Dell OptiPlex 3020M vs. Fujitsu Esprimo Q520

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_3020M.jpg case front and back pannelFujitsu_Esprimo_Q520.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroMicro
CPU optionsIntel Gen4 i3/i5; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7
ChipsetH81 H81
Dedicated GPU *N.A.N.A.
RAMSODIMM DDR3-1600 SODIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots22
RAM speed1600 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max16 GB16 GB
USB ports(2x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; (2x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0
Video portsDisplayPort 1.2; VGA;DisplayPort 1.2; DVI
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Mic/Hdph;RJ45; Line in; Line out; Card reader
Optional portsWiFi antenna; Serial+PS2; VGA (DVI to VGA adapter)
SATA ports12
PCI slots N.A.N.A.
M.2 slotsM.2 2230 (WiFi)N.A.
Drive bays2.5in;2.5in; 5.25 inch
PSU65 W65 W
Weight1.28 kg (2.82 lb)1.60 kg (3.53 lb)
Released20132014
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 3020M and Fujitsu Esprimo Q520

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Fujitsu Esprimo Q520 which was released in 2014. The Dell OptiPlex 3020M 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 (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.

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 16 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 6. 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 Q520 is better equipped as it comes with 2 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 3020M has 1 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 3020M, nor the Fujitsu Esprimo Q520 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

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 65 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

Dell_OptiPlex_3020M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutFujitsu_Esprimo_Q520_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout