Dell Dell Ect1250 Desktop,Intel Core Ultra 5 225,Intel Review
The Dell Ect1250 desktop packs a modern Intel Core Ultra 5 CPU for office work, but its integrated graphics mean gaming is off the table. Is it worth $796 for your business?
The 30-Second Version
The Dell Ect1250 is a capable business desktop with a modern Intel Core Ultra 5 CPU. It scores best for office work but is useless for gaming. At $796, it's a decent value for businesses that want a simple, branded solution.
Overview
The Dell Ect1250 is a straightforward, no-frills business desktop. It packs Intel's new Core Ultra 5 225 chip and a 1TB SSD into a compact tower, aiming to be a reliable workhorse for office tasks.
Our database scores it best for business use, landing in the 54th percentile. That means it's a solid, middle-of-the-pack performer for spreadsheets, emails, and video calls. Just don't expect it to do anything flashy.
Performance
The Intel Core Ultra 5 225 CPU is the star here, performing in the 59th percentile. It's got enough power for everyday multitasking. The 1TB PCIe SSD is decent, but its 45th percentile ranking shows it's not the fastest drive out there. The big letdown is the integrated Intel UHD Graphics, which scores in the bottom 25th percentile. This thing is not for gaming or any graphics-heavy work.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong reliability (74th percentile) 74th
- Strong cpu (67th percentile) 67th
Cons
- Below average gpu (33th percentile) 33th
The Word on the Street
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | Intel Core Ultra 5 |
| Cores | 10 |
| Frequency | 3.3 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 20 MB |
Graphics
| GPU | UHD Graphics |
| Type | integrated |
| VRAM Type | Shared |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 16 GB |
| RAM Generation | DDR5 |
| Storage | 1 TB |
Build
| Form Factor | Desktop |
Connectivity
| Wi-Fi | WiFi 6 |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.4 |
System
| OS | Windows 11 Pro |
Value & Pricing
At $796, it's priced like a premium office PC. You're paying for the Dell brand, the Windows 11 Pro license, and that new Core Ultra chip. For a business that needs a set-it-and-forget-it machine with official support, it's a reasonable buy. For a home user, you can almost certainly find more power or storage for the same money by shopping around.
vs Competition
This isn't a gaming PC, so comparing it to the HP Omen or Alienware towers is like comparing a sedan to a race car. Those machines have dedicated GPUs and cost much more. A fairer comparison is against other business desktics from Lenovo or HP. The Ect1250 holds its own with its modern CPU, but rivals might offer better upgradeability or more RAM for a similar price. It's a competent entry in a boring but necessary category.
| Spec | Dell Dell Ect1250 Desktop,Intel Core Ultra 5 225,Intel | HP OMEN HP OMEN 45L Gaming Desktop, Intel Core Ultra 7 | MSI MSI EdgeXpert-11SUS AI Supercomputer | Dell Dell Tower Plus Desktop Computer | Lenovo T Series Towers Legion Tower 5a Gen 10 (30L AMD) 90YJ001LUS | Apple Mac Studio Apple - Mac Studio - M3 Ultra - 1TB SSD - Silver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core Ultra 5 | Intel Core Ultra 7 265K | NVIDIA GB | Intel Core Ultra 7 265 | AMD Ryzen 7 7700X | Apple M3 Ultra |
| RAM (GB) | 16 | 32 | 128 | 32 | 32 | 96 |
| Storage (GB) | 1024 | 2048 | 4096 | 1024 | 2048 | 1000 |
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 | NVIDIA | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 | Apple M3 Ultra 60-core |
| Form Factor | Desktop | Desktop | Mini | Tower | Tower | - |
| Psu W | - | 850 | 240 | 750 | 850 | - |
| OS | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 Pro | NVIDIA DGX OS | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home | macOS |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
Common Questions
Q: Can this PC run games?
No. It uses basic integrated graphics, which scores in the bottom 25% for GPU performance. It's only for basic display output, not gaming.
Q: How big and heavy is it?
It measures 12.76 x 6.06 x 11.53 inches and weighs about 21 pounds, so it's a compact but fairly dense tower.
Q: Is the RAM upgradeable?
It likely is, as it's a standard desktop tower. However, it only comes with 16GB, which is on the lower end for a PC at this price point.
Who Should Skip This
Skip this if you need to do any gaming, video editing, or 3D work. The integrated graphics will choke. Also, power users who want to future-proof with 32GB of RAM or a dedicated GPU should look at more customizable systems.
Verdict
Buy this if you're outfitting a small office and need reliable, brand-name desktics that will run accounting software and Chrome without a fuss. The Core Ultra 5 is a good modern chip for that, and Windows 11 Pro is a bonus for IT management. It's a sensible, if unexciting, choice for its intended job.