Fujitsu Primergy MX130 S1 review
Fujitsu claims its new Primergy MX130 S1 is a microserver aimed at small businesses, but we think it’s just a PC in a thinly-veiled disguise. Read this review to find out why.
The Primergy MX130 S1 is compact and quiet with good expansion potential but, apart from support for ECC memory, doesn’t offer much more than a standard desktop PC. HP’s MicroServer may have a slower processor but it costs less, its hard disks are far more accessible and it beats Fujitsu easily for remote management with its optional RAC card.

Some businesses are putting microservers into small remote offices to provide basic file sharing functions with AD access controls. In these scenarios it would be very useful to be able to remotely monitor and manage the server from the head office, but the MX130 is devoid of these features.
The MX130 was supplied to us with Fujitsu's ServerView software installed, but as the server doesn't have an embedded iRMC2 controller there's little you can do with it. We were advised that this will be rectified later this year with the release of a ServerView agent for local management only, along with the ServerView Installation Manager software.
HP's MicroServer is currently your best bet if you want full remote management. For only 55 extra you can have the Remote Access Control PCI Express card. It's surprisingly sophisticated as it has web browser access, hardware monitoring, power controls, virtual media services and KVM-over-IP remote control.
Fujitsu's MX130 S1 has a reasonable hardware specification, is remarkably quiet and has good expansion potential. However, its desktop PC chassis is not designed to provide easy access to the hard disks and if you want full remote management capabilities then HP's little MicroServer is a much better choice.
Verdict
The Primergy MX130 S1 is compact and quiet with good expansion potential but, apart from support for ECC memory, doesn’t offer much more than a standard desktop PC. HP’s MicroServer may have a slower processor but it costs less, its hard disks are far more accessible and it beats Fujitsu easily for remote management with its optional RAC card.
Chassis: Desktop CPU: 3.1GHz AMD Athlon II X2 255 Memory: 4GB 1,333MHz DDR3 expandable to 16GB Storage: 2 x 1TB WD SATA cold-swap hard disks (max 2 x 3.5in or 6 x 2.5in with optional 2.5in disk mounting kits) RAID: integrated six-port AMD SATA controller Array support: RAID 0, 1 Expansion slots: 2 x PCI Express, 2 x 32-bit PCI Ports: 12 x USB2 (2 front, 6 rear, 4 internal) Network: Gigabit Ethernet Power: 250W internal supply
Sign up today and you will receive a free copy of our Future Focus 2025 report - the leading guidance on AI, cybersecurity and other IT challenges as per 700+ senior executives
Dave is an IT consultant and freelance journalist specialising in hands-on reviews of computer networking products covering all market sectors from small businesses to enterprises. Founder of Binary Testing Ltd – the UK’s premier independent network testing laboratory - Dave has over 45 years of experience in the IT industry.
Dave has produced many thousands of in-depth business networking product reviews from his lab which have been reproduced globally. Writing for ITPro and its sister title, PC Pro, he covers all areas of business IT infrastructure, including servers, storage, network security, data protection, cloud, infrastructure and services.
-
Salesforce says ‘Microsoft’s anticompetitive tying of Teams' harmed business in triumphant response to EU concessions agreement
News Microsoft has agreed to make versions of its Office solutions suite available without Teams – and at a reduced price
By Ross Kelly Published
-
Healthcare organizations report rampant email security failures – and Microsoft 365 is often the weakest link
News IT leaders say they're drowning in security alerts and missing real threats, thanks to limited resources, expanding attack surfaces, and weak security strategies
By Emma Woollacott Published
-
Is the honeymoon period over for Microsoft and OpenAI? Strained relations and deals with competitors spell trouble for the partnership that transformed the AI industry
Analysis Microsoft and OpenAI are slowly drifting apart as both forge closer ties with respective rivals and reevaluate their long-running partnership.
By Ross Kelly Published