Fujitsu Esprimo Q958 vs. HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower

Comparison and Differences

Fujitsu_Esprimo_Q958.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_480_G6_Microtower.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen8&9 i3/i5/i7; PentiumIntel Gen8 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetQ370B360
Dedicated GPU *N.A.GeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAMSODIMM DDR4-2666DIMM DDR4-2666
RAM slots42
RAM speed2666 MT/s2666 MT/s
RAM max32 GB64 GB
USB ports(2x) USB-A 3.0; (2x) USB-A 2.0; (4x) USB-C 3.1; USB-C 3.1(4x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video ports(2x) DisplayPort 1.2; DVIDisplayPort; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headphones; Mic; Line outRJ45; Headset; Line-In; Line-Out;
Optional portsSerial; VGA; PS/2 (1)SD card reader; Serial; Serial and (2x) PS2; DP/HDMI/VGA/USB-C;
SATA ports23
PCI slotsN.A.PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x16 (wired x4); PCI;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays2.5in; 5.25 inch2.5/3.5in; 3.5in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU65 W180/250/310 W
Weight1.60 kg (3.53 lb)5.47 kg (12.0 lb)
Released20182018
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 Q958 and HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower

Both computers, the HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower and the Fujitsu Esprimo Q958, were released during the same year - 2018.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Fujitsu Esprimo Q958 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower and will fit more easily under your desk.

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 Q958 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Fujitsu Esprimo Q958 has 4 RAM slots while the HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower 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.

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 2666. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Fujitsu Esprimo Q958 can do a bit less at max 32 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the Fujitsu Esprimo Q958 has 9 USB ports. The HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower 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. What is nice about the Fujitsu Esprimo Q958, is that it has 5 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower has no such port, thus restricting your transfer speeds significantly. For people who want to use external drives on regular basis, this might be an issue.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Fujitsu Esprimo Q958 comes with 2 ports, while the HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Fujitsu Esprimo Q958 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 HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the Fujitsu Esprimo Q958 has 2 slot(s).

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

Having a Power Supply Unit with high power rating is important, if you are going to use components which require extra power. The Fujitsu Esprimo Q958 comes with a decent 65 Watt PSU, but the HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower has a more powerful one rated at 310 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_Q958_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_ProDesk_480_G6_Microtower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout