Fujitsu Esprimo D538 vs. HP ProDesk 490 G3 Microtower

Comparison and Differences

Fujitsu_Esprimo_D538.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_490_G3_Microtower.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen8&9 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; CeleronIntel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetH310H110
Dedicated GPU *Radeon RX 6400 Low ProfileGeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAMUDIMM DDR4-2666DIMM DDR4-2133
RAM slots24
RAM speed2666 MT/s2133 MT/s
RAM max32 GB64 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0(6x)USB-A 3.0; (2x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplayPort 1.2; DVIDisplayPort; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headphones; Mic; Line in; Line out; PS/2RJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial; (2x) PS2;
Optional portsVGA; eSATASD card reader; Serial; Parallel;
SATA ports33
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x16 (wired x4)PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe x1; PCIe 3.0 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; 5.25in (slim)
PSU210/280 W180/300 W
Weight5.00 kg (11.03 lb)7.05 kg (15.5 lb)
Released20182015
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 HP ProDesk 490 G3 Microtower

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Fujitsu Esprimo D538 which was released in 2018. The HP ProDesk 490 G3 Microtower is older and entered production in 2015.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Fujitsu Esprimo D538 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the HP ProDesk 490 G3 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 D538 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that HP ProDesk 490 G3 Microtower is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The HP ProDesk 490 G3 Microtower 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 HP ProDesk 490 G3 Microtower is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2133 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the HP ProDesk 490 G3 Microtower as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Fujitsu Esprimo D538 can do a bit less at max 32 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

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 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 HP ProDesk 490 G3 Microtower 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 D538 comes with a decent 280 Watt PSU, but the HP ProDesk 490 G3 Microtower has a more powerful one rated at 300 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 layoutHP_ProDesk_490_G3_Microtower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout