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Fujitsu Esprimo Q9000 review

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Verdict

The Q9000 packs a lot of hardware into a sleek package, making it a far greener alternative to a desktop PC

Review Date: 5 Aug 2010

Reviewed By: Dave Mitchell

Price when reviewed: £465 (£546 inc VAT)

Overall Rating

Features & Design
5 stars out of 6

Value for Money
5 stars out of 6

Performance
5 stars out of 6

PCPRO Recommended

Mini-PCs are a great alternative to bulky and underused desktops for businesses looking to make space savings and reduce energy usage, but prices can vary wildly. A prime example is Apple's latest Mac mini, which failed to impress us with an asking price that bordered on insulting.

Fujitsu's latest Esprimo Q9000 comes in at over £100 less, and on paper looks a better bet since it packs a superior specification into a slick little package. Whereas Apple palms you off with an old Core 2 Duo and DDR2 memory, the Q9000 sports a 2.13GHz Core i3-M330 processor teamed with 2GB of DDR3 memory.

It's also easier on the utility supply: with Windows 7 in idle we recorded a draw of only 21W, as opposed to the Mac mini's 26W. With SiSoft Sandra maxing out the Esprimo's processor, the load peaked at 45W against the Mac mini's 57W. If Apple claims the Mac mini is "the world's most energy-efficient desktop computer" then what does that make the Esprimo?

As a business PC, the Esprimo covers all the bases with the decent Intel HD graphics chipset capable of delivering resolutions up to 1,900 x 1,200 pixels. It has a DVI port at the rear, which can be converted to D-SUB with the included adapter plug, and there's also an HDMI socket alongside.

There are two USB ports at the front and a further four at the back. The 320GB hard disk is a little on the small side, but Fujitsu also offers a 500GB model, and the eSATA port can be used to add more external storage.

Network options are plentiful. You get a Gigabit port as standard and there are optional 11n wireless and Bluetooth upgrades on offer.

Accessing the Esprimo's innards is easy enough: simply remove a screw at each corner of the base and separate the upper and lower halves of the chassis. The memory sockets are easily accessible and the mini-card slot for the wireless upgrade sits next to them. The lid houses the hard disk and optical drive and uses a combined SATA and power interface, which plugs into the mainboard when the two halves are brought together.

The processor has a pair of copper heatpipes on top, which lead to a small heatsink behind a grille round the back. A small blower fan kicks in when required, but most of the time we couldn't hear it. During the peak power test the fan stepped up and became very noticeable, but it stopped the moment the test had finished.

We have to admit to being partial to these Esprimos, as after reviewing the Q5030 we bought two for the lab to replace a couple of old desktops. They've both been running happily (and extremely quietly) in daily use for more than a year now, and we've had no trouble with them at all.

If you're in the market for a mini-PC then we'd recommend checking out the Esprimo Q9000. It packs a lot of hardware into a small and smartly designed chassis, is comparatively good value, and we can give first-hand testimony to the Esprimo's long-term reliability.

Author: Dave Mitchell

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Comments

User comments

Media Center PC

Hi, do you think this could be used as a media center PC in the living room? or would the fan kick in and be too noisy?

By Macer71 on 5 Aug 2010

Media Centre PC

I have an Esprimo Q5030 at home in the living doing just that and I haven't heard the fan at all.

By DaveMitchell on 5 Aug 2010

Looks good - q. where to buy for advertised price?

Hi, just wondering where is best to buy these and also if they are at all configurable (more ram etc. or not).

Thanks - really want a mac mini-like pc but the mac-mini itself is definitely a shocking rip-off.

By longn on 5 Aug 2010

Upgrade and price

The Q9000 has two memory slots and can support up to 4GB.
I got the price originally from MoreComputers but it's now out of stock and has increased the price!
In fact, everyone appears to be out of stock so I've asked Fujitsu where the best place to go is.

By DaveMitchell on 5 Aug 2010

Mac Mini actually not such a ripoff

I don't want to take anything away from the Esprimo, which looks like a decent product. But come on, to be fair to the Mac Mini (only about £90 more from Amazon), it does include bluetooth and 802.11n which are both almost essential nowadays, and are only (unpriced?) options for the Esprimo. It also has half-decent discrete graphics which will support two displays with up to 2560x1600 for one of them, whereas the Esprimo only has built-in graphics with lower resolution support. Taking all of this together (and the 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo being about the same performance as a 2.13GHz Core i3), the £90 greater price for the Mac Mini really doesn't look like such an insult. Where Apple go wrong is in not offering a lower spec system and more choice of specs, but in raw value terms the Esprimo actually demonstrates that its pricing is actually about right.

By ncollingridge on 7 Aug 2010

And not to forget the RAM

Also, the Mac Mini supports up to 8GB of RAM, which is fully useable in Snow Leopard (note not the "64bit version" with poor peripheral support because there's only one version of Snow Leopard which is essentially 64 bit throughout).

