Fujitsu Esprimo D538 vs. Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Small

Comparison and Differences

Fujitsu_Esprimo_D538.jpg case front and back pannelLenovo_ThinkCentre_M73_Small.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen8&9 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; CeleronIntel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetH310H81
Dedicated GPU *Radeon RX 6400 Low ProfileGeForce GTX 1650 Low Profile
RAMUDIMM DDR4-2666DIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots22
RAM speed2666 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max32 GB16 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0(2x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplayPort 1.2; DVIDisplayPort; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headphones; Mic; Line in; Line out; PS/2RJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial; (2x) PS2;
Optional portsVGA; eSATAParallel; Serial; Media card reader (USB 2.0);
SATA ports33
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x16 (wired x4)PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 2.0 x1;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 2.0 x2, NVMe)N.A.
Drive bays3.5in; 2.5in; 5.25 inch2.5in; 3.5in; 5.25in;
PSU210/280 WTFX 240 W
Weight5.00 kg (11.03 lb)6.6 kg (14.55 lb)
Released20182013
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 Fujitsu Esprimo D538 and Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Small

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Fujitsu Esprimo D538 which was released in 2018. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Small 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

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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Small 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Small is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1600 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Fujitsu Esprimo D538 as it has the ability to run 32 GB of RAM. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Small can do a bit less at max 16 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the Fujitsu Esprimo D538 has 8 USB ports. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Small 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. 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.

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 Fujitsu Esprimo D538. Sadly, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Small 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Small comes with a decent 240 Watt PSU, but the Fujitsu Esprimo D538 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

Fujitsu_Esprimo_D538_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutLenovo_ThinkCentre_M73_Small_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout