Feed aggregator

Why bugs and misconfigurations pose as much of a cyber threat as hackers.

AI wants to predict your mental health at work but I asked the experts and they have concerns.

The Logitech G512 X is a curious product that makes for a good mechanical keyboard and a decent rapid trigger one, although it sometimes feels like its versatility is the very thing that lets it down.

AI in healthcare is less about making medical decisions and more about giving clinicians and patients quicker access to unified records.

In 23 states, including five presidential swing states, candidates who have denied election results are running for offices that have a direct role in certifying future elections, a new report finds.

(Image credit: Ross D. Franklin)

President Trump has thrown his support behind challengers to Republican state senators who opposed his redistricting push.

(Image credit: Tamara Keith)

The oldest millennials are turning 45 this year. The oldest Gen Xers are now 60. So how prepared will they be to thrive in the decades ahead? A new tool helps people assess beyond just savings.

(Image credit: Mar Hernández for NPR)

The bipartisan bill would block companies from using auto-dialers to harvest private information about disabled veterans. The firms charge vets for a service lawmakers say is supposed to be free.

Logitech G512 X two-minute review

The Logitech G512 X reminds me of what Citroën tried to do with the C3 Pluriel — a car so busy trying to be everything that it ended up being not quite enough of anything. This is a keyboard that seeks to blur the lines between gaming and enthusiast-grade, which is a tricky line to walk — and one that the G512 X doesn't quite manage.

On one hand, it's trying to be one of the best keyboards money can buy, with capable tactile switches, gasket mounting and strong acoustics, and on the other, it's positioning itself as a top-end TMR gaming deck with potent HE switches with rapid trigger, dual actuation and all the rest of it. For $199.99/£199.99, this feels like a two-for-one deal I can get behind, but only in some respects.

In practice, the G512 X impresses with strong mechanical credentials and fast analog switches that can be swapped in an instant with the bundled pullers to provide the precision and power more competitive gamers will appreciate. I also like the clean software and the pleasant and rather striking black and purple chassis (it can also come in white and mint).

(Image credit: Future)

However, there are several limits to its powers that, to me, stop it from being a top contender for one of the best gaming keyboards out there. For instance, the chassis here is predominantly plastic and can flex at the corners, meaning the Keychron K2 HE Concrete Edition is a much stronger bet for build quality, while the fact that the analog hot-swappable powers only extend to 39 of the keyboard's switch sockets just feels like an oversight. The likes of the Cherry Xtrfy MX 8.2 Pro TMR Wireless and Glorious GMMK 3 Pro HE have already addressed this more convincingly with full hot-swap support.

Likewise, the high price tag is hard to ignore, even if you're getting some genuine cleverness here. The likes of the Cherry Xtrfy K5 Pro TMR Compact and Corsair K70 Pro TKL offer as much, or more, gaming grunt for a lower price, and the aforementioned Keychron adds wireless connectivity for an identical price. Nonetheless, it's still more affordable than the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3.

Logitech G512 X review: Price & release date

• Costs: $199.99 / £199.99
• Available May 2 2026
• Towards the top end of the market

The Logitech G512 X is available in two sizes, and therefore two prices, with the 96% option I have here the dearest at $199.99/£199.99. If you wanted the smaller 75% option, you'll be paying $179.99/£169.99. The keyboard is currently available for pre-order, with shipping from May 2 2026.

The price puts it towards the top end of the market for similar Hall effect gaming keyboards, and it's similar in a lot of respects to the Corsair K70 Pro TKL. The Cherry Xtrfy K5 Pro TMR Compact is also a potent wired choice, and is a fair bit cheaper than Logitech's offering, although it lacks some of the versatility of the G512 X.

Other more pro-oriented products that this keyboard is designed to compete with, such as the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro TKL and the SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3, cost a bit more, though, arguably due to having extra software trickery or wireless connectivity options.

(Image credit: Future)

In the box, Logitech provides the keyboard itself, a USB-C to USB-A cable for wired connectivity, switch and keycap pullers that double as feet and documentation. There is also a wristrest available, although that is a separate purchase.

• Price score: 3.5/5

Logitech G512 X review: Specs

Layout:

96% (75% also available)

Switch:

Gateron KS-20 (analog), Unknown Brown tactile (mechanical)

Programmable keys:

Yes

Dimensions:

13 x 5.9 x 1.9 inches / 386 x 150 x 48mm

RGB or backlighting:

Yes (customisable)

Logitech G512 X review: Design & features

• Stylish black and purple chassis
• Build quality leaves a lot to be desired
• Reasonably intuitive layout

Logitech has opted for a different look to a lot of its other past gaming keyboard efforts with the G512 X, adding a welcome splash of color, such as the purple-accented Esc and arrow keys, alongside the dual dials in the right corner and the color that's sandwiched in between the black of the frame down the sides and around the back. Both sizes of the Logitech G512 X can also come in white with mint accents, and you can swap out the colored keycaps for ones that match the rest of the body for a more uniform look.

There's a certain style here that I'm quite a fan of, alongside the diffused lighting aesthetic across the front.

For a $200 keyboard, the fact that the frame feels like it's mostly plastic isn't a great first impression, especially as rivals incorporate a lot of metal for sturdiness, or even go as far as to make the case out of a material such as resin, or concrete, in the case of Keychron's latest entry.

