ZimaBlade review: Tinkerer’s dream
The ZimaBlade has been an experience. I’ve spent months with the device, but how does it stack up against similar devices?
Made by IceWhale, the ZimaBlade is a small single-board computer, aimed at self-hosting. To aid in this, IceWhale ships it with its custom operating system, CasaOS. Built atop Linux, it focuses on building out your suite of applications through Docker.
CasaOS aims to be a friendlier jumping on-point than a command line. However, I found that the more I distanced myself from the proprietary software, the easier it got to handle.
Key specs
- Processor: Intel Celeron J3455
- RAM: Up to 16GB DDR3 RAM
- Storage: 32GB onboard storage
- Operating System: CasaOS (Supports most x86 OS)
- IO: USB-C (power), USB-A, Ethernet, mini-Display Port, PCIe 2.0 x4 connector, 2x SATA ports
- Price: $79
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Incredibly flexible with what it can support | Slower than what’s available at similar prices |
| Full-sized PCIe access | CasaOS isn’t very good |
| Good selection of I/O |
Design
A compact, high-quality box, the ZimaBlade is quite a striking device. I love the plastic clear panel to stare directly at the motherboard inside. It’s also functional, as well as slick. The metal chassis acts as a heatsink, keeping the device relatively cool – even as the UK heats up.
While I would have liked the PCIe slot to be flush with the top, I understand why it juts out, it’s just not tall enough. IceWhale sent over an assortment of PCIe devices, and all of them required removing the shield near the inputs and outputs (I/O).
These are minor gripes, as the rest of the I/O is easy to access. On each side, it’s filled to the brim with options for adding more storage or accessories.
I love the small size though. Once everything is set up, the ZimaBlade easily packs into media centers, racks, or even just off to the side quietly running.
Features
The ZimaBlade follows on from IceWhale’s other single-board server, the ZimaBoard. Smaller, more compact and only featuring one Ethernet port, it hinges on that PCIe slot to open it up.
While only PCIe 2.0, it’s more than enough for reading and writing data in these low-end applications. Of course, the PCIe can expand I/O, opening the possibilities further.
You can also use SATA, which I have a 250GB SSD set up through. It’s an incredibly flexible device, making a lot of configurations possible.
It’s also an excellent way to save potential e-waste, with bits and pieces slowly accumulating into a potential Frankenstein’s monster.
There’s also an expandable DDR3 RAM slot, which can take up to 16GB. While only DDR3, again, the ZimaBlade never really seemed to falter. It’s more about setting expectations, this isn’t going to be streaming out 4K video in full HDR.
I have found it to be an excellent media server. Currently, it hosts my growing Doctor Who Big Finish Collection and a wealth of comics. This isn’t without a constant battle, though.
CasaOS
Thank God the device is built on x86. While server operating systems and Docker run fine on ARM devices like the Raspberry Pi, it makes picking a replacement OS far easier.
Unfortunately, while CasaOS will be fine for some, I kept running into issues. Custom applications wouldn’t load properly, with the expectation that you’ll use the built-in store’s apps. However, the world of Docker is vast and CasaOS feels limiting.
It is great at basic functionality. CasaOS will immediately detect new storage and then once set up, it’ll offer to “merge” the devices into one. This makes setting up apps with Docker Compose far easier. Mapping directories to one unified drive rather than navigating through several is a welcome addition.
When you use the app store, the OS does a great job of installing everything. At its best, I can see the use case for CasaOS. At its worst, it feels limiting in a section of tech that thrives on freedom.
The ZimaBlade is excellent once you ditch CasaOS
I found CasaOS frustrating though. As I mentioned, installing custom applications felt like it wasn’t welcome. They rarely worked, and when they did, CasaOS was missing key dependencies to get them to work.
Of course, being Linux, there’s always a way to install them, but it was more work than it was worth. At some point, I stripped it of CasaOS and went elsewhere.
I opted to use Ubuntu Server, manually installing everything and living in the terminal. After a couple of hiccups with Docker, I now have one of the most reliable devices I’ve come across.
Audiobookshelf and Komga serve me nerdy goodness at all hours, and I can’t wait to expand it further by shifting over to NVMe SSDs in the future
Verdict – 4/5
If you’re into self-hosting, you can do worse than the ZimaBlade. The flexibility of the device just makes it an excellent, all-round choice for storage or serving media. There are plenty more options in the sea, but few offer this kind of solution.
I don’t think it’s wholly successful out of the box, but with a little tinkering – something it paradoxically encourages compared to CasaOS – it can be turned into a pint-sized self-hosting powerhouse.
Should you get a ZimaBlade or a Raspberry Pi?
The Raspberry Pi 5 is significantly faster than the ZimaBlade, boasting an updated ARM chip and up to 8GB of DDR5 RAM.
However, speed and power aren’t always necessary. While the Raspberry Pi is great for bigger projects or embedded solutions, the ZimaBlade comfortably sits as one of the better media servers I’ve used.
The ZimaBlade’s PCIe port makes attaching storage or other peripherals incredibly easy. With dedicated SATA ports, USB-A and mini-Display Out, it can easily become a powerhouse. It’s just not sitting on the bleeding edge of technology.