Dell OptiPlex 3050 Micro
A 2017 OptiPlex Micro with 1 M.2 NVMe slot, 1 2.5" bay and up to 32 GB of RAM (official). It has no internal expansion slot.
Good for 4K HEVC; no AV1 decodeSpecs widely confirmed
Used price
Currently from $49 on eBay US (median $125 across 33 used listings, checked 11/9/2026)
Asking prices of active fixed-price listings; configuration (CPU, RAM, SSD) varies.
Used OptiPlex 3050 Micro units on eBay US currently start at $49, and the typical asking price is about $125 across 33 fixed-price listings. The spread mostly reflects the CPU fitted (i3-7100T, i5-7500T, i5-6500T), RAM and SSD included, and whether a power adapter is in the box.
Specifications
| CPU generations | 7th gen (Kaby Lake) / 6th gen (Skylake) |
|---|---|
| Typical CPUs | Core i3-7100T (2C/4T, 35 W); Core i5-7500T (4C/4T, 35 W); Core i5-6500T (4C/4T, 35 W) |
| Chipset | Not listed |
| Memory | 2× DDR4 SO-DIMM, up to 2400 MT/s, 32 GB official maximum |
| M.2 NVMe slots (storage) | 1 |
| 2.5" SATA bays | 1 |
| PCIe expansion | None |
| Onboard Ethernet | Realtek RTL8111HSD |
| Extra NIC option | None (USB adapter only) |
| Faster networking | No 2.5/10GbE path beyond USB adapters |
| vPro / AMT | No |
| Power adapters | 65 W |
| Idle power (measured) | 11–14 W at the wall (ServeTheHome, Quad-core Core i5-7500T) |
Checked against: Dell Owner's Manual. Official limits can be lower than what owners report working.
What owners should know
- Budget line. Often the cheapest way into a 7th-gen Quick Sync box for a single-service server.
Power consumption
| Idle | Load | Configuration | Method | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11–14 W | – | Quad-core Core i5-7500T | Wall meter at 120 V, idle (ServeTheHome test setup) (2021) | ServeTheHome: Dell OptiPlex 3050 Micro TinyMiniMicro guide (cited via homelab-mini-pc-dataset (CC BY 4.0)) |
Third-party readings we have not re-measured. Your drives, BIOS power settings and OS change idle draw; see how to measure it or send your own reading.
What to buy with it
- 32 GB RAM kit2 × 16 GB DDR4 SODIMM, 2400 MT/s or faster (runs at 2400)2 SODIMM slots, 32 GB official maximum. DDR4 laptop-size modules (not desktop DIMMs, not DDR5).
- NVMe SSDM.2 2280 NVMe SSD (PCIe), e.g. 1 TB with DRAM cache or HMB for VM storage1 M.2 2280 storage slot.
- 2.5" SATA SSD + caddy · optional2.5" SATA SSD (7 mm), plus the model's drive caddy/cable if the unit did not ship with one1 × 2.5" bay.
- USB 2.5GbE adapter (optional) · optionalUSB 3 (5 Gbps) 2.5GbE adapterNo internal slot for a second network port; a USB adapter is the only option.
- Power adapter (if missing) · optionalDell 65 W adapter with the correct connectorMany ex-office units are sold without one. Use the wattage the manufacturer lists for the CPU fitted.
We list the spec to look for rather than a price, because part prices change daily and we only show prices from a live source.
Plex and Jellyfin transcoding
Handles 10-bit HEVC (typical 4K HDR) in hardware. No AV1 decode, so AV1 files fall back to the CPU. The table covers every CPU option sold in this chassis. Check which CPU a listing actually has.
| Video engine | H.264 | HEVC 10-bit decode | VP9 | AV1 decode | HEVC encode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Quick Sync (Kaby Lake–Comet Lake) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Intel Quick Sync (Skylake) | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
Plex needs a Plex Pass for hardware transcoding; Jellyfin does not. More detail in our Quick Sync generations guide.
Before you buy one used
- Confirm the exact CPU model in the listing photos or System Information screenshot, not just "Core i5".
- Check that a power adapter of the right wattage is included (65 W). Many ex-office units ship without one.
- Ask whether the BIOS is unlocked. Ex-corporate machines sometimes keep an admin password.
- A 2.5" drive needs the caddy and cable, which are often missing when a unit shipped with only an M.2 SSD.
Find one
Email me when one is listed under my price
Frequently asked questions
- How much RAM does the OptiPlex 3050 Micro support?
- Dell's official maximum is 32 GB across 2 DDR4 SODIMM slots at up to 2400 MT/s.
- How many NVMe SSDs can the OptiPlex 3050 Micro hold?
- 1 M.2 NVMe slot for storage plus 1 2.5" SATA bay, so up to 2 internal drives.
- Does the OptiPlex 3050 Micro have a PCIe slot?
- No. It has no internal PCIe slot.
- Can the OptiPlex 3050 Micro use 10GbE or 2.5GbE networking?
- Not internally. It has a 1 GbE Realtek RTL8111HSD; faster networking needs a USB adapter.
- Is the OptiPlex 3050 Micro good for Plex or Jellyfin?
- Handles 10-bit HEVC (typical 4K HDR) in hardware. No AV1 decode, so AV1 files fall back to the CPU. That applies to the best CPU option (Core i3-7100T, HD 630); check which CPU a listing has.
- How much power does the OptiPlex 3050 Micro use at idle?
- 11–14 W at the wall at idle, as measured by ServeTheHome (Quad-core Core i5-7500T, 120 V). Your drives, BIOS settings and OS will change this figure.
Good for
Related guides
- Which used mini PCs can transcode 4K for Plex and Jellyfin?
- How to check a used mini PC listing before you buy
- Do Lenovo Tiny, OptiPlex Micro and EliteDesk Mini PCs support 64 GB of RAM?
- Mini PC power consumption for a 24/7 home server: how to measure and reduce it
- Choosing a used mini PC for Proxmox: RAM, drives, NICs and clusters
- Mini PC NVMe SSD upgrade guide: slots, sizes and the 2.5" bay
- Mini PC RAM upgrade guide: DDR4 vs DDR5, speeds and slots
- Can a used mini PC be a NAS? Drive limits and better options
- Used business mini PC vs a new Intel N100 mini PC for a home server
- Lenovo Tiny, OptiPlex Micro and EliteDesk Mini names explained (TinyMiniMicro)
Head-to-head comparisons
- OptiPlex 3050 Micro vs OptiPlex 3060 Micro
- OptiPlex 3050 Micro vs OptiPlex 7050 Micro
- OptiPlex 3050 Micro vs ProDesk 600 G3 Mini
- OptiPlex 3050 Micro vs M710q
Similar models to consider
- HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Mini1× NVMe · 32 GB max · no PCIe · Good for 4K HEVC; no AV1 decode
- HP ProDesk 600 G3 Mini1× NVMe · 32 GB max · no PCIe · Good for 4K HEVC; no AV1 decode
- Lenovo ThinkCentre M710q Tiny1× NVMe · 32 GB max · no PCIe · Good for 4K HEVC; no AV1 decode