The first ZBOX nano to feature an E2-1800 APU, can the total package impress us more than the great nano XS AD11? Enter the new AD12 PLUS.
Product on Review: ZOTAC ZBOX nano AD12 PLUS
Manufacturer & Sponsor: ZOTAC
ZOTAC ZBOX’s are designed to provide consumers with feature-rich small form factor and low-noise systems to act as either HTPC or in some instances fully-fledged PCs. A wide range of chassis types are available and the vast majority have a variety of mounting options to suit the needs of your front room, bedroom or study. Intel, AMD and VIA -based systems throughout the ZBOX range grant flexibility in choice of CPU and graphics options, unlike many off-the-self competitors. Though generally ‘barebones’ – i.e. lacking both RAM and HDD – ready-to-go systems (denoted as ‘PLUS’ variants) can be purchased which include high-quality RAM or HDD.
Reviewed today is the new ZBOX nano AD12 PLUS, an evolution of the AD10 sporting upgraded dual-core AMD E2-1800 APU running at 1.7GHz with HD7340 Graphics based around the A68M platform. The system supports up-to 8GB DDR3-1333 RAM via a single 204-Pin SODIMM Slot, with PLUS models bundling a single 2GB DDR3 SODIMM. Storage is a similar tale – the 2.5″ bay supports SATA III 6Gbps drives, allowing the use of either larger mechanical HDDs or the latest ultra-fast SSDs, whilst PLUS models come with a single 320GB 5400RPM HDD pre-installed. These are by no means an exhaustive list of the ZBOX nano AD12, which also includes 802.11n WiFi, MCE remote and IR sensor, Gigabit LAN and Bluetooth 3.0; who says you need desktop size for premium features?
ZOTAC are perhaps best known as an official NVIDIA partner for their GeForce range of graphics cards and have joined other partners this past month in releasing AIB-specific versions of the GTX 660Ti and GTX 650Ti, two graphics cards based on the latest 28nm Kepler architecture. As we discovered earlier this year you shouldn’t assume that ZOTAC is in any way limited to graphics products alone, they’re also market leaders in both mini-ITX motherboards and mini-PCs, the latter of which is catered to by their ZBOX range.
In April we reviewed the extremely creative ZBOX nano XS AD11, a more compact system than the nano AD12 with pre-installed 64GB mSATA SSD. Though not quite as diminutive as the AD11, the AD12 may make up for it in processing power and expandability whilst we hope also having slightly better noise characteristics.
The ZOTAC Philosophy
“We deliver unrivaled components and systems suitable for all needs and requirements,” says ZOTAC CEO Tony Wong. “Enthusiasts, gamers, students, businesses and corporations… everyone that requires components and systems, we deliver unsurpassed products in all segments with superior performance, reliability and customer service.”
ZOTAC’s core philosophy embodies our commitment and guides our research and development to deliver first-class products that you can rely on.
“We deliver unrivaled components and systems suitable for all needs and requirements,” says ZOTAC CEO Tony Wong. “Enthusiasts, gamers, students, businesses and corporations… everyone that requires components and systems, we deliver unsurpassed products in all segments with superior performance, reliability and customer service.”
ZOTAC’s core philosophy embodies our commitment and guides our research and development to deliver first-class products that you can rely on.
Technical Specifications
Raise your performance expectations for energy-efficient computing with the palm-sized ZOTAC ZBOX nano AD12 Plus mini-PC powered by the AMD E2-1800 APU. Paired with AMD Radeon™ HD 7340 graphics, the ZOTAC ZBOX nano AD12 Plus delivers the perfect synergy of GPU and CPU performance for a rich multimedia computing experience with flawless high-definition video playback capabilities and ultra-fast responsiveness for regular day-to-day computing tasks.
High performance energy-efficient computing is only a couple thumbscrews away with the ZOTAC ZBOX nano AD12 Plus mini-PC thanks to a user-friendly design that makes mastering the mini-PC quick and easy. Space for a 2.5-inch hard drive and a 204-pin DDR3-1333 SO-DIMM slot enables users to customize the internals of the ZOTAC ZBOX nano AD12 Plus to their own needs – a 320GB hard drive and 2GB of DDR3 are included — while USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports, a 7-in-1 memory card reader (SD/SDHC/SDXC/MS/MS Pro/xD/MMC) and eSATA port provide greater external expansion capabilities for perfect palm-sized energy-efficient computing.
High performance energy-efficient computing is only a couple thumbscrews away with the ZOTAC ZBOX nano AD12 Plus mini-PC thanks to a user-friendly design that makes mastering the mini-PC quick and easy. Space for a 2.5-inch hard drive and a 204-pin DDR3-1333 SO-DIMM slot enables users to customize the internals of the ZOTAC ZBOX nano AD12 Plus to their own needs – a 320GB hard drive and 2GB of DDR3 are included — while USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports, a 7-in-1 memory card reader (SD/SDHC/SDXC/MS/MS Pro/xD/MMC) and eSATA port provide greater external expansion capabilities for perfect palm-sized energy-efficient computing.
For those unfamiliar with AMD’s APUs, let us briefly introduce the concept. An Accelerated Processing Unit (APU) combines the general purpose x86 cores of a CPU with a GPUs’ programmable vector processing engines (i.e. shaders), resulting in a balanced package capable of both the strong scalar operation performance of a CPU – useful for an operating system and general usage – and the ability to offload processing to a highly parallel GPU when appropriate. Memory on APU-based systems is typically shared, with test results indicating that both increasing the amount of system memory and running it at higher (overclocked) speed can significantly improve graphics performance.
The small package size of most APU-base systems have served to reduce costs in budget markets where high-end discrete graphics and premium processing capabilities are unnecessary. The latest generation of AMD APUs – Trinity – have expanded the graphics capabilities of these systems to the ‘budget-discrete’ level whilst also expanding the CPU power, drastically improving gaming performance. Software development increasingly allows the use of GPU compute for more traditional tasks which benefit from the parallelism inherent in GPU architecture, leading to the APU being one of the most well-rounded and best bang-for-your buck platforms to choose.
Packaging and Contents
Just as with the AD11, ZOTAC have packaged the ZBOX nano AD12 PLUS to look immediately inviting. Superficial similarities to other ZBOX nano packaging may mean you have to be a little careful to differentiate them if multiples are on the same store shelf.
The packaging contents and capabilities list is pretty detailed, with PLUS models also listing the included RAM and HDD. It’s not quite clear that 802.11n Wifi is via a built-in WiFi module rather than USB but that’s not likely to be an issue to most; on the other hand Gigabit LAN, an IR Remote Control and VESA mount are all clearly listed.
The rear of the box showcases images of system connectivity and I/O, technical specifications for which are on the right-hand edge. We note that ZOTAC haven’t mentioned the size of the VESA mounting system externally, which could prove to be awkward to those seeking to mount their AD12 PLUS on the rear of a monitor or (especially) a flat panel TV. Overall, it’s pretty comprehensive.
Included in the ZBOX nano AD12 PLUS pack is the following hardware:
The AD12 unit,
3-pin ‘Clover leaf’ power lead with region-specific plug,
External PSU with DC-out rated at:
– Input: 100-240V ~1.5A
– Output: 19V ~3.42A
802.11n WiFi antenna,
Optical mini-SPDIF to SPDIF Adaptor for audio-out combo port,
ZOTAC branded IR remote /w 2*CR2032 button batteries,
USB IR Adapter for IR remote,
100mm x 100mm / 75mm x 75mm VESA mount /w 4 screws
3-pin ‘Clover leaf’ power lead with region-specific plug,
External PSU with DC-out rated at:
– Input: 100-240V ~1.5A
– Output: 19V ~3.42A
802.11n WiFi antenna,
Optical mini-SPDIF to SPDIF Adaptor for audio-out combo port,
ZOTAC branded IR remote /w 2*CR2032 button batteries,
USB IR Adapter for IR remote,
100mm x 100mm / 75mm x 75mm VESA mount /w 4 screws
Note: an HDMI or DisplayPort cable is not included and would need to be sourced elsewhere.
Additional software is also included in the form of a driver and utility DVD. We should note that installing drivers from the disc requires that they be installed from the DVD rather than copied to removable storage; those without access to an external DVD drive will need to download all available drivers from ZOTAC.com. The bundled manual takes you through BIOS set-up and OS installation via DVD, whilst stipulating that the system only supports Windows 7; no doubt Windows 8 drivers will be forthcoming in the future.
A Closer Look
Externally the AD12 is reminiscent of the rest of the ZBOX nano range, whilst featuring far more connectivity than the nano XS AD11 thanks to its use of the AMD M3L (A68) mainboard chipset. We’ve mentioned before that we find this brushed metal and gloss black style to be a good-looking one, complementing many TV/DVD brands on the market today, if a little prone to fingerprints and dust. It seems something of a shame to hide it away using the VESA mount, though it of course remains an option.
The overall footprint of the AD12 is 127mm x 127mm (LxW), a little larger than the diameter of a DVD. It sits a stocky 50mm above the desk – fairly commensurate with most non-slimline DVD players and set-top boxes; with WiFi aerial attached and upright it requires a clearance of 110mm.
Connectivity on the front of the unit is well thought-out: from left to right there are the power button, power/HDD indicator LEDs, IR sensor, 7-in-one SD card slot, two USB2.0 ports, headphone/mini-Optical SPDIF combo port and microphone port. There’s plenty of room around every port so it’s fairly unlikely any one ports’ connected device would foul on another; only eSATA isn’t present of those ports you might want easy access to.
Somewhat surprisingly, the AD12 does not feature ventilation on the right side of the unit, and yet devotes much of the left side to an exhaust. In the long run this could serve to starve the unit of cool air, although other ventilation holes are present on the chassis rear. Considering the AD11’s APU had lower specs yet more ventilation this omission is intriguing; it could point to a design oversight, or significantly more efficient APU/cooling.
The left side also includes a Kensington Lock, which could be handy for office environments.
The rear is very much the business end by contrast and packed with I/O, most of which will generally be plugged-in permanently rather than hot-swapped. Left-most is the DC-in, followed by DisplayPort and HDMI, dual-USB3.0, Gigabit Ethernet, dual-USB2/0 eSATA and antenna socket; even though conforming to the relevant standards bulky plugs will cause one connector to foul another socket, such as in the case of large USB thumb-drives. Even so, the layout is still sensible and difficult to criticise except to note that high-speed USB3 connectivity would be ideal on the front as well as rear.
Due to inclusion of two display ports (HDMI and DP), the AD12 is capable of outputting to two display devices simultaneously. Outputting to two HDMI/DVI devices however is only possible with a separately acquired DP->HDMI adapter.
Below the ports is a single grated vent which will aid in the cooling of internal hardware such as the HDD and memory. We should note that this doesn’t amount to very much more than passive levels of cooling, and would also be the chief intake for the APUs active (fan-assisted) cooling.
Lastly, we come to the chassis floor, where product model/serial numbers and certification stamps can be found. As in other ZBOX nano models the four rubber feet serve to dampen vibration (and hence noise), which is a nice feature whether mounted on the rear of a TV or just sitting on the shelf of a TV stand. The four chevrons allow the mounting of AD12 to the VESA mounting plate as detailed below, in pretty much any orientation you might want (though with exhaust vent upwards is the obvious choice).
Unscrewing the feet allows access to the AD12’s internals, from which the HDD and RAM can be easily installed/removed. Care should be taken when levering the floor off to ensure that securing tabs aren’t broken, and avoid using tools to lever up the floor, they could damage the electronics inside. HDDs connect via standard SATA data and power arrangement and the caddy supports 2.5″ drives up to 9.5mm thick, encompassing the majority of laptop HDDs and SSDs currently on the market. The AD12 PLUS has a 2GB 204-pin SODIMM of DDR3-1333 RAM installed, but the M3L chipset can accept up to 8GB of the same type in its single slot.
The general build quality of the AD12 is good, though the base is a little more flexible than one would like. Lack of dampening between the HDD and unit chassis may cause a little more noise than necessary, but that’s very much dependant on the noise characteristics of the HDD chosen. Note that non-PLUS models can choose an SSD over a mechanical HDD, eliminating all moving parts apart from the APU cooler.
Accessory Spotlight
IR Remote and USB Sensor
The AD12 comes with a ZOTAC branded remote control, powered by two bundled CR2032 ‘button’ batteries, and an additional sensor for connection via USB when necessary. This model of remote and sensor is identical to that of the AD11, notable for it’s excellent responsiveness and button quality. The internal IR can be disabled in BIOS if the auxilary sensor is preferred.
Antenna for Wireless Networking
As previously mentioned, the AD12’s wireless networking adapter is an integrated Atheros AR9002W-1NG capable of 802.11a/b/g/n, rather than relying on a USB adapter. A monopole antenna is included to be screwed into the unit’s rear which can be articulated to orientations suitable for VESA mounting or merely stood on a TV stand’s shelf. Obviously if wireless networking isn’t a feature you need then there’s no requirement to use the antenna.
Getting Started
BIOS Overview and OS Installation
As with many barebones and pre-built Nettop-class systems the AD12 requires user installation of an OS rather than being bundled with one, typically either Windows or some variant or Linux. HTPCs often utilise XBMC, an OS specifically designed for media playback on large-screen flat panel displays and supporting a wide range of hardware and video codecs. It’s important when budgeting for a system that the cost of an OS this is factored in, along with at least temporary use of a keyboard or mouse for configuration purposes. Windows 8 compatibility is as-yet unconfirmed, but given the up-to-date component choices we wouldn’t be surprised to see it follow fairly soon.
The ZOTAC ZBOX nano BIOS is now a fairly dense UEFI, although still stripped-down compared to a desktop motherboards wide range of tweaking, overclocking and device installation options. A number of handy tweaking options are still present and outlined in the User Manual, such as deactivating illumination on the top ring and setting boot priority. Overall the UEFI BIOS gets the job done with a minimum of fuss and bother, colour-scheme aside. We should also note that in our experience the UEFI cannot be navigated by USB mice.
The most straightforward processes for installing an OS onto the AD12 is through the use of a USB thumbdrive with a pre-configured image of a Windows Boot DVD, though this does require some expertise to set-up. Installing through an external DVD drive will be convenient for some, but does require hardware which relatively few consumers are likely to have access to. As with the AD11 BIOS, boot priority on the AD12 could be clearer: there’s no options to select/deselect ‘USB Device’, though it quickly becomes clear that USB boot is always assumed if a USB storage device is attached.
VESA Mounting
As noted, the packaging includes a 75mm x 75mm / 100mm x 100mm VESA mount plate for the rear of LCD Monitors and TV’s or a variety of other wall fixings currently on the market. It’s well worth noting that adapter kits for larger VESA standards are available from hardware stores if the VESA mount of the rear of your screen differs from what’s included.
Mounting the AD12 is extremely simple: just a case of mounting the plate to the rear of the LCD panel and then slotting the chassis into the two raised chevrons. Although it can be mounted in any orientation, it’s typically best to do so with exhaust vents ‘up’ for more optimal heat dissipation.
Testing Methodology and CPU-Z/GPU-Z
We based the testing of the AD12 on what we felt to be its intended use: 1080p/720p HD media playback via local, network and internet streaming and basic office workload tasks. Whilst systems with similar specs have been known to have limited gaming capability, the AD12’s low amount of RAM make it impractical for 3D gaming except in older titles such as Quake 3 etc.
Also important for most end-users are noise at idle and load, as well as qualitative analysis of the ‘type’ of noise. HTPCs are intended to be as near to silent as possible, so assessing the noise generated by the AD12 during testing is crucial.
Test System:
Hardware
ZOTAC ZBOX nano AD12 PLUS
– CPU: AMD E2-1800 APU
– GFX: AMD HD 7340
– RAM: 2GB Samsung DDR3-1333 SO-DIMM
– Storage: 320GB Toshiba 5400RPM 8MB Cache HDD
– Network: Realtek PCIe Gigabit LAN (10/100/1000)
Monitor: Generic 20” 1080p LCD
– CPU: AMD E2-1800 APU
– GFX: AMD HD 7340
– RAM: 2GB Samsung DDR3-1333 SO-DIMM
– Storage: 320GB Toshiba 5400RPM 8MB Cache HDD
– Network: Realtek PCIe Gigabit LAN (10/100/1000)
Monitor: Generic 20” 1080p LCD
Note that GPU-Z has difficulty extracting the specs of this APU’s graphics core
Software
Windows 7 Home Premium
Google Chrome
Mozilla Firefox
Adobe Flash 11.4.402.287
XBMC 11.0 – Eden Media Player
Open Office Suite
GIMP Image Editor
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
Speedfan 4.47
Google Chrome
Mozilla Firefox
Adobe Flash 11.4.402.287
XBMC 11.0 – Eden Media Player
Open Office Suite
GIMP Image Editor
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
Speedfan 4.47
HDD Performance
The included HDD is listed as a 320GB Toshiba MK3259GSXPM rated at 5400RPM and with 8MB internal cache. Marketing material for this drive claims SATAII speeds, though generally the capabilities of mechanical HDDs are limited. The AD12’s mainboard chipset can support SATAIII 6Gbps storage devices, so those who opt for the barebones model should be able to gain the full benefit of any SATAIII SSD drive they choose to install.
320GB is capacious as 2.5″ HDDs go, easily providing enough room for OS, office software, and miscellaneous storage. Raw performance figures are as you would expect from a good quality 5400RPM HDD – not a patch on an SSD but more than capable of general computing tasks. Of particular note is the noise from the HDD: the example in this product is very quiet and well below other audible noise from the system. Consumers who would benefit from the additional speed of an SSD can simply purchase the barebones version and a separate SSD, but those who choose the PLUS model should be pleased with noise levels from this component.
Windows 7 load times:
Power on to Windows fully loaded – 52 seconds*.
Wake from Sleep to Windows fully loaded – 5 seconds
Wake from Sleep to Windows fully loaded – 5 seconds
*Includes 6 seconds for POST and handover to the boot device
Unfortunately we have been spoiled by SSDs for far too long, and so overall performance of the system feels sluggish by comparison. This is reflected in the AD12’s boot time, which is a full 61% slower than the SSD-based AD11. Application loading times are relatively slow but by no means unreasonable and generally better than comparable netbooks/nettops, speaking to the quality of the drive selected by ZOTAC for the AD12.
Due to the choice of a mechanical HDD, we’re a little concerned with the default PLUS model only featuring 2GB RAM. Although generally more than adequate for our clean install with a minimum of applications, in the long term we would prefer to see 4GB as a default on a HDD-backed system as overall performance will become ever more constrained by this component.
Streamed Video Performance
We’ve discussed previously the importance of streamed video to HTPC and mini-PC functionality, but it’s well worth reiterating: good quality streamed video playback is crucial to justify its place in the market. So long as the playback software, whether it be DIVX or the embedded Youtube Flash Player, utilises the capabilities of the AD12’s E2-1800 APU there should be no issue with 1080p playback. However if software decoding is required the CPU may struggle. Even if the site does not allow hardware decoding, it’s useful to know how well the AD12 copes with high definition video and if a bottlekneck is obvious when using software decoding for this content.
CPU and GPU load levels were extracted through the use of Windows Task Manager and GPU-Z, each of which generates real-time load percentages for the respective processors.
Youtube HD
Youtube can output h.264 encoded video for high definition streaming, which should be compatible with the E2-1800’s HD7340 graphics. Since our previous testing both Chrome and Firefox have undergone updates to properly utilise hardware acceleration for HD video, but we made the preliminary decision of using Google’s Chrome browser for our testing.
The relatively high bit-rate of action movie trailers make them ideal samples to test both whether hardware acceleration is used and whether the hardware can keep up with typical bit-rates.
Test Video 1: The Dark Knight Trailer 1 (1080p h.264)
Resolution – Approx. Video Bit Rate* – Playback Quality
Original: 10.5 Mbits/sec : Choppy
1080p: 3.5 Mbits/s : Smooth
720p: 2.0 Mbits/s : Smooth
Original: 10.5 Mbits/sec : Choppy
1080p: 3.5 Mbits/s : Smooth
720p: 2.0 Mbits/s : Smooth
CPU load level for the ‘Original’ version peaked at 99%, indicating that the browser was not using the GPU to decode the video. During playback of 1080p and 720p video CPU utilisation didn’t exceed 20%, whilst GPU also peaked at 20%.
Test Video 2: Avatar Trailer (1080p H.264)
Resolution – Approx. Video Bit Rate* – Playback Quality
1080p: 3.5 Mbits/s : Smooth
720p: 2Mbits/s : Smooth
1080p: 3.5 Mbits/s : Smooth
720p: 2Mbits/s : Smooth
No ‘Original’ resolution option was available, but playback of 1080p and 720p video in full screen mode was good with load on the CPU not exceeding 25% and GPU averaging 22%, peaking at 32. Video 1 and 2 tests both indicate that Youtube in Chrome is making use of the GPU, however long-term support for Youtube HD video through web pages is known to periodically break due to server-side changes. XBMC now has a Youtube Plug-in which can play HD content and will use h.264 hardware decoding by default; though not great for browsing it is a viable work-around for regular series you might enjoy in High Definition.
BBC iPlayer
BBC iPlayer streams are h.264-encoded video and playback is via Adobe Flash Player. HD Streams are ‘at least’ 1280*720 resolution (720p), and are encoded with a bit-rate of 3.2Mbps video and 192kbps audio**.
Test Video 3: BBCHD Edition of Nigellissima: Episode 3
Here we tested both Mozilla Firefox and Chrome following a tip that BBC HD content performed more ably under Firefox, and the performance difference was marked. Under Chrome CPU usage peaked at 95% and was essentially unwatchable, however Firefox performance was significantly more smooth and CPU usage hovered around the 50% mark with occasional spikes to the mid-80’s. Although we cannot report the experience to be perfect it was at least watchable and enjoyable in a way that the Chrome experience was not.
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Streamed video performance continues to be a frustrating experience as software support lags behind the hardware. Neither Adobe Flash nor the providers of the streamed content are wholly at fault, but you can image how disheartened a user might be to learn that they even need different web browsers to fully utilise the content available and hardware at their fingertips. We are pleased that BBC HD video support appears to be improving in Mozilla FireFox.
* Source: Approx bit rates noted here.
** Source: http://iplayerhelp.external.bbc.co.uk/help/playing_tv_progs/watch_hd
Locally Stored Video Performance
AMD recommends DIVX for High Definition media playback on AMD-Fusion APU’s. The on-board GPU is also supported by open-source video playback application XBMC, specifically designed for media playback on HTPC’s which have high definition video hardware acceleration.
Standard Definition
Video 1: High Fidelity Clip
MPEG-4 (DivX) encoded 720*404 DVD, 1.793 Mbps
The file played smoothly, utilising GPU acceleration as expected with CPU utilisation peaking at 19%.
Video 2: The 3rd Man Clip
XviD (h.263) encoded 720*540 DVD, 1.789 Mbps
File playback was excellent, utilising GPU acceleration and causing a peak CPU utilisation of 21%.
High Definition
Video 3: Amos Ocean DivX Plus Sample .MKV
1920*1080 (1080p), 10 Mbps h.264 video, 128kbps MP3-encoded audio.
Playback was identical to performance on a high specification desktop (the sample video appears slightly stuttery in places). CPU Utilisation peaked at 20%, GPU at 40% in places.
Video 4: The Bourne Ultimatum – Trailer
1920*816 (1080p), MPEG-4 h.264 encoded video, 7.43 Mbps, 96kbps audio.
Playback was smooth throughout and there were no audio sync issues. CPU utilisation did not exceed 26%, and GPU load reached 35% during the 2.5 minute clip.
Video 5: Section of FRAPSED Games footage.
1920*1080 (1080p), MPEG-4 h.264 encoded video, 8.5 Mbps, 128kbps audio.
Playback was smooth throughout and there were no audio sync issues. CPU utilisation reached 19%, and GPU load reached 42% during the 5min play section.
NOTE:
When updated with the latest AMD Fusion drivers the E2-1800 APU on this platform is capable of bitstreaming HD audio to external receivers over HDMI. Bitstreaming aside, the AD12 is can transmit uncompressed stereo output over Line-out, compressed multi-channel output via optical out, or digital audio out via HDMI.
Temperature and Noise
SpeedFan by Almico monitors temperatures and fan RPM sensors for a wide range of CPUs, GPUs and mainboards.
SpeedFan 4.47 detected five sensors on the AD12: Generic Temperature, GPU Temp, CPU Core Temp, HDD Temp and Fan Speed for the system’s single fan. We extracted sensor readings during three different scenarios representing different usage patterns. Ambient temperature was 20.5C +/- 0.5C for each of these sample points.
Idle
Idle readings are recorded 10 minutes after initial Windows boot, and represents the expected minimum temperatures and fan speeds for the AD12. The system should be whisper quiet when idling for periods before entering Sleep state (i.e. suspend to RAM/HDD).
With a CPU and GPU temperature in the low 50C’s, the AD12’s cooler averaged around 3000 RPM, which though it sounds high was actually not too unpleasant at all.
During Video Playback
Video playback readings were taken following 1hr playback of high definition video, and represented expected temperatures, fan speeds and corresponding noise levels during playback of moderately demanding hardware accelerated video.
The GPU reaches 56C, CPU 57C and HDD 42C, under a consistent CPU load of ~20%. Fan speed at this temperature and load level was 3400RPM +/- 5%.
