Economical, quiet, Affordable - For a little weak on the chest.

Was sent the ZBox of the KG-Computer GbR.
On the day of the order I received, as always, an order confirmation from Amazon, the next day a Wiederrufsbelehrung of KG-Computer.
Then I heard first one week nothing until someone came in with Sent confirmation and the package via DHL usual afloat received the next day.
The specified delivery date has been exceeded by 4 days ago. Whether this is bad or not everybody has to decide for themselves, a brief search
to KG-computer revealed but that Derren Service generally is not good which was confirmed by the long processing.

But now for ZBox:

Purpose:
The application is a HTPC, Media Center say. Above all, I want movies, series and music via the Internet stream (max cathedrals, SoundCloud, ..).
The operating system runs the latest Ubuntu LTS version with XBMC, I've stocked the barebone with 4GB RAM and a 128GB 1333MHz Crusial SSD from SanDisk. Both components are the form certainly no flat neck.

Scope of supply:

The barebone comes in a round-color printed packaging by the manufacturer, in her are included:
- The ZBox itself
- Driver CD (Note: The ZBox has no drive A second machine is therefore indispensable!.)
- A leaflet in A2 with a brief description in 1000 felt languages.
- Adequate strategy guide
- WLAN antenna
- Power Supply
- Power Cable EU
- Power Cable US
- Mounting plate for monitors
- Corresponding bolts

In general, the scope is good. No outstanding surprise, neither positive nor negative. It's everything you need here.

Processing:

Well, the case is just completely made of plastic. Although well made, but the bottom line remains plastic and it shows.

Setting up:

After unboxing the barebones of course must be fitted first, after missing RAM and hard drive.
Populating gestalltet is quite simple. On the bottom are four rubber feet that are the screws for the case at the same time.
These feet must be turned clockwise, that is fairly easy by hand, no tools necessary.

In case there is a thin steel diaphragm which is fixed with 2 tiny Schräublein, this has to be solved. Here you need a very small screwdriver and some emotion.
The panel is mounted on the hard disk in order to stabilize them, as they would otherwise only borne by the SATA port.
The RAM can be dropped easily. As is customary for SO DIMM (eg also for notebooks) you have the RAM in just about make 40 ° angle into the slot and then around to crush it clacks, finished.

Now you screw the ZBox back together, closes it to the monitor / TV, gives her juice and there you go.

With an Ubuntu installation stick I had problems, that the drive has not been recognized at the beginning. In the BIOS Legacy mode must be enabled for booting, otherwise just goes Win7 /. 8
But after that everything went without problems, key has been detected and installed Ubuntu normal.

Ubuntu has detected the wireless adapter immediately and was already installing updates load (My installation file was a bit older).

The Performance:

First, I bought the ZBox as economical HTPC and am not a benchmark Hunter. How many points in the benchmark XY are within I have not tested, but there are already enough data on the Internet. Who is interested that only needs to ask Googel ;-).
Gaming Power is not to be expected in any case, but reportedly not running well Half Life 2, I'm interested.

When streaming of HD (1080p and 720p) on Youtube, max cathedrals or other there at the start of the video very briefly a few stuttering, but that is tolerable and does not last long.
This stuttering is rare even zwichendrinn is me now in about 10 hours 3-4 times noticed. These jerks do not bother me, they are just strong enough that you can perceive it at all, not bad.
But I think that is unbearable at 4k.

If the same time example is streamed via SoundCloud music takes the bucking at the beginning a little longer and is disturbing, but who listens to music while HD video look.

Surfing (Firefox version 35) will hakelig when simultaneously Streams music and scrolls through Youtube (Not even happens, but look for videos.)

All in all, I would describe the performance as a HTPC as just so adequately.
You can tell that the Celeron is quite weak in the chest, but he need only 7.5 watts under full load.

Service:

Here I use a Logitech K400 Keyboard with Touchbad.
This is immediately recognized and it works well, work well the touch gestures.
The infrared module is apparently not compatible with Linux, I can say nothing about it under Windows. The lack of compatibility under Linux is definitely all a strong drawback for me.

Other:

You could send the sound through HDMI to your TV and loop through there to the sound system. But on the one hand makes the sound quality is not necessarily better, and then the TV needs to be always on the other hand, even if you just want to listen to music.
Besides HDMI is on the back no port available the audio could be transmitted to the home theater. And since only one HDMI port is present, it is not at all the use it in question.
It remains at the end (in the use as a HTPC) otherwise use left as the audio output on the front, which is detrimental to the optics.

Conclusion:

Price / performance is good in any case. For ca 200 (Incl SSD and RAM) Here you get a PC with a good HTPC extent. He is not the flotteste, it silently and extremely economical.
Strong buy recommendation for each of exactly what will and can accept compromises in performance, who wants Gaming is wrong here.

An economical and easy HTPC perhaps all can not, it can come through his scope with outstanding ergonomics.