ZOTAC ZBOX edge CI343 mini PC debuts with slim, fanless design

More and more new Intel N100 mini PCs have started to roll out. The ZOTAC ZBOX edge CI343 is one of them, which pairs the Alder Lake-N series CPU with a passive-cooling design. As a system with no fans, this mini PC makes 0 dB noise during operation, something that can be pretty important for specific setups.

Furthermore, the ZBOX edge CI343 has a flat form factor compared to other mini PCs with the same CPU. Such a design should make installation in challenging setups easier.

Aside from that, the ZOTAC ZBOX edge CI343 pairs the N100 CPU with up to 16 GB of DDR5 RAM, making it capable of handling most of the productivity and media playback tasks. As for the storage, the mini PC has a PCIe 3.0 M.2 slot, a mSATA connector, and a SATA interface for 2.5-inch disk drives. It also has a micro SDHC/SDXC slot.

In terms of connectivity, the ZBOX edge CI343 features Bluetooth 5.2 and WiFi 6 with two external antennas. There are DisplayPort, HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.1 Type-C, and USB 3.1 Type-A ports for wired connections.

When it comes to pricing, the barebone variant of the ZOTAC ZBOX edge CI343 is available for around $269 in certain regions. As for a less pricey alternative, the GMKtec Nucbox G3 is a good option, which is currently sitting at $158.99 on Amazon. It has the same CPU, 8 GB of RAM, and packs a 256 GB SSD.