it if you want a machine with modern connectivity like Thunderbolt or Wi-Fi 6 built in. And if you're on a tight budget, the refurbished price tag doesn't offer enough value compared to newer budget desktops with dedicated graphics.

Buy this if you need a reliable, no-nonsense office desktop for email, documents, web browsing, and light multitasking. The i7-10700 and 16GB of RAM will keep things moving for years of basic use. But if you have any aspirations of gaming, video editing, or 3D work, this is not your machine. It's a business tool, not a toy.