The Most Powerful Small Form Factor Gaming PC: ZOTAC MAGNUS EK71080 Review

Hey guys, this is Austin. Even though this might look like a large box, inside is one of the most powerful and smallest gaming computers that you can buy. Inside this guy, is the wonderfully named ZOTAC MAGNUS EK71080, which stands for a really powerful, very small computer. I think. So if you guys are familiar with Zotac, you know that they've been making small Barebones PCs, for quite a while now, and this is sort of the next evolution of that, as instead of having something that's meant for, like, an office, kind of a low end computer, this is a proper gaming box.

The idea with the Barebones, is that, while this does have important components, like obviously the case and power supply, as well as a processor and graphics card, there's no memory, there's no SSD, and there's no OS. The idea here is that you can pretty much supply whatever you want with this guy. But, inside, you're getting a Core i7-7700HQ Processor, as well as a full GTX 1080. Crack this guy open and we get a giant thank you for your purchase. Oh, we also get the kind of giant power adapter. So you know, hopefully you don't have a problem with an enormous 330-watt power brick, that's sitting outside your computer.

Which is actually probably about the same size as it, but I mean, I guess, with a GTX 1080 inside, you can't be too picky. We also have our antennas for the built-in Wi-Fi, as well as the power cord. And inside here, we have the actual system itself. So it's not that big, I'd say it's about the size of like a tall shoe box, maybe? That is a very dense little computer. Again, keep in mind, this has a GTX 1080 inside. So the top is pretty much nothing but ventilation, which makes sense considering the hardware inside.

But up front we get, not only an SD card reader, but also a full-size USB 3.0 port, a USB Type-C port, as well as headphone and microphone jacks. The previous version, the Zotac EN1070, is much, much smaller, however, not only did it have a less powerful GTX 1070 inside, but it also didn't run anywhere near the same clock speeds of this 1080. I should probably not cover the exhaust.

The question though, is, is the ZBOX worth it? Well, before we answer that, I've gotta give a shout-out to Dollar Shave Club for sponsoring this video. Maybe they can also sponsor this guy's next shave. Odds are, if you are a well-groomed person in the world, you've probably bought razors in the store, and realized that it is a terrible experience all the way around, based on having to ask someone to go get the key, they have no idea what they're actually talking about, and they're really expensive.

Dollar Shave Club fixes all of that, in a box that shows up at your doorstep. Right now, you can try their shower and shave trial, which includes not only their executive razor handle, but you're also getting four blades, as well as a trial of three of their most popular products. See, even Dollar Shave Club censors it. No demonetization here.

So, if you are ready to up your shaving game, head over to dollarshaveclub.com/austin. That's dollarshaveclub.com/austin. And a huge shout-out to Dollar Shave club for helping to support the channel. At $1500 for the Barebone kit, or $1800, if you don't wanna deal with it and just get it with memory, SSD, as well as Windows pre-installed, this guy definitely doesn't come cheap.

However, when you consider just how expensive it is to build yourself a PC today, especially with high-end components like this, that price isn't too crazy. And of course, getting something that's this small, that you don't have to build your self, is a huge plus. It's not for everyone, but Zotac has built the most powerful small form factor gaming PC I've ever tried.

