ZimaBoard 2 is Coming Soon! Grab it in Pre-Order

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Must-Know Bits 👇
— Is powerful, yet tiny. Fits on a palm.
— Packs in some decent hardware for various applications.
— Upgraded hardware from ZimaBoard version 1 at the same price.
— Early Bird units are selling out fast, grab yours before they are out.

ZimaBoard is a compact, low-cost single-board server that makes owning a homelab super easy, giving tinkerers, hobbyists, and DIY enthusiasts a solid foundation for crafting a highly customizable computing solution that can be deployed on a wide range of applications.

Now, the same folks behind the ZimaBoard have floated plans for its successor, the ZimaBoard 2, which looks to build on the success of its predecessor, offering up to 3x CPU performance, more RAM, and additional capabilities.

Let's get into it. 😀

📝 ZimaBoard 2: Key Specifications

At its heart is the Intel N150 processor, a quad-core chip that reaches speeds of up to 3.6 GHz, with up to 16 GB of LPDDR5x RAM running at 4800 MHz and up to 64 GB of eMMC storage forming the core of the system.

Thanks to the x86 processor, the ZimaBoard 2 can run fully-fledged Linux distributions like Debian, but the recommended operating system for it is ZimaOS, which is based on the Linux-powered CasaOS.

*The ZimaBoard 2 can carry out resource-intensive tasks.*

It can be deployed for applications like local AI experimentation powered by external GPUs, smart home security with AI-powered surveillance, ultra-fast and secure networking as a router with OpenWrt, and even as a private 4K media streaming server.

The possibilities are many! 🤯

*ZimaBoard 2's exploded view and ports.*

As for the other key specifications of the ZimaBoard 2, they include the following:

TDP: 10 W
Power: 12V DC, 5A
PCle: 1x PCIe 3.0 x4
USB: 2x USB 3.1 Type A
Video: 1x Mini DisplayPort 1.4 capable of 4k @ 60Hz.
Networking: 2x 2.5 GbE Ethernet ports.
Interfaces: 1x 4-pin CPU fan connector, 1x LPC, 1x front panel.
Virtualization: Intel AES-NI, Intel VT-x, and Intel VT-d.
Storage: Up to 64 eMMC and 2x SATA ports that support 36 TB of disk space between them.

We have our hands on the early prototype. Read what we think of the ZimaBoard 2 in the review.

🛒 Getting the ZimaBoard 2

You will have to wait a bit before you get your hands on the ZimaBoard 2, as the crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter is still underway, with over 600 backers already onboard.

*The Early Bird variants of the ZimaBoard 2.*

There are two Early Bird variants: one is the ZimaBoard 2 832 with 8 GB of RAM and 32 GB of eMMC storage offered at ~$169 excl shipping, and the ZimaBoard 2 1664 with 16 GB of RAM and 64 GB of eMMC storage offered at ~$239 excl shipping.

The latter of which is already sold out. 😮

ZimaBoard 2 (Kickstarter)

If you can wait, then you can opt for the slightly pricier production variants of the ZimaBoard 2 832 and 1664. There are also three additional kits focused on NAS and smart home use cases. These are expected to ship globally sometime in August 2025.

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