Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT Specification and Upgrade Options

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The Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT is a pre-built business desktop computer first released in 2018. Although more than five years old, it is still a viable solution for home, office, and when properly upgraded – gaming. The motherboard is using the Q370 chipset and supports 8th gen Intel Core processor, 64GB of DIMM DDR4-2400/2666 memory, and dedicated graphics card.

Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT is a Mini Tower form factor computer. The Mini Tower is the largest chassis in the business class desktops segment. If you are looking for a system with maximum upgradability, Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT is a good option. Models in this category usually have 4x PCIe slots, several drive bays and better cooling.

Form factor	Mini Tower
CPU options	Intel Gen8 i3/i5/i7; Pentium;
Chipset	Q370
Dedicated GPU *	GeForce GTX 1650 Super
RAM	DIMM DDR4-2400/2666
RAM slots	4
RAM speed	2666 MT/s
RAM max	64 GB
USB ports	USB 3.1 Type C; (5x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0;
Video ports	(2x) Display Port 1.2;
Other ports	RJ45; Headset; Line-Out;
Optional ports	HDMI2.0b/DP1.2/VGA/USB Type-C (DP Alt Mode); Serial+PS2; Media Card Reader; WiFi antenna;
SATA ports	4
PCI slots	PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x16(wired x4); (2x) PCIe x1;
M.2 slots	M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays	3.5in/5.25in; (2x) 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU	260 W
Weight	7.93 kg (17.49 lb)
Released	2018
Manual	link

* Dedicated GPU warning: Check if your particular power supply model has enough power. Additionally some PSUs don't come with an auxiliary PCIe power connector and you may need to buy a SATA to PCIe power adapter.
** As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Can you upgrade Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT to play games?

Yes, you can upgrade Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT for gaming with better processors, graphics card, memory, and storage devices. However, like many other business pre-built PCs, this model may have proprietary elements like the power supply, the chassis or the power connector, which can make it difficult for users to install aftermarket PSUs to support better GPUs. You can also find that there is space constrains inside the chassis, making it difficult to accommodete larger GPU to boost the gaming performance.

Please explore the sections bellow to find ideas and suggestions on how to upgrade Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT.

Windows 11 compatibility

Yes, Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT is compatible with Windows 11. According to Windows 11 specification, all models that have Intel 8th Gen processors (or newer) with TPM 2.0 support and a UEFI BIOS with Secure boot, are eligible to upgrade form Windows 10 to Windows 11 through Windows Update.

GPU upgrade

You can upgrade Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT with a full size GPU. Models like NVIDIA GTX 1660 or GTX 1650 Super are good and safe upgrade option and will work with most Mini Tower form factor. However, keep in mind that the type of GPU you can install will depend on the available space in the chassis and the PSU power rating.

Before you begin shopping for a new GPU, it's important to consider the power supply unit (PSU) currently installed. This is because powerful GPUs require more power than the stock PSU can provide, which means that you may need to upgrade your PSU as well.

According to the manual, the maximum stock power supply available on Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT is 260W. However, to be absolutely sure, check the stock power supply power rating and use one of the GPUs from the table.

GPU upgrade options for Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT with the stock 260W power supply:

GPU	Power consumption	Memory	Req.
NVIDIA GTX 1660	120 W	6 GB DDR5	*SATA to PCIe adapter
NVIDIA GTX 1060	125 W	6 GB DDR5	*SATA to PCIe adapter

* Typically, the stock power supply in a business PC does not have the necessary 6 or 8 pin connectors to power the GPU. In such cases, you may need to use a low-power GPU or a SATA to PCIe power adapter. Alternatively, you can change the entire PSU.
Processor

The Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT supports Gen8 Intel Core technology. Intel introduced their new 8th generation CPUs in 2017. Those processors are built using the second version of Intel's 14 nm manufacturing process. The 8gen marks a change in the number of cores for desktop processors. Mainstream i7 desktop CPUs feature 6 cores (12 threads), while i5 CPUs feature 6 cores (6 threads). The i3 CPUs are paired with 4 cores (4 threads).

Best CPUs for Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT upgrade:

Model	Cores (Threads)	Base frequency	Turbo
Core i5 8500	6(6)	3.0 GHz	4.1 GHz
Core i5 8600	6(6)	3.1 GHz	4.3 GHz
Core i7 8700	6(12)	3.2 GHz	4.6 GHz

Memory

Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT has four RAM slots and supports dual channel memory configuration. This is sufficient for almost any use case and especially in situations where the workload calls for more RAM.

To cover the needs of your OS, games, and apps, Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT supports up to 64 GB of DIMM DDR4-2400/2666 RAM. For office work, home use, and light gaming we recommend 8GB of RAM. For everything else, use 16GB or more.

Faster RAM speeds permit your processor to access the data stored inside the memory faster. This is important for the overall speed of your system. The motherboard of the Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT supports RAM speeds of up to 2666 MT/s.

Wi-Fi Support

Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth combo card with the on-board M.2 2230 (Wi-Fi/BT) slot. The card contains a Wi-Fi module that supports various Wi-Fi standards, as well as a Bluetooth module. It is small circuit board that is designed to fit into a dedicated slot on the motherboard.

Keep in mind that the card is not always included and you have to install one yourself.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless adapter upgrades for Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT:

Model	Speed	Frequency	Interface
WiFi 6E (Gig+) Kit	3000 Mbit/s	2.4GHz / 5GHz	NGFF M.2 A/E Key
Rekong AX210	3000 Mbit/s	2.4GHz / 5GHz	NGFF M.2 A/E Key
Gigabyte GC-Wbax200	2400 Mbit/s	2.4GHz / 5GHz	PCIe
TP-Link Archer TX50E	2400 Mbit/s	2.4GHz / 5GHz	PCIe
TP-Link Archer T9UH	1300 Mbit/s	2.4GHz / 5GHz	USB 3.0

Ports

Ports are important and often people don't think about them when buying a PC. For example, if you don't have enough USB ports, using external devices becomes problematic. Before you buy any system, considering your use case, check the number of external devices you are going to use and plan the number of the extension ports accordingly.

USB ports

The Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT comes with ten USB ports in total. Having more USB ports is always better, but also pay attention to the version of those USB ports. Higher version ports support faster transfer speeds. It is nice to see that the model has a USB 3.1 port. This interface is using 10Gb/s connection and it's very useful when you transfer big files to external drives.

Video ports

The DisplayPort (DP) is the most widely used digital interface for transmitting digital video and audio between display devices and PCs. It is good to see that the Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT is featuring a DisplayPort 1.2. The post version is important if you target higher resolutions with high refresh rate. Although, ver. 1.2 is completely fine for most users, if possible, aim for the higher versions DisplayPort.

The HDMI port is another digital video port you can use to connect external display. It has very similar capabilities to the DisplayPort with few exceptions. However, the Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT doesn't have one. This is not a problem if there is on-board DisplayPort.

*Please keep in mind in order to use the video ports available through the motherboard, you need a CPU with integrated graphics card. If you have a dedicated GPU, use his ports instead.

SSD storage - M.2 sockets and SATA ports

The SATA port is one of the places where you can connect a stora gedevice. The Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT comes with four SATA port(s). Not enough SATA ports might limit your options for additional storage devices. Think about your use case and decide if the SATA ports provided by this model will be sufficient.

Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT has also one M.2 socket(s) that supports both PCIe NVMe (PCIe 3.0 x4) and SATA M.2 drives with speed of up to 4 GB/s. This configuration works very well for both gaming and work related tasks.

The M.2 PCIe SSD connector in combination with an NVMe drive allows for higher transfer rates, compared to the old SATA interface. In some situations, NVMe device connected to the M.2 PCIe socket can be more than 5 times faster.

Best PCIe NVMe drives for Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT storage upgrade:

Model	Form factor / Interface	NAND type	DRAM
Samsung 980 PRO SSD	M.2/x4 PCIe 4.0/NVMe	TLC	Yes
CORSAIR MP600 PRO	M.2/x4 PCIe 4.0/NVMe	TLC	Yes
SAMSUNG 970 EVO Plus	M.2/x4 PCIe 3.0/NVMe	TLC	Yes
Western Digital Black SN770	M.2/x4 PCIe 4.0/NVMe	TLC	Yes
Kingston A2000	M.2/x4 PCIe 3.0/NVMe	TLC	Yes

Power Supply

The Dell OptiPlex 5060 MT comes with a 260 Watt PSU. Having a power supply with high power rating is important, especially if you are doing upgrade with addtional components, like dedicated GPU and more HDDs. Will this 260 W be enough, it all depends on your specific use. Please keep in mind that some models might have more than one PSU option. Whenever possible get the most powerful one, as it might make future upgrades easier.

Motherboard

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