ECS LIVA Z3 and ZOTAC ZBOX CI331 nano UCFF PCs Assessment

Intel’s Jasper Lake sequence of merchandise (primarily based on the Tremont microarchitecture) was launched in early 2021. Since then, we’ve got seen a gradual stream of notebooks and motherboards / mini-PCs primarily based on these processors getting launched out there. Extremely-compact form-factor (UCFF) machines primarily based on the Atom sequence provide enticing entry-level choices within the NUC area. Their low-power nature additionally lends itself to passively cooled designs.

Intel’s Jasper Lake SKUs are a follow-up to Gemini Lake. Again in 2018, we had reviewed two totally different Gemini Lake UCFF PCs – the actively cooled June Canyon NUC from Intel, and the passively cooled LIVA Z2 from ECS. For Jasper Lake, we’ve got sourced 4 totally different UCFF PCs – two passively cooled methods utilizing 6W TDP processors, and two actively cooled ones utilizing 10W TDP processors.

As we speak’s article gives an in depth look into the efficiency and options of the 2 passively cooled methods – the ECS LIVA Z3 and the ZOTAC ZBOX CI331 nano. Each of them are primarily based on 6W TDP processors, with slight variations in frequency and iGPU capabilities. The 2 distributors have additionally adopted totally different approaches to the ability limits, making for sudden efficiency impacts. Along with an investigation into the capabilities supplied for conventional PC workloads, we additionally go deep into the thermal design to offer insights into what makes fanless methods fulfill person necessities.

Introduction and Product Impressions

Intel’s Apollo Lake SoCs (Goldmont-based) launched in 2016 had been rapidly adopted by Gemini Lake (Goldmont Plus) in late 2017. Nevertheless, the delays associated to 10nm manufacturing resulted in a major hole earlier than the Tremont-based Jasper Lake merchandise made an look in early 2021. In comparison with Gemini Lake, the brand new Jasper Lake merchandise have improved CPU efficiency (Intel claims a 33% uplift) with an up to date microarchitecture and bigger caches. The built-in GPU can be clocked larger with further EUs. Intel On the system entrance, quicker growth choices can be found, with as much as 8 Gen 3 lanes (in contrast 6 Gen 2 lanes in Gemini Lake), 14 USB ports (as much as 10 Gbps) (in comparison with 8 ports as much as 5 Gbps in Gemini Lake). Jasper Lake additionally integrates a Wi-fi-AX MAC, permitting for cost-effective methods with Wi-Fi 6 help. Producers can undertake or benefit from these options in a various method to convey differentiated merchandise into the market.

Much like our Apollo Lake (Intel Arches Canyon and ECS LIVA Z) and Gemini Lake (Intel June Canyon and ECS LIVA Z2) experiments, we acquired maintain of a number of Jasper Lake UCFF PCs for analysis. As we speak’s assessment is concentrated on the 2 fanless methods – the ECS LIVA Z3 and the ZOTAC ZBOX CI331 nano.

A fast comparability of the ECS LIVA Z3 and the ZBOX CI331 nano reveal the next differentiation elements:

• Assist for a 2.5″ SATA disk drives within the ZBOX, not out there within the LIVA Z3
• Assist for a M.2 2280 NVMe SSD within the LIVA Z3, not out there within the ZBOX
• Built-in 128GB eMMC within the LIVA Z3, not out there within the ZBOX
• VGA show output (complete of three, together with HDMI and DisplayPort) out there within the ZBOX, whereas the LIVA Z3 has solely two (HDMI and mini-DP)
• Twin LAN and SDXC/SDHC card reader included within the ZBOX, whereas the LIVA Z3 has solely a single LAN port
• Built-in quad-microphone (DMIC) array within the LIVA Z3, whereas the ZBOX has separate headphone and microphone jacks.

The ZBOX additionally makes use of a extra superior WLAN answer (Intel Wi-fi-AC 9462 with Bluetooth 5.1) in comparison with the LIVA Z3 (Intel Wi-fi-AC 3165 with Bluetooth 4.2). The shape-factors are additionally barely totally different, with the absence of two.5″ disk drive help within the LIVA Z3 enabling it to be slimmer.

The LIVA Z3 is available in a number of flavors – an OS-less model with 4GB of RAM and 128GB eMMC for $220, and one other variant with Home windows 10 Professional bundled for $250. The ZBOX CI331 nano additionally has an analogous bundle, although the barebones model is sans reminiscence or eMMC. Pricing is available in at $260 for the barebones model. The explanations for the pricing premium will change into obvious as we proceed via the assessment.

The use-cases for the 2 methods are manifold, with the fanless nature making them appropriate for digital signage, kiosks, retail functions, and so forth. The twin LAN characteristic within the ZBOX makes it moreover enticing for networking functions.

The system packages delivered by ECS and ZOTAC are related – each embody a 65W energy adapter (19V @ 3.42A), and embody VESA mounts. The ZOTAC package deal features a separate WLAN antenna, and extra thermal pads for the SATA drive.

The ECS LIVA Z3 assessment pattern got here with each reminiscence slots occupied (2x 4GB DDR4-2666 SODIMMs). The board additionally consists of 128GB eMMC, however that’s inadequate for our benchmarking functions. We took benefit of the M.2 NVMe slot to put in a Essential P5 M.2 2280 NVMe SSD within the system as the first drive. The total specs of the ECS LIVA Z3 pattern as examined are offered within the desk beneath.

The ZOTAC ZBOX CI331 nano was a barebones pattern, just like the CI662 nano we reviewed final 12 months. Zotac’s C sequence eschews M.2 slots and opts as a substitute for the normal 2.5″ SATA drive bay. The SSD utilized in that assessment (SK hynix Gold S31) was reused within the CI331 nano. The DRAM possibility was extra tough. The Jasper Lake platform formally helps DDR4-2933. Having a lot of DDR4-2933 / DDR4-3000 / DDR4-3200 SODIMMs collected (ranging from the Skylake days), I used to be hopeful of getting a kind of early high-frequency SODIMMs to function at DDR-2933 speeds within the CI331 nano. Sadly, all of them defaulted to DDR-2400, and the BIOS was not too useful when it comes to permitting modification of DRAM timings. Solely latest DDR4-2933+ SODIMMs had been capable of function at DDR-2933 within the system – sadly, I solely had 32GB SODIMMs in hand from the latest batches. Ultimately, the ZBOX CI331 nano was outfitted with 2x 32GB DDR-2933 Mushkin Redline SODIMMs for a complete of 64GB of RAM – approach larger than the formally specified 16GB most reminiscence capability of the Jasper Lake platform. Thankfully, the system labored flawlessly via our benchmarking routines regardless of this wild configuration. The total specs of the ZOTAC ZBOX CI331 nano pattern as examined are offered within the desk beneath.

Our subsequent part goes into the main points of the thermal design and the necessity for a radical take a look at it.