(Image credit: Future)

This has the effect of making the chassis flex under heavy pressure both in the middle and at the corners, giving the G512 X a much cheaper feel that I'm not a fan of, not least from a brand that should (and can) do better. Despite this, there is a decent amount of heft to the frame, with it tipping the scales at 2.2lbs/1kg, which means some thought has gone into it. Just not enough in my book.

The fit and finish elsewhere is quite reasonable, with pleasant PBT keycaps under the finger that have a nice grip for comfortable typing. PBT is a more durable plastic than the swathes of ABS I'm used to seeing on more mainstream keyboards, and is also much less resistant to the horrible keycap shine that plagues ABS-capped boards after a fair amount of use.

Logitech offers the G512 X in two layout varieties, with either a 75% or a 96% configuration available. The former offers the benefit of a TKL layout (also known as Tenkeyless, which means the keyboard doesn't have a numpad) in a slightly squished-up fashion, with an F-row, arrow keys and a single column nav cluster alongside the usual alphanumeric keys.

(Image credit: Future)

The 96% layout is the one I have, and it supplements this with a number pad. The placement of keys against other keyboards of this form factor I've tried is different, owing to the two dials in the top right. By default, the dials control backlight level (left) and media volume (right), although they can be remapped in Logitech's G Hub software. Usually, the navigation keys are moved above the number pad, but they're now part of a function layer, with only the Print Screen key above the number pad. Otherwise, this is a method of packing in most of the functionality of a full-size keyboard into a slightly space-saving chassis.

The interface around the back is where things get a little interesting, as you'll find standard features such as a USB-C port for wired connectivity, plus two buttons – one for scanning the keyboard to check for any analog switches installed (this is then reported into software for customization purposes), while the other enables Game Mode. In the middle, there is a cubby hole for the nine Gateron KS-20 analog switches that can be swapped into the keyboard and a shelf for five silicon rings that can be placed around a switch to help denote where a secondary actuation point is (if they're set in the software).

(Image credit: Future)

I like the clever use of storage space on the rear of the G512 X, and I think it's a smart feature that other keyboard makers could take notice of. The silicon rings do tend to fall out of the back of the keyboard, though, if you move it around.

On the underside, you'll find some small feet that raise the keyboard up by default to a more comfortable angle, although the included keycap and switch pullers also double as feet for an even taller angle. Getting these into place in between the existing feet is quite finicky, and they don't feel the most secure.

On the topic of software, G Hub handles configuration duties for everything from RGB lighting control to key remapping and dealing with rapid trigger and actuation point options. For rapid trigger and such, you can program inputs on a scale from 0.1mm all the way down to 4mm, giving a lot of configuration. There are also options here to set two actuations per key and deal with SOCD tech, which I'll get into later.

(Image credit: Future)

The RGB lighting here is rather bright, and there is a good deal of customization offered in the software to change colors, patterns and the like. My only criticism is that in a lot of cases, the backlighting doesn't extend to the edges of some of the legends.

• Design and features: 3.5/5

Logitech G512 X review: Performance

• Tactile mechanical switches by default…
• …which can be swapped to HE switches for more speed and precision
• Solely wired connectivity, although with 8000Hz polling rate

It's on the front of what's inside the G512 X where things get quite intriguing, as this is one of only a handful of keyboards out there that'll accept both more standard mechanical switches and magnetic or analog switches in one go. The only others that spring to mind are the Glorious GMMK 3 Pro HE and the Cherry Xtrfy MX 8.2 Pro TMR Wireless, although in this respect, I'd argue both of them have a leg up on Logitech.

That's because this 'board only accepts its analog TMR switches on 39 of the hot-swappable sockets, mostly on the left side of the keyboard, as that's where most of the switches pressed for gaming exist – the arrow keys are the only notable exception, according to Logitech. I understand why they've done this, but surely it would've made more sense to offer that precision and power across the entire alphanumeric set, rather than just over half of it.

This keyboard ships first and foremost as a more traditional mechanical choice, with it available either with indeterminate Linear or Tactile switches; my sample shipped with the latter. I feel it is quite important to note that some of the documentation I was provided with for this keyboard calls these switches 'MX Mechanical Switches' when I can find no evidence that these are proper Cherry MX switches. There isn't any branding on them to suggest so, for instance, and the housing doesn't look like the MX Browns I'm so used to, leading me to believe these are some form of clones.

(Image credit: Future)

To be fair to Logitech, the clones it has fitted provide a positive actuation with a healthy bump halfway down the travel alongside a smooth travel and a surprisingly light 38g weighting.

Acoustics here are strong, with no case rattle or ping from the stabilisers or internal mechanism, while the G512 X also has internal gaskets to provide a slightly more responsive, 'bouncier' feel under finger. There is a fair amount of key wobble, though.

Hot-swap support for the standard mechanical switches is the usual MX-style three or five-pin switches, and it works the way you'd expect, with no soldering or funny business required. Just note that the bundled switch and keycap pullers Logitech has provided aren't great at doing their job, so you'll want to find a combo puller or separate ones from elsewhere. It took me several attempts before I even got a grip on either the keycap or the switch.

When it comes to the analog switches, Logitech has opted to use Gateron KS-20 Hall effect switches for the nine included on the rear of the keyboard, which I've seen fitted to HE keyboards in the past from the likes of Wooting and even Sony. These feel as I expected, with a smooth keypress afforded by having no physical mechanism inside and all the benefits of speed and precision over what comes by default inside the G512 X.

The key thing here is that these are powered by TMR sensing sockets, rather than the more ubiquitous Hall effect, which is something we're seeing become more common with gaming keyboards in 2026. Without getting too much into the weeds, TMR stands for Tunnel Magneto-Resistance, and is a technology we've mostly seen applied to game controllers rather than keyboards. It's essentially designed to offer a greater degree of precision and general responsiveness over the litany of Hall effect products we see in controllers and keyboards.

It's also meant to be more power-efficient, although as this is a purely wired keyboard, it isn't that important compared to wireless TMR keyboards from other folks.

(Image credit: Future)

As much as this is a keyboard you can use for general day-to-day stuff with its full mechanical set, it's more at home when you use the keycap and switch pullers and swap out the mechanical switches for analog ones, which is very easy. For my testing, I elected to swap the WASD keys, Shift and the 1, 2, and 3 number keys for speed in Counter-Strike 2 for movement, crouching and weapon selection.

With those switches swapped out, you can go into Logitech's G Hub and scan the keyboard, which will recognise the new switches as being analog, and you can then configure things such as rapid trigger, dual actuation and more. I didn't set the actuation and reset as high as 0.1mm, as I've often felt that's too sensitive, and instead set it to a more reasonable 0.5mm.

This decision essentially turns these switches into hair triggers. It means inputs required very little effort, which becomes very handy in quick-draw scenarios where you need to bring a weapon out or throw a grenade as quickly as possible.

Using G-Hub also opens up more advanced features, such as dual actuation, where you can go through a switch's travel with two inputs mapped. This is where the little o-rings that Logitech provides come in, as they're specifically designed to notify you when that second input should be recognised.

There are limits to the G512 X's powers, though, as its switches don't support more progressive and controller-like analogue inputs, as you'll get on rivals from the likes of Wooting and Keychron at this price. This is handy if you wanted to play racing titles such as Forza Horizon 5 with your keyboard.

Logitech provides its own flavour of SOCD tech, known as 'key priority', which is controllable in G Hub, and can be mapped to seemingly any pair of switches. It allows you to activate one key while holding down the other for especially quick actions. In this instance, it works based on the most recent one pressed; for instance, if mapped to the A and D keys (the typical default in a lot of rival choices), it can allow for unnaturally quick side-to-side movement for a tactic known as 'jiggle strafing' in Counter-Strike 2.

It's very clever, although not something you'll probably use too much in online games, given Valve wields the ban hammer for anyone who uses it in online Counter-Strike 2 games.

Connectivity with the G512 X is strictly wired, with no Bluetooth or 2.4GHz wireless choices available. Over this wired connection, you also get an 8000Hz polling rate for more frequent reporting of inputs than 'standard' gaming keyboards, which can lead to a more responsive feel. This isn't necessarily something that mere mortals can feel, although for the pros, where every millisecond counts, it's a useful addition.

• Performance: 4/5

Should I buy the Logitech G512 X?Logitech G512 X scoreboard

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

The G512 X is quite expensive for a wired-only gaming keyboard, even though it boasts some clever features that make it rather versatile. You can get wireless choices at this price, alongside stronger enthusiast-grade mechanical options.

3.5/5

Design and features

I like the look of the G512 X, with its black and purple-accented chassis and the convenience of its 96% layout, although the fact that there's a lot of chassis flex and it's mostly made of plastic leaves a sour taste for the price.

3.5/5

Performance

There's no denying the G512 X is a clever keyboard, with its ability to swap out mechanical switches for HE ones virtually at will, with full compatibility for rapid trigger, SOCD and such with the latter, and this is a fast keyboard with the right switches inside to boot. I just wish it worked on more sockets.

4/5

Overall rating

The G512 X is a curious product that makes for a good mechanical keyboard and a decent rapid trigger one, although it sometimes feels like its versatility is the very thing that lets it down, not least for a higher price tag and with a plastic chassis. I'd still rather have one great keyboard than two good ones.

3.5/5

Buy it if…

You want mechanical and analog switches in one keyboard
The G512 X is quite unique in that it can offer the benefits of both tactile mechanical switches and analog options in one product, providing the comfort of one and the speed of another without needing to change keyboards.View Deal

You want striking looks
I'm also a big fan of the black and purple finish Logitech has opted for with the G512 X, which gives it quite a striking finish against its contemporaries.View Deal

Don’t buy it if…

You want more versatile connectivity
It is possible to get performance-focused gaming decks with wireless connectivity at a similar price to the G512 X, which is useful if you want less visible desk clutter or to connect to multiple devices at once.View Deal

You want something more affordable
As versatile as the G512 X is, it comes at quite a cost, especially if you don't need all of its features. You can sacrifice some elements, and opt for the likes of the Cherry Xtrfy K5 Pro TMR Compact or the Keychron K2 HE and get similar gaming-centric features while pocketing a few extra pounds or dollars.View Deal

Also consider

Corsair K70 Pro TKL:
This Corsair choice is similar in outlay to the G512 X 75% variant, and while it may not offer as much versatility as Logitech's choice, it provides a performance-focused option with fast HE switches, 8000Hz wired polling and comes with more physical controls and a wristrest. Read our Corsair K70 Pro TKL review.View Deal

Keychron K2 HE Concrete Edition:
This special Keychron choice ditches any potential issues with a plastic chassis by using one made of concrete, plus has feature-rich TMR switches with more customisation and input options, plus versatile wireless connectivity for the same price as the G512 X. It doesn't have any mechanical switch options, or 8000Hz polling, though.View Deal

How I tested the Logitech G512 X

• Tested for around a week
• Used for gaming and productivity across Windows and macOS
• A decade of experience as a journalist and mechanical keyboard hobbyist

I tested the G512 X for around a week, using it as my main keyboard for work and play during this time with both Windows and macOS.

I played various games, including Counter-Strike 2 and Forza Horizon 5, to best gauge its TMR switches. I also made sure to use Logitech's G Hub software to test every facet of the keyboard.

I've been a tech journalist for the best part of a decade, and have reviewed plenty of keyboards in that time from brands big and small. I'm also a mechanical keyboard enthusiast, so I have a keen eye for peripherals and have been involved with the hobby before it hit the mainstream.

• Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
• First reviewed: April 2026

It starts with upgrades. It ends with losing control of your own systems

Agentic AI will transform IT operations, but only if the right foundation is in place.

We want to know which ISP you trust. Take our short survey to help us crown a winner.

You don't need expensive products to get healthy hair. These small routine changes can have a big impact

NymVPN's new Pay as You Go service gives users decentralized network access without an account, a subscription, or any identity details.

The UK Government is to support the development of Britain’s AI hardware infrastructure, while also committing to work in establishing international standards for the deployment of AI.

The post UK Government Announces Plans to Grow National AI Infrastructure appeared first on TechRepublic.

The Kenwood MultiPro Go food processor fits into a deep kitchen drawer easily for storing and still powerful enough to slice, grate, knead and chop with ease.

Kenwood MultiPro Go food processor: two-minute review

Full disclosure: I live in a tiny apartment that has more of a kitchenette than a kitchen, so space — both countertop and cabinet — is at a premium. So I usually try to find essential appliances that are compact and eyed the Kenwood MultiPro Go for a long while before putting my faith in it.

The main reason it caught my attention was its design — available in lovely light colours (Clay Red and Storm Blue as Kenwood calls them in Australia, there's an additional green one in the UK), the appliance is eye-catching and memorable compared to the usual black or grey machines. Another positive is its Express Serve attachment that drops processed foods directly into a container of your choice. You do need to use a wide-mouthed container, though, as the processed items won't to scatter through the relatively large opening of the attachment.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

To keep the whole system compact, Kenwood has thoughtfully added a groove for winding the power cable around when stored, although the plug is too large and hangs off the bottom of the base.

While the main bowl and the Express Serve attachment can sit on top of each other if you want to store the appliance that way, they’re not truly stackable and the latter just ‘sits’ atop the former. That said, if they were truly stackable, the entire appliance would be too tall to fit into even a deep drawer or tall cabinet shelf, so storing one attachment separately is definitely the way to go.

The bowl has a full capacity of 1.3L but only about 0.75L of that is usable for effective processing. That is admittedly not a lot, but is sufficient for a small household. For example, it can easily chop an onion or two in one go, grate 2-3 carrots and slice a couple of potatoes without you needing to empty the bowl first.

Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadarSharmishta Sarkar / TechRadarSharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar

Chopping a single large onion took barely 2-3 seconds, but if you find some larger pieces, just give it another quick whirl for better consistency. In a similar vein, grating carrots and cucumbers was also very fast, with two carrots taking no longer than 5-6 seconds. Use the Express Serve attachment for grated and sliced produce and you won’t even need to open the bowl, thus saving you a bit of prep time. Also note that the grating and slicing blade is the same — one side to grate, flip it to slice.

I was rather sceptical about the Kenwood MultiPro Go being able to knead, but making small amounts of cookie and pasta dough is doable. Making breadcrumbs and pesto is also quick and efficient.

Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadarSharmishta Sarkar / TechRadarSharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar

While Kenwood says the parts are all dishwasher safe, I’ve handwashed the attachments every time. This increases the life of the bowl and blades by reducing wear and tear on the parts, and honestly, cleaning them by hand is very easy to do. There aren’t too many nooks and crannies for food to get stuck into, but you can always keep a small brush handy in case items like cheese get caught where your hand can’t reach.

The Kenwood MultiPro Go is, admittedly, a basic food processor, but if all you need are the basics, I couldn’t recommend it highly enough. And it’s not expensive either, even at full price, but it’s often discounted.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Kenwood MultiPro Go review: price & availability

• List price: £54.99 / AU$117
• Available in UK and Australia directly from Kenwood and authorised retailers
• Comes in three colours in the UK, two in Australia

While the Kenwood MultiPro Go food processor isn’t available in the US, it’s widely available in the UK and Australia (as well as other European and APAC markets) for an affordable price of £59 / AU$117. Note that this is the model that’s just the food processor and shouldn’t be confused with the Kenwood MultiPro Go Blend option that adds a small blender attachment to the mix for £89.99 / AU$179.

Even at full price it’s a worthwhile investment if you don’t have too many chef-y needs, but keep an eye out for discounts, either directly from Kenwood or from third-party suppliers. I’ve seen it as low as AU$69 in Australia where I’m based.

In comparison, other compact models like the KitchenAid Go 5 Cup Food Processor will set you back £179 / AU$228 at full price but can also be found discounted (I’ve seen prices around £125 / AU$189). Admittedly the battery-powered model demands a higher price, but I would argue that the Kenwood MultiPro Go is a lot more versatile as the KitchenAid can only chop, whip and purée.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Kenwood MultiPro Go review: specs

Power

650W

Key dimensions

30cm tall, 16cm wide

Total capacity

1.3L

Usable capacity

0.75L

Speeds

1 + Pulse

Blades

2 (chopping knife blade, reversible 4mm slicing/Grating disc)

Other features

Dishwasher safe, Express Serve attachment

Should I buy the Kenwood MultiPro Go food processor?Buy it if...

