Fujitsu Esprimo D538 vs. Fujitsu Esprimo E520

Comparison and Differences

Fujitsu_Esprimo_D538.jpg case front and back pannelFujitsu_Esprimo_E520.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen8&9 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; CeleronIntel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; Celeron
ChipsetH310B85
Dedicated GPU *Radeon RX 6400 Low ProfileRadeon RX 6400 Low Profile
RAMUDIMM DDR4-2666UDIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots24
RAM speed2666 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max32 GB32 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0(2x) USB-A 3.0; (6x) USB-A 2.0
Video portsDisplayPort 1.2; DVIDVI; VGA
Other portsRJ45; Headphones; Mic; Line in; Line out; PS/2RJ45; Headphones; (2x) Mic; Line in; Line out; PS/2; Serial
Optional portsVGA; eSATAParallel; eSATA; DisplayPort
SATA ports34
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x16 (wired x4)PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 2.0 x1; PCIe 2.0 x16 (wired x4)
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 2.0 x2, NVMe)N.A.
Drive bays3.5in; 2.5in; 5.25 inch(2x) 3.5in; 5.25 inch
PSU210/280 W280 W
Weight5.00 kg (11.03 lb)10.00 kg (24.00 lb)
Released20182014
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 E520

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 E520 is older and entered production in 2014.

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 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 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 Fujitsu Esprimo D538 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

Both models have the same amount of USB ports for total count of 8. If this is not enough, using a USB hub is always a viable option. 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 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 Fujitsu Esprimo D538 has 3 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 Fujitsu Esprimo D538. 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

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_E520_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout