Dell OptiPlex 980 MT vs. Fujitsu Esprimo P520

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_980_MT.jpg case front and back pannelFujitsu_Esprimo_P520.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen1 i3/i5/i7; Pentium Dual Core;Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; Celeron
ChipsetQ57 B85
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650GeForce GTX 1650 Super
RAMDIMM DDR3-1060/1333UDIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots44
RAM speed1333 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max16 GB32 GB
USB ports(10x)USB-A 2.0; (2x) USB-A 3.0; (6x) USB-A 2.0
Video portsDisplayPort 1.2; VGA;DVI; VGA
Other portsRJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; PS2/COM; Serial; Parallel; eSATARJ45; Headphones; (2x) Mic; Line in; Line out; PS/2; Serial
Optional portsN.A.Parallel; eSATA; DisplayPort
SATA ports44
PCI slotsPCIe 2.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x4;PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 2.0 x1; PCIe 2.0 x16 (wired x4)
M.2 slotsN.A.N.A.
Drive bays(2x)3.5in; (2x)5.25in;(3x) 3.5in; (2x) 5.25 inch
PSU255 W280 W
Weight11.40 kg (25.13 lb)10.00 kg (24.00 lb)
Released20102014
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 980 MT and Fujitsu Esprimo P520

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Fujitsu Esprimo P520 which was released in 2014. The Dell OptiPlex 980 MT is older and entered production in 2010.

Both models have the same form factor, meaning reoughtly they have the same phiysical size and form.

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 P520 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 980 MT is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

Both models have have equal amount of ram slots (4 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.

The Fujitsu Esprimo P520 is using the faster 1600 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 980 MT is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1333 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Fujitsu Esprimo P520 as it has the ability to run 32 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 980 MT 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 Dell OptiPlex 980 MT has 10 USB ports. The Fujitsu Esprimo P520 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. 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 4 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.

M.2 SSD interface allows you to transfer data with higher speeds compared to the old SATA interface. Unfortunately, neither the Dell OptiPlex 980 MT, nor the Fujitsu Esprimo P520 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

Having a Power Supply Unit with high power rating is important, if you are going to use components which require extra power. The Dell OptiPlex 980 MT comes with a decent 255 Watt PSU, but the Fujitsu Esprimo P520 has a more powerful one rated at 280 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

Dell_OptiPlex_980_MT_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutFujitsu_Esprimo_P520_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout