Dell Inspiron 3050 Micro Teardown #HTPCGeek

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Looking for the 3050 SATA cable?  Click here for my post with photos and part number for that cable.

This week Dell responded to HP's recent release of the HP Mini Stream with a palm-sized Windows 8.1 PC of its own: the Dell Inspiron 3050 Micro Desktop.  Like the HP Mini Stream, the 3050 is a tiny desktop system under $200 providing a great step up for those getting their streaming media via a Roku, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire USB stick or the like.

Although all the usual media outlets dutifully reported on the 3050 Micro's release, none that I've found have included any breakdown information on this new system or how it might be upgraded.

In this post I'll answer a number of common questions such as "Can I add more RAM?" and "Is the 3050 fanless?" and "Does the Inspiron 3050 Micro support VESA mounting?" and "Is there room for a secondary drive like in the HP Mini systems?"

Read on for the answers and even a few breakdown photos...

atxgeek, the next generation

While I still prefer to build up my "main" personal PC piece-by-piece, I've come to enjoy a certain freedom in using reliable off-the-shelf systems around the rest of the house. A few years ago I determined that a $120 off-lease Dell Optiplex small form factor desktop PC made a much better HTPC (home theater PC) than similarly-priced "media box" devices...