System Build, Performance, and Conclusion
Just as with the Intel NUC you will need to install your own RAM and storage drive before using the nano mini-PC. 2.5-inch drives and DDR3L notebook memory are supported, and I installed 4GB of 1600 MHz DDR3 memory a Plextor SSD and I had on hand for this review.
The installation process was very simple as removing the four feet securing the bottom panel provides full access to the interior.
I was worried at first about memory compatibility as there is almost no space between a standard SoDIMM and the 2.5” SSD when installed. It does work, but low-profile notebook memory would make sense here if you have the option.
With the components in place I performed an uneventful Windows 8.1 installation from a USB stick, and after downloading drivers from Zotac's product page (since the included drivers are on a DVD) I was ready to test this out.
Desktop Performance
To really test this out as a desktop replacement I challenged myself to use it exclusively as my primary computer for a few days. The results surprised me, as that low CPU speed had painted a bleak picture of performance. In general desktop use the nano didn’t feel like a mini-PC for the most part, with the standard SSD and 4 GB of memory I installed certainly helping speed things along. The limitations of the CPU speed were not obvious for light use, with basic activities like web browsing providing very good performance with a 5-6 tabs open in FireFox.
I installed Microsoft Office 2013 and though it was useable there were some noticeable performance differences compared to working on my usual Core i5 notebook. Working with a larger spreadsheet in Excel felt a little sluggish, and in if I typed quickly in Word I could watch as letters lagged behind on the screen. I encountered no performance issues using Google Docs in a browser window, pointing to the hardware overhead needed to keep the more recent versions of MS Office performing well.
To complete my standard workflow test on the ZBOX nano I installed Adobe Lightroom, and I was surprised that it was actually possible to import and edit RAW files from my DSLR without any problems – though the process was many times slower than it would be on more powerful hardware, of course. Effects and exports took longer with this lighter hardware, but I was able to do everything I needed without the system hanging once. Not bad!
The ZBOX nano home office
After three days I was left with a favorable impression of the nano as a desktop productivity machine, especially considering that for many people in an office environment working on slower hardware is a daily reality. In some respects this little computer outclasses some of likely PC hardware in a typical business (and certainly some of the computers I've had to use). There is more than adequate I/O and enough performance from the Celeron processor to allow for basic productivity from a machine that sits about 5" square and makes no noise.
Using the nano: Living Room
Moving the ZBOX nano out to the living room I had my doubts about video performance. Smooth video playback has become a requirement for any PC, though the demise of Flash as the defacto player in most instances has certainly made this easier on hardware. With the nano YouTube posed no challenge for standard 720p content (now HTML5), and the 1080p content I streamed was also smooth. I tried forcing the issue with a search for 1080p/60 content and the result wasn't really watchable. Very high bitrate video bogged down the system and there were obvious dropped frames and stuttering.
With an external Blu-ray drive connected the nano was unable to play movies without dropping frames, and switching to an MKV rip of the same title didn't help – actually creating a more unwatchable experience as VLC couldn't play it without significant frame drop and occasional freezes. This was disappointing as in every other way to this point the improvement over Bay Trail-M powered machines was clear, and while the Haswell Core technology shows great IPC gains in general the low clock speed might have been a factor.
Still, the nano performed admirably for what I would consider "typical" video streaming, with great performance from Netflix in particular. I played a few HD shows from my watch list without issues, and the quality was very good. There is definitely a mobile focus to streaming video content these days as we move away from reliance on Flash, so most online video content will be playable on even the lightest of computing devices. However the superior quality video available like Blu-ray (and more UHD streaming content coming) would make me think twice about using the nano as a serious home theater PC.
Conclusion
The ZBOX nano has a high build quality and surprisingly good performance from its dual-core Celeron processor, though more demanding applications will bog down the system immediately. I was able to complete all of my usual desktop tasks easily on the nano, including document and even photo editing, though two 1.1 GHz cores are only going to take you so far with modern apps. Still, the utility and small size of the computer made it a nice addition wherever I placed it around the house, and the passive cooling made it an unobtrusive addition.
Bottom line, if you can find one near the $139.99 MSRP (or find one at all, actually, as I was unable to locate one on Amazon or Newegg before posting this review) it's definitely worth a look.
How would a box like this
How would a box like this perform streaming games from Steam on a high-end PC in the next room?
(Assuming that this little box is hardwired for network connection)
Also interested in this
Also interested in this
Great question, and I will
Great question, and I will test this out. There was a lot more to do to really explore the functionality of this mini PC. The dual NICs also provide a custom router possibility.
Ja, this may make one killer
Ja, this may make one killer pfSense box – dual GbE and AC???!??
https://youtu.be/DcJFdCmN98s
The low clock speed of the 2961Y with no turbo and no HT might interfere with Steam Streaming, but should be enough for a really nice router.
