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Raspberry Pi Zero WH vs IceWhale ZimaBoard 2

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against single-board computers at a similar price

The IceWhale ZimaBoard 2 scores 6.3/10 overall, ahead of the Raspberry Pi Zero WH at 5.9/10.

The Raspberry Pi Zero WH leads on software support and value.

The IceWhale ZimaBoard 2 leads on performance, storage and I/O and networking.

The biggest difference is software support, where the Raspberry Pi Zero WH scores 9/10 to the IceWhale ZimaBoard 2's 5/10.

Raspberry Pi Zero WH

Raspberry Pi Zero WH

5.9/10verdict: wait for deal

The Raspberry Pi Zero WH is for people who want a small, low-power board with GPIO ready to use straight away. It suits single-purpose projects that need Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and header-based add-ons rather than much processing power. It is not aimed at anyone who needs wired networking, fast storage or several services running at once.

Typically about £15.40 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

ZimaBoard 2

IceWhale ZimaBoard 2

6.3/10verdict: wait for deal

The ZimaBoard 2 is for homelabbers who want a compact x86 board for a small NAS or Docker host. It offers an Intel N150, dual 2.5GbE and two SATA ports, with 8GB or 16GB of soldered RAM. It suits people who value low power draw and quiet running over upgradeability.

Typically about £288.89 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightRaspberry Pi Zero WHIceWhale ZimaBoard 2
Software support30%9/105/10
Performance25%4/107/10
Storage15%4/107/10
I/O and networking15%5/108/10
Value15%6/105/10
Overall5.9/106.3/10

Specifications

SpecRaspberry Pi Zero WHIceWhale ZimaBoard 2
Processor (SoC)Broadcom BCM2835 with a 1 GHz single-core 32-bit ARM11 CPU and 400 MHz VideoCore IV GPUIntel N150 (4 cores, 4 threads, up to 3.6GHz)
Memory512 MB LPDDR2 RAM at 450 MHz8GB (832) or 16GB (1664) LPDDR5 4800 MHz, soldered and not upgradable
Storage optionsmicroSD slot only32GB (832) or 64GB (1664) onboard eMMC; two SATA 6Gbps ports
Networking2.4 GHz 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4.0 with BLE per Raspberry Pi (4.1 per The Pi Hut); no wired Ethernet portDual 2.5GbE
GPIO40-pin GPIO header, pre-soldered on this model, 0.1in (2.54 mm) pin pitchnot listed
Video outputsMini HDMI port and composite video (via 2 unpopulated pins)One Mini DisplayPort 1.4, up to 4K at 60Hz
Power input5V via micro USB port; two micro-USB ports, one for input power and one for external devices12V DC barrel input, 60W adapter

Strengths and weaknesses

Raspberry Pi Zero WH

  • + 40-pin GPIO header comes pre-soldered
  • + Same header as flagship Model B boards, so HATs fit
  • + Wi-Fi and Bluetooth built in
  • − Single-core 32-bit CPU with 512 MB RAM
  • − No wired Ethernet; 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only
  • − microSD is the only storage option

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need wired Ethernet or 5 GHz Wi-Fi
  • Anyone running several containers or VMs on one board
  • Users who want storage beyond a microSD card
Read the full Raspberry Pi Zero WH review ›

IceWhale ZimaBoard 2

  • + Dual 2.5GbE with about 275 to 280 MB/s reported real-world
  • + Low idle power draw, and silent without the fan
  • + Two SATA 6Gbps ports plus a PCIe 3.0 x2 lane
  • − RAM and eMMC are soldered and cannot be upgraded
  • − Throttling and 90s C package temperatures in passive tests
  • − UK buyers can only pay in US dollars on Zima's store

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who want to upgrade RAM or onboard storage later
  • Anyone planning sustained heavy load with passive cooling
  • Projects that need a Raspberry Pi-style GPIO header
Read the full IceWhale ZimaBoard 2 review ›

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