You don’t have a lot of kitchen countertop or storage space

The Kenwood MultiPro Go is a truly compact kitchen appliance that can be stored away in a large under-cabinet drawer or a cabinet shelf, but note that the Express Serve attachment will need to be kept separately as it's not fully stackable.

You need an affordable food processor

Even at full price, the Kenwood MultiPro Go is affordable, but it's often discounted. It even offers more value for money compared to some of its other compact competitors like the KitchenAid Go, which is battery powered, as it's more versatile despite offering limited functionality.

Don't buy it if...

You have more chef-y needs

While it can knead, chop, slice and grate, you'll need to get something more proficient if you also want to whip, purée and perform other processing that the likes of the Breville Paradice food processors can take care of.

You need to process larger quantities of food

With a maximum usable capacity of just 0.75L for liquids and solids, the MultiPro Go is fine for small batches of food, but you'll need something larger for bigger quantities.

How I tested the Kenwood MultiPro Go

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

I've been using the Kenwood MultiPro Go since late 2025 for personal reasons, but found it so impressive, it needed to be highlighted.

In that time, I've used the compact appliance to process breadcrumbs, make cookie and pasta dough, plus chop onions, slice cucumbers, zucchini, potatoes and sweet potatoes. I've grated cucumbers for tzatziki and carrot for a cake. I've also made pesto and hummus, as well as a coriander and mint chutney.

While I have been tempted to wash the parts in the dishwasher, I've always erred in the side of caution and handwashed the blades and bowls.

Read more about how we test products on TechRadar

[First reviewed May 2026]

Leaving its Kickstarter past behind, IceWhale delivers a second-generation ZimaCube 2 for those who want more of everything in an NAS.

ZimaCube 2: 30-second review

The original ZimaCube was a Kickstarter campaign by IceWhale that delivered a workable NAS with a reasonable specification. Having proven the concept, the ZimaCube 2 Personal Cloud NAS is a direct-to-retail launch that addresses several shortcomings of the original.

Replacing the N100 CPU is a Core i3-1215U, an Intel 12th Generation Alder Lake chip with six cores, eight threads, 20 PCIe 4.0 lanes, and DDR5 memory support.

At $799, it ships with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB NVMe SSD pre-installed, along with ZimaOS already loaded, which can be upgraded to ZimaOS+ for a small fee. Six SATA bays are ready for drives, and four M.2 slots sit in the expansion section for NVMe storage.

That puts it in direct competition with the UGREEN NASync DXP6800 Pro, which costs north of $1,000, though that machine does come with an i5-class CPU.

Where the ZimaCube 2 stands out is its pair of free PCIe slots, which make it straightforward to add 10GbE LAN, a discrete GPU, or additional M.2 capacity. It also accepts up to 32GB of DDR5 memory.

That flexibility extends to software as well. The internal 256GB NVMe drive runs ZimaOS, a Linux-derived NAS platform, but IceWhale also supports TrueNAS for those who prefer it.

On the whole, the ZimaCube 2 addresses many of the complaints levelled at the N100-powered original, while keeping the minimalist styling intact. But with memory and storage prices what they are, is it offering enough performance for buyers looking to run local AI workloads?

This might not be one of the best NAS devices for home and small business users, but the impressive functionality and build quality make it an interesting alternative.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)ZimaCube 2: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? From $799
• When is it out? On pre-order
• Where can you get it? Direct from IceWhale

The ZimaCube 2 is only available direct from IceWhale for $799.

At that price, this Personal Cloud NAS sits above the mainstream six-bay offerings from Synology and QNAP but below their higher-end units with comparable processing power. The QNAP TS-664 in the same bracket uses a Celeron N5105. Neither offers Thunderbolt 4 nor any of the open-platform flexibility.

The Synology DS1825+ is an eight-bay machine that also ships without 10GbE as standard, uses the same AMD Ryzen V1500B with four cores, and comes with 8GB of DDR ECC. Synology asks $1,149.99 for the privilege.

The DS1621+ is now end-of-line and has not been replaced. The only six-bay DS series NAS Synology currently offers is the ageing DS620slim, built for 2.5-inch drives.

Closer in price is the five-bay DS1525+, at $799.99. That gets you the same AMD Ryzen V1500B, the same 8GB of DDR4 ECC, two M.2 slots, USB-C (not Thunderbolt), and a single proprietary PCIe expansion slot with Gen3 x2 lanes. Networking is dual 2.5GbE, though you can add higher speeds via the PCIe slot with a $109.99 E10G22-T1-Mini card.

It is worth noting that since Synology began restricting compatible drives to its own-brand range, you can no longer use third-party M.2 SSDs in these machines. Synology's own SSDs arrive in remarkably small capacities and at eye-watering prices. The SNV5420-400G Enterprise Series M.2 NVMe SSD, a 400GB drive with a 650MB/s write speed, costs $484.99. If Synology is still positioning itself as a prosumer and small-business NAS vendor, its pricing makes that argument difficult to sustain.

Asustor has the Lockerstor 6 Gen3 AS6806T, a six-bay machine with a Quad-Core AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C14, 2.5GbE LAN ports, the option to add 10GbE via PCIe, and four M.2 slots. It lacks Thunderbolt but does support USB4. Asustor wants $1,539.99 for that, which puts it on par with the ZimaCube 2 Pro.

A more balanced comparison is with Ugreen, which launched its iDX series at CES 2026 with Intel Core Ultra 7 processors, dual 10GbE, and Thunderbolt 4 at competitive prices. Those units are entering the market at the same time as the ZimaCube 2, and their specifications closely overlap with those of the ZimaCube 2 Pro.

From Ugreen, and currently on offer, $679.99 gets you the four-bay NASync DXP4800 Pro, which uses the i3-1315U, comes with 8GB of DDR5 RAM, 10GbE and 2.5GbE LAN, and dual M.2 slots running at Gen 4x4. It lacks Thunderbolt and has two fewer bays, but the processor is 13th Gen rather than 12th.

Six bays from Ugreen means stepping up to the NASync DXP5800 Pro, which uses the i5-1235U found in the ZimaCube 2 Pro. It comes with dual 10GbE LAN, 8GB of RAM, dual PCIe Gen4x4 M.2 slots, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and a single PCIe x4 slot. The asking price is $1,027.99. The ZimaCube 2 Pro costs $1,299 and comes with 16GB of memory.

Circling back to the ZimaCube 2, the pricing is reasonable for what you get, particularly when compared to Asustor or Synology.

• Value: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)ZimaCube 2: Specs

Model:

ZimaCube 2 Personal Cloud NAS

CPU:

Intel i3-1215U, 6 Cores, 8 Threads

GPU:

Intel UHD Graphics (64 EUs), Intel Alder Lake-UP3 GT1

NPU:

N/A

RAM:

1x 8GB LPDDR5 (upgradeable to 32GB)

Internal Storage:

256GB SSD for ZimaOS

SATA Storage:

6 bays (3.5 or 2.5 inch)

M.2 Storage:

4 slots M.2 2280/2242/2230 NVMe PCIe 4.0

Ports:

2x Thunderbolt (USB-C) 40Gbps, 4x USB 3.0 USB-A, 1x USB 3.0 USB-C, 1x HDMI 2.0b, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x 3.5mm audio jack, 1x PCIe 4.0 slot (x16 physical, x4 lanes), 1x PCIe 3.0 (x4 physical, x2 lanes)

Networking:

2x RJ45 2.5GbE LAN

OS:

ZimaOS 1.61

Max Capacity:

6x 32TB SATA (192TB) + 4x 8TB M.2 (32TB)

RAID Modes:

JBOD / Basic / RAID 0 / RAID 1 / RAID 5 / RAID 6 / RAID 10

PSU:

External 19V 11.58A 220W

Dimensions:

240 x 221 x 220mm (LxWxH)

Weight:

7.4kg (including the PSU)

ZimaCube 2: Design

• All-metal construction
• Bays are not lockable
• Easy internal access

From the outside, the ZimaCube 2 looks remarkably similar to the original. It is the same size, the same aluminium box, with storage below and the system above, which makes sense from a heat management perspective.

The six front-loading SATA bays sit behind a plastic grille held in place by magnets, but there is no obvious way to remove it. The designer left no tab to pull it or get a fingernail underneath. Having removed it a couple of times, I would be more likely to leave the grille in the box than deal with it repeatedly.

With the grille off, there are six vertically mounted drive trays and a seventh for the four M.2 drives. The trays were a disappointment on several counts.

They are not lockable and require screws, regardless of whether you are fitting 2.5- or 3.5-inch drives. Virtually every branded NAS maker now offers tool-less 3.5-inch trays, and installing 24 screws for a full build is a tedious way to spend an afternoon.

Extracting the M.2 bay means unscrewing a retained thumbscrew, but that alone is not enough to pull it free. Getting it out required me to remove bay six first, just to find something to grip. These are the sort of issues that should have been caught at the prototype stage.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

Another carry-over from the original is the placement of the ports 14cm up the cube. Three USB 3.0 ports sit on the front (two USB-A, one USB-C), alongside an audio jack and the power button. Around the back are the power inlet and reset hole, dual 2.5GbE LAN ports, dual Thunderbolt 4, dual USB 3.0 Type-A, DisplayPort 1.4, and HDMI 2.0 video outputs.

The problem with routing USB and Thunderbolt cables from mid-height is that most external drives ship with cables that are not long enough to reach a desk without some awkward draping. Placing the ports on top would not be much better. This is why most NAS designs put the mainboard, and its associated ports, at the base.

The upside of IceWhale's approach is that the system is genuinely easy to access. Remove four screws, lift the top, and everything is exposed: the DDR5 SODIMMs, the two PCIe slots, the CPU cooler, and an unoccupied M.2 slot on the motherboard.

What I found slightly odd is that there are no fans pushing or pulling air through this area, only small perforations in the sides and rear. Warm air will naturally rise and collect where the system lives, but there is no active mechanism to extract it. The CPU cooler in this model is noticeably larger than the one in the original ZimaCube, which helps, but once the heat leaves the chip, it still has nowhere obvious to go.

Keeping the same enclosure no doubt reduced the cost of bringing the ZimaCube 2 to market. But the fact that almost none of the physical design problems have been addressed is hard to overlook.

• Design: 3.5 / 5

ZimaCube 2: Features

• Intel i3-1215U
• 20 PCIe lanes
• Not an AI platform

More than anything else, the N100 processor is what damaged the original ZimaCube. Intel gave that chip just nine PCIe lanes, which was simply not enough to service six hard drives, USB ports, and dual 2.5GbE LAN simultaneously.

