Low-cost OS variant now coupled to four ZBOX PLUS models, offering an affordable way to get a hassle-free Windows 8.1 mini-PC.
Low-cost OS variant now coupled to four ZBOX PLUS models, offering an affordable way to get a hassle-free Windows 8.1 mini-PC.
Due to popular demand ZOTAC are today shaking up their ZBOX line-up by pre-installing Windows 8.1 with Bing on a selection of ZBOX mini-PCs. The change will only impact PLUS variants of the models, i.e. those which are also shipped with RAM and HDD pre-installed, and are generally oriented towards the more affordable part of the range.
Four models are included in this change, two of which are members of the ZBOX C-Series: the CI320 nano and CA320 nano. The former features a dual-core Intel Celeron N2930 with Intel HD Graphics, whilst the latter is based around a quad-core AMD A6-1450 with Radeon HD 8250 graphics; PLUS variants of both models include 2GB DDR3 RAM and 64GB SSD.
Two other models updated to include Windows 8.1 with Bing are the BI320 and ID18. Both make use of the classic ZBOX chassis, dual-core Intel Celeron CPUs and Intel HD Graphics, but with more internal space have far greater expansion capabilities.
As ZBOX mini-PC’s don’t include optical drives OS installation is typically by way of USB thumb drive. The change will therefore not impact enthusiasts nearly as much as it does regular PC users, who in the past may have found sourcing and installing a suitable OS difficult.
Indications are that, whilst considerably cheaper for low-cost hardware manufacturers, Windows 8.1 with Bing differs only slightly from regular Windows 8.1 SKUs – by using Internet Explorer and Bing as the default browser/search engine configuration. Although this a configuration that the hardware manufacturer cannot change, end users shouldn’t be tied in to it.
For more information visit ZOTAC.com
