Wednesday, April 11th 2012
ZOTAC Redefines mini-PC Form Factor with Extra Small ZBOX nano XS
ZOTAC International, a global innovator of graphics cards, mainboards and mini-PCs, today redefines the mini-PC form factor with the extra small ZBOX nano XS AD11 Plus mini-PC. The ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS AD11 Plus is the world's smallest PC capable of delivering a rich high-definition desktop computing experience.
An AMD E-450 APU with Radeon HD 6320 graphics processing sits at the heart of the ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS AD11 Plus to render beautiful Microsoft DirectX 11 graphics and playback stunning online and offline high-definition content. The completely new ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS chassis shrinks the ZBOX nano chassis by nearly 17-percent into a 106-milimeter box that is only 37-milimeters tall that can easily slip into a jacket pocket.
"Size matters when it comes to desktop systems. We are always trying to push full-featured systems into the smallest size possible," says Carsten Berger, marketing director, ZOTAC International. "Our new ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS AD11 Plus shows that you can pack a complete high-definition capable desktop PC into a miniature form factor that conveniently fits in the smallest places."
Solid-state storage makes a ZBOX debut in the ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS AD11 Plus with a 64GB mSATA SSD as the internal storage source for lightning-fast boot times and system responsiveness. External storage expansion is available via eSATA, USB 3.0, USB 2.0 ports and a Memory Stick and SDXC compatible memory card reader on the ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS AD11 Plus.
New high-amperage USB 2.0 ports enable the ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS AD11 Plus to easily charge the latest high-end smartphones and tablets while simultaneously transferring data. Integrated Gigabit Ethernet allows high-speed wired network transfers while a USB 802.11n WiFi adapter is bundled for users that desires wireless network connectivity.
It's time to play with the ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS AD11.
General details
ZOTAC nano XS AD11 Plus
An AMD E-450 APU with Radeon HD 6320 graphics processing sits at the heart of the ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS AD11 Plus to render beautiful Microsoft DirectX 11 graphics and playback stunning online and offline high-definition content. The completely new ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS chassis shrinks the ZBOX nano chassis by nearly 17-percent into a 106-milimeter box that is only 37-milimeters tall that can easily slip into a jacket pocket.
Solid-state storage makes a ZBOX debut in the ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS AD11 Plus with a 64GB mSATA SSD as the internal storage source for lightning-fast boot times and system responsiveness. External storage expansion is available via eSATA, USB 3.0, USB 2.0 ports and a Memory Stick and SDXC compatible memory card reader on the ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS AD11 Plus.
New high-amperage USB 2.0 ports enable the ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS AD11 Plus to easily charge the latest high-end smartphones and tablets while simultaneously transferring data. Integrated Gigabit Ethernet allows high-speed wired network transfers while a USB 802.11n WiFi adapter is bundled for users that desires wireless network connectivity.
It's time to play with the ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS AD11.
General details
ZOTAC nano XS AD11 Plus
- AMD E-450 APU (1.65 GHz, dual-core)
- AMD Radeon HD 6320 GPU
- HDMI output
- 2GB DDR3
- 64GB mSATA SSD
- 2 x SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports (back panel)
- 2 x High-Speed USB 2.0 ports (back panel)
- Combo eSATA / USB 2.0 port
- Gigabit Ethernet
- USB 2.0 802.11n WiFi adapter included
- 6-in-1 memory card reader (SD/SDHC/SDXC/MMC/MS/MS Pro)
- Combo analogue / mini-Optical S/PDIF output
- Microphone input
- Integrated IR receiver
- Bundled MCE-compatible remote w/ USB IR receiver
- Bundled VESA75/100 mount
- AMD Steady Video technology
- AMD Perfect Picture HD technology
- AMD VISION Engine
- Microsoft DirectX 11 technology
15 Comments on ZOTAC Redefines mini-PC Form Factor with Extra Small ZBOX nano XS
But props for going with an mSATA solution for storage instead of the traditional 2.5" sata storage solution, though they could go a step further and release an even smaller version with just a microSD on board for people who want to use something like OpenELEC and XBMC or various stripped down linux builds - shave a few mm and a few bucks off your bill of materials there.
:rolleyes:
"The Zotac ZBOX Nano XS AD11 Plus definitely receives recommendations from us for the size and progressive HD video decode performance. The mSATA SSD is a definite step up from the hard drive based HTPCs we have seen so far. It is slightly let down by the weak CPU in the system, but makes up for it in some disk-heavy workloads. There are plenty of bundled peripherals, and the standard MCE remote is a nice add on for HTPC users. The IR receiver extender is a nice touch by Zotac, making sure that the unit's MCE remote is usable at all times, irrespective of the way the PC is mounted. The mini-optical SPDIF connector ensures compatibility with older receivers, and the HDMI output is also able to carry audio (bitstreamed and decoded PCM).
On the other hand, the lackluster online streaming performance and complete lack of pulldown / deinterlacing capabilities is disappointing. The weak CPU is the price one needs to pay for the form factor and the low cost. The noisy fan may be a problem depending on the workload.
There are a number of specific scenarios in which the Zotac ZBOX Nano XS AD11 Plus comes good. One is unlikely to regret purchasing a unit as long as the drawbacks outlined in this review are well understood."
So for XBMC you're not likely to find anything better, the only thing smaller and lower power would be an Apple TV2 running the XBMC port, but it's limited to 720p. The ATV3 would be ideal but I don't think it has a port just yet? But that little fan was my worst fear. The worst thing you can do is have a noisy HTPC in my opinion.