The ZimaCube 2 swaps that for the Intel i3-1215U, a CPU with six cores, eight threads, and, critically, 20 PCIe 4.0 lanes. Since those lanes are PCIe 4.0 rather than PCIe 3.0, the total available bandwidth is more than four times what the N100 could offer.

The architecture splits those six cores into two performance cores with hyperthreading and four efficiency cores, giving eight simultaneous threads in total. That is not as capable as the ZimaCube 2 Pro, which uses the i5-1235U with ten cores, but it is more than sufficient for the typical NAS workload mix.

In practice, the ZimaCube 2 can handle Docker containers, media transcoding, RAID rebuilds, and light virtualisation running concurrently, without the processor becoming the obvious throttle.

That said, the 20 lanes have to stretch across a lot of hardware. The bandwidth consumers include two M.2 slots on the mainboard, four M.2 slots on the bay-seven riser, two PCIe slots, six SATA drives, all the USB ports, dual 2.5GbE LAN, and the two 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 connections. That is why there is no 10GbE LAN port included on the standard model.

The four M.2 slots in the expansion bay also deserve some clarity. Each runs at PCIe Gen 3 x1, which gives an individual bandwidth ceiling of around 800MB/s per slot. That is adequate for tiering or caching, but it is not the full-speed NVMe performance the slot count might suggest. Users expecting PCIe 4.0 x4 speeds will be disappointed. Those planning to use them as high-capacity supplementary storage on top of a SATA array will find them perfectly serviceable.

The obvious answer to both the missing 10GbE port and the slow M.2 slots is the PCIe expansion slot, but what those slots appear to offer and what they actually deliver is worth clarifying.

The larger x16 slot looks as though it could take a low-profile video card, but electrically it is only PCIe 4.0 x4. Each lane delivers 2GB/s, so there is enough bandwidth for a single PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe drive or two 10GbE LAN ports.

The second PCIe slot is physically x4 but electrically only two lanes of PCIe 3.0. IceWhale sells an accessory card for this slot, with two M.2 2280/2242/2230 positions, though it was designed for PCIe 4.0 and would perform better in the x16 slot. With two PCIe 4.0 NVMe drives on that card, each would get around 4GB/s.

There is also a PCIe to 2.5GbE Ethernet adapter available, offering a relatively inexpensive way to add network bandwidth if your infrastructure supports channel bonding. Alternatively, Thunderbolt adapters can deliver 5GbE or even 10GbE if you need it.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

It is hard to overstate how much of an improvement the i3 represents over the N100. The bandwidth increase alone unlocks possibilities that simply were not available before. Even so, this is 12th Gen Intel silicon built on Intel's 10nm Enhanced SuperFin process, a considerable distance behind the Series 100, 200, and 300 silicon Intel currently ships.

There are no AI accelerator components here whatsoever. Ugreen's iDX series has moved to the Intel Core Ultra 7 255H, rated at 96 TOPS. Neither the ZimaCube 2 nor the Pro model can compete with that, so if running a local LLM on your NAS is the goal, this is not the right machine.

One last point worth flagging is the memory configuration. The machine ships with a single 8GB DDR5 module. There is a free slot, so getting to 16GB is straightforward, but a single module means the NAS is not running in dual-channel mode. DDR5 4800MT/s is inherently dual-channel in specification, but most systems only enable it with two modules fitted. Adding a matching module would noticeably improve memory bandwidth.

IceWhale states the system accepts two 32GB modules for a maximum of 64GB, which is four times the total in the N100. At current RAM prices, most buyers are unlikely to go that far, but there is headroom if needed.

The ZimaCube 2 platform is a significant step forward from the original. The problem is that the NAS market has moved forward, and some of the competition is now ahead of where this machine has landed.

• Features: 4 / 5

ZimaCube 2: Software

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

• ZimaOS Plus
• Paid licensing tier
• TrueNAS approved

ZimaOS arrives pre-installed and boots straight to a browser-based dashboard, with no keyboard or monitor required during setup, provided the machine finds a network connection.

The interface has matured considerably since the early CasaOS days. Drive management, RAID configuration, Docker container deployment, and an app store covering Plex, Jellyfin, Immich, Photoprism, Home Assistant, and several hundred more are all accessible from the same web UI, with no command line needed.

Compared to the relatively limited app selection that Ugreen currently offers, ZimaOS looks well-stocked. Plex, Home Assistant, Jellyfin, Nextcloud, Syncthing, Pi-hole, Portainer, Tailscale, and WordPress are all there.

It is worth noting, though, that most of these apps are not native ZimaOS applications. When you launch them, they open as web-based applications with their own port numbers rather than appearing within the main system interface. That suggests the App Manager is essentially managing pre-configured Docker installations behind the scenes.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

There is a reasonable argument that with tools like Portainer now widely available, the concept of native applications matters less than it once did. That was previously one of the strongest selling points for Synology. What ZimaOS does is make Docker installs feel as seamless as native apps while still delivering the functionality users actually want.

What users do not want is an unexpected bill.

The introduction of a paid ZimaOS Plus tier, priced at $29 for life, has generated debate in the community. IceWhale frames it as a contribution to sustainable development rather than a subscription, and states that a third of licence revenue is distributed back to community contributors.

Core functionality for most home users is available without the Plus licence. The paid tier unlocks unlimited disk support, unlimited users, and certain advanced features. Whether that feels fair depends on how much of the Plus tier a given user actually needs. Given the overall cost of the machine, asking for a licence on top feels like a second bite of the cherry.

