Fixing Dell's RTX 3060 Ti Pre-built Gaming PC 

The tenacity of the bloat ware is honestly impressive.

Common sense: "Malware is easy to avoid" OEM: "Fine, I'll do it myself"

The bloatware resurfacing was probably down to a hidden recovery partition added during manufacture. DBAN the disk and install fresh to stop the malware coming back.

7:11 It's awesome that those just screw right in there, that is a great option. The Noctua U9S can also mount without a huge amount of effort, which helps the temps a lot. Great video, and good luck with the bloatware exorcism. :)

TWO stick of rams?! Gotta tell Dawid about this

Vetroo V5 cooler (about $25) works with this computer "out of the box". No special brackets or screws needed. all you need is $25 to buy it, a screwdriver and about 10-15 minutes to install it. Temperatures were much better afterwards.

Its nice to see pre-builts that don't try to look like gaming PCs and just keep it simple but not ugly.

Forget the GPU and all that crap, that computer has a disc drive in the front!

I thought at first Steve at Gamers Nexus had sent you their computer they had reviewed!! 😂

A separate video on installing that cooler would be invaluable for prospective 8940 buyers. Applaud your tenacity and ingenuity in that solution!

You can tell how bad the market is when many RU-vidrs benchmarking prebuilt systems.

I wonder if the VRMs need a heat sink if there is no active cooling from the CPU fan anymore. Just a thought.

Hey Ali, as a software engineer, my best guess about the Realtek Audio Server process chewing up all the RAM is that it's leaking memory. A "memory leak" in the programming world occurs when we write code that allocates memory, but never frees it again. In practice this means that if part of the program keeps requesting small chunks (e.g. 4MB) of memory from the OS but never tells the OS when it's done with this memory, the OS can only assume ALL of the small chunks of memory are still being used, adding up to obscene amounts like we saw in the video. TL;DR - That audio driver is very poorly engineered and I wouldn't trust having it running on my system or anyone else's. Uninstalling is the correct thing to do :)

Glad I ordered the high performance cooling solution with my new Dell. Keeps everything really cool.

I wasn’t expecting a video like this, this is great! You gotta do more like this!

4:56 - I disagree. Any HP, Dell, or Lenovo gets a fresh win10pro install from a usb drive. Bonus points for setting a local gpo to disable cortana and telemetry.

don't forget to add heatsinks onto the MOSFET

I manage to pick up a 3060TI in Feb when it launched for about $487usd. Had to get up a 5am and stay in line for about 3 ish hours till Mircocenter opened.

Asetek 645 massively underrated. Thank Dan for originally finding this gem for SFF cases 👌 (thanks for pointing out my error Chris)

I actually got myself this exact prebuilt to get the 3060ti. I took that one out of it to put it in my own pc and then I sold the remaining system to my mom since she needed an upgrade for her home desktop. Since she'd only need a way to store, modify and work on documents and a browser the 11700 is already waaayyy overkill for her, but as a result she'd have no need for the 3060ti. So during this apocalypse of scalper pricing and a complete lack of stock, I managed to get this prebuilt for the price of what at that moment would've been less then a retail 3060ti + a retail 11700 on their own. EDIT: to alleviate some confusion, it'd be more accurate to say that my mother felt bad receiving a free pc from me, so she paid me the cost of the system minus the cost of the GPU because she wanted to, rather then saying I sold it to her. But from my perspective I'd say that it counts as it being sold as it's no longer mine and I got money in return, which is why I stated it that way previously.

Great video as always. Was also nice hearing Aussie pricing and options for once to get a better understanding of how bad things are for us

The only way to remove all the bloat is to use a w10 USB install drive and run diskpart when installing - it will still pull the w10 license but no bloat.

If you remove the front hard drive cage, you can fit an intake fan. Ventroo V5 air cooler will also fit.

3:40 R.I.P.

Been following you for a year or so now, but only now have I realised your based in Australia. Now Im even more tuned in than ever

Dells audio driver is what probably makes consumers use dell support and upgrade thru dell for outrageously marked prices. Wouldn't surprise me.

Wouldn’t creating a bootable widows install drive be easier? The media creation tool is brilliant and would remove all of that bloat ware from the get go.

If possible in your region, I would highly recommend rather going for a pre-build by a computer store, not an OEM. They use off the shelf parts which will make any upgrade or selling of components later on much more possible. Getting an OEM, a lot of the purchase will go down the drain as it won't have an upgrade path / resell value.

Just ordered one of these with a 11700k and a rtx 3070 so this video was perfectly timed.

1:13 Can't help but notice they left holes in the front plastic peels because they KNOW some people will never take those off **but you still need airflow**

You deserve more subs and exposure. I watch other yt build channels, but whenever i need advice, i only consult your channel because of your logical selection of gear and practical information on setups. You have a clean and appealing way of showcasing your builds and really put effort into your work. i commend you. Well done!

Didn't know you were aussie. So many great tech channels down under, and before people talk about accents english is not my main language so besides the british everything else sounds the same to me haha.

While I agree with the general conclusion (prebuilts are a viable option given the complete unavailability of GPUs) I strongly disagree with the passing grade on Dell. For starters, people should have a look at Gamer's Nexus analyses of their Dell prebuilt to really understand how f'd up Dell parts are: nothing is standard, mobo ports, PSU sizes and wiring, front panels, and mounting points for CPU heatsinks... it's all custom made to make it impossible to replace. It's really nice to be able to swap in an AIO, but it's NOT by design and anyone that wants an AIO shouldn't buy this and compromise. I recently teared down a friends Alienware (Dell) prebuilt from 2016 in order to help him decide how to upgrade it. He mostly wanted a different case and an SSD. It was basically impossible to change anything but storage without buying half the parts again... The mobo power wiring is not standard, the front panel wiring is not standard AND the mobo won't power up without that specific wiring. Changing mobos means buying windows again, replacing the CPU cooler and PSU... In the end, he decided to just repaint the case and live with it a few more years, luckily he paid for the Dell AIO back in 2016 so cooling wasn't an issue, and he has a GTX 1080, so he's good for a bit. But the truth is Dell is a horrible anti-consumer mess of a company for individual customers. If you want a prebuild, chose one that uses standard parts that you can replace or reuse later. Avoid Dell. Check Gamer's Nexus for in depth analysis of multiple prebuilt systems.

+1 on a separate video about mounting the liquid cooler itself, there are some links missing for all the parts you used to mount the Asetek 645LT like the retention kit, low noise adapters, etc. That would be super helpful, thx!

The fact that a clean windows installation still has bloat is beyond amazing

Just finished installing the liquid cooler you mentioned in the video. Thanks a bunch for the recommendation. You’re the man!

Can't you just grab a clean W10 iso or create a clean W10 USB install from another PC and install that on the Dell?

I have this exact pre-build and I am so excited to get the set up going. Thank you for increasing my hype!

Love the videos, keep it up. Huge inspiration! Do you script out your videos by the way?

review the empty case as it’s one of your SFF and rate it!

Awesome analysis.

Could you make a video on what exactly you should delete from a dell PC? Like Bloatware etc because im assuming its the same programs for most if not all Dell PCs

I've had the exact same PC for 2 months now and luckily no Realtek driver RAM issue. But what I noticed is that even though I also replaced my cooler and the CPU is no longer overheating, it's still throttling after around 40 seconds of stress test. The reason are the MOSFETs for the power delivery, they lack any cooling at all, the i9 11900k model of this prebuilt comes with one (Part 612F7, you can google it) and a way better CPU cooler. Since the CPU is locked to 65 Watts normally the cooling seems about right, I guess is what they are thinking. I got myself a Z590 board and put that CPU inside with the same cooler I put into the dell, now I get 13900 points in Cinebench R23 which is a huge difference. What surprised me even more is, when you unlock the power with the Intel XTU on the Dell, the 11700 consumes 180+ Watts and on my Z590 board only around 130 Watts, while having a much higher score. The motherboard and chipset is just complete garbage in my opinion and my Dell died 2 days ago. It turns on and off immediately. Luckily their support here in Germany is exceptional compared to their XPS desktops and a technician will swap my motherboard tomorrow.

