Just so that non-techie buyers are aware-
As sold, these computers have a useful life of 15 months, so not a good deal for most people
Windows 10 reaches its end-of-life and stops getting security updates in OCTOBER 2025. We are universally told to not run an operating system without security patches. This computer will NOT update to Windows 11 without special workarounds. (see below)
These may be fine little computers but you should be aware Microsoft’s Windows 11 installer checks for the presence of a TPM v2.0 compatible chip, a minimum amount of RAM (4 GB) and a processor chip from Microsoft’s approved list. In the Intel world, that means 8th generation or newer (and just a couple i7 seventh gen chips). You can Google for a list. AMD chips are more mixed-up and confusing.
These computers will not install and run Windows 11 because they have 4th generation Intel i-series processors and Microsoft’s Windows 11 installer will reject the install and stop, telling you that this computer is not compatible/supported.
For the technically inclined there are workarounds to get Windows 11 installed on “unsupported hardware” and they still work. I have installed Windows 11 on some surprisingly ancient computers. There is no real good reason to limit Windows 11 to 8th gen Intel processors and newer (and similar newer AMD processors). However, I have been doing tech support for over 20 years and the methods to install Windows 11 on older computers (there are several) are beyond the skills of most users. AND, Microsoft withholds the right to stop security updates on these non-conforming computers at any time. AND, the annual update also refuses to install unless you repeat the work-around. Not a good solution for most people.
For most people, these computers have a proper life-span of 15 months. In October 2025 they will get their last security updates. So, this computer is supposed to go to a landfill next year. Life-expectency is less than 16 months. That’s a bad deal. For most people it would be a waste of money.
For the non-geeks, a program called “Rufus” is an awesome free program that in one (somewhat complicated) interface will download full Windows images from Microsoft and create installation media. The latest version has options to automatically do the registry edits necessary to allow the installation of Windows 11 on “unsupported” hardware. It has a few more nifty options such creating a “local” user account which Microsoft really, Really, REALLY does not want you to do. They make it nearly impossible to accomplish during the normal Windows 11 installation.
Rufus is too complicated for non-technical users, but Google will help you find step-by-step instructions that should allow anyone to get Windows 11 going on an old computer.
This caution about buying 4th generation and older processors is only because most WOOT! computer buyers won’t already know all this stuff.
And, yes, for the technically inclined, this would make an awesome little Linux machine when Windows 10 reaches its end-of-life next year.
This is a great rundown.
I’m sorry, but pricing a Dell Optiplex Micro 3020 with a 4th-Gen i7 and 8GB of DDR3 RAM at $215.32 is absolutely hilarious, and not in a good way. Better deals have been seen on this site by far. I guarantee prospective buyers that a local business will probably give you one of these for free if they’re in the process of an upgrade cycle. 3080 Micros with 10th-Gen i5s (which will run circles around a 4th-Gen i7) and 16-32GB of DDR4 RAM are going for as much and less on eBay.
