Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF vs. Fujitsu Esprimo D9012
Comparison and Differences
Differences between Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF and Fujitsu Esprimo D9012
If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Fujitsu Esprimo D9012 which was released in 2022. The Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF is older and entered production in 2013.
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 D9012 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.
Memory
The Fujitsu Esprimo D9012 has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex 3020 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 D9012 is using the faster 3200 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3020 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 D9012 as it has the ability to run 128 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF 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 Fujitsu Esprimo D9012 has 12 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 3020 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 D9012, is that it has 5 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell OptiPlex 3020 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.
DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Fujitsu Esprimo D9012 comes with 2 ports, while the Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Fujitsu Esprimo D9012 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 Fujitsu Esprimo D9012 is better equipped as it comes with 5 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF 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 Fujitsu Esprimo D9012. Sadly, the Dell OptiPlex 3020 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 Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF comes with a decent 255 Watt PSU, but the Fujitsu Esprimo D9012 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
