Zotac Zbox pico PI430AJ Mini-PC with active AirJet cooling unit reviewed

The Zotac Zbox pico PI430AJ is a product of innovative manufacturing that surpasses basic product upkeep. Despite not appearing much different from its predecessor, significant changes have been made. The most crucial change is accommodating a native 8-core processor in a 0.21-liter (7.1 fl oz) case. Zotac has retained an active cooling unit, even though it doesn't require a fan. The cooling unit, sourced from Frore System, relies on vibrating membranes to dissipate heat from the housing. However, the cooling unit's performance is limited, allowing the Intel Core i3-N300 to operate only at 7 watts, in accordance with Intel's TDP specification. Unfortunately, the SoC cannot benefit from a noticeable Turbo boost as the built-in cooling unit is too weak for this.

In terms of performance, the Zotac Zbox Pico PI430AJ can only hold its ground in certain multi-threaded applications. The permanently installed 8 GB RAM may seem somewhat restrictive and could potentially influence purchasing decisions. Whether Zotac will offer an option with more RAM remains unknown. On the positive side, the use of the NVMe SSD, easily replaceable, is commendable. Additionally, no performance degradation was observed under continuous load during testing. Despite being fanless, the Zotac Zbox Pico PI430AJ Mini-PC is not completely silent; it remains audible under load, and case temperatures can reach up to 70 °C (158 °F).

Further information on the Zotac Zbox pico PI430AJ can be found in our detailed test report.