At the outset, the ZimaCube 2 doesn't look any different to its predecessor; it has the same distinctive chassis, and you still need screws to install HDDs in the drive bays (what is this, 2010?). Even the box that it comes in is unchanged, and because it is designed to just fit the NAS, all the accessories — the power brick, cables, and screwdriver — are delivered in a secondary box.
It isn't until you boot it up that you realize the ZimaCube 2 has a few new tricks. Thermal management was a big problem on the original ZimaCube, and IceWhale (the brand behind the NAS) resolved the issue with this product. Then there's the internals; the ZimaCube 2 gets the new Intel Core i3-1215U platform — just like the DXP4800 Pro I tested — and it is much better than the N100 the ZimaCube came with.
