REVIEWS / HTPCS / ZOTAC INTERNATIONAL (MCO) LTD

Zotac Zbox Nano AD10 Plus HTPC

06 Sep, 2011, 9:31 am IST | by Aaron Almeida | HTPCs

HTPCs

Really mini PC

Really mini PC
The vents at the side aid in keeping it cool
The front features the 6-in-one memory card reader
USB 3.0, HDMI and DisplayPort located at the back
The remote control looks stylish and sleek

PRICE IN INDIA

17,999

TECH2 RATING

7.0

AVERAGE USER RATING

6.0

How we test

CONTACT

ZOTAC International (MCO) Ltd

 sales@adityagroup.com

 +91 120 4555 666

 www.zotac.com

Mini PCs are a relatively new phenomenon and went commercial in 2005 with the Apple Mac mini. Since then, a handful of manufacturers have launched their own variants of mini PCs that are cost friendly and yet keeping the consumers' wants in mind. Zotac, a brand that is well known for PC components have released quite a few mini PCs. Recently, the company has built up on their Zbox series of mini PCs and launched the Zbox Nano Plus AD10 which comes with some interesting features such as a 300 GB hard drive, 2 GB of RAM and a host of other features. Read on to know if this pint-size computer lives up to be the solution for a good HTPC.

The vents at the side aid in keeping it cool

The vents at the side aid in keeping it cool

 


Design and Build Quality
The size of the Zotac Zbox Nano Plus is the most striking design aspect of this mini PC. This Zbox is square in shape and measures just 5 inches in length and breadth. The depth of this mini PC is quite low at 1.77-inch. The top panel is glossy Black with a Green LED ring, which lights up when it is on. The sides of the Nano AD10 Plus are finished in matte Silver. The base panel can be removed by merely turning the four rubber padded screws located at the four corners. There are indications on the back panel stating which side faces the front. Even though the screws were removed, the panel does not slide out easily. We liked this design quality of the Nano AD10 plus.

Though small in build, Zotac has managed to fit quite a few components in this mini-PC. There is a 2.5-inch 320 GB internal hard disk drive along with a 2 GB RAM all fitted in the Nano Plus variant of the Zbox Nano.

The remote control looks stylish and sleek

The remote control looks stylish and sleek

 


Connectivity options for this Zbox Nano Plus are located at the front and rear. In the front, this mini PC features the on/off button, memory card slot, 3.5 mm audio jack as well as a connector for a mic. The left side has vents which aid in the cooling process. To the rear of this mini-PC are connections for HDMI, DisplayPort, two USB 2.0 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, an Ethernet port and an eSATA port.

Overall, where design and build quality is concerned, Zotac managed to make this Nano AD10 plus, compact and sturdy.

Features
The Zotac Zbox Nano AD10 Plus is loaded with features and is particularly designed to be an HTPC with its compact size. The Zbox Nano AD10 Plus comes with a storage capacity of 320 GB, which has a 2.5-inch form factor. This mini-PC is powered by an AMD E-350 1.6 GHz dual core processor which features an AMD M1 chipset. The integrated GPU is an AMD Radeon HD 6310. Combined, these make a good solution for an HTPC.

The front features the 6-in-one memory card reader

The front features the 6-in-one memory card reader

 


Out of the box the Zbox Nano plus comes without an operating software, however, one can merely attach an external optical drive and set up an operating system easily. The mini-PC comes with drivers that can easily configure the USB 3.0 ports and GPU. This Zbox can be attached to a display either through the DisplayPort or the HDMI port. These connectivity options are found on the rear. An HDMI port is found on most of the latest televisions in the market today while DisplayPort is found on monitors.

USB 3.0, HDMI and DisplayPort located at the back

USB 3.0, HDMI and DisplayPort located at the back

 


Bundled up with this mini-PC is a remote control that can be connected through an integrated IR receiver. The setup process of this is not entirely straightforward. One is required to go into the BIOS to configure it.

Page 1:

Design and Build Quality - Features


Tags:

Zotac Zbox Nano AD10 Plus , Zotac , Zbox Nano AD10 Plus , Zbox , Nano AD10 plus , HTPC , mini-PC , 320 GB , 2.5-inch HDD , AMD E-350 , AMD M1 , AMD Radeon HD 6310 , USB 2.0 , USB 3.0 , DisplayPort , HDMI , card reader , GPU

Would you buy it?




Zotac Zbox Nano in Action!

18 Oct, 2011, 10:45 pm IST

Zotac Zbox Nano in Action!

Zotac Zbox Nano Plus (AD10) PC_ Unboxing

20 Jun, 2012, 12:35 pm IST

Zotac Zbox Nano Plus (AD10) PC_ Unboxing

 


How We Test

The Tech2 Labs receives many products every single week and each of them is tested with the utmost care and highest level of objectivity. There’s a constant effort to reduce and totally eliminate subjectivity. Each product is tested according to set test processes so the same test scenario is used.

Verdict
The ratings awarded to a product are derived from a number of tests and calculations, keeping certain important factors in mind. These factors consist of features, performance, quality and value for money. In case of software and some other categories, build quality might be replaced with ease of use or ease of installation. Products are compared with other products in a similar price range or product category.


Features
The features component of the score is rated based on the kind of features present on a particular product. Features are a big part of what people look for when they’re buying a new product such as a phone or a camera.

Performance
The performance score is derived from the benchmarks and tests run on the product. In case of the subjective scores, an average of the scores given by the group of reviewers is considered.

Build Quality
The build quality of a product is important so that it doesn’t fall apart after some use. The build quality scores from the way the product is designed and the kind of materials used in the product.

Value
Value for money comes from the fact that a cheap product is able to provide most of the performance of a higher priced product. Once again, value for money is judged by comparing pricing and performance of products in a particular price range or category. 

There are many other aspects of the product that are looked at such as the bundled software and accessories. All of these scores are aggregated together to form the final score.

What do the ratings mean?

Ratings are simple - higher the score, the better the product. A brief listing of the features and what they mean are given below.

1 - 3

The product is bad in almost every aspect. We strongly advise against purchasing this product.

4 - 6

An average product that isn't the best you can buy, but isn't the worst either.

7 - 8

Product with this rating is highly recommended because it's priced sensibly, has a good set of features and performs well.

9 - 10

Exceptionally excellent product with features and performance unlike any we've seen in the past. A must-have for everyone!

What is the Average User Rating?

We at Tech2 take product reviewing very seriously and every product is tested with the utmost care and level of objectivity. The end user who buys a particular product and uses it over an extended period of time has his own take on a product and there might be nuances that he or she can shed light on. The Average User Rating is present to help readers get the complete picture of how good or bad a product is. The Average User Rating is calculated by averaging the ratings by the thousands of readers visiting Tech2.com every single day. To record your own rating of a product, simply click on the user rating bar. If you disagree with our ratings or our community's product rating, please don't hesitate from voicing your opinion in the comments section below the review.

Leaked Images, Availability, Pricing,
Specs, Pre-order

Samsung Galaxy S4 Video Review

Samsung Galaxy S4 Video Review

14 May, 2013, 11:30 AM

4.5

HP ElitePad 900 Video Review

HP ElitePad 900 Video Review

14 May, 2013, 11:24 AM

2.5

Samsung Galaxy S4 interface and gestures demo

Samsung Galaxy S4 interface and gestures...

26 Apr, 2013, 02:55 AM

3.1

MORE VIDEOS

Build a powerful desktop PC for less than Rs 27,000

Build a powerful desktop PC for less than Rs 27,000

We kick-start our summer desktop PC-buying guide with building a basic yet

By Roydon Cerejo

Tech2 speaks with Eben Upton, co-founder, Raspberry Pi Foundation

Tech2 speaks with Eben Upton, co-founder, Raspberry Pi Foundation

We spoke with Eben Upton, trustee and co-founder of Raspberry Pi...

By Naina Khedekar

Build your gaming rig for roughly 1.2 lakhs

Build your gaming rig for roughly 1.2 lakhs

We’ve seen two budget rigs already, one for around Rs. 35,000 for the...

By Roydon Cerejo

MORE FEATURES