Vortez.net has a behind closed doors look inside a tiny footprint ZBOX that is so new, it’s yet be given a name.
ZOTAC were kind enough to invite our CeBIT 2012 team into a closed door session today to view some of the new products the firm have waiting in the wings for release later this year. Unfortunately much of what was seen and heard will be under NDA for some time, but we were able to smuggle out a few images of a new pre-release ZBOX we spotted with two others officially unveiled today.
Two of the PC’s in that stack were announced by ZOTAC today and expand their already formidable small form factor range. The larger ZBOX ID82 is utilising an Intel Core i3 2330M CPU and HD3000 graphics, packing plenty of punch in that size envelope. The middle child is the ZBOX nano ID61, which is based around an dual-core Intel Celeron 867. The smallest however is still very much in the pre-production stages and hasn’t been blessed with a retail SKU.
Of particular note are two Super Speed USB 3.0 ports. These are exceedingly rare on a footprint this small, so rare in fact that we struggle to recall a similar sized product with the same feature. USB 2.0 ports aren’t neglected as two are on the rear alone which are wired to supply enough power to charge tablets such as the iPad. Consumers with convenient LAN access will appreciate the addition of a LAN port rather than relying on the vagaries of wireless connectivity in all situations.
The front is where you’ll find the power button, infra-red remote sensor and further connectivity options intended for supplementary storage. The inclusion of a multi-media card reader is an good choice, and the USB/eSATA combo is ideal for attaching larger capacity devices such as USB pen drives and external hard disks without needing to access the rear. Additional sound options are more likely there for completeness; sound is much more likely to be passed by HDMI to external devices.
Note that the HTC Desire in that shot has dimensions of 119 x 60 x 11.9mm, the ZBOX is indeed tiny.
Next: a quick look inside!
UPDATE: A Quick Look Inside
After some cajoling and no small amount of arm twisting, ZOTAC allowed us to take this shot inside the unreleased ZBOX:
At first glance there’s not to be gleaned from this image, but appearances can be deceptive. The most obvious component on show is the Kingston RAM, in this case a 4GB DDR3 1333MHz SODIMM which certainly gives credence to claims that the smaller-than-nano ZBOX is no slouch in the performance department.
The second component, centrally located on the PCB, takes a little bit more close inspection but reveals itself to be a 40GB Intel 310 Series SSD. Fitting an SSD into this form factor, even if only an optional component, is quite the game changer and pushes real-world productivity performance to near that of a desktop. Power consumption should also be commensurately lower than an equivalent mechanical drive, which shouldn’t be under estimated in a set-top product.
That shot of one side of the PCB is all we can show unfortunately; the CPU, additional storage (if any) and other chipset features remain unknown for now.
Out thanks to ZOTAC for this advanced look at some new and upcoming products.