So, I'm curious, what do you guys think about the ZOTAC ZBOX? Let me know in the comments below and I will catch you on the next one.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- Hey guys, this is Austin.Even though this mightlook like a large box,inside is one of the most powerfuland smallest gamingcomputers, that you can buy.Inside this guy, is the wonderfully namedZOTAC MAGNUS EK71080,which stands for a reallypowerful, very small computer.I think.So if you guys are familiar with Zotac,you know that they've been makingsmall Barebones PCs, for quite a while nowand this is sort of thenext evolution of that,as instead of having something that'smeant for, like, an office,like kind of a low end computer,this is a proper gaming box.The idea with the Barebones, is that,while this does have important components,like obviously the case and power supply,as well as a processor and graphics card,there's no memory, there'sno SSD and there's no OS.The idea here is that youcan pretty much supplywhatever you want with this guy.But, inside, you're gettinga Core i7-7700HQ Processor,as well as a full GTX 1080.Crack this guy open and we get a giantthank you for your purchase.Oh, we also get the kindof giant power adapter.So you know, hopefully youdon't have a problem withan enormous 330-watt power brick,that's sitting outside your computer.Which is actually probablyabout the same size as it,but I mean, I guess,with a GTX 1080 inside,you can't be too picky.We also have our antennasfor the built in Wi-Fi,as well as the power cord.And inside here, we havethe actual system itself.So it's not that big, I'd say it's aboutthe size of like a tall shoe box, maybe?That is a very dense little computer.Again, keep in mind, thishas a GTX 1080 inside.So the top is pretty muchnothing but ventilation,which makes sense consideringthe hardware inside.But up front we get, notonly an SD card reader,but also a full size USB 3.0 port,a USB Type-C port,as well as headphone and microphone jacks.Around back it's fairly basic.We have four more USB 3.0 ports,where we actually installthe antennas for our Wi-Fi.A pair of Ethernet jacks,which is kind of interesting,and then you get your three display ports,DVI and HDMI from the video card.One of the nice parts aboutbuying a Barebones system,is that it comes prettymuch ready to work on.So on bottom here, we can installnot only SATA SSD, but also an M.2 drive,or an Intel Optanedrive, at the same time.But you also have a pair ofDDR4 SO-DIMM slots for your RAM.So now we have the ZBox all set up.All it took, was installing16GB of DDR4 memory,as well as a 512GB SSD.Throw in a copy of Windows onhere and we are good to go.So, first off, we have GTA 5.Even though it's a littlebit of an older game,it still can be surprisingly taxing.And here, running at 2560 by 1080,we're getting pretty decentframe rates between 70 to 90.Now, this is an Ultrawidemonitor that does have G-SYNC,so that 80 to 90 framesper second looks great.But, in theory, wecould run it all the wayup to 166 frames persecond, if we wanted tobring the graphic settingsdown a little bit.That being said, on this giant Ultrawide,this looks really good.Especially considering how tiny the PC is.It's crazy that thisgame can run on Xbox 360and yet, it will also look just as awesomeon a proper PC with a nice monitor.Moving on, we have DeusEx: Mankind Divided.Now, while this might not bethe most popular game in the world,it still looks reallynice, especially whenyou give it some goodhardware to work with.And here, at 2560 by 1080,with pretty much everything cranked up,we're pretty much hitting70 to 80 frames per second.I was about to say thatour next game is PUBG,but while I'm in the loading screen,I'm realizing that eventhis stupid open area hereis running at like 100 frames per second.This is gonna be good.We're skydiving down at105 frames per second,with G-SYNC enabled.So it shouldn't be a surprisethat a GTX 1080 systemis able to run PUBGsmoothly, but what is nice,is just how easily it's able to run it,while still being quiet.So, there is a little bitof coil whine, I noticed,when you're actuallyreally taxing the CPU.But the graphics seem tobe running pretty cool.To put the size of this in context,this is the previousversion, the Zotac EN1070.And as you can see, itis much, much smaller.However, not only did it havea less powerful GTX 1070 inside,but it also didn't run anywhere nearthe same clock speeds of this 1080.I should probably not cover the exhaust.The question though, is,is the ZBOX worth it?Well, before we answer that,I've gotta give a hugeshout-out to Dollar Shave Clubfor sponsoring this video.Maybe they can also sponsorthis guy's next shave.So, odds are, if you are awell-groomed person in the world,you've probably boughtrazors in the store.And you realized that itis a terrible experienceall the way around, basedon having to ask someoneto go get the key, theyhave no idea what they'reactually talking about, andthey're really expensive.Dollar Shave Club fixes all of that,in a box that shows upright at your doorstep.Right now, you can try their(censored by a duck squawk),shower and shave trial.Which includes, not onlytheir executive razor handle,but you're also getting four bladesas well as a trial of three oftheir most popular products.See, even Dollar Shave Club censors it.No demonetization here.So, if you are ready toup your shaving game,head over to dollarshaveclub.com/austin.That's dollarshaveclub.com/austin.And a huge shout-out to Dollar Shave clubfor helping to support the channel.At $1500 for the Barebone kit,or $1800, if you don't wanna deal with itand just get it with memory, SSD,as well as Windows pre-installed,this guy definitely doesn't come cheap.However, when you considerjust how expensive it isto build yourself a PC today,especially with high-endcomponents like this,that price isn't too crazy.And of course, gettingsomething that's this small,that you don't have to buildyourself, is a huge plus.It's not for everyone, but ZOTAChas built the most powerfulsmall form factor gamingPC I've ever tried.So, I'm curious, what do you guys thinkabout the ZOTAC ZBOX?Let me know in the comments belowand I will catch you on the next one.