Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF vs. Fujitsu Esprimo E520

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_9020_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelFujitsu_Esprimo_E520.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; Celeron
ChipsetQ87B85
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 Low ProfileRadeon RX 6400 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR3-1600 UDIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots44
RAM speed1600 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max32 GB32 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 3.0; (6x) USB-A 2.0; (2x) USB-A 3.0; (6x) USB-A 2.0
Video ports(2x) DisplayPort 1.2; VGA;DVI; VGA
Other portsRJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial; (2x) PS2; RJ45; Headphones; (2x) Mic; Line in; Line out; PS/2; Serial
Optional portsN.A.Parallel; eSATA; DisplayPort
SATA ports34
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe x16 (wired x4); PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 2.0 x1; PCIe 2.0 x16 (wired x4)
M.2 slotsN.A.N.A.
Drive bays2.5/3.5in; 5.25in(slim)(2x) 3.5in; 5.25 inch
PSU 255 W280 W
Weight6.00 kg (13.22 lb)10.00 kg (24.00 lb)
Released20132014
Manuallinklink
Price**Check PriceCheck Price

** As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
* 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 9020 SFF and Fujitsu Esprimo E520

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Fujitsu Esprimo E520 which was released in 2014. The Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF is older and entered production in 2013.

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

Processor

The two models have the same generation of Intel processors. We think that the 4 generation of Intel Processors have enough power to execute all of the home and office tasks that most people will care to do.

Memory

Both models have have equal amount of ram slots (4 RAM). Usually two RAM slots are more than enough for most cases. However, the count should be taken into account when planning how much and what combination of RAM you are going to need for your system.

None of the desktops has an advantage when it comes to the speed of the RAM being used. Both models support RAM speeds of up to 1600. 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 Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF has 10 USB ports. The Fujitsu Esprimo E520 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. None of the desktop models has a USB 3.1 port (10Gb/s), so if you need a fast connection to your peripherals, like external Solid State Drive, you will need to look elsewhere.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF comes with 2 ports, while the Fujitsu Esprimo E520 has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 9020 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 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 9020 SFF has 3 slot(s).

M.2 SSD interface allows you to transfer data with higher speeds compared to the old SATA interface. Unfortunately, neither the Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF, nor the Fujitsu Esprimo E520 has one. However, you can still use a SATA SSD drive which should give you satisfactory performance.

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 9020 SFF comes with a decent 255 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_9020_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutFujitsu_Esprimo_E520_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout