Dell OptiPlex 5070M vs. Fujitsu Esprimo E520

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_5070M.jpg case front and back pannelFujitsu_Esprimo_E520.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen8&9 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; Celeron
ChipsetQ370B85
Dedicated GPU *N.A.Radeon RX 6400 Low Profile
RAMSODIMM DDR4-2400/2666UDIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots24
RAM speed2666 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max32 GB32 GB
USB portsUSB 3.1 Type C; (5x) USB-A 3.0;(2x) USB-A 3.0; (6x) USB-A 2.0
Video ports(2x) Display Port 1.2;DVI; VGA
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; Headphones; (2x) Mic; Line in; Line out; PS/2; Serial
Optional portsHDMI2.0b/DP1.2/VGA/USB Type-C (DP Alt Mode); Serial; Serial+PS2; WiFi antenna;Parallel; eSATA; DisplayPort
SATA ports14
PCI slotsN.A.PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 2.0 x1; PCIe 2.0 x16 (wired x4)
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) N.A.
Drive bays2.5in(2x) 3.5in; 5.25 inch
PSU90 W280 W
Weight1.18 kg (2.60 lb)10.00 kg (24.00 lb)
Released20192014
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 5070M and Fujitsu Esprimo E520

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 5070M which was released in 2019. The Fujitsu Esprimo E520 is older and entered production in 2014.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 5070M is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Fujitsu Esprimo E520 and will fit more easily under your desk.

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 5070M as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Fujitsu Esprimo E520 is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Fujitsu Esprimo E520 has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex 5070M 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 5070M is using the faster 2666 MT/s RAM. The Fujitsu Esprimo E520 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1600 MT/s. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 32 GB of RAM will be enough for most people. However, if you will be needing more RAM, make sure to check other desktop models too.

Ports

In total the Fujitsu Esprimo E520 has 8 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 5070M is inferior in this regard and packs 6 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. What is nice about the Dell OptiPlex 5070M, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Fujitsu Esprimo E520 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 5070M comes with 2 ports, while the Fujitsu Esprimo E520 has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 5070M 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 ports are placed on the system board and it is where you connect your HDD, SSD and Optical Disk Drives. More SATA slots will allow you to have more drives running at the same time. In this regard the Fujitsu Esprimo E520 is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 5070M has 1 slot(s).

If you want the fastest transfer speeds for your SSD, an M.2 interface is crucial. Thus, if the M.2 SSD slot is a mandatory requirement for you, go with the Dell OptiPlex 5070M. Sadly, the Fujitsu Esprimo E520 has no such slot, and you will be forced to use the SATA interface instead.

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 Dell OptiPlex 5070M comes with a decent 90 Watt PSU, but the Fujitsu Esprimo E520 has a more powerful one rated at 280 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_5070M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutFujitsu_Esprimo_E520_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout