“Blowing hot air”: review of tiny Zotac mini PC that comes with innovative silent cooling chip finds out that it works pretty well — but heatsink and fan makers don’t need to worry just yet
from Frore System the widely expected, fan-free alternative cooling methodwhich has made its way to the Zotac ZBox PI430AJ mini PC, performs as well as you'd hope according to a review of the device.
The two AirJet coolers ensure that the CPU in this small PC (a 12th generation Intel N300 mobile processor) stays below 70 degrees Celsius during stress tests, according to HKEPC.
Frore's new system has long been thought to appear in a handful of machines, including other Zotac mini PCs included this device in particular.
How does the Frore cooling system work?
The use of this cooling system has allowed the manufacturer to compress the form factor, with the mini PC being no larger than a deck of cards – with specific dimensions of 114.8 x 76 x 23.7 mm. The chassis is also made of aluminum, which allows for more heat loss through dissipation – supporting the Frore system built into it.
This device also features a handful of useful ports, including USB-C 3.2 Gen2, two USB-A 3.2 Gen2, a Micro SDCX card reader, a DisplayPort cable, HDMI 2.0 and Ethernet connectivity – in addition to a 3.5mm headphone jack .
Unlike a conventional cooling fan, Frore's technology – which is attached to an aluminum heat sink – relies on the high-frequency vibrations of a film within the chip to promote airflow and exhaust. This vibrating film generates a force strong enough to draw in air and convert it into a jet-like discharge through the build-up of pressure.
According to the publication, the CPU did not exceed 57 degrees Celsius at 99% load during testing. This is because the AirJet system only intervenes when the internal temperature rises above 60 degrees. Otherwise, at temperatures below this point, the system relies solely on passive heat dissipation.
At 99% load for 30 minutes, the system reached a temperature of 67 degrees Celsius – which is still quite low compared to other systems. However, we cannot be confident that the technology will necessarily translate into more powerful systems until we see this embedded in the future best PCs and the best workstations.
The Intel N300 CPU has relatively little power compared to the fastest CPUs out there, so it's probably going to take a lot more than just two AirJet units to keep those monstrous systems consistently at comfortable temperatures. There's every chance the heatsink and fans will be with us for a few more years before we can say with certainty that their time is up.