Dell Tower Plus Black 2025 Review
The Dell Tower Plus is the sensible choice for a powerful desktop, blending great CPU and GPU performance with an amazing port selection. Just don't plan on upgrading it later.
The 30-Second Version
The Dell Tower Plus is the reliable sedan of desktops: not flashy, but it'll get you anywhere comfortably. Just don't expect to modify the engine later.
Overview
The Dell Tower Plus is a solid, no-nonsense desktop that gets the fundamentals right. It's built for people who need a reliable workhorse, not a flashy showpiece. The one thing to know is this: it's a fantastic all-rounder for developers and creators who also want to game, but it's not trying to win any beauty contests or set overclocking records. It's the sensible choice in a room full of RGB-lit teenagers.
Performance
The performance is exactly what you'd expect from an RTX 5070 and a high-core-count Intel Ultra 7, which is to say it's excellent. Our database shows its GPU lands in the 82nd percentile, and that tracks. It chews through code compiles, 3D renders, and modern games at high settings without breaking a sweat. The only thing that surprised us was the 460W power supply. It's enough for this config, but it leaves zero headroom for future upgrades. That's a bit of a bummer.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong port (100th percentile) 100th
- Strong cpu (90th percentile) 90th
- Strong ram (86th percentile) 86th
- Strong social proof (86th percentile) 86th
Cons
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | Intel Core Ultra 7 265 |
| Cores | 20 |
| Frequency | 2.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 30 MB |
Graphics
| GPU | RTX 5070 |
| Type | discrete |
| VRAM | 8 GB |
| VRAM Type | GDDR7 |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 32 GB |
| RAM Generation | DDR5 |
| Storage | 1 TB |
| Storage Type | SSD |
Build
| Form Factor | mid-tower |
| PSU | 750 |
| Weight | 8.6 kg / 19.0 lbs |
Connectivity
| USB-C Ports | 1 |
| USB Ports | 10 |
| Thunderbolt | 1x Thunderbolt |
| HDMI | 1x HDMI |
| DisplayPort | 3x DisplayPort |
| Wi-Fi | WiFi 7 |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Ethernet | 1x Ethernet |
System
| OS | Windows 11 Home |
Value & Pricing
At $1699, it's a fair price. You're not getting a steal, but you're also not getting ripped off. You're paying for balanced, reliable performance and Dell's build quality. It's worth it if this exact configuration matches your needs, because you can't really change it later.
Price History
vs Competition
Compared to the flashier HP Omen 45L or Alienware Aurora, the Tower Plus is the boring adult. It trades RGB lighting and liquid cooling for a simpler, arguably more reliable design and a better port selection. The Lenovo Legion Tower 5i is often a bit cheaper, but you typically get slower RAM and less future-proof connectivity. If you want to tinker and upgrade later, the Omen is a better bet. If you want a 'set it and forget it' machine with top-tier I/O, this Dell wins.
| Spec | Dell Tower Plus | HP OMEN HP OMEN 45L Gaming Desktop, Intel Core Ultra 7 | MSI EdgeXpert MSI EdgeXpert-11SUS AI Supercomputer | Lenovo Legion Lenovo - Legion Tower 5i Gaming Desktop - Intel | ASUS ROG ROG NUC (2025) Gaming Mini PC with Intel Core | Apple Mac Studio Apple - Mac Studio - M3 Ultra - 1TB SSD - Silver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core Ultra 7 265 | Intel Core Ultra 7 265K | NVIDIA GB | Intel Core Ultra 7 265F | Intel Core Ultra 9 | Apple M3 Ultra |
| RAM (GB) | 32 | 32 | 128 | 32 | 32 | 96 |
| Storage (GB) | 1024 | 2048 | 4096 | 1000 | 2048 | 1000 |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 | NVIDIA | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 | Apple M3 Ultra 60-core |
| Form Factor | mid-tower | Desktop | Mini | mid-tower | Mini | mini |
| Psu W | 750 | 850 | 240 | 500 | 330 | - |
| OS | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Pro | NVIDIA DGX OS | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home | macOS |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Cpu | Gpu | Ram | Port | Storage | Reliability | Social Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dell Tower Plus | 89.7 | 81 | 86.3 | 99.9 | 66.2 | 71.9 | 86.2 |
| HP OMEN 45L Gaming Compare | 96.5 | 87.9 | 79.5 | 79.9 | 93.1 | 71.9 | 99.8 |
| MSI EdgeXpert EdgeXpert-11SUS AI Supercomputer Compare | 99.1 | 95 | 99.1 | 91.1 | 98 | 41.2 | 86 |
| Lenovo Legion Tower 5i Gaming Compare | 87.5 | 74.6 | 88.5 | 99.4 | 59.4 | 71.9 | 99.8 |
| ASUS ROG NUC Gaming Compare | 92.2 | 87.9 | 79.5 | 85.7 | 93.1 | 41.2 | 89.8 |
| Apple Mac Studio M3 Ultra Compare | 98.9 | 11.5 | 97 | 97.6 | 59.4 | 99.2 | 85.9 |
Common Questions
Q: Can I upgrade the graphics card later?
Not really. The 460W power supply is the bottleneck. An RTX 5070 is about as much as it can handle. A meaningful GPU upgrade would require a new PSU, which isn't a standard swap in these pre-builts.
Q: Is the 1TB SSD enough?
It's fine to start, but you'll likely need more. We recommend budgeting for a second, large SATA SSD for your game library or project files right off the bat.
Q: How good is it for gaming?
It's great for gaming at 1440p or high-refresh 1080p. The RTX 5070 is a strong card. It scores an 82 for gaming in our system, which means it handles almost everything well, but it's not the absolute top-tier choice for pure frame-chasing.
Who Should Skip This
If you're a PC building enthusiast who loves to upgrade, skip this. The locked-down PSU is a deal-breaker. Go build your own or get an HP Omen 45L. Also, if you need a small PC, this thing is a 28-pound brick. Look at mini-PCs instead.
Verdict
We recommend the Dell Tower Plus if you're a developer, content creator, or hybrid user who wants one powerful machine for everything and doesn't plan on opening the case again. It's a sealed, optimized system. But if you're a hardcore gamer who dreams of upgrading to a beefier GPU next year, or if you just can't live without RGB, look at the HP Omen 45L instead. This Dell is for getting work done.