By ncollingridge on 7 Aug 2010

And not to forget the RAM

By ncollingridge on 9 Aug 2010

Does it work with two screens

Hello. Does anyone know if you can plug two screens into it (say at 1280x1024 resolution) and extend the desktop across both?

Thanks.

By mawheadon on 16 Aug 2010

What is the memory configuration

Hello (again), does anyone know the memory configuration of a Q9000 when delivered with 2Gb RAM? I believe it has two memory slots so I am hoping that there will be 1 2Gb card in one slot allowing the addition of another (and not 1Gb in each slot).

Thanks.

By mawheadon on 16 Aug 2010

Reply from Fujitsu

I asked Fujitsu about the memory and dual monitor queries and this is its reply:

"The model we have in the channel has 1 x 2GB module, so has the other memory module free for upgrades.

As for the dual monitor, the Intel HD graphics support this. The unit has an HDMI and a DVI-I port on the back. The DVI-I can have an adapter (DVI-D and VGA) and this enables the dual monitor. The adapter isn’t included in the model mentioned in the review – but can be ordered on part code S26361-F2542-L58. We’re not 100% sure of the dual monitor across the DVI-I and HDMI – we’ve not tried it."

By DaveMitchell on 19 Aug 2010

Can I add a Dual Tuner Card?

I am very interested in this as a Media Centre PC. Can I add a dual tuner card internally to this machine or is it so small that there is no room?

By kanerdr on 10 Sep 2010

Dual Tuner Card

There's no room for a standard expansion slot in the Esprimo. The only things you can add are more memory and Fujitsu's optional wireless card.

By DaveMitchell on 10 Sep 2010

Where to buy with Bluray?

I would like to buy this with Bluray and the wireless card. None of the online resellers have this option and those I have asked seem to think its not availbale in UK. Any suggestions? I can't seem to find a Fujitsu contact to ask anywhere on their website(s)

By kanerdr on 15 Sep 2010

Q9000 with Blu-Ray

@kenerdr.
I have contacted Fujitsu UK and it has created a special code for you which it says is for the following specification:

PDP:Q9000P0003GB

ESPRIMO Q9000
Core i3-370M
2GB DDR3-1066
Blu-Ray Combo SATA Slot-in slim
HDD SATA II 500GB 5.4k 2.5
Bluetooth Q (V7)
WLAN Intel 802.11abgn
CK ESPRIMO Q (INT, power cord GB)
License EU/MM - Windows 7 Professional
REC-DVD Win7 Prof. 32+64bit All Multi
Win7 Pro32 MAIN+Office2010s
Blu-ray playback software
Drivers&Utilities DVD (VISTA/7) ESPRIMO

Fujitsu has said that if you quote the code to a reseller (such as Misco) it will supply you with this system as listed. Let me know how you get on.

By DaveMitchell on 21 Sep 2010

Thank You

That is really helpful thank you for taking the trouble. It does seem a very complicated process though - I have tried a couple of resellers before getting your answer and they told me that it wasn't available in the UK!

By kanerdr on 26 Sep 2010

Q9000 with Blu-Ray

No problem - I'll make sure Fujitsu is aware of these issues. If you go for this model do let me know how much it costs.

By DaveMitchell on 26 Sep 2010

Q9000 vs Q1510

I am asking for prices for the machine as detailed by Fujitus, at the smae time I have seen that the Q1510 has Blueray and a very similar hardware spec - and is available. Apart from the OS difference (Home Premium vs Professional) AND A 330 VS 370 processor is there likely to be any difference in the machines which would effect their use as (mainly) a media streamer?

ESPRIMO Q1510
Intel Core i3-330M (2.13 GHz, 3MB, 2.5GT/s, Intel HD Graphics)
2 GB (1x 2GB) DDR3 non-ECC 1066MHz PC3-8500 RAM, 500GB SATAII 5400rpm 2.5" HDD
Blu-ray Combo
Bluetooth
microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium

By kanerdr on 28 Sep 2010

Q9000 vs Q1510

I can't see any significant differences that would affect media streaming performance.

The Q1510 appears to have an integral 6-in-1 card reader (see the extra slot at the front) which may be useful.

The Q1510 has a clip-on cover that can be replaced with a different colour but I believe this is only available in Germany.

Warranty is the same (3 years) although the Q9000 is offered with an on-site option and Fujitsu states that spare parts will be available for 5 years as opposed to 3 years for the Q1510.

The differences between the HM55 chipset in the Q1510 and the QM57 in the Q9000 are minimal. The QM57 has an 8MB firmware package whereas the HM55 has a 4MB package. I can't say for sure but the QM57 may have Intel's Identity Protection and Remote PC Assist technology included.

By DaveMitchell on 28 Sep 2010

Q9000 with Blueray and 802.11n

The price of this I have been quoted is £700+VAT which is over 50% more than for the machine you have quoted. As can get the Q1510 with Blueray for about £600+VAT I will go for this option. I will still get a 9000 for another use without the Blueray- it is a great looking machine. Thanks for your help

By kanerdr on 12 Oct 2010

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