Fujitsu Esprimo D538 vs. Fujitsu Esprimo G5010
Comparison and Differences
Differences between Fujitsu Esprimo D538 and Fujitsu Esprimo G5010
If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Fujitsu Esprimo G5010 which was released in 2020. The Fujitsu Esprimo D538 is older and entered production in 2018.
If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Fujitsu Esprimo G5010 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Fujitsu Esprimo D538 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 G5010 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Fujitsu Esprimo D538 is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.
Memory
Both models have have equal amount of ram slots (2 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 G5010 is using the faster 2933 MT/s RAM. The Fujitsu Esprimo D538 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2666 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Fujitsu Esprimo G5010 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
In total the Fujitsu Esprimo D538 has 8 USB ports. The Fujitsu Esprimo G5010 is inferior in this regard and packs 7 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. What is nice about the Fujitsu Esprimo G5010, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Fujitsu Esprimo D538 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.
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.
The Fujitsu Esprimo G5010 comes with an HDMI port, while the Fujitsu Esprimo D538 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 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 D538 is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the Fujitsu Esprimo G5010 has 1 slot(s).
When your goal is to have the fastest SSD transfer speeds, an M.2 interface is crucial. Thus, it is good that both models have M.2 SSD slots. Today M.2 SSDs are not much more expensive than the average SATA drives, so it really does not make sense to invest in SATA drives anymore.
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 G5010 comes with a decent 65 Watt PSU, but the Fujitsu Esprimo D538 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.