If you don’t pay the extra $29, you get a version of ZimaOS that can support a maximum of four disks and three users. And, although basic RAID is available in the free version, Plus enables advanced configurations for better redundancy and data protection, including enhanced support for ZFS and larger storage arrays. There are also enhancements in remote access, backup/sync and priority support.

It’s worth noting that the license is ‘lifetime’, but it applies only to that specific hardware, not to any other ZimaOS devices.

That said, the cost and the debate can both be sidestepped entirely. The platform was designed with OS flexibility in mind, and TrueNAS, Unraid, Proxmox, and OpenMediaVault all run without modification. pfSense and OPNsense are options for anyone wanting to repurpose the hardware as a network appliance.

• Software: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)ZimaCube 2: Performance

• Network options
• Expansion possibilities
• Limited M.2 performance

The case for buying the ZimaCube 2 Standard over its predecessor rests almost entirely on the Core i3-1215U. The original ZimaCube's N100 was a four-core, low-power processor with nine PCIe 3.0 lanes, which proved wholly inadequate for a six-bay NAS running dual 2.5GbE networking alongside M.2 storage and any active workload.

The i3-1215U changes things fundamentally. Six cores and eight threads with 20 PCIe 4.0 lanes means the bus contention that plagued the N100 is no longer a concern. Docker containers and media transcoding can now run at the same time without the processor struggling, and the system can handle light virtualisation on top of that.

Networking on the standard model tops out at dual 2.5GbE, which in practical terms means a ceiling of around 280MB/s per port. For home backup, media streaming to multiple devices, and general file serving, that is adequate. For workloads demanding higher throughput, the Thunderbolt 4 ports offer a direct-attach path at up to 40Gbps, which is a meaningful alternative to 10GbE for single-machine workflows.

Anyone wanting permanent 10GbE over the network will need the Pro model, or will need to use the PCIe 4.0 slot for a 10GbE card. These are not expensive, and you are not limited to IceWhale-approved options.

From a performance standpoint, the weak link in the ZimaCube 2 is the M.2 expansion section. Gen 3 x1 per slot does not offer a dramatic improvement over SATA SSD speeds. If you plan to use the slots for hard drive caching, one slot for reads and one for writes, the speeds are acceptable. For anything more demanding, the PCIe 4.0 slot is again the route to better performance.

And that is the underlying tension. The PCIe 4.0 slot is the answer to the 10GbE question, the faster M.2 question, and the GPU question. But there is only one of them. Giving this machine four times the bandwidth of its predecessor turned out not to be quite enough.

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

• Performance: 3.5/5

ZimaCube 2: Final verdict

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

The ZimaCube 2 is a much better machine than the original, but several problems have been carried straight over from the first generation without being fixed.

IceWhale seems committed to the cube form factor, even though NAS buyers generally do not care what shape their hardware is. What is telling is that the team listened carefully to criticism of the N100 processor and acted on it, yet largely ignored feedback about the missing drive tray locks and the awkward port placement.

Perhaps the third generation can fix what this one has not, while still keeping the distinctive shape.

In other respects, the ZimaCube 2 is the machine the original should have been. Swapping the N100 for the Core i3-1215U removes the architectural ceiling that undermined the first generation, and Thunderbolt 4 gives the standard model a high-speed access path that partially offsets the 2.5GbE networking limitation.

The M.2 expansion section is slower than its slot count implies, and 8GB of RAM is tight for a machine capable of running Docker containers alongside a six-bay RAID array. But both are straightforward to fix, and the open platform means the hardware is not held back by the software running on it.

At $799, this is a genuinely compelling option for anyone who wants a capable, expandable, properly hackable six-bay server without paying Pro prices.

Should you buy a ZimaCube 2?

Value

Lots of features, a solidly built

4 / 5

Design

Repeat of the first ZimaCube

3.5 / 5

Features

Six bays, six M.2 slots and PCIe expansion

4 / 5

Software

Workable OS once you have paid extra for + option

4 / 5

Performance

Limited by the 2.5GbE LAN ports and Gen3x1 M.2 slots

3.5 / 5

Overall

Plenty of possibilities in one NAS

4 / 5

Buy it if...

You want something flexible
The ability to configure this system in numerous ways is undoubtedly a strong point. It has enough processing power for multiple functions, and you can expand storage, memory and network bandwidth as required.

You like value for money
While it isn’t cheap exactly, what you get for the asking price is impressive when compared to some name brands. The quality of construction is high, and you can easily upgrade many aspects.

Don't buy it if...

You want an AI-capable NAS
IceWhale do include some AI tools in the apps store for ZimaOS, the processor in this NAS doesn’t have a dedicated NPU.

What you can do is add a low-profile video card, like the Nvidia RTX Pro 2000 included in the Creator Pack version of the ZimaCube 2, boosting the Compute functionality. But that costs $2499.99, for a system with an i5 CPU and 64GB of RAM.

You want 10GbE networking out of the box
It is possible to put a 10GbE network card in this system, but that takes up the PCIe slot that you might want for a graphics card or faster M.2 slots. Without the 10GbE card you are limited to dual 2.5GbE LAN ports. View Deal

For more NAS solutions we've collated the best NAS hard drives around

Two U.S. service members are missing in southwestern Morocco after taking part in annual multinational military exercises in the North African country, the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) said.

(Image credit: Mosa'ab Elshamy)