ZimaCube NAS Features Powerful Intel Processors and Enhanced Connectivity Options
IceWhale Technologies, the creators of ZimaBoard, have unveiled their latest product, the ZimaCube. In their recent Kickstarter campaign, they have raised nearly $800,000, surpassing their initial goal of $9,990. The ZimaCube will be available in two variants: the ZimaCube and the ZimaCube Pro. Retailing at $599 and $1,199, the company has announced that they will start delivering the products in March 2024.
In late 2021, IceWhale Technologies entered the market by introducing its latest product, the ZimaBoard. Now, with the launch of the ZimaCube, they aim to establish a strong foothold in the storage solution market. According to the product page, the ZimaCube features an Intel Alder Lake-N100 processor, whereas a robust 12th Gen i5-1235U processor powers the ZimaCube Pro.
Both the models support up to six 3.5-inch SATA Drives, and they also have support for M.2 NVMe SSD. It also features a 2.5GbE network port and PCIe expansion, enabling users to add more powerful network cards or graphics cards according to their needs.
The standard ZimaCube has 8GB of DDR4 RAM, upgradable to 32GB for more demanding tasks. The ZimaCube Pro, on the other hand, starts with 16GB of DDR5 RAM, with an upgrade option to 32GB, and offers more storage flexibility with additional NVMe slots.
The NAS comes pre-installed with the company’s ZimaOS V1.1 software and is compatible with other software like TrueNAS and UnRAID. Additionally, it supports a range of operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. The ZimaCube Pro ships with an accessory pack, an AC power cord, and a user manual.
Comparative Specifications of ZimaCube and ZimaCube Pro
Specification | ZimaCube | ZimaCube Pro |
---|---|---|
Memory | 8GB DDR4, upgradable to 32GB (16GB x2) | 16GB DDR5, upgradable to 32GB (16GB x2) |
Storage | 256GB SSD, 2x NVMe, 3.5” & 2.5” SATA HDD/SSD, M.2 2280 NVMe SSD, 6+1 drive bays | 256GB SSD, 2x NVMe, 4x additional NVMe, 3.5” & 2.5” SATA HDD/SSD, M.2 2280 NVMe SSD, 6+1 drive bays |
Display/Audio | HDMI 2.0, DP 1.4, 3.5mm jack | HDMI 2.0, DP 1.4, 3.5mm jack |
Expansion | 1x Gen3 x4 PCIe | 1x Gen3 x16 PCIe, 1x Gen4 x4 PCIe |
Connectivity | 2x 2.5GbE | 4x 2.5GbE |
USB | 4x Type-A 3.0 Gen 1, 2x Type-A 2.0 Gen 1, 1x Type-C 3.0 Gen 1 | 6x Type-A 3.0 Gen 1, 2x Thunderbolt 4 |
Other Features | TPM, internal USB system disk slot | TPM, internal USB system disk slot |
Power | 19V DC, 220W | 19V DC, 220W |
Mechanical | 240x221x220mm, 5.4kg, 2x 80mm fans | 240x221x220mm, 5.4kg, 2x 80mm fans |
The ZimaCube starts at $500 and the Pro version at $900 for early backers, without storage, while the expected retail prices are $699 and $1,199. They’re also offering special rewards, like a bundle with an NVIDIA Quadro RTX A2000 12GB GPU for video creators. Remember, shipping costs around $38-$39, and deliveries are planned for March 2024.