ZOTAC ZBOX Nano AQ02 Plus Review

👤by David Mitchelson Comments 📅10-03-14
Conclusion

There remains very little difference between ZOTAC’s AQ01 and AQ02, in fact the only noticeable adjustments are found concealed within the unit. The physical dimensions along with the ports and functionality are consistent with previous models.

By simply changing the inner workings of this mini PC, ZOTAC has kept with current hardware. In this sense we’re pleased to see them being proactive – the upgrade in hardware specification may not present huge advantages but keeping up-to-date with current trends is a worthwhile avenue to take.

Although we’ve seen many ZBOX nano units, we’re still impressed by the dainty enclosure and overall dimensions. Harnessing such functionality within a compact footprint allows the end user to make full use of the features within the living room to share with friends and family all kinds of different media.



ZOTAC present two versions of the AQ02 – one with included HDD and memory just like ours today or a barebones unit which excludes these components. Opting for the barebones version allows you to select the HDD and memory going into the ZBOX if you prefer to choose something different. The bonus with AQ02 is that the motherboard supports SATA 3 (6GB/s) so a high-performance SSD can be easily installed and will offer improved transfer rates. Buyers need to be aware that no OS comes accompanied with AQ02 and therefore this will need to be obtained and installed independently.

The barebones version of AQ02 is priced around £225 GBP / $370 USD whilst the version with HDD and memory we have reviewed is found for approximately £424.99 GBP / $700 USD. We’d be more inclined to go with barebones version and grab an SSD and faster memory for £100 / $160.

Once again we’ve been impressed by ZOTAC’s efforts with the AQ02 Plus. Its palm sized dimensions allow it to be concealed and form the basis for a full-feature home entertainment system.

Pros
+ Compact, small footprint
+ Ideal as part of home theatre system
+ Plenty of ports & functionality
+ Memory & HDD included
+ Option to upgrade memory & HDD capacity
+ SATA 3 ready - can upgrade to SSD
+ Dual display support

Cons
- APU fan can be noisy
- No OS included



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