Guys, the i7 mention is a table porting typo from the previous review. It has been fixed. The core count / frequencies / cache size were fixed correctly after the copy-over. Apologies for the typo.
The HWiNFO representation is erroneous because Zotac uses the same product ID string for both the CI523 nano and CI543 nano. The latter uses the Core i5, and HWiNFO gets confused because of that.
The AIDA64 report confirming the Core i3-6100U (if it wasn't obvious from the multiple references to it in the text of the review and also the frequencies in the graphs) is here: http://images.anandtech.com/reviews/mini-pcs/AIDA-...
No dual LAN, no interest. I'd really like Zotac/Gigabyte/Intel to make a SFF NUC-like PC with dual LAN so that I can buy one to be used as a pfSense router. I'd highly prefer not to be stuck with an anemic pentium/celeron chinese off-brand pfSense router...
In addition, for pfSense and other networking applications, some of the hardware acceleration features / offloads provided by Intel NICs can help provide better overall performance.
USB Ethernet adapters are fine for the average use-case, but, I wouldn't suggest using them for any performance-sensitive scenarios.
One option for single LAN systems is to use a managed switch that supports VLANs. You put your internet on another VLAN and allow both VLANs to the system. Then, on the system you create two virtual NICs, one for each VLAN.
Bought one of these, trying to figure out whether to return it based on poor thermal performance and some problems with coil whine. (When silence is the main selling point they ought to be extra careful about coil whine.) Any thoughts on that?
Mystified about why the power consumption at the wall is so high compared to competitors.
Any thoughts about how the high temperatures may affect the SSD?
Can someone tell me why they'd spend the money to go Intel for the WiFi but then go with Realtek for the wired side? Intel networking is pretty much the gold standard in the gigabit world. It's not like it's expensive.
I have one of those. Running Lubuntu 16.10 beta (16.04 kernel is 4.4 which has halfassed skylake driver) Works fine. On thermal performance: it appears that this zbox was designed for vertical orientation (short side up). That's why there is no holes on the bottom - that's not a bottom (although rubber feet do add to the confusion). I do have some minor coil whining too.
Some of the pictures in the marketing collateral do support the vertical orientation. However, placing the unit that way completely blocks one set of the mesh ventilation slots. So, I wasn't comfortable testing it that way.
As for coil whine - it is a problem with many of the affordable fanless PCs. FWIW, in the set of 4 first-generation C-series PCs that I evaluated, only one unit had that problem - easily heard when keeping the ears close to the system. My review sample of the CI523 nano didn't have that issue. I think the presence of the issue can vary from one sample to another.
Ganesh, I've found out why that back panel & SSD were hot. In my case, it was that little USB 3.1 breakout board that was searing hot. After pulling it out (have no use for it anyway), my power draw dropped to 8W. Meaning, USB 3.1 card was pulling 2 watts - a luxury which this tiny, passively cooled PC cannot afford.
I don't quite get the universal coil whine issue these days, why is that suddenly so much present everywhere? And why don't they just dip the damn coils in lacquer to fix that?
It looks like the CA320 and CI320 didn't have the same hot-running SSD problem the CI523 does. It's not exactly a fair comparison give the lower TDPs of the AMD A6 and the Bay Trail CPUs, but it looks like Skylake U is just a little too warm for a passive cooler in such cramped confines. It kind of defeats the purpose, but maybe putting it on top of one of those laptop cooling pads that power a fan from the USB port would help.
SSD does not get hot (in regular usage) when the box is put on it's side (see my message above). The whole thing is barely warm. By the way, I'm running 2 port i5 version (not i3) and my Kill A Watt shows 10W idle, 30W when CPU is taxed. The only usage my GPU gets is when a movie is played, even then there's no much difference at the wall comparing to idle.
Zotac has really stepped it up in the art/design department with not only the design of the computers themselves, but also the boxes and marketing materials. Impressed.
There are some cheaper fanless skylake systems by e-global on aliexpress and elsewhere. i3-6100u seems to go for $257. No mesh, only fins. Would love to see review of one of those. http://www.pcstationcn.com/index.php?route=product...
Interesting ones.. they have a bigger surface area in the chassis for heat dissipation. Looks like it should be able to handle the 15W TDP processors at the rated load. If the vendor pitches one for review, I would take up the opportunity.
I have been saying this for years and I'll keep repeating: Fanless computers are idiotic. Semi Passive is the real answer. (Although in the cases of NUC and other very small PC form factors, there is some relevance only because of the volume constraint saved with no fan. But even a NUC could fit a very small fan that could increase its termal performance, just look at the Surface Pro 4, it is smaller than this nuc and still have a semi passive fan in it).
The best of both words is a semi passive computer. One you can tune the fan only to turn on when the CPU is in hard usage. It can run passive for all mundane tasks like browsing the web, watching videos or even light gaming, but when needed it can turn on and you will won't sacrifice any performance at all. The best of all is that most big 12cms tower heatsinks have more than enough mass to cooldown the heat of modern energy efficient CPUs on their own. Theoretically you could make any regular pc with a 12cm tower heatsink into a semipassive pc, such that is true that MY computer is a small cougar MX500 with an old CNPS10X Flex Tower and it is 100 passive with a G2 EVGA and a MSI TwinFrozr V GTX 970. The advantages of a semi passive pc is not only noise, but also much reduced dust accumulation, longer lifespan of the fans and a slightly reduced energy consumption. I wished today's motherboards all had semipassive option in their fan controller's. Of course, being passive and compact doesn't mean absolutely silence and optimal performance. Having a larger Full ATX case is preferable. (although it is perfectly possible to build a high performance semi passive PC in a middle tower case like I did. The difference is that the threshold for when the fans kick in will be lower. It is also important to have a large grill on top of it for the heat to slowly moves away). It is also important to understand that many motherboards have strong high pitched noise on their power phase controllers, and coil whine too even at lower usage of the CPU, So a 100% silent PC (more correct would be: below the background noise level) that eliminate those high pitched noises should also have some type of isolating foam inside it and around the metal covers to damper the spread of the high pitched sound. But even if that is not done the pc will still be more silent than any active coolled pc for obvious reasons. Anyway, the main point still stand and I have wondered why no big hardware site, even the dumb hardware channels in youtube ever covered that. Even the silentpc forum has hardly any articles about semi-passive pcs. I was waiting for my next pc build to make some photos and videos and post an article about that but I guess I'll have to do it in a blog without most pictures anyway...
Not particularly compelling given those thermals and throttling. Would rather build a slightly larger ITX system with a Skylake T-series (35W TDP) and get better performance and have an upgrade path. Unless you have a REALLY small desk or home theatre cabinet, I don't see why anyone would buy this.
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leegroves86 - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
"Processor Intel Core i7-6500U"Eh, maybe that's supposed to read 'Intel Core i3-6100U'
ingwe - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
Wow yeah. That is a big difference. I looked at the price and couldn't believe that it was an i7. Then I kept reading and realized it wasn't an i7.YSJ - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
HWinfo on the Power Consumption page says it's an i5-6200Uganeshts - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
Guys, the i7 mention is a table porting typo from the previous review. It has been fixed. The core count / frequencies / cache size were fixed correctly after the copy-over. Apologies for the typo.The HWiNFO representation is erroneous because Zotac uses the same product ID string for both the CI523 nano and CI543 nano. The latter uses the Core i5, and HWiNFO gets confused because of that.
The AIDA64 report confirming the Core i3-6100U (if it wasn't obvious from the multiple references to it in the text of the review and also the frequencies in the graphs) is here: http://images.anandtech.com/reviews/mini-pcs/AIDA-...
JoeyJoJo123 - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
No dual LAN, no interest. I'd really like Zotac/Gigabyte/Intel to make a SFF NUC-like PC with dual LAN so that I can buy one to be used as a pfSense router. I'd highly prefer not to be stuck with an anemic pentium/celeron chinese off-brand pfSense router...ganeshts - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
Zotac has the fanless CI545 nano for that : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GOK0HS4/GIGABYTE has the -L series Skylake BRIX units. We just reviewed one a couple of weeks back: http://www.anandtech.com/show/10689/gigabyte-gbbsi...
JoeyJoJo123 - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
OH! AWESOME!There's even an affordable barebones for less than $150, too, here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0179S50UU/
Thanks, Ganesh!
damianrobertjones - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
Imagine a world where you can buy a USB ethernet adapter! :)ganeshts - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
Latency is an issue with USB Ethernet adapters.In addition, for pfSense and other networking applications, some of the hardware acceleration features / offloads provided by Intel NICs can help provide better overall performance.
USB Ethernet adapters are fine for the average use-case, but, I wouldn't suggest using them for any performance-sensitive scenarios.
Flying Aardvark - Wednesday, October 26, 2016 - link
They still have to be better than Wii U wifi. :/burningice08 - Thursday, October 6, 2016 - link
One option for single LAN systems is to use a managed switch that supports VLANs. You put your internet on another VLAN and allow both VLANs to the system. Then, on the system you create two virtual NICs, one for each VLAN.jensend - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
Bought one of these, trying to figure out whether to return it based on poor thermal performance and some problems with coil whine. (When silence is the main selling point they ought to be extra careful about coil whine.) Any thoughts on that?Mystified about why the power consumption at the wall is so high compared to competitors.
Any thoughts about how the high temperatures may affect the SSD?
fallaha56 - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
i'd return it -without proper HEVC/HDMI/HDCP what's the point?wolrah - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
"Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165Realtek RTL8168/8111 PCIe Gigabit Ethernet Adapter"
Can someone tell me why they'd spend the money to go Intel for the WiFi but then go with Realtek for the wired side? Intel networking is pretty much the gold standard in the gigabit world. It's not like it's expensive.
Shadowmaster625 - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
You should have used a low power SSD to see what difference it makes.slideruler - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
I have one of those. Running Lubuntu 16.10 beta (16.04 kernel is 4.4 which has halfassed skylake driver)Works fine. On thermal performance: it appears that this zbox was designed for vertical orientation (short side up). That's why there is no holes on the bottom - that's not a bottom (although rubber feet do add to the confusion). I do have some minor coil whining too.
ganeshts - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
Some of the pictures in the marketing collateral do support the vertical orientation. However, placing the unit that way completely blocks one set of the mesh ventilation slots. So, I wasn't comfortable testing it that way.As for coil whine - it is a problem with many of the affordable fanless PCs. FWIW, in the set of 4 first-generation C-series PCs that I evaluated, only one unit had that problem - easily heard when keeping the ears close to the system. My review sample of the CI523 nano didn't have that issue. I think the presence of the issue can vary from one sample to another.
solnyshok - Thursday, October 6, 2016 - link
It is for vertical orientation on VESA mount behind monitor.slideruler - Saturday, October 8, 2016 - link
Ganesh,I've found out why that back panel & SSD were hot. In my case, it was that little USB 3.1 breakout board that was searing hot. After pulling it out (have no use for it anyway), my power draw dropped to 8W. Meaning, USB 3.1 card was pulling 2 watts - a luxury which this tiny, passively cooled PC cannot afford.
Wwhat - Sunday, October 30, 2016 - link
I don't quite get the universal coil whine issue these days, why is that suddenly so much present everywhere? And why don't they just dip the damn coils in lacquer to fix that?keg504 - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
What is USB 3.1 gen 2?Wwhat - Sunday, October 30, 2016 - link
Gen1 is just USB3.0 or 2.0 with a USB-C connector. Or in other words fake USB3.1.BrokenCrayons - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
It looks like the CA320 and CI320 didn't have the same hot-running SSD problem the CI523 does. It's not exactly a fair comparison give the lower TDPs of the AMD A6 and the Bay Trail CPUs, but it looks like Skylake U is just a little too warm for a passive cooler in such cramped confines. It kind of defeats the purpose, but maybe putting it on top of one of those laptop cooling pads that power a fan from the USB port would help.slideruler - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
SSD does not get hot (in regular usage) when the box is put on it's side (see my message above).The whole thing is barely warm.
By the way, I'm running 2 port i5 version (not i3) and my Kill A Watt shows 10W idle, 30W when CPU is taxed. The only usage my GPU gets is when a movie is played, even then there's no much difference at the wall comparing to idle.
ganeshts - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
OS makes a lot of difference :)Under regular use, the CPUs idle at around 50C and the SSD is around 58C (that is a bit too high for my liking, but it is not a real issue, anyway)
fallaha56 - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
this device is pointless ! no HDCP 2.2, no HDMI 2.0...we hold our breath...
heffeque - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
Waiting for Zen APU here. It'll probably make awesome home theater material.dakishimesan - Wednesday, October 5, 2016 - link
Zotac has really stepped it up in the art/design department with not only the design of the computers themselves, but also the boxes and marketing materials. Impressed.solnyshok - Thursday, October 6, 2016 - link
There are some cheaper fanless skylake systems by e-global on aliexpress and elsewhere. i3-6100u seems to go for $257. No mesh, only fins. Would love to see review of one of those. http://www.pcstationcn.com/index.php?route=product...ganeshts - Thursday, October 6, 2016 - link
Interesting ones.. they have a bigger surface area in the chassis for heat dissipation. Looks like it should be able to handle the 15W TDP processors at the rated load. If the vendor pitches one for review, I would take up the opportunity.Voldenuit - Thursday, October 6, 2016 - link
Inspiration for that box art:https://thedroidyourelookingfor.files.wordpress.co...
sephirotic - Saturday, October 8, 2016 - link
I have been saying this for years and I'll keep repeating: Fanless computers are idiotic. Semi Passive is the real answer. (Although in the cases of NUC and other very small PC form factors, there is some relevance only because of the volume constraint saved with no fan. But even a NUC could fit a very small fan that could increase its termal performance, just look at the Surface Pro 4, it is smaller than this nuc and still have a semi passive fan in it).The best of both words is a semi passive computer. One you can tune the fan only to turn on when the CPU is in hard usage. It can run passive for all mundane tasks like browsing the web, watching videos or even light gaming, but when needed it can turn on and you will won't sacrifice any performance at all. The best of all is that most big 12cms tower heatsinks have more than enough mass to cooldown the heat of modern energy efficient CPUs on their own. Theoretically you could make any regular pc with a 12cm tower heatsink into a semipassive pc, such that is true that MY computer is a small cougar MX500 with an old CNPS10X Flex Tower and it is 100 passive with a G2 EVGA and a MSI TwinFrozr V GTX 970. The advantages of a semi passive pc is not only noise, but also much reduced dust accumulation, longer lifespan of the fans and a slightly reduced energy consumption. I wished today's motherboards all had semipassive option in their fan controller's.
Of course, being passive and compact doesn't mean absolutely silence and optimal performance. Having a larger Full ATX case is preferable. (although it is perfectly possible to build a high performance semi passive PC in a middle tower case like I did. The difference is that the threshold for when the fans kick in will be lower. It is also important to have a large grill on top of it for the heat to slowly moves away). It is also important to understand that many motherboards have strong high pitched noise on their power phase controllers, and coil whine too even at lower usage of the CPU, So a 100% silent PC (more correct would be: below the background noise level) that eliminate those high pitched noises should also have some type of isolating foam inside it and around the metal covers to damper the spread of the high pitched sound. But even if that is not done the pc will still be more silent than any active coolled pc for obvious reasons. Anyway, the main point still stand and I have wondered why no big hardware site, even the dumb hardware channels in youtube ever covered that. Even the silentpc forum has hardly any articles about semi-passive pcs. I was waiting for my next pc build to make some photos and videos and post an article about that but I guess I'll have to do it in a blog without most pictures anyway...
johnny_boy - Sunday, October 9, 2016 - link
Not particularly compelling given those thermals and throttling. Would rather build a slightly larger ITX system with a Skylake T-series (35W TDP) and get better performance and have an upgrade path. Unless you have a REALLY small desk or home theatre cabinet, I don't see why anyone would buy this.8steve8 - Wednesday, October 12, 2016 - link
please stop making SFFs with 15W CPUs.There are plenty of options for that, and not enough 45,55,65, or 95W CPU SFF systems.
1_rick - Friday, October 14, 2016 - link
Intel called wants to let you know about their Skull Canyon NUC. Which is absolutely awesome if you don't need high-end gaming.