Fujitsu Esprimo D538 vs. Fujitsu Esprimo D556

Comparison and Differences

Fujitsu_Esprimo_D538.jpg case front and back pannelFujitsu_Esprimo_D556.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen8&9 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; CeleronIntel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; Celeron
ChipsetH310H110
Dedicated GPU *Radeon RX 6400 Low ProfileRadeon RX 6400 Low Profile
RAMUDIMM DDR4-2666UDIMM DDR4-2133
RAM slots22
RAM speed2666 MT/s2133 MT/s
RAM max32 GB32 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0(4x) USB-A 3.0; (6x) USB-A 2.0
Video portsDisplayPort 1.2; DVIDisplayPort 1.2; DVI
Other portsRJ45; Headphones; Mic; Line in; Line out; PS/2RJ45; Headphones; Mic; Line in; Line out; PS/2
Optional portsVGA; eSATAVGA; eSATA
SATA ports33
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x16 (wired x4)PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x1; PCIe 2.0 x16 (wired x4)
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 2.0 x2, NVMe)M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 2.0 x2, SSD)
Drive bays3.5in; 2.5in; 5.25 inch(3x) 3.5in; 5.25 inch
PSU210/280 W280 W
Weight5.00 kg (11.03 lb)8.00 kg (17.64 lb)
Released20182015
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 Fujitsu Esprimo D538 and Fujitsu Esprimo D556

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Fujitsu Esprimo D538 which was released in 2018. The Fujitsu Esprimo D556 is older and entered production in 2015.

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 Fujitsu Esprimo D538 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Fujitsu Esprimo D556 is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

Both models have have equal amount of ram slots (2 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.

The Fujitsu Esprimo D538 is using the faster 2666 MT/s RAM. The Fujitsu Esprimo D556 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2133 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 D556 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. 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.

The DisplayPort is usually the more popular video port used with desktops and laptops, while the HDMI is used predominantly in consumer electronics. That's why, it is good to see that both of the models come with a DisplayPort.

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

Looking at the Power Supply Unit (PSU) of the two models we don't see any differences. For either of them you get a maximum power of 280 Watts. However be careful, many models have more than one power supply option. When buying your computer, it is a good idea to get a version with the most powerful PSU. This will potentially allow you to upgrade to a more powerful GPU for example.

Motherboard

Fujitsu_Esprimo_D538_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutFujitsu_Esprimo_D556_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout