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MagyarZotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 (i7-7700HQ, GTX 1080) Mini PC Review
We reviewed the lower-specced Magnus EN51050 Mini PC back in September and found it to be a compact and capable low-end gaming machine. CPU and GPU performance were a bit disappointing compared to other devices with similar components, but the performance hit was necessary to fit everything into such a small size. Today's review unit, the Magnus EK71080, has quite a bit more room for heat and power management. The larger chassis is able to house a powerful Intel Core i7-7700HQ and a full desktop Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 (one of Zotac's own designs). Zotac also offers another model in the same chassis, the EN1080K. This model boasts the same GTX 1080 GPU but opts for a desktop Intel Core i7-7700 and an all-in-one liquid cooling solution (in contrast to the more traditional air cooling mechanism in our model).
The EK71080 is, like all other Zotac ZBOX machines, a barebones kit. For an MSRP of USD $1500, users will only get the chassis, power supply, wireless card, GPU, and CPU; they will have to provide their own RAM (SODIMM form factor only), storage (either an M.2 SSD or a 2.5-inch drive), operating system, display, keyboard, and mouse. These pieces can quickly add to the machine's total cost if not already on hand and should be considered when looking at the ZBOX line. We've outfitted out rig with 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) of DDR4-2666 Kingston RAM, a 256 GB Samsung PM961 NVMe SSD, and a 1 TB 7200 RPM HDD from HGST, all courtesy of the recent Omen X 17 provided by Computer Upgrade King. The EK71080 also has a slot for Intel's new Optane memory.
For the purposes of this review, we'll compare our Magnus EK71080 to similar gaming notebooks, including the HP Omen X 17, the Asus ROG Strix GL702VI, the Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition, the Eurocom Sky X4C, the Schenker XMG U727 (2017), and the MSI GT75VR. As users will need to provide their own input devices and monitors, we will obviously forego those sections. Let's get started.
Case
Aluminum graces every side of the EK71080. The metal is covered with a matte black coat that is highly resistant to fingerprints (not that users should be touching the machine all that much after the initial setup). The left and right sides both have holes for ventilation, and the entire top panel is comprised of a honeycomb mesh. While it's easy to tuck the EK71080 out of sight due to its small size, users may want to keep the box on their desks because of its design. A single yellow LED around the power button gives a small splash of color to the chassis. The result is a subdued and innocuous black box with a small bit of visual flair.
Due to the size of the machine, there is no VESA mounting option. The device is too heavy to mount effectively anyway. In spite of its height, the center of gravity for the unit is quite low, which makes the body very stable. Gaps are tight and even, and each side (including the honeycombed top panel) only slightly deforms when pressed in the direct center. There is no audible creaking.
Compared to other mini PCs, the EK71080 is substantially larger and heavier. Intel's NUCs are incredibly compact when put next to the EK71080. Most of Zotac's other ZBOX lines, which share a chassis similar to the EN51050, are about half the height of the EK71080. Keep in mind that all these smaller devices lack the power of the EK71080, which is only possible thanks to it's bulkier chassis. For a desktop PC, though, the EK71080 is downright small and should easily fit into almost any space.
Connectivity
As a full-fledged desktop PC, the EK71080 is not lacking for ports. On the front, users have easy access to an SD Card Reader (which takes only half a card), the jacks for a microphone and audio out, and two USB 3.1 (Gen 2) ports, one of which is a Type-C connection. Around back is a bounty of ports, including 4 USB 3.0 ports, two LAN ports, and enough display hookups for almost any rig (3x DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0b, and Dual-Link DVI-D). The EK71080 can power up to 4 monitors.
Sadly, there is no Thunderbolt 3 connection anywhere on the machine, but as it has a plethora of other ports, a powerful desktop GPU, and easily swappable storage, there is less need for Thunderbolt 3 here than on a laptop. The ports are well spaced and leave plenty of room for multiple adjacent connections.
SD Card Reader
The performance of the card reader is disappointing. While most gaming laptops manage to hit a minimum of 70 MB/s in our JPG copy test, the EK71080 is barely able to break 40 MB/s (using our Toshiba Exceria USH-II reference card). This is line with the Magnus EN51050 but pales in comparison to even mid-tier gaming notebooks.
| SD Card Reader | |
| average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs) | |
| Eurocom Sky X4C (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| Schenker XMG U727 2017 (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| Average of class Gaming (48.5 - 209, n=92, last 2 years) | |
| MSI GT75VR 7RF-012 Titan Pro (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| HP Omen X 17-ap0xx (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| Asus ROG Strix GL702VI-WB74 | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN51050 (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB) | |
| Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| Schenker XMG U727 2017 (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| Eurocom Sky X4C (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| Average of class Gaming (72 - 269, n=83, last 2 years) | |
| Asus ROG Strix GL702VI-WB74 | |
| MSI GT75VR 7RF-012 Titan Pro (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| HP Omen X 17-ap0xx (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN51050 (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II) | |
Communication
Wifi speeds follow suit with the SD card reader. While connections are stable, they are comparatively slow at 321 Mbit/s and 213 receiving and sending, respectively. This should be adequate for online gaming, but users in need of faster speeds should hardline into one of the two available Ethernet jacks. Keep in mind that these speeds are in line with the Intel 3165 dual-band WiFi card used in the EK71080. Most gaming laptops opt for faster wireless cards and subsequently beat the EK71080 by a country mile; average speeds for gaming laptops land in the mid-500 MBit/s range. We would like to see Zotac use a higher-end wireless NIC in future revisions.
| Networking | |
| iperf3 transmit AX12 | |
| Average of class Gaming (450 - 1580, n=70, last 2 years) | |
| Eurocom Sky X4C | |
| HP Omen X 17-ap0xx | |
| MSI GT75VR 7RF-012 Titan Pro | |
| Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN51050 | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 | |
| iperf3 receive AX12 | |
| Average of class Gaming (90 - 1700, n=70, last 2 years) | |
| MSI GT75VR 7RF-012 Titan Pro | |
| Eurocom Sky X4C | |
| Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition | |
| HP Omen X 17-ap0xx | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN51050 | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 | |
Maintenance & Warranty
As a barebones desktop, maintenance is incredibly easy compared to most laptops (and some prebuilt desktops). Four thumbscrews that double as feet are all that hold the bottom panel on, and these don't require a tool to unscrew. Once these screws are out, the bottom panel lifts off to show clearly labeled slots for 2 RAM SODIMMS, an M.2 SSD, a 2.5-inch SATA drive, and a dedicated slot for Intel Optane memory. Sadly, the CPU and GPU are a fair bit more difficult to reach. Accessing them will void the warranty. The GPU can be swapped out but the CPU is soldered to the mainboard and cannot be upgraded.
The Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 comes with a standard 2-year warranty.
Performance
The ZBOX Magnus EK71080 packs some powerful components in such a small body. The star of the show is the desktop-class Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080. The card is one of Zotac's Mini GPUs and is, as of the time of publication, one of only two small-form-factor GTX 1080s (the other being an ITX card from Gigabyte). While we've seen the GTX 1080 in gaming laptops over the past year, the desktop 1080 in our review unit today should boast a slight bump in performance due to better cooling and a subsequent higher thermal limit. The integrated Intel HD Graphics 630 GPU is disabled out of the box, so Optimus is not available.
While the Intel Core i7-7700HQ CPU is also a powerful piece of silicon, the 45 W CPU is designed for use in notebooks. Zotac does offer a SKU with the 65 W Core i7-7700 desktop CPU. Those in need of a high processing punch may want to opt for this model, but the 7700HQ should be more than adequate for gaming and shouldn't present a significant bottleneck for the GTX 1080.
Processor
It's interesting that Zotac opted for a CPU designed for laptops. The Intel Core i7-7700HQ is a powerful processor in its own right, but in the world of gaming desktop PCs, the 45 W CPU looks limiting on paper. Indeed, benchmarks reflect this sentiment; the EK71080 falls behind the desktop-class Core i7-7700K and i7-8700K CPUs in Cinebench R15's multi-threaded test by a fair margin. Compared to other 7700HQ-powered devices, however, the EK71080 performs admirably, hitting just under 740 CB in the test (compared to the notebook average of 726 CB for the 7700HQ). There are more powerful CPUs available on the market, but the 7700HQ fares well enough and has the added benefit of improved thermal management, which keeps noise and heat output low. In addition, the CPU outpaces the slower Core i5 CPUs used in the last generation of Magnus gaming mini PCs.
Looping Cinebench R15 sees steady, if reduced, performance. Scores average between 710-720 CB during the benchmark, which is about 4-5% less than a single run. We will examine prolonged performance on the CPU in the Stress Test section below.
For more information on the Intel Core i7-7700HQ, please see our dedicated CPU page here.
| Cinebench R15 | |
| CPU Single 64Bit | |
| Average of class Gaming (79.2 - 312, n=242, last 2 years) | |
| Schenker XMG U727 2017 | |
| Eurocom Sky X4C | |
| Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition | |
| HP Omen X 17-ap0xx | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 | |
| MSI GT75VR 7RF-012 Titan Pro | |
| Average Intel Core i7-7700HQ (120 - 162, n=110) | |
| Asus ROG Strix GL702VI-WB74 | |
| Intel Skull Canyon NUC6i7KYK | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN51050 | |
| CPU Multi 64Bit | |
| Average of class Gaming (400 - 5663, n=241, last 2 years) | |
| Eurocom Sky X4C | |
| Schenker XMG U727 2017 | |
| HP Omen X 17-ap0xx | |
| MSI GT75VR 7RF-012 Titan Pro | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-7700HQ (603 - 747, n=111) | |
| Asus ROG Strix GL702VI-WB74 | |
| Intel Skull Canyon NUC6i7KYK | |
| Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN51050 | |
| Cinebench R11.5 | |
| CPU Single 64Bit | |
| Average of class Gaming (2.1 - 31.5, n=24, last 2 years) | |
| Schenker XMG U727 2017 | |
| Eurocom Sky X4C | |
| Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition | |
| HP Omen X 17-ap0xx | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 | |
| MSI GT75VR 7RF-012 Titan Pro | |
| Average Intel Core i7-7700HQ (1.36 - 1.84, n=80) | |
| Intel Skull Canyon NUC6i7KYK | |
| Asus ROG Strix GL702VI-WB74 | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN51050 | |
| CPU Multi 64Bit | |
| Average of class Gaming (11 - 64.3, n=24, last 2 years) | |
| Eurocom Sky X4C | |
| Schenker XMG U727 2017 | |
| HP Omen X 17-ap0xx | |
| MSI GT75VR 7RF-012 Titan Pro | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 | |
| Asus ROG Strix GL702VI-WB74 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-7700HQ (6.67 - 8.23, n=81) | |
| Intel Skull Canyon NUC6i7KYK | |
| Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN51050 | |
| Cinebench R10 | |
| Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit | |
| Average of class Gaming (30491 - 85088, n=24, last 2 years) | |
| Eurocom Sky X4C | |
| Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition | |
| HP Omen X 17-ap0xx | |
| Average Intel Core i7-7700HQ (19409 - 29209, n=51) | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 | |
| Asus ROG Strix GL702VI-WB74 | |
| Intel Skull Canyon NUC6i7KYK | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN51050 | |
| Rendering Single 32Bit | |
| Average of class Gaming (5847 - 11940, n=24, last 2 years) | |
| Eurocom Sky X4C | |
| Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition | |
| HP Omen X 17-ap0xx | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-7700HQ (5426 - 7647, n=50) | |
| Intel Skull Canyon NUC6i7KYK | |
| Asus ROG Strix GL702VI-WB74 | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN51050 | |
| wPrime 2.10 - 1024m | |
| Asus ROG Strix GL702VI-WB74 | |
| Average of class Gaming (116.8 - 1021, n=9, last 2 years) | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN51050 | |
| Average Intel Core i7-7700HQ (210 - 379, n=48) | |
| Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition | |
| Intel Skull Canyon NUC6i7KYK | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 | |
| HP Omen X 17-ap0xx | |
| Eurocom Sky X4C | |
* ... smaller is better
System Performance
System performance is going to vary widely based on the installed components (RAM, hard drive, etc.) chosen by the end user. Our machine, which has 16 GB of DDR4 RAM and a 256 NVMe SSD, performs well. PCMark 10 scores are in line with other GTX 1080-equipped laptops. The Eurocom Sky X4C is far and away better in almost every category, likely due to its more powerful CPU and higher capacity SSD. Nonetheless, the Magnus EK71080 is a responsive machine; we were never left waiting on the system.
| PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2 | 5166 points | |
| PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2 | 8302 points | |
| PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2 | 5564 points | |
| PCMark 10 Score | 5197 points | |
Help | ||
Storage Devices
Again, hard drive performance is going to depend heavily on the drive installed by the user. The EK71080 has a slot for a 2.5-inch SATA drive and an M.2 slot that is PCIe NVMe 4x compatible. In other words, fast NVMe SSDs will be able to take advantage of all 4 PCIe lanes for extremely fast speeds. Sadly, there is no option for RAID setups as there is a single SATA slot and a lone M.2 connection. The EK71080 does have a dedicated slot for Intel Optane memory. We did not have any Optane sticks on hand, so we were not able to test these speeds. The Optane slot is not compatible with standard M.2 SSDs.
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP | Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN51050 Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512 GB m.2 | HP Omen X 17-ap0xx Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP | MSI GT75VR 7RF-012 Titan Pro 2x Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL NVMe (RAID 0) | Eurocom Sky X4C Samsung SSD 960 Pro 1TB m.2 NVMe | Asus ROG Strix GL702VI-WB74 Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP | Average Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6 | 28% | 6% | 66% | 27% | -9% | -6% | |
| Write 4K | 132.7 | 164.8 24% | 148.8 12% | 165 24% | 158.6 20% | 129.7 -2% | 127.7 ? -4% |
| Read 4K | 44.48 | 54.8 23% | 46.64 5% | 55.9 26% | 55.2 24% | 42.7 -4% | 42.4 ? -5% |
| Write Seq | 1193 | 1956 64% | 1216 2% | 2612 119% | 1568 31% | 972 -19% | 1099 ? -8% |
| Read Seq | 1371 | 1964 43% | 1461 7% | 3377 146% | 1411 3% | 1065 -22% | 1373 ? 0% |
| Write 4K Q32T1 | 398.5 | 424.8 7% | 444 11% | 548 38% | 545 37% | 366.4 -8% | 398 ? 0% |
| Read 4K Q32T1 | 483.5 | 483.8 0% | 535 11% | 625 29% | 661 37% | 449.6 -7% | 403 ? -17% |
| Write Seq Q32T1 | 1202 | 2042 70% | 1210 1% | 2944 145% | 2054 71% | 1113 -7% | 1210 ? 1% |
| Read Seq Q32T1 | 3388 | 3157 -7% | 3450 2% | 3407 1% | 3155 -7% | 3308 -2% | 2984 ? -12% |
GPU Performance
The Nvidia Geforce GTX 1080 is one of the best GPUs currently on the market, bested only by the GTX 1080 Ti, Titan X, and Titan XP. As such, excellent gaming performance is a given. The Magnus EK71080 has the added benefit of using a desktop-class SKU of the GPU, Zotac's own Mini GTX 1080. The card boasts 2560 CUDA cores clocked at 1620 MHz (boost up to 1759 MHz) and a whopping 8 GB of GDDR5X VRAM on a 256-bit memory bus. The card can support up to 4 independent displays and supports G-Sync enabled monitors.
