Dell Optiplex XE3 SFF CPU Upgrade Issues

Question

Hi all, looking for some input on a peculiar hardware incompatibility

I'm working with an XE3 which shipped with an i7-8700 (6c/12t)

This machine will be responsible for running several virtual machines so I am looking to upgrade to the maximum resources supported by this platform

according to
https://www.dell.com/support/manuals/en-ca/optiplex-xe3/opti_xe3_mt_setupandspecs/chipset?guid=guid-ec8a9e95-c43d-4876-8fea-d0ac668da773
the XE3 has a Q370 chipset,

which, according to:
https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/133282/intel-q370-chipset.html
>Compatible Products tab
is compatible with up to an i9-9900 (8c/16t)

yet, I notice the i9-9900 is not on the official Dell compatibility list for this XE3:
https://www.dell.com/support/manuals/en-ca/optiplex-xe3/opti_xe3_sff_setupandspecs/processor?guid=guid-bf936de0-097d-4b6e-ae2b-13b4c1263c29&lang=en-us

but I notice that according to:
https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/compare.html?productIds=191789,126686
these two processors are almost identical save for the i9 having 2c/4t more:
same socket, same 65W TDP, same memory controller, same iGPU, and more.

I bought an i9-9900 before checking the official Dell compatibility list and upon pressing the power button I get a 2,3 amber light error, which according to:
https://www.dell.com/support/manuals/en-ca/optiplex-xe3/opti_xe3_mt_servicemanual/diagnostics?guid=guid-1edf2e77-d8af-4820-b4e7-527712c386b1
can mean bad CPU

The thing is the compatibility site and optional manufacturer upgrades also suggest the maximum RAM the XE3 will support is 16GB per module/slot; which is not accurate as I've had it running just fine with 2x32GB modules:
https://www.crucial.com/memory/ddr4/bl2k32g36c16u4b
(I've reverted back to the original 1x16GB module while troubleshooting). So I'm not sure if the situation is:
A) The processor would run fine in this chipset on this Dell XE3 platform, but I happened to get a lemon CPU - dead on arrival
B) The i9-9900 really isn't supported on this platform for some limitation Dell built into this Intel Q370 platform
I have less than two weeks to return it if I can't get it to work.

Using the original i7 CPU, I've tried clearing the TPM, deactivating it, along with secure boot and any other BIOS setting that could possibly impact a processor swap. No luck getting past that amber 2,3 error core with the i9.

Given the above, I have 2 questions:

1) What are the chances this CPU is dead on arrival vs actually incompatible with this Dell variant of this Intel Q370 platform?

2) Given the similarity mentioned above with the i7-8700, can support for this i9-9900 processor be enabled via BIOS update or is there a technical reason why support for this processor can't be added? If so, what might a timeline for that look like?

Any assistance or ideas would be appreciated!

tibi500cid · Answer

This is a tricky question.

2 reasons for that.

1. according to this Dell manual, the specs show, that You can only have 8th gen CPUs in this PC:

https://dl.dell.com/topicspdf/optiplex-xe3_specifications_en-us.pdf

This is not because of the chipset limitation. This is because of DELL decided to make it so. The BIOS does not recognize any CPU which is 9th gen.

2. However I see this XE3 on ebay with an i7-9700 CPU which is clearly 9th gen. I don't know how this is possbile (perhaps BIOS modding...) :

https://www.ebay.com/itm/353609190495?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

ConfuserWorks · Answer

Yeah the manual at your link above:https://dl.dell.com/topicspdf/optiplex-xe3_specifications_en-us.pdfmatches the online online supported spec list at:https://www.dell.com/support/manuals/en-ca/optiplex-xe3/opti_xe3_sff_setupandspecs/processor?guid=gu...The i9 is missing from that compatibility list. That XE3 on ebay is interesting though - well priced too and I'd go for it if I didn't already have this one! I sent the seller a message asking if the BIOS is modded. I've looked around forums a bit more and found some threads with a similar problem:https://www.dell.com/community/Optiplex-Desktops/OptiPlex-5060-MT-bios-update-for-i9-9900/td-p/8002367and:https://www.reddit.com/r/intel/comments/gs97tg/bought_a_dell_5070_optiplex_with_i79700_want_to/and:https://www.dell.com/community/Optiplex-Desktops/OptiPlex-5060-MT-bios-update-for-i9-9900/td-p/8002367and:https://www.dell.com/community/Optiplex-Desktops/Optiplex-7060-SFF-Upgrade-from-i5-8500-to-i7-9700/td-p/7395080 So it looks like you were right that this is a limitation from Dell by not including the microcode for any 9th gen processors in their latest BIOS for this system. As a user said in one of the links above, it seems like they 'literally they sell a microcode update as a new model' - looking at the 5060 vs 5070, and I guess my XE3 is closer to a 5060/7060 Looks like the processor probably works fine and is not DOA. I'll keep it for a few more days in case someone posts a good idea on how to add that missing microcode to this system but it looks like I'll most likely end up returning it I'd really like to hear from a Dell engineer as to why they decided on this limitation? The heatsink should be fine with it as long as I don't expect all cores to boost to 5GHz 24/7 - which is not my workload, my cores sit at a near-constant ~65C. Adding microcode for a processor that should be supported by the platform seems like a easy/minor addition for quality of life of the product. It's too bad this looks like planned obsolescence.

redxps630 · Answer

In XPS8930 Z370 Dell added 9th gen support in bios update 1 mon after 9th release. XE3 is a relatively obscure business model compared to the heavily promoted mainstream 8930. It is up to Dell whether or when to update bios depending on specific model.

FedsAgainstGunS · Answer

It looks like its not as simple as -no 9th gen microcode- I manage over 1000 desktops so swapping in replacement or upgrade processors is not uncommon for me. I tried to update an XE3 from an i5-8500, to an ebay i7-9700. The XE3 with 9700 doesnt even try to post it powers on and about 1/2 second later it powers off. However i tested an i5-9500 out of an HP before i ordered the 9700. Not only does the 9500 work in the XE3, but the 9700 works in the HP 400G5(8th gen) and G6(9th gen). The only problem seems to be that the XE3 does not allow for more than 6 cores. meaning the best processor is probably the i7-8700, or a 9th gen 6 core 12 threads Xeon like the Xeon E2246G(i dont know if this will work)

I'd use one of the HPs with the 9700, but i need this XE3 for its USB-C power deleivery for our 5G modems(avoiding the hotspot's inseure WiFi). Looks like i'll need to order or build a new machine, and i'll have to do more research next time to see if upgrades are blocked.

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Dell Optiplex XE3 SFF CPU Upgrade Issues

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