The Dell G5 5090 is capable of handling both challenging games and productivity tasks.
FOR
- High productivity and gaming performance
- Reasonably priced
- Amazing chassis
AGAINST
- Preinstalled software is often a problem
- It is not ideal for QHD/UHD gaming
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The Dell 5090 (from 570, $1,050 in review) is a powerful gaming computer, providing you play your games in full HD. You can use this gaming desktop to handle demanding games as well as productivity tasks.
While the G5 5090 is the cheapest configuration, it has very basic parts. The more expensive model can’t provide 4K gaming and a lot of storage. The G5 5090 is still a great computer and has a lot to offer full-HD users. The G5 is a great choice for those who don’t want to build their own systems.
Prices and configurations for the Dell G5 5090
The Dell G5 5090 review unit is $1,050, down from $1,239. The unit is equipped with a 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9700 processor, Nvidia GeForce GTX-1660 Ti graphics card and 16GB RAM. It also has a 256GB SSD, 1TB SATA hard disk, and 16GB of RAM. Our unit came with a 500GB SSD, but it doesn’t appear to be for sale. The $1,050 configuration had everything else identical.
The cheapest option is the Intel Core i3 processor and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1600 GPU. It costs $570. The highest-end configuration is $1,500. It includes an Intel Core i7 CPU, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 GPU, 16GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD.
There are a few gradations between and options like more RAM or storage that can increase the price. The G5 5090 will cost you between $600 to $1,500 depending on your gaming needs. All models should be run at 1080p.
Design and lighting for the Dell G5 5090
The G5 5090 has one thing I like about it: It is simple in appearance but still shows some flair. It measures 14.5×12.1×6.7 inches and weighs 18.6lbs. It can be placed on top of your desk if you have enough space. However, it is sturdy enough to stand on its own without being knocked over. The front features an elegant crosshatch pattern as well as a diagonally blue LED strip. The LED was very nice, but it is not possible to dim the unit without entering the BIOS. Also, the colors aren’t customizable.
The clear side panel is what I love about the chassis. The left side of the G5 5090 has a clear rectangle made from plastic. This allows you to see the inside workings of the machine, which is softly lit by the blue LED. This is a beautiful setup that could allow you to diagnose hardware issues without opening your computer.
Ports and upgrades for the Dell G5 5090
The G5 5090 should be able to accommodate all accessories. The machine’s front has three USB-A ports and one USB-C port. There is also a 3.5mm microphone jack, as well as a 3.5mm audio connector.
We found that the upgrade to the Dell G5 5090 was very simple. Two screws at the back are all that’s required to access the motherboard. It is easy to wire the motherboard. Even a novice PC builder will be able to swap RAM, upgrade a GPU, or remove a fan. There aren’t any extra slots so you will be replacing the parts and not adding.
Gaming performance with the Dell G5 5090
Although I am not convinced that a 1080p-optimized machine is worth more than $1,000, I feel the G5 5090 does a good job in its normal environment. Far Cry New Dawn ran at 79 frames per second, Middle-earth Shadow of War at 65 frames/second, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider was running at 42 frames/second, all with Very High graphics settings. Although the Tomb Raider performance was disappointing, even consoles can run this title at 60 frames per second (albeit not with perfect consistency).
Compare these numbers with our averages for category: 88 fps Far Cry, Shadow of War, 123 Shadow of War, and 96 Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
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Similar results were seen with the G5-5090 scoring 2,910 in our 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra synthetic benchmark. This compares to an average category score of 8,055. (It is worth noting that many gaming PCs are more powerful than the G5-5090 and we haven’t reviewed one of these machines recently so this comparison should be taken with a grain.
The Dell G5 5090 is a good choice from a qualitative standpoint. It was tested through Age of Empires II Definitive Edition, Overwatch, and World of Warcraft. I also ran it through Thronebreaker’s The Witcher Tales and World of Warcraft. Most settings were set to Ultra. Most games ran at 60 fps or higher. The G5 5090 was quiet throughout. The Dell G5 5090 was solid and provided a good gaming experience.
Overall performance of the Dell G5 5090
The G5 5090 is a gaming PC that handles daily productivity much better than desktop computers. It didn’t matter how many programs I was running simultaneously (Chrome, Slack Microsoft Office, Netflix Spotify, Thunderbird, Microsoft Office), the RAM or CPU never surpassed the halfway mark. With no noticeable loss of speed or fidelity, I hooked up another monitor.
The G5 5090 is not as powerful in productivity, but it can play games. The Geekbench synthetic test gave the G5 5090 a score of 5,558. This is far lower than the 37.301 average. The G5 5090, on the other hand, was able to transfer 5GB files from a USB drive in just 9 seconds. This is well ahead of the category average of 15 minutes.
Software from Dell
The G5 5090 doesn’t have a lot of bloatware. Windows 10 Home Edition is included. You also get standard Dell software that allows you to update firmware and contact customer support. It can also optimize USB-C displays for optimal performance. While I was testing the machine, this software did not interfere with my work. I also disabled a lot of it in order to save RAM.
McAfee Antivirus was free on my computer. You get 12 months of free service when you buy a G5 5090 or most Dell machines. Although it’s nice, I would still remove the program immediately.
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McAfee is not only a resource hog, but it’s also a pushy program with unwelcome advice and recommendations. False positives are the biggest problem with McAfee. It considers certain very important gaming executables “trojans”, and deletes them without any quarantine. Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds had to be reinstalled from scratch after I uninstalled McAfee. There is no way to make it less aggressive or disable it. It is actually a better option to use Windows Defender, which is quite an accomplishment.
Bottom line
The Dell G5 5090 was a pleasure to use. It is very responsive for 1080p gaming and offers excellent productivity options. It looks great, the software is simple to use (with one exception), and it’s affordable in comparison to other gaming PCs.
The Dell G5’s initial price is for a 4K console. However, our configuration is an excellent choice for gamers who are looking to get into the PC market but don’t feel confident enough to build their own computers. This gaming desktop is far more durable than a typical console, thanks to its easy upgradeability.
