Re: Will I have to update the BIOS? I believe you do not need to update BIOS when switching from 4770 to 4790.  In fact, I own two 9020 with one having 4770 and the other 4790, both having same BIOS version.  flashing BIOS has inherent risk of bricking motherboard and should be undertaken only when absolutely necessary.  you would be misguided to think you need to update bios to switch from 4770 to 4790. Agree w JOCean that upgrade from 4770 to 4790 has minimal benefit.  If you use the PC for video editing or content rendering, then upgrade ram from 16 to 32 gb may be worth considering.  upgrade hdd to ssd will significantly quicken boot speed.  for gaming you can upgrade psu from Dell proprietary 8 pin connector to higher power standard 24 pin ATX psu and 24 to 8 pin adapter (you have already upgraded psu as you said).  9020 MT case supports fancy modern gpu up to certain length.  Another thing to consider in upgrade is the case if you are interested in a more modern look and better air flow, as the Dell case has only a back exhaust fan.  In summary many hardware upgrade paths exist, and the cpu path is probably least beneficial. PS To be on the safe side the maximum GPU length you can use on OptiPlex 9020MT is between 9.5 and 10.0 inches
Good afternoon. I'm thinking about upgrading my CPU for my Dell Optiplex 9020 Mini-Tower computer. She has an Intel Core I7-4770 Class CPU. I'm not sure what class of socket this is, but I was hoping that someone on here could give me some advice. Assume, for the purpose of this question, that I am willing to accept a price worth several hundred dollars. My PC runs a sixty-four bit "Windows VII Home Premium" with sixteen gigabytes of RAM. I am willing to upgrade it to "Windows X" if it comes down to that, but I would prefer my legacy OS. Is there anyone that could give me some advice on this? Based on what I studied in college, changing your CPU requires a lot more work than simply taking one out and putting one in. Will I have to update the BIOS? Thank you for any assistance you may render.   Warm regards, -TURTLESHROOM
Looking to Upgrade My CPU (Dell Optiplex 9020 Mini-Tower)