Zotac has announced its ZBOX MI551, a horrible name for a powerful new mini computer. Sporting a sixth-gen Skylake processor, the M1151 measures 7.4 inches by 7.4 inches x 2 inches and encloses an Intel Core i5-6400T. That’s a quad-core CPU with Intel HD 530 graphics.
Usually, Zotac would release a ZBOX PC like this as a barebones system, which requires the consumer to install their own hard disk, RAM, and operating system. Fortunately, for those of us who aren’t interested in doing it ourselves, there’s a ZBOX MI551 Plus model that comes with 4GB of RAM and 120GB of SSD storage, though you still have to install the OS for yourself.
Regardless of whether you opt for the MI551 Plus or the vanilla ZBOX, the specs are fairly standard. You can expect two DisplayPort jacks, supporting up to 3,840 x 2,160p resolutions at 60Hz, a single HDMI port allowing for resolutions up to 4,096 x 2,160p at a mere 24Hz.
Other connections include a USB Type-C port, a USB 3.0 port, and a USB 2.0 port, and two Gigabit Ethernet ports. As for wireless connections, we’re looking at a built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi adapter, Bluetooth 4.0, and a single Infrared port. And, lastly, for storage, you can take advantage of an SDXC card reader, a 2.5″ SATA drive slot, an M.2 SATA SSD slot, along with two DDR3L-1600 SODIMM slots for up to 16GB of RAM.
All in all, it’s a nifty little powerhouse of a computer, but the real deciding factor will come down to the price. Equipped with a quad-core Skylake processor and a forward-thinking set of connection standards, the MI551 might be leaning towards the pricey end. Unfortunately, we won’t know for sure until Zotac issues a more complete reveal.
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