Apple Mac Studio M5 Max vs Dell OptiPlex
Apple Mac Studio M5 Max, 64GB, 4TB SSD
Dell OptiPlex 2022, Core i5-6500, 16GB, 512GB SSD + 1TB HDD, GeForce GT 1030, Black
What Buyers Say
Apple Mac Studio M5 Max, 64GB, 4TB SSD
Users are overwhelmingly positive about the Mac Studio with M5 Max, praising its performance, especially for media production and 4K editing. The upgrade from older Macs or PCs is seen as a significant improvement, with many noting the speed and capability of the M5 Max chip. Some mention the value of catching it on sale, and the build quality and ecosystem integration are appreciated.
Pros
- Blazing fast M5 Max chip
- Excellent for 4K editing
- Smooth upgrade path
- Good value when on sale
- Reliable Apple build quality
Cons
- Pricey without sale
- Base storage may be limiting
- Latest macOS required for new features
Dell OptiPlex 2022, Core i5-6500, 16GB, 512GB SSD + 1TB HDD, GeForce GT 1030, Black
This refurbished gaming PC bundle gets mixed reviews. Many buyers praise the easy setup, included peripherals (RGB keyboard, mouse, headphones, monitor), and good value for kids who play Minecraft, Roblox, or Fortnite. However, a significant number report serious hardware failures within days or weeks—dead power supplies, flickering monitors, and units that simply stop working. Customer service is responsive for some, but others are left with a non-functional computer outside the return window. Overall, it's a gamble: a great starter PC if you get a good unit, but reliability is a major concern.
Pros
- Easy setup
- Great value for money
- Includes RGB peripherals
- Good for kids' games
- Responsive customer service
Cons
- Hardware failures within days
- Power supply issues
- Monitor flickering problems
- Incompatible monitor cable
- Dented monitor on arrival
Scores
Specifications
| Apple Mac Studio M5 Max | Dell OptiPlex | |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | ||
| CPU* | Apple M5 Max★ | Intel Core i5 6500 |
| CPU Multi-Core Score | ||
| Cores | 18★ | 4 |
| Frequency | — | 3.2 GHz★ |
| L3 Cache | — | 6 MB★ |
| Graphics | ||
| GPU* | Apple (40-Core)★ | NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030 |
| GPU Benchmark Score | ||
| Type | integrated★ | discrete |
| VRAM | 64 GB★ | 2 GB |
| VRAM Type | System Shared | GDDR5★ |
| Memory & Storage | ||
| RAM | 64 GB★ | 16 GB |
| RAM Generation | DDR5★ | DDR4 |
| Storage 1 | 4 TB★ | 512 GB |
| Storage 1 Type | NVMe SSD★ | SSD |
| Storage 2 | — | 1 TB★ |
| Storage 2 Type | — | HDD★ |
| Build | ||
| Form Factor | mini | mid-tower |
| PSU | 480W★ | — |
| Weight | 2.70 kg | 11.34 kg |
| Connectivity | ||
| USB-C Ports | 6★ | 0 |
| USB Ports | 2 | 10★ |
| Thunderbolt | Thunderbolt 5 x 4 | — |
| HDMI | 1x HDMI 2.1 | HDMI |
| DisplayPort | — | DisplayPort |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7★ | 802.11ac |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 6.0 | — |
| Ethernet | 10GbE | Ethernet |
| System | ||
| OS | macOS | Windows 11 Pro |
Pros & Cons
Apple Mac Studio M5 Max, 64GB, 4TB SSD
- Strong reliability (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong ram (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong storage (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong cpu (96th percentile)96th %ile
Dell OptiPlex 2022, Core i5-6500, 16GB, 512GB SSD + 1TB HDD, GeForce GT 1030, Black
- Strong social proof (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong port selection (89th percentile)89th %ile
- Strong storage (79th percentile)
- Strong reliability (70th percentile)
- Below average user sentiment (10th percentile)10th %ile
- Below average cpu (15th percentile)15th %ile
- Below average ram (18th percentile)18th %ile
Verdict
Scores 100 overall, wins 7 of 8 usage categories and 14 of 28 specs.