Zotac Zbox Nano Ci321 (Plus) review

Expansion and ports

Despite the compact size, there’s still room inside for user-friendly memory and storage upgrades. The base plate, which is held in place by four screws, overs a laptop-sized RAM slot and a 2.5in SSD slot, meaning you won’t have to buy a costly M.2 or mSATA SSD to get started. The motherboard supports up to 16GB of DDR3, although there’s only a single slot for it, and we can’t find anywhere selling a single 16GB SO-DIMM, meaning 8GB is the likely maximum for the time being.

In the Plus model the RAM slot is occupied by 4GB of DDR3 RAM, and the 2.5in disk slot is filled by an unbranded 64GB SSD, but anyone buying the basic version will have to fit their own RAM and storage. You would have to completely disassemble the unit to access the processor, but as it is soldered onto the motherboard there’s not really any need to open the CI321 up any further.

The selection of ports isn’t really compromised to shrink the dimensions down either; there are two USB3 ports, two 3.5mm audio jacks and an SD card slot on the front, and two more USB3 ports, a single slower USB port, twin Ethernet ports, HDMI and DisplayPort video outputs, and a Wi-Fi antenna on the back.  Bluetooth is a welcome addition too, as it means you’ll be able to connect wireless peripherals without taking up any of the USB ports with dongles.

Conclusion

The Zbox Nano CI321 is a compact Mini PC that’s easier to upgrade than competing models like Intel’s NUC, as you can re-use an existing disk rather than invest in an mSATA SSD. The Plus model is conveniently ready for a fresh install of Windows right out of the box, but the small SSD and meagre 4GB of RAM limit performance; if you want to use the CI321 for more than web browsing or media streaming, more memory and a bigger SSD are a must, but even factoring these upgrades and the cost of Windows into the price, it’s a reasonable amount for a near complete PC that won’t take up much space.

It may be a compact marvel, but if you’re looking for something a little more expansive then check out our regularly-updated Best PCs and buying guide.