Zotac introduces ID33 and ID34 Zbox mini PCs, complete with Atom D525 and Blu-ray
Now this is an HTPC worth gawking at. Zotac has just revised its long-standing Zbox line with a new duo, and we have to say -- we're digging the new look. Beyond the exterior improvements, the outfit has bolstered the internals by providing the HD-ID33 and HD-ID34 with Intel's new 1.8GHz Atom D525 CPU, 2GB of DDR2-800 memory, NVIDIA's next-gen Ion graphics platform, an HDMI output, 6-in-1 card reader, gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, a couple of USB 2.0 ports and an unexpected pair of USB 3.0 sockets. The only notable difference between the two is the inclusion of a 250GB hard drive in the ID34, while the 2.5-inch HDD slot is left open for DIYers in the ID33. Windows 7 is onboard, naturally, as is a slot-loading Blu-ray drive that the company is (rightfully) proud of. It's not talking prices just yet, but we're willing to overlook a modest premium to finally get BD support within a delightfully small package. Hit the gallery below for more eye candy.%Gallery-101686%
Show full PR text
ZOTAC® Announces World's First mini-PC with Integrated Blu-ray Drive
New ZOTAC® ZBOX Blu-ray series combine stylish looks with energy-efficiency, high-performance and integrated slot-load Blu-ray drive
HONG KONG – Sept. 8, 2010 – ZOTAC® International, a leading innovator and the world's largest channel manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards and mini-PCs, today announces the new ZOTAC® ZBOX Blu-ray series mini-PCs -- the world's first shipping mini-PCs with an integrated slot-load Blu-ray drive and slim and stylish design. The new ZOTAC® ZBOX Blu-ray mini-PCs combine a powerful graphics processor with an energy-efficient system processor, premium integrated features and class-leading expansion capabilities to form mini-PCs capable of deliver premium high-definition video playback online and offline.
Next-Generation NVIDIA® ION™ graphics technology with 16 unified shaders and 512MB of DDR3 memory enables the ZOTAC® ZBOX Blu-ray series to deliver stunning high-definition Blu-ray video playback at resolutions up to 1080p. Hardware-accelerated Adobe® Flash® video support enables smooth playback of streaming high-definition content.
A new dual-core Intel® Atom™ D525 processor delivers a performance punch for daily use while sipping minimal amounts of power for energy-efficient computing with the ZOTAC® ZBOX Blu-ray series. Intel® HyperThreading™ technology enables the ZOTAC® ZBOX Blu-ray series to process up to four threads for superior responsiveness for everyday use.
A built-in slot-load Blu-ray drive capable of 4x Blu-ray, 8x DVD and 24x CD speeds enables playback of Blu-ray and DVD movies and ability to write to DVD±R/RW and CD±R/RW discs with the ZOTAC® ZBOX Blu-ray series. A Blu-ray ready copy of Cyberlink PowerDVD 8 is included with the ZOTAC® ZBOX Blu-ray series to let users instantly take advantage of high-definition Blu-ray playback with Microsoft® Windows® 7 and Vista operating systems.
"The ZOTAC® ZBOX Blu-ray series is more than just a system for playing games and watching movies. The ZOTAC ZBOX Blu-ray series is the ultimate multimedia hub for all your entertainment needs and replaces the function of multiple electronics devices. With the ZOTAC® ZBOX Blu-ray series, we are bringing the ability to view Blu-ray movies, streaming Internet video, downloaded videos, store and access your music collection, listen to Internet radio, browse the web, play games and even manage your social networking profiles into a single device," said Carsten Berger, marketing director, ZOTAC® International.
Two USB 3.0 ports are available on the ZOTAC® ZBOX Blu-ray series for external expansion and enables connection to external storage, video peripherals and other devices at speeds up to 10-times faster than USB 2.0. Internal expansion capabilities of the ZBOX Blu-ray series include one mini-PCI Express slot, two 200-pin DDR2 SO-DIMM slots and room for one 2.5-inch SATA hard drive or SSD drive.
Integrated dual-stream 802.11n WiFi technology enables lightning-fast network transfers up to 300Mb/s without the hassle of wires when networking the ZOTAC® ZBOX Blu-ray series. When using wired networking, the ZOTAC® ZBOX Blu-ray series supports speeds up to 1000Mb/s.
"Mini-PCs typically have limited upgrade capabilities, but we have addressed these limitations with the ZOTAC ZBOX Blu-ray series. With a combination of mini-PCI Express, USB 3.0 and eSATA expansion capabilities, the ZOTAC® ZBOX Blu-ray series is in a league of its own."
The ZOTAC® ZBOX Blu-ray series are shipping in two models – the ZBOX Blu-ray HD-ID33 and HD-ID34. The ZOTAC® ZBOX Blu-ray HD-ID33 is a customizable media mini-PC that lets users install their own memory, hard drive and operating system to build the perfect mini-PC while the ZOTAC® ZBOX Blu-ray HD-ID34 ships with 2GB of DDR2-800 memory and a 250GB 5400RPM hard drive preinstalled – the user only needs to install an operating system.
It's time to play with the ZOTAC® ZBOX Blu-ray series.
General details
• ZOTAC® Announces World's First Mini-PC with Integrated Blu-ray Drive
ZOTAC ZBOX Blu-ray series combine stylish looks with energy-efficiency, high-performance and integrated slot-load Blu-ray drive
• ZBOX Blu-ray HD-ID33
o 2 x DDR2-800 SO-DIMM slots
o Support 1 x 2.5-inch SATA 3.0 Gb/s HDD/SSD
• ZBOX Blu-ray HD-ID34
o 2GB DDR2-800
o 250GB 5400RPM HDD
• Intel® Atom™ D525 processor (1.8 GHz, dual-core)
• Intel® NM10 Express chipset
• Next-Generation NVIDIA® ION™ graphics processor
o 16 unified shaders
o 512MB DDR3 memory
• NVIDIA® CUDA™ technology
• NVIDIA® PureVideo™ HD technology
• SuperSpeed USB 3.0 technology
• 1 Mini-PCI Express expansion slot
• Slot-load Blu-ray drive
o 4x Blu-ray read
o 8x DVD / 24x CD read/write
• Blu-ray ready Cyberlink PowerDVD 8 included
• Onboard 802.11n WiFi (300Mb/s)
