Look ma, no fans: Mini PC boasts slimline solid-state active cooling system
- Reference: 1697808069
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2023/10/20/mini_pc_boasts_slimline_solidstate/
- Source link:
Zotac Technology said its [1]ZBOX pico PI430AJ features novel solid-state active cooling tech, in the shape of the AirJet Mini module from [2]Frore Systems of San Jose.
AirJet Mini is described as a self-contained active heat sink module that is 2.8mm (0.11in) thick and weighs 11g (0.38oz). Inside are tiny membranes that vibrate at ultrasonic frequency to generate a flow of air.
[3]
That air flow is formed into high velocity pulsating jets inside AirJet Mini, according to Frore, removing heat from the heat spreader at the bottom of the device (which is in contact with the top of the processor chip) before exiting via vents at the side.
[4]
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The solid-state cooler has a maximum power consumption of 1W but removes a net 4.25 Watts of heat, and while described as silent, has a specified noise level of 21 dBA – which is quieter than a whisper, according to Yale University's [6]decibel level comparison chart [PDF].
According to Frore Systems, the capability of the cooling system is what can determine performance in modern devices such as ultrathin laptops, and it claims that AirJet Mini can effectively boost processor performance by 2x simply by preventing it from hitting thermal limits.
[7]
The ZBOX pico PI430AJ isn't a laptop, but it is claimed to be about the size of a deck of playing cards, at 114.8 x 76 x 23.8mm (4.52 x 2.99 x 0.94in) and a volume of 0.21 liters, making for a compact system. It was showcased at this year's Computex trade show in Taiwan.
Zotac says that despite its diminutive nature, the cooling capability of the AirJet enabled it to equip the Mini PC with an 8-core Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB LPDDR5 memory and an M.2 slot for up to 4TB SSD storage.
The device is also fairly well equipped with ports for such a small system, with the front featuring a USB-C and 2 USB 3.2 ports, plus a microSDXC flash card reader slot. Round at the back is a Gigabit Ethernet connector, HDMI and DisplayPort outputs and a combined mic/audio jack. It also supports WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.
[8]
However, for those potentially interested in buying a ZBOX pico PI430AJ, Zotac has not so far detailed pricing, and only says that it is available now with Windows or a barebones configuration "in select regions."
[9]Raspberry Pi 5: Hot takes and cooler mistakes
[10]Supermicro CEO predicts 20 percent of datacenters will adopt liquid cooling
[11]Chinese CPUs to feature in servers made by sanctioned Russian company
[12]Apple blames iOS 17 bug for overheating iPhone 15 woes
Its products are generally available in the US from Amazon and other outlets, while in the UK it is available on Amazon and at outlets such as Novatech. We asked Zotac for pricing and availability details, and will update if we get an answer.
Zotac also announced the ZBOX PRO Jetson series, another line of Mini PCs based on [13]Nvidia's Jetson compute modules. Designed for AI processing and edge computing, these miniature systems are based on the Jetson Nano, Jetson Orin Nano, or Jetson Orin NX modules and intended as a cheaper solution for IoT applications and digital signage. ®
Get our [14]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.zotac.com/gb/page/zbox-pico-PI430AJ-airjet
[2] https://www.froresystems.com/
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2ZTKkKt6uf@cF-jWa@kXQYwAAAIw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZTKkKt6uf@cF-jWa@kXQYwAAAIw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZTKkKt6uf@cF-jWa@kXQYwAAAIw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://ehs.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/decibel-level-chart.pdf
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZTKkKt6uf@cF-jWa@kXQYwAAAIw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZTKkKt6uf@cF-jWa@kXQYwAAAIw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2023/10/17/life_with_pi_5/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2023/09/29/supermicro_30th_birthday_liquid_cooling_prediction/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2023/10/17/norsi_trans_loongson_sanctioned_servers/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2023/10/03/apple_ios_17_overheating_fix/
[13] https://www.nvidia.com/en-gb/autonomous-machines/embedded-systems/
[14] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Counter productive
We need to get away from this solid state technology and return to proper brass gears.
No more cooling concerns, so long as you keep everything properly oiled
Re: Counter productive
Brass Gears? That's a bit modern isn't it. I think steam powered compute power is the answer - and then your system could really go up in a puff of smoke.
Re: Counter productive
I thought we could just throw stones...
is that good?
How does it compare with a traditional fan? Does a 1W fan move more or less than 4.whatever W of heat? Is the selling point the efficiency or the size?
Re: is that good?
I don't know, but I think the fan is more efficient and scales better with size. I may definitely be wrong on that. But even if I'm right, I could easily imagine a Mini PC generating enough heat that passive isn't enough - but not much more than that. In such a case, the solid-state gizmo could win on size and silence, even if it means the whole box takes a few extra watts compared to using a fan.
Re: is that good?
Maybe it has more to do with noise levels than power dissipation itself. Speaking from personal experience power, noise levels and ability to provide smooth youtube playback (1080p or 4k depending on the attached tv) are deal-breakers for mini pcs. I still have an zbox pc and this thing rocked for 1080p media pc (and was fanless). Somehow I've had no such luck with newer celeron based Nuc like systems. Somehow Intel could not 4k deliver video decoding performance in the power envelope required for fanless build. Went through couple newer gen lower end boxes before settling on i7 Nuc (definitely not silent). In the end got a deal for the cheapest m2 mac mini and while this thing is virtually silent, the idiosyncrasies of macOS are not the best match for htpc (limited media playback support, no support for CE and Apple's UI choices), still livable though.
How is it solid state?
There are moving (vibrating) parts which will wear out at some point.
Re: How is it solid state?
My thoughts exactly. Something that wiggles back and forth is "solid state" while something that spins isn't?
And silent it is not .
The quoted value of 21dbA isn't even that quiet. There are plenty CPU fans that are well below that [though they are probably larger].
Re: How is it solid state?
I hope it doesn't sound like a coil whine...
Re: How is it solid state?
You can move air about without any moving parts:
Convection is easiest but needs a carefully designed enclosure that will always be the right way up and have unblocked vents.
Ionic wind is another nice method and what could possibly go wrong with having a megavolt PSU close to a 5v processor.
Counter productive
AirJet Mini is described as a self-contained active heat sink module that is 2.8mm
It's like selling old squeaky chair and boasting about added premium ear plugs.
Why not ditch legacy Intel and use some proper technology?