Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF vs. Fujitsu Esprimo D538

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_5000_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelFujitsu_Esprimo_D538.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen 12 i3/i5/i7; PentiumIntel Gen8&9 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; Celeron
ChipsetQ670H310
Dedicated GPU *AMD Radeon RX 6400 Low ProfileRadeon RX 6400 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR4-3200UDIMM DDR4-2666
RAM slots42
RAM speed3200 MT/s2666 MT/s
RAM max128 GB32 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 2.0; (5x) USB-A 3.0; USB-C 3.1;(4x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0
Video ports(2x) Display Port 1.4a;DisplayPort 1.2; DVI
Other portsRJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;RJ45; Headphones; Mic; Line in; Line out; PS/2
Optional portsHDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA/PS2/serial/USB Type-C; SD-card slotVGA; eSATA
SATA ports33
PCI slotsPCIe 4.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4;PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x16 (wired x4)
M.2 slotsM.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 2.0 x2, NVMe)
Drive bays3.5in; 2.5in;3.5in; 2.5in; 5.25 inch
PSU240/260/300 W210/280 W
Weight5.16 kg (11.39 lb)5.00 kg (11.03 lb)
Released20222018
Manuallinklink
Price**Check PriceCheck Price

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* Dedicated GPU warning: Check if your particular power supply model has enough power. Additionally some PSUs don't come with an auxiliary PCIe power connector and you may need to buy a SATA to PCIe power adapter.

Differences between Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF and Fujitsu Esprimo D538

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF which was released in 2022. The Fujitsu Esprimo D538 is older and entered production in 2018.

Both models have the same form factor, meaning reoughtly they have the same phiysical size and form.

Processor

Usually the newer the generation of the CPU, the better the performance and efficiency is. If your budget allows it, you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Fujitsu Esprimo D538 is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF has 4 RAM slots while the Fujitsu Esprimo D538 has only 2 slot(s). This is not something to worry about. Just make sure you take it into consideration when planning how much RAM you are going to use.

The Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF is using the faster 3200 MT/s RAM. The Fujitsu Esprimo D538 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2666 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF as it has the ability to run 128 GB of RAM. The Fujitsu Esprimo D538 can do a bit less at max 32 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF has 10 USB ports. The Fujitsu Esprimo D538 is inferior in this regard and packs 8 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. What is nice about the Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Fujitsu Esprimo D538 has no such port, thus restricting your transfer speeds significantly. For people who want to use external drives on regular basis, this might be an issue.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF comes with 2 ports, while the Fujitsu Esprimo D538 has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF is the better choice.

None of the models has an HDMI port. If your monitor supports only the HDMI interface, you will need to buy an adapter. Such adapters are cheap so nothing to worry about.

SATA slots are located on the motherboard and it is where SSD, HDD and Optical Disk Drives are connected. Each of the two models being compared have 3 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.

When your goal is to have the fastest SSD transfer speeds, an M.2 interface is crucial. Thus, it is good that both models have M.2 SSD slots. Today M.2 SSDs are not much more expensive than the average SATA drives, so it really does not make sense to invest in SATA drives anymore.

Make sure that the available M.2 slot supports the PCIe (also called NVMe) interface. This is important as there are M.2 slots which support only the inferior SATA III interface. For comparison, the SATA III interface has max speeds of 6Gb/s, while the PCIe 3.0 x4 will support speeds up to 32Gb/s!

Power Supply

Having a Power Supply Unit with high power rating is important, if you are going to use components which require extra power. The Fujitsu Esprimo D538 comes with a decent 280 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF has a more powerful one rated at 300 Watts. Choosing either one depends on your specific requirements and use case. Also don't forget that some models might have more than one PSU option - try to always get the most powerful one, especially if you plan to upgrade to a powerful GPU.

Motherboard

Dell_OptiPlex_5000_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutFujitsu_Esprimo_D538_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout