Overall, ZOTAC has done quite well with the MEK1 Gaming PC. Pairing their own GTX 1070 Ti with an i7 7700 results in good performance across the board. Meanwhile, 16 GB of DDR4 2400 MHz is more than enough for today's games and tasks. The inclusion of a fast 256 GB M.2 NVMe SSD means boot times are quick, as are loading times for a select few games. In terms of part selection, nothing here is ultra high end, but these parts aren't out of a bargain bin either. Overall, the system is well balanced in terms of specifications and quality, making it a good all-around system for someone looking to get into PC gaming.

Speaking of component quality, ZOTAC is using Samsung memory, a Silverstone 450 W 80 Plus Bronze power supply, Seagate 1 TB hard drive, and four-heatpipe CPU cooler. Rather than using generic or non-branded components, ZOTAC used standard industry names consumers will recognize for most parts. Even better, the system itself is also upgradable. The graphics card, system memory, M.2 SSD, and HDD can all be replaced as long as the components fit within the power supplies limits. In general, ZOTAC has done their homework in this regard and it shows. The case feels solid all around with the side panels in place nice and tight, meaning everything feels solid and like it has a proper purpose.

Connectivity options are good as well considering the system's smaller-than-usual form factor. Plenty of USB 3.0 ports and display outputs are available. Considering the system's small size, I expected thermals and noise output to be far worse. Instead, I was surprised that under typical gaming loads, noise levels never went beyond 42 dBA, which is similar to a Noctua NH-D15, meaning it is pretty damn quiet. When pushed to the absolute limit, the system hit 45 dBA, but never once did the GPU or CPU thermal throttle. In fact, the GPU was easily overclockable with ZOTAC's Firestorm utility.

The bundled mouse, mouse pad, and keyboard are nice inclusions as well. They won't replace top-tier equivalents, but get the job done. The keyboard felt solid and the Jixian blue mechanical switches felt far better than any membrane keyboard; however, I myself prefer MX Reds or Blacks. While the optical mouse offered more than enough DPI settings for finding a favorable setting, it's not as nice as being able to adjust the DPI manually via software. Still, I was able to find a setting that worked well for me personally and had no impact on my performance in titles like Battlefield 1 or PUBG, for instance.

A few areas in need of improvement do exist. There is still some space left inside the case, meaning with some tweaks, extra storage options could have been made possible. The keyboard and mouse/mouse pad bundle is not available in all regions. Sadder still, while both utilize LEDs, the keyboard is blue only, and the mouse has RGB LEDs that cannot be controlled by the user. Both of these products should have been designed to synchronize with the ZOTAC Spectra software to just have it all work together.

The M.2 heatsink was apparently miss-drilled, and rather than replacing it, ZOTAC used these by just drilling new holes. While I applaud them for not wasting resources unnecessarily, I hope that is fixed in future runs. Granted, no one will ever notice it, and it does not have an impact on performance, but is still a low point considering the rest of the system. Finally, my biggest gripe are the case feet. They are secure and work great, but removal was a pain. I had to pry on the bracket to create extra room for a screwdriver I then used to push the clips back out. The design as a whole could use some minor tweaks.

My other thoughts come down to the BIOS and ZOTAC software, first and foremost. Overclocking the GPU with the Firestorm utility works just fine, as does the Spectra lighting software. Both do their jobs, and I did not encounter any bugs or odd issues. Their simple nature was nice for a change considering the cluttered mess that they could have been.

Sadly, the BIOS is very simple. It allows basic configuration and not much else. If you were thinking of maybe slotting in a K-series processor for some extra oomph, I would suggest not bothering. Finally, there is the price; if you look at the system's specification and today's market, the ZOTAC MEK1 is honestly reasonably priced. ZOTAC has put together a compelling offering that would have even been competitively priced prior to the mining craze. For a person just wanting to play some games, the ZOTAC MEK1 Gaming PC does that and then some. For those in Europe, the bundled deal not being available means the price is a bit lower as well, which is always nice.

If you are in the market for a small form factor PC for gaming that offers exceptional performance without robbing the bank, I suggest taking a closer look at the ZOTAC MEK1 Gaming PC.