CyberPowerPC Zeus Mini-I 780 SFF Gaming PC Review
Introduction and Specifications
We’ve been hankering to test out one of CyberPowerPC’s new Zeus Mini SFF gaming desktop models ever since we got some hands on time with it at CES, so we were happy to unpack the black and neon green Zeus Mini-I 780 that CyberPowerPC sent us this week.
Small form factor (SFF) PCs are something of a trend these days, and frankly, it’s refreshing to see powerful machines on the market that don’t take up much space and and don’t weigh 50 pounds.
However, there are two big challenges a SFF machine must face. One is engineering a system that can fit all of those high-end components into a tiny space while still dissipating heat effectively. The other is reasonable end user serviceability. Being able to easily work inside a machine can be an important feature to those who drop the cash on a killer gaming rig from a boutique manufacturer. CyberPowerPC has accepted the challenge of making a system that alleges to make upgradability a cinch while also building an SFF rig that can keep pace with the performance of gaming systems without such space limitations.
The CyberPowerPC Zeus Mini measures just 4.4 inches wide and stands a mere 13 inches tall with a depth of 17.4 inches. Inside is an Intel Core i7-4770K processor (3.5GHz) with an EVGA Superclocked GeForce GTX 780 GPU with 3GB of GDDR5.
CyberPowerPC opted for 16GB of G.Skill Ripjaws X 1866MHz DDR3 system memory (8GB x 2) as well as a 120GB Samsung 840 EVO SSD (SATA 6Gbps) for snappy performance, and there’s also a spacious 2TB (7200 RPM, 6Gbps) HDD, as well.
To cool those smoking hot components, CyberPowerPC implemented a Cooler Master Seidon 120M liquid cooler along with a couple of strategically placed vents and a single fan. Other features include an ultra quiet Corsair 650W PSU, a magnetic WiFi antenna, and an 8X DVD±R/RW/4X + DL Super-Multi optical drive.
There’s something to be said about the overall design of the system and of the chassis, which we’ll delve into next.
Small form factor (SFF) PCs are something of a trend these days, and frankly, it’s refreshing to see powerful machines on the market that don’t take up much space and and don’t weigh 50 pounds.
However, there are two big challenges a SFF machine must face. One is engineering a system that can fit all of those high-end components into a tiny space while still dissipating heat effectively. The other is reasonable end user serviceability. Being able to easily work inside a machine can be an important feature to those who drop the cash on a killer gaming rig from a boutique manufacturer. CyberPowerPC has accepted the challenge of making a system that alleges to make upgradability a cinch while also building an SFF rig that can keep pace with the performance of gaming systems without such space limitations.
;)
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| CPU: Graphics: Memory: Storage: Motherboard: Chassis: Cooling: Optical: PSU: OS: Price: |
Intel Core i7-4770K 3.50 GHz 8MB Intel Smart Cache EVGA Superclocked GeForce GTX 780 3GB GDDR5 G.SKILL Ripjaws X 16GB (8GBx2) DDR3/1866MHz 120GB Samsung 840 EVO Series SATA-III 6.0Gb/s SSD 2TB SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 64MB Cache 7200RPM HDD (Storage) GIGABYTE Z87N-WIFI mITX w/ 802.11n WiFi+Bluetooth CYBERPOWERPC Zeus Mini mITX Gaming Chassis Cooler Master Seidon 120M Liquid Cooling CPU Cooler 8X DVD±R/RW/4X + DL Super-Multi Drive Corsair CSM Series CS650M 80 Plus Gold Certified Modular Ultra Quiet Power Supply Microsoft Windows 8.1 (64-bit Edition) + Office 365 FREE 30 Days Trial $1,859 (as configured) |
;)
The CyberPowerPC Zeus Mini measures just 4.4 inches wide and stands a mere 13 inches tall with a depth of 17.4 inches. Inside is an Intel Core i7-4770K processor (3.5GHz) with an EVGA Superclocked GeForce GTX 780 GPU with 3GB of GDDR5.
CyberPowerPC opted for 16GB of G.Skill Ripjaws X 1866MHz DDR3 system memory (8GB x 2) as well as a 120GB Samsung 840 EVO SSD (SATA 6Gbps) for snappy performance, and there’s also a spacious 2TB (7200 RPM, 6Gbps) HDD, as well.
;)
To cool those smoking hot components, CyberPowerPC implemented a Cooler Master Seidon 120M liquid cooler along with a couple of strategically placed vents and a single fan. Other features include an ultra quiet Corsair 650W PSU, a magnetic WiFi antenna, and an 8X DVD±R/RW/4X + DL Super-Multi optical drive.
There’s something to be said about the overall design of the system and of the chassis, which we’ll delve into next.
