From easily scratched metal to a missing terminal: Here is the truth about the new Zima 2.
As a HomeLab enthusiast, I am always chasing the next best piece of hardware to power my home server test lab setup. My shelf is already home to the original ZimaBoard and the ZimaBlade (yes, the one where I have strape SSDs on with Velcro - don't judge, it works!).
But a few weeks ago, I got my hands on the new ZimaBoard 2 (or simply Zima 2). Is it a worthy successor? Does it offer more than just a futuristic aesthetic?
I fired it up for a “first boot” review to find out. Here are my honest impressions — the good, the bad, and the slightly disappointing.
The First “Ouch”: Build Quality
Taking the device out of the box, it undeniably looks premium. The industrial metal design feels solid and substantial in the hand. However, I noticed a significant issue almost immediately.
It scratches. Easily.
My unit was simply sitting on a shelf and was moved around a few times, yet the casing already shows visible scuffs and scratches. If you plan to display this on a desk as a showpiece, you need to handle it with extreme care.
On the bright side, Zima included a screwdriver kit in the box, which came in handy for the next step: cooling.
Cooling: The Sound of Silence
Unlike its passive-cooled Raspberry Pi , the Zima 2 packs enough power to require active cooling. I’ll admit, I was worried. The golden rule of a HomeLab in a living space is silence. Would this fan sound like a jet engine taking off?
After a quick installation (kudos for the included tools) and booting the system, I was pleasantly surprised. The fan is whisper quiet. For a home server that might sit near your TV or on your desk, this is a massive win.
Another nice touch? The team at IceWhale included power adapter plugs for every region. It’s a small detail, but it saves you a trip to the electronics store.
ZimaOS: Dude, Where’s My Terminal?
I plugged in the HDMI (using my trusty old cable because, let’s be real, why open a new one?) and waited for the boot sequence. The screen greeted me with the standard CLI prompt. Since I didn’t have a mouse and keyboard attached, I hopped onto my laptop to access the Web UI.
The system immediately recognized the 2.5GbE ports (a standard we should all demand in 2024) and the interface felt very familiar. It looks and feels just like CasaOS — clean, simple, and very beginner-friendly.
But then, I went looking for the WEB Terminal.
In previous iterations, the Web Terminal was one of the best features. It allowed you to quickly pop “under the hood” to fix permissions or run specific commands without needing an SSH client.
In ZimaOS v1.5.3? It’s gone.
I dug through every setting, even the Developer Mode, but the native Web Terminal button is missing. Sure, SSH access still works fine, but removing that quick-access feature feels like a step backward for a “tinkerer’s” device. I really hope they bring it back in a future update.
Performance & Apps
The App Store is stocked with the usual Docker suspects: Home Assistant, Jellyfin, Cloudflare, Pi-holem, KASM and etc. Everything is just one click away.
With the upgraded CPU and 16GB of RAM (on my specific model), the Zima 2 feels significantly snappier than the ZimaBlade. It’s not just for file storage anymore; this thing has the overhead to do some serious lifting.
The Verdict: Is It Worth It?
The ZimaBoard 2 is a powerful beast in a small (albeit easily scratched) package.
The Pros:
- Performance: massive jump in power (3x CPU, 16GB RAM).
- Silence: The active cooling is surprisingly quiet.
- Connectivity: Dual 2.5GbE ports are perfect for a router/firewall build.
- Ease of Use: Simple setup process.
The Cons:
- ❌ Durability: The case scratches if you look at it wrong.
- ❌ Software: ZimaOS is missing the Web Terminal.
- ❌ IO: I really wish it had one more USB port.
Will I keep running ZimaOS? Probably Yes.
My plan is to wipe it and install Proxmox. With this much CPU power and RAM, the Zima 2 is destined to be a virtualization host for multiple VMs, not just a simple Docker container runner, but at the end hope to get another device with the CasaOS/ZimaOS for my own use and cluster Proxmox, Rancher and KASM home experimental cluster creation and testing so that I can update you all on several projects..
Want to see the scratch test and the full setup?
If you want to see me struggle with the tiny screws and hear the fan noise test for yourself, check out my full review on YouTube here:
What do you think? Is the missing terminal a deal-breaker for you, or would you install Proxmox on day one anyway? Let me know in the comments!
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