Zimacube 2 review: A tinkerer’s NAS, at a good price point
AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication
The ZimaCube 2 is a six‑bay NAS that runs on standard x86 hardware and ships with ZimaOS Plus, but users can install any compatible OS, positioning it as a “tinker‑friendly” alternative to locked‑down appliances. Priced at $799 for the Standard model, it offers an Intel Core i3‑1215U, 8 GB DDR5 RAM (expandable to 64 GB), a 256 GB NVMe boot drive, and six 3.5‑inch/2.5‑inch SATA bays plus a seventh module with four M.2 NVMe slots. Connectivity includes dual 2.5 GbE, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4, and USB‑A/C. The chassis is a gunmetal, desk‑oriented case with magnetic faceplate, RGB indicator, and replaceable fans that measure roughly 30 dB idle, rising to low‑40 dB under load. IceWhale advertises a maximum raw capacity of 212 TB, though the NVMe bandwidth on the Standard model is limited to about 800 MB/s, with higher‑speed options in the Pro and Creator configurations.
💡 Why It Matters
- · By offering a fully open hardware platform at a consumer‑grade price, the ZimaCube 2 lets enthusiasts build custom storage stacks without vendor‑imposed firmware constraints, potentially reshaping the DIY NAS market.
