ZimaCube 2 Review // Worth Upgrading?

A hands-on review of the ZimaCube 2 compact home server from Ice Whale, comparing it to its predecessor. The standard version gets the biggest upgrade, moving from an Intel N100 to an Intel i3-1215U with 6 cores, up to 64GB RAM support, and a 256GB NVMe SSD. The Pro version retains the same i5-1235U chip as before. Both versions offer six SATA bays, dual PCIe slots, and 2.5GbE networking (10GbE on Pro). The reviewer runs it as a Proxmox node with idle power draw of 50-55W under load. ZimaOS has improved significantly but now has a paid 'Plus' tier that limits disk count and users without a $30 lifetime license. The standard version at ~$800 is recommended for those upgrading from ZimaCube 1 standard or older NAS devices, while Pro owners may find less reason to upgrade.