Review monoblock ASUS Zen AiO (ZN242IF)

Today's review is devoted to a curious device - a compact monoblock with very narrow frames and a matte touch (!) Display. Meet the new ASUS Zen AiO (ZN242IF).

Specifications

Operating system : Windows 10 Home
Display : 23.8 "(60.5 cm), IPS, 1920 x 1080, NanoEdge frame, multitouch touchscreen, color coverage 100% NTSC
Processor :
Intel Core i7 7700HQ
Intel Core i5 7300HQ
Chipset : Intel HM175
Graphics : NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050
Memory :
8 to 32 GB DDR4 2400 MHz
to 16 GB Intel Optane Memory Data
storage :

• HDD up to 1 TB, SATA
• SSD 128/256/512 GB, PCIe Gen 3 x 4

Wireless data transfer :

• Wi-Fi 802.11 ac
• Bluetooth

LAN : 1 Gigabit
Camera : 1 MP
Audio : SonicMaster
Speakers : 2 x 3 W
Connectors :

• 4 x USB 3.1 Gen 1
• 1 x SD / MMC card reader
• 1 x USB 2.0
• 1 x HDMI 2.0 (output)
• 1 x RJ45
• 1 x Headphones
• 1 x Microphone

Dimensions : 540 x 406 x 42 ~ 193 mm (L x W x H) (without frame)
Weight : 5 kg

Appearance

The monoblock is laid in a box with the stand removed, for which you do not even need a screwdriver.



The design of the monoblock is made in the style of minimalism and purity of lines. The first thing that catches your eye is the very narrow frame of the NanoEdge, thanks to which almost a 24-inch display looks much more compact than traditional counterparts.



At the same time, the frames and the surface of the display itself are on the same level, because of this the device looks stylishly flat.



Only at the bottom is a narrow decorative aluminum socket.





A long, low button is visible on the top.





If you click on it, a block with a webcam and two microphones leaves the monoblock. An elegant solution that will appeal to anyone who prefers to glue camera lenses with plaster and tape so that hackers, the FSB and the CIA do not spy on them. In addition, the module is equipped with two infrared sensors, through which you can use the Windows Hello face recognition function and enter the system without entering a password, only smiling at your computer nicely.



The back side of the monoblock is made in the form of a monolithic aluminum bath.





On the left is the power button, and the double hole next to it is one of the stereo speakers.



To the right of the vertical axis there are a number of various connectors: RJ45, power connector, three USB 3.0 and one USB 2.0, as well as connectors for microphone and headphones.







Maximum tilt:



On the bottom there are ventilation grilles, another USB 3.0 connector and a card reader.





The power supply is large, with an unexpectedly massive plug.



Also included are a wireless keyboard and mouse, working through one tiny USB-receiver. The mouse is powered by one AA battery, the keyboard - by two AAA. The mouse is plastic, and at the keyboard the top panel is made of aluminum.

Display

One of the main features of the new Zen AiO: the total width of the NanoEdge frames from the edge of the device to the image is less than 6 mm.





At the same time, the ZN242IF managed to broaden my horizons: it turns out, it is quite possible to make the touch screens matte with all the accompanying buns: no glare to you, a times higher “resistance” to fingerprints and they are much less noticeable. At the same time, the display is also multi-touch, recognizes the touch of several fingers. It was much more convenient to steer into Windows with simultaneous hand and mouse! Well, I have no complaints about the quality of the picture: a good IPS-matrix with a 100% NTSC gamut and 178 degrees viewing angles is applied here.

Sound

In the monoblock, 6W stereo speakers are installed and the proprietary technology ASUS SonicMaster Premium is used. Due to the large volume of the resonators, the sound of the Zen AiO was deep, with a good volume margin. Due to the backward-directed speakers, the sound is not sharp and directional, but surround, with good detail.

Performance

Zen AiO (ZN242IF) can be supplied with one of two processors: Intel Core i7 7700HQ or Intel Core i5 7300HQ . The amount of RAM - from 8 to 32 GB DDR 4. There is also a modification of Zen AiO with Intel Optane RAM , with lower latency and increased performance.



Monoblock comes with two drives: HDD with a capacity of up to 1 TB and SSD 128, 256 or 512 GB, with a PCIe Gen 3 x 4 interface.





Responsible for the graphics Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 with 4 GB of memory. Very decent video card, especially in combination with the i7 7700HQ. It was hardly advisable to put more powerful components into a monoblock: the layout is rather tight, and it would be difficult to cool especially hot components with a compact cooling system, and the noise would be too loud. And so, even in the most difficult benchmarks, Zen AiO works almost silently - only the fan starts to hum when the load increases.

Conclusion

Zen AiO - alternative to traditional desktop computers. The advantages include compactness, powerful iron, a very quiet cooling system, a matte touch multi-touch display, a high-quality sound system with an elegant design, an interesting technical solution with a retractable webcam. Five USB ports (four 3.0 and one 2.0) are enough for all imaginable tasks, especially given that the mouse and keyboard hang on one port. At the same time, there is already Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in the monoblock. And Zen AiO also supports ZenAnywhere service: if you install a branded mobile application on a smartphone, you can remotely turn on / off the all-in-one, send it to sleep and control the webcam. You can dream up about possible scenarios for using this feature.

Recommended retail price: from 59 920 rub.