Fujitsu Esprimo Q520 vs. HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower

Comparison and Differences

Fujitsu_Esprimo_Q520.jpg case front and back pannelHP_EliteDesk_800_G3_Tower.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen4 i3/i5/i7Intel Gen6&7 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetH81Q270
Dedicated GPU *N.A.GeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAMSODIMM DDR3-1600DIMM DDR4-2400
RAM slots24
RAM speed1600 MT/s2400 MT/s
RAM max16 GB64 GB
USB ports(2x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0USB-C 3.0; (6x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplayPort 1.2; DVI(2x) DisplayPort;
Other portsRJ45; Line in; Line out; Card readerRJ45; Hdph; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In;
Optional portsVGA (DVI to VGA adapter)DP/HDMI/VGA/USB-C(DP); Serial; SD card reader;
SATA ports25
PCI slotsN.A.PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1; PCIe 3.0 x16 (wired x4);
M.2 slotsN.A.M.2 2280 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays2.5in; 5.25 inch2.5in; (2x) 3.5in; 5.25in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU65 W250/500 W
Weight1.60 kg (3.53 lb)9.8 kg (21.7 lb)
Released20142017
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 Q520 and HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower which was released in 2017. The Fujitsu Esprimo Q520 is older and entered production in 2014.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Fujitsu Esprimo Q520 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower 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 HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Fujitsu Esprimo Q520 is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower has 4 RAM slots while the Fujitsu Esprimo Q520 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 HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower is using the faster 2400 MT/s RAM. The Fujitsu Esprimo Q520 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 HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Fujitsu Esprimo Q520 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 HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower has 10 USB ports. The Fujitsu Esprimo Q520 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.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower comes with 2 ports, while the Fujitsu Esprimo Q520 has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower 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 EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower is better equipped as it comes with 5 SATA slot(s), while the Fujitsu Esprimo Q520 has 2 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 HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower. Sadly, the Fujitsu Esprimo Q520 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 Fujitsu Esprimo Q520 comes with a decent 65 Watt PSU, but the HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower has a more powerful one rated at 500 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_Q520_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_EliteDesk_800_G3_Tower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout