Zimablade 7700 NAS Kit - Long Term Review

Do you want to store your data securely, stream media or run a small server without spending a fortune? Then I've got just the thing for you: The ZimaBlade NAS Kit! 🚀
In this video, I'll show you how you can get a fully-fledged mini server with 16GB RAM, a PCIe expansion slot and two SATA hard drive ports for under €200. And best of all, it's real x86 hardware, not a Raspberry Pi 5!
Link to the ZimaBlade NAS kit: shop.zimaboard...
Why the ZimaBlade?
I was looking for a low-power, fanless minipc for my Paperless NGX instance and wanted to store my data securely on a RAID1. Since my Ugreen NAS had some problems, I was looking for a new, cost-effective NAS solution. The ZimaBlade exceeded all my expectations!
Advantages of the ZimaBlade:
- Extremely low power consumption (3W at idle)
- Fanless and therefore very quiet
- Compact design with impressive hardware features
- Versatile thanks to x86 architecture and PCIe slot
Technical data:
- Dual-core Intel processor N3350 or quad-core Intel processor (my model: Intel Celeron N3450)
- 2x SATA 3.0 ports, 1x Gigabit Ethernet, 1x USB 3.0, 1x USB-C port
- Operating system: CasaOS on 32 GB eMMC memory (removable)
- Supports up to 16GB RAM
CasaOS and software:
CasaOS offers a user-friendly web interface and an app store with many applications such as Plex, Jellyfin, NextCloud, AdGuard or Pi-hole. You can also install other Linux operating systems such as Debian or Ubuntu.
Network performance:
With the built-in 1Gbps network card, the ZimaBlade achieves write speeds of 103MB/s. Thanks to the PCIe slot, you can even upgrade it with a 10Gbps network card.
Price and alternative:
The ZimaBlade NAS kit costs about $190 including tax and shipping. It is more versatile than a comparable Raspberry Pi 5 and offers more possibilities.