ZimaBoard vs ZimaBlade vs ZimaCube: Which One is Right for You? (2025)

The "Zima" family of devices from IceWhale Technology has taken the homelab community by storm. With their distinct cyberpunk aesthetics and focus on hackability, they offer something different from the standard mini PC or Raspberry Pi. But with three distinct product lines now available—ZimaBoard, ZimaBlade, and ZimaCube—it can be confusing to decide which one fits your needs.

In this guide, we'll compare these three devices across performance, power consumption, and use cases to help you make the right choice for your 2025 home server build.

At a Glance: The Zima Family

Feature	ZimaBlade	ZimaBoard	ZimaCube
Role	Ultra-compact IoT & Light Server	Balanced Home Server & Router	High-Performance NAS & Lab
CPU	Intel Celeron J3455 / E3950	Intel N3350 / N3450	Intel N100 / Core i5-1235U
RAM	Up to 16GB DDR3L (SODIMM)	2GB - 8GB LPDDR4 (Soldered)	8GB - 64GB DDR4/DDR5
Storage	1x SATA, 1x PCIe 2.0 x4	2x SATA, 1x PCIe 2.0 x4	6x HDD + 4x NVMe
Networking	1x Gigabit Ethernet	2x Gigabit Ethernet	2x 2.5GbE + 10GbE (Pro)
Idle Power	~2-3W	~2-4W	~27W (Pro)
Price Range	$60 - $90	$120 - $200	$500 - $1200+

1. ZimaBlade: The Tiny Titan

The ZimaBlade is the newest and smallest addition. It's designed to be a "personal cloud server" that you can essentially put anywhere.

Key Features

• SODIMM RAM Slot: Unlike the ZimaBoard, the ZimaBlade lets you upgrade your RAM (up to 16GB officially, though some users report success with more).
• Ultra-Low Power: Idling at around 2.3W, it's incredibly efficient.
• Form Factor: It's tiny, looking like a retro cassette tape.

Best For

• Retro Gaming: Batocera runs great on it.
• Light Home Server: Running Pi-hole, Home Assistant, and a lightweight dashboard.
• Cyberdeck Builds: Its unique aesthetic makes it perfect for custom DIY projects.

Limitations

• Single Ethernet: Only one LAN port means it's not suitable as a router/firewall without a USB adapter.
• Older CPU: The J3455 is decent but shows its age in heavy transcoding.

2. ZimaBoard: The Versatile Classic

The ZimaBoard is the device that started it all. It strikes a perfect balance between connectivity and power.

Key Features

• Dual Gigabit LAN: This is the killer feature. It allows the ZimaBoard to act as a powerful router (OpenWrt/pfSense) or a firewall.
• PCIe Slot: The exposed PCIe 2.0 x4 slot allows you to add 2.5GbE cards, NVMe adapters, or even low-power GPUs.
• Passive Cooling: Completely silent operation with its large heatsink case.

Best For

• Router/Firewall: Perfect for pfSense or OPNsense.
• Media Server: Handles 1080p transcoding well (Plex/Jellyfin).
• Ad Blocking & DNS: Overkill for just Pi-hole, but great if you run it alongside other containers.

Limitations

• Soldered RAM: You're stuck with what you buy (2GB, 4GB, or 8GB). 8GB is highly recommended for 2025.

3. ZimaCube: The Powerhouse

The ZimaCube is a completely different beast. It's a full-fledged NAS and high-performance homelab server.

Key Features

• Massive Storage: 6 bays for 3.5" HDDs and 4 slots for NVMe SSDs.
• High Performance: Available with Intel N100 (Basic) or Core i5 (Pro/Creator).
• Thunderbolt 4: On the Pro models, allowing for incredibly fast direct-attached storage workflows.
• 10GbE Networking: Future-proof networking on the Pro model.

Best For

• Content Creators: Storing and editing 4K footage directly from the NAS.
• Heavy Virtualization: Running multiple Windows/Linux VMs simultaneously.
• Data Hoarders: If you need 100TB+ of storage, this is the one.

Limitations

• Price: It's a significant investment compared to the other two.
• Power Consumption: Expect 30W-60W+ idle depending on drives, which is much higher than the single-digit watts of the Blade/Board.

Conclusion: Which Should You Buy?

• Choose ZimaBlade if: You are on a tight budget, love DIY projects, or need the absolute lowest power consumption for a simple docker host.
• Choose ZimaBoard if: You need a router/firewall, want a silent media server, or need the reliability of a tried-and-tested platform. The 832 model (8GB RAM) is the sweet spot.
• Choose ZimaCube if: You need a serious NAS, are a video editor, or want to replace a large rack server with something compact and powerful.

All three run CasaOS (or the new ZimaOS) out of the box, making them incredibly easy to set up for beginners.

Resources

• ZimaSpace Official Site
• CasaOS