Dell OptiPlex 390

The Dell OptiPlex 390 is a refurbished office tower turned budget gaming PC with a GTX 750 Ti, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. It handles esports and older games fine at medium settings, but the aging CPU and weak port selection hold it back. For $340, it's a decent entry point if you know exactly what you're getting into.

The GTX 750 Ti 4GB is the star of the show here, but that's a low bar. It sits around the 55th percentile in our database, which means it's middle of the pack compared to other GPUs in this category. For esports and older titles, it does the job. CS:GO and DOTA 2 will run smoothly at medium settings, and GTA V is playable if you don't push the graphics too hard. The 4GB of VRAM helps with texture-heavy older games, but don't expect high refresh rates or high settings on anything from the last five years.

The CPU is a Core i5 quad-core at 3.1GHz, landing at the 43rd percentile. That's below average for modern desktops, but it's fine for everyday tasks and light multitasking. The 16GB of RAM is the real standout, hitting the 100th percentile in our database. That's the absolute best right now for this category, and it means you can run a ton of browser tabs, office apps, and background processes without the system choking. The 512GB SSD is solid but unremarkable at the 33rd percentile. Boot times will be quick, and you'll have room for a decent game library, but it's not a high-end NVMe drive by any stretch.

Stacked against the HP OmniDesk M03-0054, the OptiPlex 390 wins on gaming performance thanks to the dedicated GTX 750 Ti. The HP has a newer CPU but relies on integrated graphics, so it'll choke on anything beyond browser games. The Lenovo IdeaCentre 91CX0002US is in the same boat, newer internals but no discrete GPU. For office work, both HP and Lenovo are better choices because they're new, more reliable, and come with full warranties.

The Apple Mac mini M4 and Minisforum DeskMini UM880 Plus are in a completely different league. The Mac mini M4 absolutely demolishes the OptiPlex in CPU performance and efficiency, but it costs significantly more and can't run Windows games natively. The Minisforum UM880 Plus is a compact powerhouse with a much newer Ryzen CPU and better integrated graphics than the GTX 750 Ti in many workloads. If you have the budget, skip the OptiPlex entirely. The ASUS NUC 14 Pro is another compact option that beats this Dell in everything except raw GPU gaming performance, and even that's close.

At $340 USD, the Dell OptiPlex 390 is cheap for a desktop with a discrete GPU and 16GB of RAM. But you're buying a refurbished office PC with a decade-old graphics card. The HP OmniDesk M03-0054 and Lenovo IdeaCentre 91CX0002US are similarly priced new desktops that offer newer CPUs but weaker integrated graphics. If gaming is your priority, this OptiPlex gives you more GPU muscle per dollar than those. If you just need an office machine, you can find newer, more reliable options for the same money. The 90-day warranty is also shorter than what you'd get on a new PC, which matters when you're buying refurbished.

The Dell OptiPlex 390 is one of those refurbished office PCs that someone slapped an RGB panel and a gaming GPU into, then called it a budget gaming rig. At around $340 USD, it's aimed at people who want a Windows 11 Pro desktop without spending real gaming PC money. You get an Intel Core i5 quad-core at 3.1GHz, a GeForce GTX 750 Ti with 4GB of VRAM, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. On paper, that's a reasonable starter setup for older titles and everyday work.

But let's be real about what this is. The OptiPlex 390 is a business tower from Dell's office lineup, not a purpose-built gaming machine. The seller has upgraded it with a discrete GPU, extra RAM, an SSD, and some flashy lights. That's a common formula in the renewed desktop market, and it can work fine if your expectations match the hardware. The 4-star average across 281 reviews suggests most buyers are happy, but there are some red flags we'll get into.

Is the Dell OptiPlex 390 good for gaming? For esports titles like CS:GO, DOTA 2, and older games like GTA V at medium settings, sure. For anything modern or demanding, no. This is a 2014-era GPU paired with a CPU from around the same time. It'll handle office work, browsing, and light gaming, but it's not a machine for Cyberpunk 2077 or even newer Call of Duty titles at playable frame rates.

Skip the Dell OptiPlex 390 if you need a reliable machine for work, school, or anything where downtime is a problem. The refurbished nature and short 90-day warranty mean you're rolling the dice on longevity. If you want to play modern games, this isn't the PC for you either, the GTX 750 Ti is simply too old. Look at a used gaming PC with a GTX 1060 or RX 580 instead, or save up for a Minisforum DeskMini UM880 Plus if you want something compact and modern. And if you need lots of ports for peripherals, this machine's port selection is one of the worst we've seen, so you'll be living that dongle life.

Should you buy the Dell OptiPlex 390? If you want a cheap Windows 11 desktop for esports titles, older games, and everyday work, and you're okay with refurbished hardware, it's a reasonable deal at $340. The 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD are genuinely good specs for the price, and the GTX 750 Ti will keep you gaming on older titles without issue.

But if you need a reliable daily driver for work or school, or you want to play anything released in the last few years, look elsewhere. The CPU is aging, the GPU is ancient by modern standards, and the port selection is genuinely bad. A newer refurbished office PC with a better CPU and no discrete GPU might serve you better for productivity, while a used gaming PC with a GTX 1060 or RX 580 would be a smarter gaming investment.