Dell OptiPlex 3010 SFF vs. Fujitsu Esprimo Q958
Comparison and Differences
Differences between Dell OptiPlex 3010 SFF and Fujitsu Esprimo Q958
If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Fujitsu Esprimo Q958 which was released in 2018. The Dell OptiPlex 3010 SFF is older and entered production in 2012.
If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Fujitsu Esprimo Q958 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 3010 SFF 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 Dell OptiPlex 3010 SFF 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 Dell OptiPlex 3010 SFF 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 Q958 is using the faster 2666 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3010 SFF 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 Fujitsu Esprimo Q958 as it has the ability to run 32 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3010 SFF can do a bit less at max 8 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 Dell OptiPlex 3010 SFF 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 Dell OptiPlex 3010 SFF 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.
Unfortunately, only the Fujitsu Esprimo Q958 has a DisplayPort. The Dell OptiPlex 3010 SFF does not have one? Don't worry though, nowadays video adapters are cheap and you can get almost any combination of conversion types.
The Dell OptiPlex 3010 SFF comes with an HDMI port, while the Fujitsu Esprimo Q958 does not support the interface. Of course missing HDMI port is something that can be easily fixed with a good adapter (e.g. DisplayPort to HDMI).
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 2 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 Q958. Sadly, the Dell OptiPlex 3010 SFF 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 Q958 comes with a decent 65 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 3010 SFF has a more powerful one rated at 240 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