Extended On Time Playback
In our final scenario the AD11 was used as a general PC for 6 hours without being allowed to power down, and then video playback was initiated. After 30 mins temperature and fan speeds were recorded. The principle here is to represent extended-duration use of the AD11 as a workstation/home PC, rather than HTPC or Media Player, and to be a fairer test than simply loading the cores with a stress test applications such as Prime95.
As you can see, even though CPU load was relatively low at only 25%, temperatures for CPU and GPU had reached 58C, causing the fan to run at approximately 3.35K RPM during video playback. By contrast, the AD11 fan was ramping to 4.2k and CPU reached mid-60’s temperature wise. All indications are that, somewhat contrary to expectations, the cooling system of the AD12 does a fairly good job of expelling heat such that there’s little long-term build-up – a big improvement over the AD11.
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Our chief concern with the ZBOX nano XS AD11 Plus was the noise from the unit during extended operation from the cooling fan rather than overall performance, which we found to be very good to excellent. With that in mind, and the concerns with regards to cooling we outlined in our first look at the AD12’s chassis, it made sense to pay particular attention to noise with the larger HTPC.
To begin, the positives. Our review sample had an excellent HDD from Toshiba which could almost bear the legend whisper-quiet itself. This comes with a slight caveat: the sparse base installation didn’t require substantial paging, which tends to greatly increase HDD accesses; even with this in mind it’s still an impressive achievement. At no time in our tests did we feel that HDD access was detrimental to our experience.
When in comes to HTPC’s however we’re looking for near-silent operation during extended playback of video as an ideal outcome, and in that narrow respect the picture was less rosy. At a registered CPU/GPU core temperature of 58C during our ‘Extended Use’ scenario the system fan could ramp to over 3.4K RPM, generating noise which was clearly audible over video. Even at the relatively moderate 56C experienced during HD video playback fan noise at was persistent, though acceptable if video volume is set at a sensible level.
Though distinct, the speed and frequency of the AD12’s fan noise is lower than the AD11’s (i.e. more of a hum than a whine) making it much easier to live with in general computing usage and suggesting that either the cooling system or APU of the AD12 is a little more efficient than that of the AD11. Fast changes in APU temperature also had a much less pronounced impact on fan RPM, keeping the noise from the cooler much more consistent. Those using the AD12 as a PC rather than living room HTPC will want to make use of the Windows ‘Sleep’ state to reduce heat generation during idle periods, but that’s not too much of an issue.
It should be noted that testing was performed in a Windows 7 environment, where even under ideal conditions CPU load will be higher than it needs to be just to decode video. More optimised software/OS configurations designed purely for video playback will in general have lower CPU load and hence generate less heat and noise.
Conclusion
As with the ZBOX nano AD12 PLUS’ smaller sibling, it’s easy to appreciate the technology packed into a pretty small form factor. ZOTAC have taken the concept of a mainstream APU and run with it, producing an accomplished HTPC which in many ways is far easier to live with than the previously reviewed system.
The primary weakness of the AD12, as with previous ZBOX nano’s, was noise: the packaging clearly claims that the system will be “extremely silent”, whereas in practice we would disagree. Even relatively low CPU temps. led to clearly audible fan speeds, although the cooling system appears to be an improvement over the too high-pitched nano XS AD11. Living-room HTPC set-ups won’t be too concerned because the absolute noise volume isn’t too high, but running the system as a SOHO PC may lead you to the headphones a little more than you’d like. Audio connoisseurs may view this as a bridge too far, preferring much more expensive full-size near-silent desktops.
In some respects we’re a little surprised ZOTAC didn’t design a slightly more elaborate cooling system for the AD12 given the larger form factor to work within and 18W TDP for the E2-1800 Brazos 2 APU. It’s quite possible that the system would benefit from additional air intakes, and adding some on the right hand side would do little to mar its aesthetic appeal. Equally we would be a little concerned to run the system at very high load 24/7 – it’s clearly not designed for that sort of extremely heavy extended use even though it can handle 20mins+ of >90% load without issue.
ZOTAC also appear to have fixed a minor problem we had with the AD11 in that it wasn’t booting from USB reliably. Installing Windows 7 from a USB 2.0 device on the AD12 PLUS was quick and painless, although you still need a separate PC or external DVD drive to begin. Windows 8 is upcoming and allegedly makes booting from USB even more straight-forward, boding well for the future appeal of the AD12 and other ZOTAC mini-PCs to the mainstream.