For what it’s worth, my
For what it’s worth, my A10-4657m stutters through 1080p60 HTML5 ever since a driver update a couple months ago, but it isn’t due to the CPU load (around 20% on all cores). Is it possible the intel drivers just aren’t cooperating on this machine too? It seems like a dual core Haswell part even at only 1.1GHz could handle 1080p60 if the hardware acceleration is working.
That might be the case,
That might be the case, actually. I used the driver provided by Zotac on the product page, but I can try a new clean install and get the latest Intel drivers.
I thought immediately this
I thought immediately this could be a neat little pfSense box
I thought the same thing
I thought the same thing about a driver issue perhaps as it’s really incredible that even a low clocked Haswell part would have trouble playing BlueRay or mkv files decently.
For a HTPC I bought a Zotac
For a HTPC I bought a Zotac Zbox Nano at the beginning of the year, but I bought the Quad Core version. It said 4K ready, and does an awesome job at playing Blu-Ray movies. I haven’t tested it at 4K but have been very impressed with the 1080p performance! It also does well at streaming my games from my main pc.
Would you try installing
Would you try installing openelec this pc? Openelec is a custom version of linux that uses kodi for media. It has built in support for video acceleration on Intel hardware.
That sounds interesting. I’ll
That sounds interesting. I'll try it out. I think there have been enough good suggestions in the comments to warrant a followup post!
This is what I’m looking for.
This is what I’m looking for. I wonder why others (inclding intel) use bay trail with inferior igp instead.
Interesting, personally i
Interesting, personally i think i would have preferred a review on the AMD version, just because there isnt a heck of a lot of info on that one from sites i trust, might just bite the bullet though
I purchased one of these
I purchased one of these little guys and what a fantast machine. Enough USB ports for added storage, disc drive and much more.
Morning
Thanks for the
Morning
Thanks for the review
How is this cpu compared to the CI320 which is
quad core and 1.8Ghz clock?
thanks
This CI321 was noticeably
This CI321 was noticeably faster across the board compared to the Bay Trail N2808 I used in the ECS LIVA X computer, and the CI320 uses an N2930 (also Bay Trail) Atom CPU that isn't much faster than the N2808.
The Haswell-based processor in the CI321 might only have two cores running at 1.1 GHz, but it seemed a heck of a lot more powerful than the quad-core Bay Trail SoCs I've tried. Still, I need to go back and do some CPU benchmarking to find out in a more scientific way (and not just drawing conclusions subjectively).
A direct comparison with both
A direct comparison with both single and mult-threaded loads would be very welcome. At $139, this is tempting even with the limited CPU.
are these intel nics?
are these intel nics?
would really like to know
would really like to know this as well!!
OK I found it on their web
OK I found it on their web site. The driver download says Realtek GLAN so I believe it is safe to say they are not Intel NICs. Deal breaker.
When will the CI321 show up
When will the CI321 show up in the US and who will have them?
Just purchased this online,
Just purchased this online, it will be my new pFsense box =) Hopefully works good with it. Cant wait to receive it!
I have just purchased one. I
I have just purchased one. I was thinking about installing a sleek Linux distro, but finally decided to go with Windows 8.1, as I am much more familiar with it, and I needed to use the machine for productivity immediately. I installed 4GB 1600 RAM and a 60GB relatively fast SSD, and I use a single full HD screen. The goal was to keep total costs at a minimum. I can confirm that the CI321 is totally excellent for standard office work: Email client, browser with multiple windows, Office2013 (Word and PowerPoint), and music streaming run perfectly in parallel. I admit that as a lawyer I am not a power user in terms of complexity (no big docs, databases, graphics, videos), but for my needs it is perfect. I do not experience slowdowns, noticeable waiting times, etc. And this is a _big_ compliment, as the previous system I used was a HP EliteBook with Core i7 and SSD. I am not saying the single fan in the HP was noisy, as it was not, but still, sitting all day long in complete silence is such a refreshing change!!
This looks like a great
This looks like a great little box for a home router but I can’t find one for sale! Neither Newegg nor Amazon carry it. Anybody know where to get one?
I share your pain. It’s been
I share your pain. It’s been more than half a year since the introduction of the CI321 and they seem to be unavailable in the U.S. No retailers have U.S. Zotac CI321 systems. Emails to Zotac go unanswered or they get a worthless ‘check with distributors’, none of whom seem to know anything about the CI321.
Newegg has them in stock.
Newegg has them in stock.
I wonder what the wattage is
I wonder what the wattage is at the wall socket, in idle and under heavy load. Don’t you think that for a device like this, that is one of the most important questions?