This sort of "This system isn't the best, but this is how you can improve it" video is 100x better than GN's "This system is shit. Complain complain complain" video. Well done on a very informative and productive video.

9:24 that clicking noise test is GENIUS for fan noise levels.

Isn't Audio driver purpose is for the compatibility? Why the hell it takes so much Ram?

Was about to update a similar machine, great notice on the 92mm cooler part rather than the common 120mm ones.

One thing I would recommend keeping - Dell command update. It comes with the computer but it is helpful in getting hardware updates and you can run it when you want

4:20 isn't that the Dell stresstest? :D seems effective!

I just got my NZXT BLD with a 3070. Priced it out on PCPartPicker and only paid an $150 extra if had built it myself. From order to my door was only about 3 weeks

as someone that works in IT with a global contract from dell, you need just to erease every partition that the computer have in the main drive, then install from a usb windows, dell computers have a ton of things that are just in the way, and doing this will install a fresh windows with the SN of the one that came with the computer, you need to do this before entering any account on it

Dope you managed to find a liquid cooler which fit on it, and the case isn't complete trash, A complete contrast from GN's Dell-branded machine they showed.

4:35 still happening even if you delete all partitions? reformatting after deleting all partitions (usually a hidden partition) is my workaround for those pesky bloatware in our office prebuilt pcs.

Bought one of these a while back, replaced the case fan with a noctua 80mm fan, which could run at a much faster speed while being quieter.

Thank you! What about Dell liquid cooler which can cost additional $50 ?

Good video bro. I do think that Dell and HP should start putting 120mm fan support in the rear of all these style PreBuilts

I feel lucky to have bought a Ryzen 5 3600X, RTX 3060ti, 16gb (2x8) 3200mhz, cooler master case with rgb fans and 650Watt Thermaltake psu for $1,500 CAD in the beginning of this year. The only thing I didn't like was that the only storage was a 256GB sata ssd, So I bought a 3T hard drive and 2T nvme m.2... I thought it was a bad buy until I seen pre-builts go up in value with the GPU's.

This particular model down under in Oz? Careful of it starting a bush fire!

@4:54 You can (and should) download a clean Windows image from Microsoft and install that, no?

Not surprised by the findings. I know it's tough to get a newer machine now a days and that's helping the OEM builders. Are you going to purchase more of these sir?

damn, we need more of that type of content

Is it even possible to add an intake fan? How about a push fan on the AIO?

the cpu cooler is good if you disble turbo boost

The most Frankenstein build i've seen to be honest lol

We need more 3060 ti builds

Would love to see your opinion on the digital storm bolt (itx liquid cooled prebuilt) I’ve thought about selling my custom built system at a premium and then buying something like that!

You can do a fresh install from a windows iso on a USB. It doesn't allow you to run the newer drivers, you're still tied to the one that the OEM approves which are usually several months old unless you want to do some serious work but at least no bloatware is good

Why not wiping the disk and then installing fresh system?

I replaced the NVME to do a proper clean install - none of the bloat came back

Great vid! I'd love if you could also review a Alienware desktop like the Aurora R10 or R12

Can you link the sound track for the intro?

Hey Ali! Regarding that bloatware automatically installing after 'fresh win10 install'. When you install Windows, you have to choose Advanced when at the partitioning section, then DELETE each and every partition until all disks show 'unallocated space' and nothing else. Then create your boot partition and go on installing Windows. My guess is you just deleted and recreated the "C:/" partition (or just formatted it) and left the other small, apparently harmless "recovery partition" or "OEM reserved" partitions. Those are the ones with the bloatware and OEM drivers.