Good looks are of course part of the package, and you can rarely go wrong with a brushed aluminium and piano black finish. The size increase over the AD11 is in many respects worth it for the additional configuration flexibility it affords: simply slotting in your own choice of consumer-level SSD is in itself worth the extra footprint. By including a DisplayPort allowing >1080p resolutions ZOTAC have also added a certain level of future-proofing, although that perhaps should be taken with a pinch of salt given the increased processing requirements of higher resolutions.
Where software takes advantage of the GPU’s capabilities – i.e. hardware decoding of HD video playback – performance is excellent. The beefier E2-1800 APU is also more able to cope with non-GPU accelerated content, leading to a better experience overall in HD content which may for whatever reason be incompatible with the HD7340 graphics. We wouldn’t quite recommend flash-based software-decoded 1080p video – many fully-fledged desktops still struggle with this content – but 720p seems to be reasonable. Whichever decoding mechanism is used, care needs to be taken to use the correct software for the task.
Compared to your average Nettop the AD12 PLUS is a strong product with plenty of room to grow into for the novice user. HDD capacity in particular is not a significant restriction; we have quoted a typical Windows 7 installation size of 21GB in the past and in general that still holds true, and so over 250GB of spare storage space should be the norm. But lets be clear, you probably won’t be using this space for your Steam folder – the system doesn’t have the grunt to be considered suitable for hardcore gaming, though more casual, indie or web-based (non-3D) titles shouldn’t be an issue.
When considering the AD12 PLUS for the long term don’t gloss over the memory constraints on the system. The 2GB DDR3 1333 RAM is shared between the system and GPU, limiting you to approx. 1.6GB for typical system function rather than the 2GB + 512MB Video RAM you’d see on a low-end desktop PC. RAM issues are especially acute on systems with HDDs rather than SSDs, as HDD performance tends to bottleneck a system to a much greater degree.
To round out the package, we should mention more of the more quality of life features of the AD12 PLUS. Once again ZOTAC have bundled an excellent Windows MCE IR remote and sensor package which is fully supported by XBMC, an afterthought in many competing products and non-existent in others. Although it hasn’t been a factor in our review, the inclusion of Bluetooth via the integrated wireless module is a very nice bonus ideal for front-room set-ups utilising compatible wireless keyboards and mice.
So, what’s our recommendation? A lot will depend on your budget, but there’s no inherent flaw in the AD12 PLUS – buy it understanding its limitations and you should be very happy. We would however suggest that more confident users take a look at the non-PLUS barebones option as and when it becomes available: SSDs continue to fall in price, and this system would benefit from more RAM in the long run. Even those who pick up the PLUS variant should consider a memory upgrade to 4GB, a £20 purchase which should serve to improve performance when your software configuration has bedded in on a mechanical HDD-based system.
In the ZBOX nano AD12 PLUS ZOTAC have once again crafted an extremely accomplished system based on AMD’s Brazos-2 APU platform which is fully-featured and performs well to boot. The ample 320GB HDD from Toshiba is an unexpectedly low-noise inclusion, and integrated Bluetooth could be just the ticket for a wireless HTPC setup. Fan noise remains something of an issue for the ZBOX nano’s, and it would be nice to see 4GB of RAM rather than the frugal 2GB included in the PLUS variant. Overall it’s an extremely well deserved Silver Award for ZOTAC, yet again showing their strength in the mini-PC market.
Pros
+ 127mm x 127mm footprint
+ Hardware accelerated h.264 playback
+ Extensive features including USB3, eSATA, DisplayPort, Bluetooth
+ Spacious 320GB HDD
+ Responsive enough for general PC use
+ Excellent Bundled MCE Remote
+ 2 Year Warranty in the EU
Cons
– Fan noise under load
– 2GB RAM only
– Patchy website support for hardware h.264 acceleration
– Additional equipment required for OS Installation
+ 127mm x 127mm footprint
+ Hardware accelerated h.264 playback
+ Extensive features including USB3, eSATA, DisplayPort, Bluetooth
+ Spacious 320GB HDD
+ Responsive enough for general PC use
+ Excellent Bundled MCE Remote
+ 2 Year Warranty in the EU
Cons
– Fan noise under load
– 2GB RAM only
– Patchy website support for hardware h.264 acceleration
– Additional equipment required for OS Installation
Click here for an explanation of our awards at Vortez.net.
Our thanks once again go to ZOTAC for providing this review sample.
