

World's first fanless Core i5 mini-PC - darthgoogle
http://www.fanlesstech.com/2014/06/historic-moment-zotacs-fanless-zbox.html

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astrodust
It's absurd that you have to work to find information on pricing here.

Specifications: [http://www.zotac.com/news/press-
releases/article/archive/201...](http://www.zotac.com/news/press-
releases/article/archive/2014/june/article/zotac-starts-computex-2014-with-
quartet-of-silent-zbox-mini-pcs.html)

Pricing details: [http://www.tomshardware.com/news/zotac-c-series-intel-amd-
na...](http://www.tomshardware.com/news/zotac-c-series-intel-amd-
nano,26939.html)

"Pricing is as follows: CI540: $369.99/$479.99. CI520: $309.99/$409.99. CI320:
$149.99/$259.99. CA320: $179.99/$289.99. Availability is set for August."

~~~
hollerith
The $369.99 one is "bare-bones" whereas the $479.99 one includes 4GB DDR3L and
a 64GB SSD.

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hollerith
>ZOTAC unveils the world's first fanless Core i5 mini-PC

It's not the world's first. for example, QuietPC will sell you an Intel i5
mini-PC (i.e., a NUC) transplanted into a larger all-aluminum finned case,
which allows them to remove the one fan the Intel box has (a CPU fan):

[http://www.quietpc.com/sys-ultranuc-pro-fanless](http://www.quietpc.com/sys-
ultranuc-pro-fanless).

This QuietPC box has the same i5 CPU as the base model 2013 Macbook Air, BTW.

~~~
spyder
Yes, I'm not sure why they are lying when a simple google search can reveal
it's not the world's first: [http://www.atlastsolutions.com/intel-
nuc-i3-i5-with-4th-gene...](http://www.atlastsolutions.com/intel-
nuc-i3-i5-with-4th-generation-haswell-now-in-stock/)

There is even a bigger but still mini fanless with i7:

[http://www.atlastsolutions.com/fanless-thin-mini-itx-pc-
core...](http://www.atlastsolutions.com/fanless-thin-mini-itx-pc-
core-i7-haswell-8gb-128gb-ssd-asus-q87t/)

------
en4bz
Important to note that it's a i5 Y processor. Not a regular desktop, or even a
mobile processor.

~~~
Alupis
Well then what is it? Please elaborate.

~~~
hollerith
There's a concept called "max TDP" which essentially means how much heat the
cooling system (fans, heat sinks, heat pipes and case) will need to dissipate
in the worst realistic case.

For the CPU in the base model 2013 Macbook Air (the Core i5-4250U), max TDP is
15 watts.

For my 2011 Sandy Bridge base model Mac mini, max TDP is 35 watts. Most
desktop gaming PCs have max TDPs over 100 watts if the heat generated by the
discrete video card is included.

Max TDP for the CPU in this Zotac box is even lower than the 15 watts on the
2013 MBA. To achieve such a low max TDP, the clock needs to run slower, the
chip needs to use lower voltages and other compromises need to be made.

My guess is that one place such a low TDP is desirable is in small tablets (or
even smartphones??) where space considerations make cooling thing difficult
even with a fan.

And of course it is desirable in fanless applications. Having just one fan,
like an Intel NUC has or a Mac mini has, greatly increases the amount of heat
the system can dissipate. The 2011 Mac mini server edition, for example, has a
CPU with a max TDP of 45 watts and just one fan. (The Mac mini's all-aluminum
case really helps here.)

But sometime even one fan is a bad idea: e.g., in boxes designed for dusty
conditions, e.g., in a factory, or a remote location where it is difficult for
someone to come by to clean out the insides of the system or to notice (by the
noises it makes) when the fan is about to fail.

Note that fanless systems with SSDs like this Zotac box have _no_ moving
parts, and that really helps with reliable un-attended operation -- and with
being quiet.

EDIT: "significantly less" changed to "even lower" to reflect the information
in the reply.

~~~
MekaiGS
The chip they are using has max TDP of 11.5W.

[http://ark.intel.com/products/76611/Intel-
Core-i5-4210Y-Proc...](http://ark.intel.com/products/76611/Intel-
Core-i5-4210Y-Processor-3M-Cache-up-to-1_90-GHz)

------
clinton_sf
That's nice for a fanless i5. But a fanless i7 is already out there with some
great specs, though it's pretty expensive.

[http://www.tinygreenpc.com/microsvr.aspx](http://www.tinygreenpc.com/microsvr.aspx)

Power: 8W – 35W (Depend on system configuration and load)

~~~
walterbell
These Haswell units look good, still pricy:

[http://www.tinygreenpc.com/fit-pc/intense-
pc2.aspx](http://www.tinygreenpc.com/fit-pc/intense-pc2.aspx)