Has no one noticed that the radiator ports are upside down? That's going to cause increasing pump noise and worse thermals (also potentially damaging the pump or CPU due to a growing air bubble at the high point in the system), as the system permeates coolant.

Eeeeeeeee i see the 4K monitor again in the back gooood choice :>

My S9 gives the choice for either 16:9 4k or 21:9 1080p. What should I choose?

we would get dell laptops for work and we would just use a windows 10 iso loaded on a usb, and every new computer we get would get wiped and then install windows all over again, they have the key built into the motherboard so you dont have to worry if you erase the whole computer.

I ordered one with a tiny main drive m.2 then I just switched that out with what would be my 1TB main drive with No bloatware. Fun little system, but yeah it's a heat box, I switched out the tempered glass for perforated steel that I put fans on.

For the price I see this for just buy a maingear vybe, similar/same price for a better spec and build.

I used TRAX screws 25 mm which then can be used with noctua Coolers and the standard thumb screws that come with the cooler i used 9s. I agree this was my first pre-built due to price and availability in Aus market . just in case someone wants to use Air cooler . have been following your channel for a while and love your content , keep up the good work MATE!

Great video for those who cant get parts for their own build!

Could you potentially just do a fresh install using a USB? I have found that tends to basically format and get rid of that OEM junk

Tip about Windows instalation on these OEM machines: You can use mediacreationtool or windows version upgrade to reinstall a clean version. Simply choose "Upgrade this computer" and "Don't keep programs and files" and you should be good. This shouldn't void warranty as its the same as doing "repair my PC", but instead of using a local image it's getting a fresh one from Microsoft

same chasis as G5 5000. Add Noctua cooler, remove HDD cage, ad 120 mm intake and 80 mm intake below. Replace 80 mm case fan in back with 92mm, throw away graphics card bracket. No room for upgrade of gpu because of one 8 pin connector. MAXED OUT!

I wonder how the VRM temps are doing after replacing the CPU cooler and removing all airflow over them.

Look forward to your XPS 8950 review to see if the cooling system has improved

2:41 haha good job Dell, im Proud of you 🙌👏👏

Do you have a list of songs you use on your videos? I'm really liking the Synthwave type of music and you always use great songs!

Super helpful! Thanks!

Ali, can you fix the gpu market next?

still rockin my xps

Can you do an explanation video for Windows 11? Specifically for a TPM 2.0 ( maybe) section?

can you increase the performance any further with Throttlestop by any chance?

Fun fact the Vetroo coolers fit the weird dell mounting holes

When you reinstalled Windows I am guessing you reinstalled off of an existing system partition? Because I throw fresh Windows on Dell machines all day and that bloatware does not come back if you are installing from a USB stick made with Microsoft's Media Creation Tool. Really interesting issue with that Realtek driver though. Thanks for the video.

Just bought an xps special edition. Hopefully it doesn't have the same issues but even if it does I eventually plan to gut the more important components and throw them into another more custom rig. Hopefully that issue with the system forcing a Dell version of windows gets resolved when I do that but idk if that's something the bios forces or the storage device.

Liked the video without even watching it. 👌

Seems like My Dell 7567 has all the similar software. I should really think of a way to get rid of all that. Maybe that's why I keep getting into trouble sometimes.

Someone please tell me what the intro music is it’s so wavy

Definitely best to do a clean install from USB rather than doing a reset from within Windows. MS makes it pretty simple to download/create a USB installer. Just make sure you've got a copy of network drivers for your system first. Windows 10 is pretty good about having that covered but best to play it safe. Dell has a pretty decent utility (SupportAssist) to scan and install/update system drivers without all the extra bloatware.

Why didn’t you just advise reinstalling windows on a usb?