The ZimaBoard 2 offers a compact Linux server option for small office and home use, powered by an Intel N150 processor. It features versatile connectivity in a passively cooled aluminum chassis and comes preloaded with ZimaOS. A recent review highlights its performance in benchmarks over several weeks.
The ZimaBoard 2 serves as a low-power single-board computer designed for small office or home office (SOHO) needs, enclosed in a sturdy aluminum chassis that provides passive cooling. At its core is the Intel N150 Twin Lake processor, a quad-core chip without simultaneous multithreading that reaches speeds of up to 3.6GHz. This processor has a base power rating of 6 watts and a limit of 10 watts, supporting single-channel DDR4, DDR5, or LPDDR5 memory.
Connectivity stands out with dual 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports, USB 3.1 Type-A ports, and a mini DisplayPort for headed operation or alternative uses. Storage options include 32GB or 64GB of eMMC for the operating system, plus two SATA 3.0 ports to connect external hard drives or solid-state drives. An additional PCIe 3.0 x4 interface allows for expansions such as NVMe SSD adapters, network cards, or even graphics accelerators via external enclosures.
The device arrives preloaded with ZimaOS, described as a Linux-based personal cloud operating system to simplify hosting setups. Reviewers noted the absence of onboard M.2 NVMe slots, which could enhance convenience, and the PCIe 3.0 standard, which lags behind faster PCIe 4.0 or 5.0 alternatives. A 4-pin fan connector is available for optional active cooling.
Two variants exist: the ZimaBoard 2 832 with 8GB of LPDDR5-4800 memory and 32GB eMMC storage, and the reviewed ZimaBoard 2 1664 model with 16GB memory and 64GB eMMC. Testing over recent weeks confirmed its reliability across various benchmarks.
