Innovative solution Zotac Zbox Magnus: powerful graphics without additional power supply!
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Zotac’s Zbox Magnus has reached a new, breathtaking level, becoming the smallest mini-PC capable of integrating the *de facto* latest laptop NVIDIA RTX 5060 Ti graphics card with an impressive 16GB of memory. But that’s not all – engineers have created a truly unusual and clever solution to completely get rid of the need for additional power cables for the video card, providing up to 180 W of power only through the PCIe connection.
A thoughtful architecture of the PCIe interface
This achievement would not have been possible without an innovative design approach that includes a **hybrid PCIe x8+x8 interface**. When we looked at this technical marvel, we immediately noticed a visually different PCIe connector on the video card. It is divided into two parts – one part provides data transmission with the motherboard, while the second part, which is separated, is intended only for power supply. As seen in the GPU-Z info, it’s a PCIe 5.0 x8 + PCIe 5.0 x8 connection. A special circuit with a voltage of 19V is integrated into the motherboard, which directs the necessary power to the video card through this secondary PCIe x8 connection. It’s a truly brilliant engineering solution that allows you to deliver 180W of power without using the usual 8-pin or 6-pin connectors that cards of this power level usually require.
Proof of performance and effectiveness
The fact that this innovative system is capable of providing both data transmission and sufficient power has been confirmed by thorough tests. More detailed information and an overview of this computer can be found on Chinese resources such as HKEPC. The presence of the powerful RTX 5060 Ti allows Zotac Zbox Magnus to overcome the traditional performance limitations of compact computers, offering the ability to play the latest games or perform resource-intensive tasks without giving up a compact size.
Zotac Zbox Magnus – more than just graphics
In addition to the revolutionary graphics card, Zotac Zbox Magnus is equipped with the latest generation processor **Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX**, which together with up to 96 GB of RAM (the tested version had 32 GB) provides incredible performance for any task. The computer also features two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two 2.5G network adapters and modern Wi-Fi 7 wireless connectivity, making it a full-fledged workstation or gaming center in a small package.
Future potential and innovation
This scheme implemented by Zotac is not only a response to existing technological needs, but also opens new paths in future computer design. It proves that it is possible to create even more compact and elegant solutions by completely doing away with redundant cables and connectors. While in theory the 180W power provided could even allow for *overclocking* of the video card, practical considerations regarding mini-PC cooling systems are likely to limit such possibilities.
