ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS AD11 Plus Pro Reviews

Conclusion It is quite hard to find something wrong about the Nano XS AD11, but it is also quite hard to compare it to other mini-PCs as it has a unique form factor and tiny footprint. Of course it is not the fastest thing on the market, but it is still packs quite a punch when compared to much larger systems. The E-450 is a well balanced processor, capable of delivering enough performance to cope with pretty much anything you throw at it, but at the same time it's not too pricey or too hot. Of course, any serious gaming is out of the question but if you are looking for an office PC or a home theater system, ZBox Nano XS is definitely worth taking into consideration. Pair it up with either Linux or Windows, throw in the XBMC media center and you'll get one heck of an HTPC system. The €320/US $315 price tag for the ZBox Nano XS AD11 Plus might sound a bit steep but if you add all the features up, especially the Kingston SSD, you’ll see that you would end up with a similar price tag on much larger systems. The sheer size of the ZBox Nano XS AD11 Plus is impressive and it is definitely its best selling point. The barebone version sells at around €220/US $220.

It is actually quite difficult to find something awry with the Zotac ZBOX nano XS AD11 Plus. The unit is not only one of the most compact ones on the market, but it is also constructed well and delivers the performance expected of the AMD E-450 platform. The use of a quality SSD really does make things go much quicker during every-day use. Zotac has accounted for pretty much every scenario out of the box. A solid, metal VESA mounting-bracket, wireless connectivity, and a remote control are all part of the unit, so Zotac has you covered regardless of how the ZBOX nano XS AD11 is used. Being able to pick between the fully pre-built unit or its barebone variant adds further flexibility to the ZBOX nano by giving the customer a choice in what to go for. The only downside of the unit is its noise level. Such a compact device only allows for so much of a heatsink within which means that the fan is always audible to keep things operational in stressful situations. Fan noise is, although the fan is quite audible, very clean and not annoying.

This is the smallest computer we’ve yet reviewed; its price and power match other mini PCs, but it doesn’t have a preinstalled operating system

Overall, the new Zotac ZBOX Nano XS AD11 is a good performer. In comparison to other ultra small form factor systems and similarly equipped mobile devices in its same class, the ZBOX Nano XS AD11 does well. The AMD E-450 APU at the heart of the system is a mild step up from the E-350 APU used in our reference systems and the E-450 had no trouble outpacing any of the Atom-based offerings. The mSATA SSD included in the ZBOX Nano XS AD11+ model we tested is also a huge step up from the pokey 320GB HD bundled with previous-gen ZBOX Nano systems. The SSD makes the ZBOX Nano XS AD11+ feel much more responsive than previous-gen ZBOX Nanos we’ve tested and we’re glad Zotac decided to go the solid state route with the XS.

A relatively powerful mini PC, ideal as a media centre or bedroom machine, but lacks the raw performance for anything much more taxing.