The EK71080 competes with the best gaming laptops on the market, tying the most powerful laptops in 3DMark Fire Strike. The card also sits about average for desktop versions of the GTX 1080, which should translate into an excellent gaming experience. It's hard to beat the GTX 1080 in the current market, and the EK71080 is proof of that.
For more information about the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080, please see our dedicated GPU page here.
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 18944 points | |
| 3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score | 132877 points | |
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 28491 points | |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Score | 15651 points | |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score | 9035 points | |
| 3DMark Time Spy Score | 6423 points | |
Help | ||
Gaming Performance
It should go without saying that the GTX 1080 provides one of the best gaming experiences currently available. The card chews through any title at FHD and Ultra settings, often churning out over 100 fps in well-optimized titles. Even more difficult games, like Ark: Survival Evolved, run fairly smoothly. Gaming at 4K is also a possibility, although gamers will need to turn settings down to medium/high. The Magnus EK71080 is one of the fastest desktop gaming PCs we've reviewed and should satiate enthusiast gamers for the foreseeable future. A high refresh rate monitor (or two) would be an excellent compliment to the EK71080.
| Rise of the Tomb Raider - 1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:FX AF:16x (sort by value) | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN51050 | |
| Intel Skull Canyon NUC6i7KYK | |
| HP Omen X 17-ap0xx | |
| Eurocom Sky X4C | |
| Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition | |
| Asus ROG Strix GL702VI-WB74 | |
| Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop) (76.8 - 125, n=6) | |
| Average of class Gaming (95.9 - 95.9, n=2, last 2 years) | |
| Middle-earth: Shadow of War - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:T (sort by value) | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 | |
| Eurocom Sky X4C | |
| Asus ROG Strix GL702VI-WB74 | |
| Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop) (69 - 102, n=3) | |
| F1 2017 - 1920x1080 Ultra High Preset AA:T AF:16x (sort by value) | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN51050 | |
| HP Omen X 17-ap0xx | |
| Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop) (62 - 120, n=3) | |
| Rocket League - 1920x1080 High Quality AA:High FX (sort by value) | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 | |
| HP Omen X 17-ap0xx | |
| MSI GT75VR 7RF-012 Titan Pro | |
| Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop) (221 - 246, n=2) | |
| Fallout 4 - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:T AF:16x (sort by value) | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN51050 | |
| HP Omen X 17-ap0xx | |
| Eurocom Sky X4C | |
| Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop) (86.9 - 129, n=3) | |
| The Witcher 3 - 1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+) (sort by value) | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN51050 | |
| HP Omen X 17-ap0xx | |
| MSI GT75VR 7RF-012 Titan Pro | |
| Eurocom Sky X4C | |
| Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition | |
| Schenker XMG U727 2017 | |
| Asus ROG Strix GL702VI-WB74 | |
| Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop) (40.7 - 94, n=5) | |
| Average of class Gaming (8.61 - 217, n=238, last 2 years) | |
| Prey - 1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:2TX SM AF:16x (sort by value) | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 | |
| MSI GT75VR 7RF-012 Titan Pro | |
| Eurocom Sky X4C | |
| Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop) (123.2 - 141, n=3) | |
| Ark Survival Evolved - 1920x1080 Epic Preset (100 % Resolution Scale) (sort by value) | |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 | |
| Asus ROG Strix GL702VI-WB74 | |
| Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop) (47.2 - 48, n=2) | |
| low | med. | high | ultra | |
| Thief (2014) | 111 | |||
| The Witcher 3 (2015) | 94 | |||
| Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) | 97 | |||
| Metal Gear Solid V (2015) | 60 | |||
| Fallout 4 (2015) | 127 | |||
| Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) | 110 | |||
| Hitman 2016 (2016) | 75 | |||
| Ashes of the Singularity (2016) | 78 | |||
| Doom (2016) | 130 | |||
| Deus Ex Mankind Divided (2016) | 55 | |||
| Civilization VI (2016) | 66 | |||
| Farming Simulator 17 (2016) | 60 | |||
| Prey (2017) | 140 | |||
| Rocket League (2017) | 221 | |||
| Dirt 4 (2017) | 88 | |||
| F1 2017 (2017) | 110 | |||
| Ark Survival Evolved (2017) | 48 | |||
| Middle-earth: Shadow of War (2017) | 92 |
Stress Test
One of the biggest benefits of the Magnus EK71080's taller chassis lies in heat management. Both the CPU and GPU perform very well under stress. The CPU is able to boost to 3.3-3.4 GHz across all four cores when running Prime95 or FurMark individually and keeps reasonably warm at 80-85° C on average. The GPU also does well when stressed by FurMark, averaging about 1507 MHz at 81° C. Even running Prime95 and FurMark concurrently, which puts the system under an unrealistic amount of stress, doesn't do much to slow the EK71080. The CPU only boosts up to 3.4 GHz, which is about 10% below it's rated boost clock of 3.8 GHz. The machine may be intentionally throttling the CPU to keep temperatures managed.
Real world stress testing, as evidenced by playing The Witcher 3 for an hour, shows how well-tuned the Magnus EK71080 is. The CPU boosts as needed to 3.8 GHz and averages about 3.5 GHz at 80° C. The GPU holds steady at 1772 MHz and keeps (relatively) cool at 81° C. Compared to larger desktop towers, these numbers aren't terribly impressive. Compared to gaming laptops, however, these are excellent results. Some gaming laptops (like the Aorus X9 or Asus GL702VS) struggle to keep their components under 90° C during stress testing and extended gameplay.
During our hour-long test of The Witcher 3, we see an interesting result. Framerates dive from about 100 to 86 before climbing back up to 100. While this follows the day/night progression of the game, we typically do not see dips this drastic. Anecdotally, the dip was not visually noticeable during the test and didn't detract from the experience in any way.
| CPU Clock (GHz) | GPU Clock (MHz) | Average CPU Temperature (°C) | Average GPU Temperature (°C) | |
| Prime95 Stress | 3.3 | 84 | - | - |
| FurMark Stress | 3.4 | 80 | 1507 | 81 |
| Prime95 + FurMark Stress | 3.0 | 87 | 1694 | 71 |
| Witcher 3 Stress | 3.5 | 80 | 1772 | 81 |
Emissions
System Noise
The Magnus EK71080 is a quiet machine. System fans are always active but spin slowly. The resultant noise stays well below 40 dB(A). The low pitch of the fans also blends into background noise well; even though the fans are active, their large size allows for a lower tone that users will have a hard time noticing. Under load, the fans spin up to 47 dB(A) under synthetic load but stay in the low 40s while gaming. Again, their low pitch makes them seem much quieter than the metrics show.
Overall system noise is perceptible only as a low, even hum that can easily be ignored. It should be noted that the EK71080 is much quieter than similar laptops; high-end gaming notebooks typically hit 50-60 dB(A) under full load. Max-Q gaming notebooks hover between 40-50 dB(A), but their fans are typically high-pitched and cut through ambient noise. If users wish to change the fan profile, they will need to jump into the system BIOS to do so; there is no software to control the fans via Windows at present.
There is no audible coil whine.
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 38.6 / 38.6 / 39 dB(A) |
| Load |
| 40.6 / 47 dB(A) |
 | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min:  , med:  , max:  BK Precision 732A (15 cm distance) environment noise: 29.9 dB(A) | ||
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP | Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN51050 GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-7500T, Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512 GB m.2 | Intel Skull Canyon NUC6i7KYK Iris Pro Graphics 580, 6770HQ, Samsung SSD 850 EVO m.2 120GB | HP Omen X 17-ap0xx GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-7820HK, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP | MSI GT75VR 7RF-012 Titan Pro GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-7820HK, 2x Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL NVMe (RAID 0) | Eurocom Sky X4C GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-8700K, Samsung SSD 960 Pro 1TB m.2 NVMe | Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i5-7600K, Samsung SSD 960 Evo 250GB m.2 NVMe | Schenker XMG U727 2017 GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-7700K, Samsung SM961 MZVPW256 m.2 PCI-e | Asus ROG Strix GL702VI-WB74 GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noise | 3% | 9% | 6% | -6% | 5% | 1% | -1% | 4% | |
| off / environment * | 29.9 | 30.7 -3% | 29.5 1% | 28.3 5% | 30 -0% | 28.6 4% | 28.8 4% | 30 -0% | 28.2 6% |
| Idle Minimum * | 38.6 | 37.6 3% | 31.6 18% | 31.5 18% | 33 15% | 28.6 26% | 36.1 6% | 31 20% | 30.6 21% |
| Idle Average * | 38.6 | 37.6 3% | 32.2 17% | 31.6 18% | 34 12% | 28.6 26% | 36.1 6% | 34 12% | 30.6 21% |
| Idle Maximum * | 39 | 37.7 3% | 32.3 17% | 31.6 19% | 38 3% | 31.1 20% | 36.1 7% | 37 5% | 30.6 22% |
| Load Average * | 40.6 | 39.3 3% | 43 -6% | 36.8 9% | 44 -8% | 42.2 -4% | 44.3 -9% | 44 -8% | 38.5 5% |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 41.7 | 40.6 3% | 48.2 -16% | 56 -34% | 53.8 -29% | 51 -22% | 52 -25% | ||
| Load Maximum * | 47 | 44 6% | 43.2 8% | 52.1 -11% | 62 -32% | 50 -6% | 51.7 -10% | 52 -11% | 57 -21% |
* ... smaller is better
Temperature
As the Magnus EK71080 is a desktop PC, users shouldn't need to worry too much about exterior temperatures. Still, the Magnus remains fairly cool when under load. The hottest spots lie along the top mesh and rear exhaust vents. So long as users do not place anything on top of or directly behind the unit, heat will be adequately exhausted. The vents along the side act as intakes and should not be blocked either. As such, the unit should be set in its standard orientation (Zotac logo on top) only.
Energy Management
Power Consumption
Despite the powerful GPU, the Magnus EK71080 is fairly power efficient. Under synthetic load, the unit draws a maximum of 186 Watts. Even when pushed to its limit during intense gameplay, the unit never pulls more than 260 Watts, which is well under the 330 W rating of the included power supply. The 45 Watt Core i7-7700HQ may have a hand to play in the comparatively frugal power consumption.
It should be noted that while running Prime95 and FurMark together, power draw is erratic and spikes at 292 Watts. While this is still within acceptable limits, these levels are a bit concerning. However, we were only able to achieve this while stressing the machine; during normal use, the unit shouldn't be subjected to loads similar to this, even while gaming.
| Off / Standby | 1.21 / 1.49 Watt |
| Idle | 27.1 / 27.4 / 28.8 Watt |
| Load |
100.4 / 186.7 Watt |
   
| |
| Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1080 (Desktop), Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, , x, 0.00 | Zotac ZBOX Magnus EN51050 i5-7500T, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Samsung SSD 960 Pro 512 GB m.2, , x, | Intel Skull Canyon NUC6i7KYK 6770HQ, Iris Pro Graphics 580, Samsung SSD 850 EVO m.2 120GB, , x, 0.00 | HP Omen X 17-ap0xx i7-7820HK, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30 | MSI GT75VR 7RF-012 Titan Pro i7-7820HK, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, 2x Samsung SM961 MZVPW256HEGL NVMe (RAID 0), TN LED, 1920x1080, 17.30 | Eurocom Sky X4C i7-8700K, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, Samsung SSD 960 Pro 1TB m.2 NVMe, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60 | Eurocom Tornado F5 Killer Edition i5-7600K, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, Samsung SSD 960 Evo 250GB m.2 NVMe, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60 | Schenker XMG U727 2017 i7-7700K, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, Samsung SM961 MZVPW256 m.2 PCI-e, AHVA, 3840x2160, 17.30 | Asus ROG Strix GL702VI-WB74 i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1080 Mobile, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | 28% | 49% | 7% | -39% | -15% | -33% | -49% | 15% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 27.1 | 21.1 22% | 14.8 45% | 21.6 20% | 34 -25% | 30.2 -11% | 28.4 -5% | 32 -18% | 19.8 27% |
| Idle Average * | 27.4 | 22.1 19% | 15.7 43% | 26.4 4% | 41 -50% | 34.7 -27% | 32 -17% | 43 -57% | 25.2 8% |
| Idle Maximum * | 28.8 | 26.6 8% | 15.8 45% | 26.6 8% | 50 -74% | 37.8 -31% | 33.5 -16% | 51 -77% | 25.9 10% |
| Load Average * | 100.4 | 77.5 23% | 62.7 38% | 95.6 5% | 106 -6% | 130.3 -30% | 190.9 -90% | 138 -37% | 84.1 16% |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 243.1 | 92.4 62% | 221.7 9% | 257 -6% | 172.2 29% | 279 -15% | 198.6 18% | ||
| Load Maximum * | 186.7 | 121.7 35% | 48.5 74% | 199.6 -7% | 320 -71% | 217.7 -17% | 259.4 -39% | 350 -87% | 171.1 8% |
* ... smaller is better
Pros
Cons
Verdict
Any way you cut it, the Zotac ZBOX Magnus EK71080 is a marvel of engineering. Compared to high-end gaming notebooks, the Magnus EK71080 is just as powerful (if not more so) while remaining cooler and quieter. Maintenance and port selection is also inherently superior to notebooks, and the additional support for Intel Optane memory is icing on the cake. Considering the small size, the gaming performance of the EK71080 is impressive, as is the low fan noise.
Of course, the EK71080 is much larger than other ZBOX desktops and lacks the portability of a gaming laptop. The Magnus EK71080 is also fairly expensive; in addition to the $1500 price tag of the base unit, users will need to provide their own RAM, storage, OS, and peripherals. All of these are included with a laptop. Further, $1500 is a lot to ask for a gaming desktop that uses a lower-powered laptop CPU. Potential buyers will have to shell out $400 more to get a desktop-class processor and liquid cooling, and even then, the processor is locked. On top of all this, it is cheaper to sacrifice the specialized chassis and build a custom desktop.
At least, it was cheaper to build a desktop from scratch. Current GPU prices make the EK71080 much more attractive. Due to the current cryptocurrency mining craze, prices for high-end GPUs like the GTX 1080 have skyrocketed. At the time of this writing, the average price for the GTX 1080 is about USD $850-900, which is 60% of the price of the Magnus EK71080. Even if you can afford the exorbitant price, finding a GTX 1080 is almost impossible; retailers have constantly been sold out.
Given the bizarre pricing of GPUs at present, purchasing the EK71080 is a more compelling option. The compact form factor is more of a nicety and less of a selling point in that regard.
A year ago, the Magnus EK71080 would have been a hard sell due to its high price point. Building a desktop from scratch would have cost significantly less. However, due to the scarcity and inflated pricing of high-end GPUs, the Magnus EK71080 may be a good buy for enthusiasts that want one of the most powerful graphics cards now. Considering that gaming laptops with similar components run about $2500-3000 compared to the EK71080's $1500 tag, users may find more value in giving up the portability and buying the necessary components.
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