Fujitsu Siemens Esprimo range: Esprimo E5916 review

Although you can't easily upgrade its graphics or storage (without replacing the existing hard disk, at least), the E5916 is still a practical choice. You can still replace or upgrade both the RAM and CPU, which may be more important on a business PC, and the silent running and ease of access leaves the E5916 ticking all the right boxes.

Esprimo P5916 mini-tower

The P5916 is similar to a standard desktop offering. At 390mm high, it's better off under a desk than next to a monitor. The obvious plus to the increase in size is its expandability. As with the E5916 the chassis is tool-free; the side panel is released via a spring-loaded catch on the side. Once the panel is off, you're greeted by a cage designed to hold the pre-installed hard disk, as well as having a space for another. The drive cage unscrews and swings out sideways, revealing an uncluttered interior.

Not only is there a spare drive bay in the cage, but also options at the front of the PC. One 3.5in bay and one 5.25in bay, both external, mean you could add another optical drive as well as another hard disk or memory card reader. Elsewhere, there's a full complement of full-height PCI slots, including two traditional PCI slots, a PCI Express 16x slot and a PCI Express 1x slot.

It's unlikely that a large-scale business will require this much upgradeability from an off-the-peg machine - there's little call for multiple hard disks and discrete GPUs in the average office. Although the key features of vPro are moot when it comes to small networks or standalone systems, the P5916 still offers SoHo users an attractive mix of flexibility and relatively low cost for the power on offer.

Conclusion

With identical prices, it's a straight choice between the diminutive size of the E5916 or the superior upgradeability of the P5916. The question for businesses, however, is whether either of them is really appropriate: vPro is a great idea in theory, but until it's proven, there's little reason for a business PC to have such an overwhelming abundance of power. Unless you can see a tangible benefit to your business for vPro technology (visit www.intel.com for more), we recommend sticking with the A-Listed Esprimo E5600.

Author: Dave Stevenson