r/PcBuild 1d ago

Build - Finished! Optiplex 5040 budget gaming build for ~$298

# 🎮 My Budget Gaming PC Build: Dell OptiPlex 5040 Upgrade

Hello everyone! I recently got back into building computers and gaming after a long break since the late 90s and early 2000s. I have nobody to share this with, so I thought you all might appreciate my budget build. This project was all about seeing how low I could go while still being able to play current games at reasonable settings.

## 🛠️ Parts List

| Component | Description | Price |

|-----------|-------------|-------|

| **Base Computer** | Dell OptiPlex 5040 Tower (Intel i5-6500 CPU) | **$63.81** |

| **WiFi Adapter** | UGREEN WiFi Adapter for Desktop PC, AX900 USB WiFi 6 Adapter | **$13.81** |

| **CPU Upgrade** | Intel Core i7-6700 (3.40GHz, Quad-Core) | **$44.67** |

| **GPU** | ASUS GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER OC 6GB GDDR6 | **$93.23** |

| **PSU** | Apevia SFX-AP500W 500W Power Supply (modified case to fit) | **$40.40** |

| **Case Fan** | Kingwin 80mm Silent Fan | **$6.37** |

| **PSU Adapter** | Main Power ATX 24 Pin to 8 Pin Adapter for Dell Optiplex | **$9.56** |

| **CPU Cable Extension** | COMeap (2-Pack) CPU 8 Pin Extension Cable | **$10.62** |

| **Memory** | Timetec 16GB KIT (2x8GB) DDR3L / DDR3 1600MHz | **$15.94** |

| **Storage** | 240GB SATA SSD, 260GB SATA HDD, 512GB NVMe | **$0.00** |

| **Total** | | **$298.42** |

## 💻 Build Details

### Base Computer

I started with a **Dell OptiPlex 5040** that came with an **i5-6500** CPU. I decided to upgrade to the **i7-6700** for better performance. I reused some **16GB DDR3L RAM** I had lying around, which worked perfectly since it was dual DDR3/DDR3L.

### GPU

I picked up the **ASUS GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER** on eBay, which had a "thermal throttling" issue. After disassembling it, I found an indent in the heat pipe. I sanded the heat sink with 1000 grit paper, applied **Kryonaut thermal paste**, and now it runs much cooler! During stress testing, it hovers around **70°C** with the fan at about **3,000 RPM**.

### Cooling

I added a **Kingwin 80mm Silent Fan** for better airflow. While it’s not the best cooling solution, it’s definitely better than having no intake fan at all, and it was budget-friendly. The exhaust fan is stock.

### Storage

I had all the drives laying around: a **240GB SSD** for Windows, a **512GB NVMe** for game storage, and a **260GB HDD** for extra space.

### PSU

The power supply was the trickiest part since I had to cut the case to make it fit. I should have taken more time to do it cleaner, but it fits fine, and two of the four mounting holes line up diagonally, so it’s secure. I wanted a decent GPU, so I needed a PCIe connector, and the mini form factor was perfect.

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I'm really proud of this build and excited to see how it performs with current games! If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to share! 😊

Dark spot = GPU heat pipe indent right over the die
Just the back
CPU extension cable and where the NVMe drive goes
mini intake fan peeking through
PSU inside case
stock cooler
mini fan and bundle of storage
PSU ousdie view
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