ZimaBoard vs Refurbished PC Home Firewall System

5-Year Power Cost Calculation:

Assuming a power unit price of Rs. 8 and 24/7 operation:

• ZimaBoard:
  5W to 10W = (5W/1000) × 24 × 365 × 5 × 8 = Rs. 1,752 – Rs. 3,504

• Mini PC:
  11W to 15W = (11W/1000) × 24 × 365 × 5 × 8 = Rs. 3,857 – Rs. 5,785

Overall Cost Analysis:

• ZimaBoard: Rs. 25,000 + Rs. 3,500 = Rs. 28,500

• Refurbished Mini PCs:

  • Lower Range: Rs. 5,000 + Rs. 6,000 = Rs. 11,000

  • Higher Range: Rs. 12,000 + Rs. 6,000 = Rs. 18,000

Refurbished Mini PCs offer better overall value and superior performance even after accounting for slightly higher power consumption.

Performance for Your Tasks

The suitability of ZimaBoard for RDP gaming, 4K video streaming, and video conferencing depends on its specifications and workload:

• CPU Limitation: ZimaBoard uses Intel Celeron processors, which might not provide sufficient processing power for simultaneous RDP gaming, 4K streaming, and video conferencing, especially for 10 users.

• Network Bandwidth: pfSense will need to manage the network traffic for these tasks. Ensure you have a high-speed internet connection with adequate upload/download capacity.

• Hardware Resources:

  • RDP Gaming: Requires consistent CPU and network performance, which may be challenging for ZimaBoard if the game demands high resources.

  • 4K Streaming: Requires around 25 Mbps per stream. Ensure the firewall and internet connection can handle the combined bandwidth.

  • Video Conferencing: A single HD video call needs about 2 Mbps per user. Multiply this by the number of participants to estimate total bandwidth.

Will It Work Smoothly 24x7?

Challenges with ZimaBoard:

• Processing Power: The Intel Celeron in ZimaBoard might become a bottleneck under high loads, particularly with multiple demanding tasks running simultaneously.

• RAM: ZimaBoard has limited RAM, which may not support multiple VMs efficiently alongside heavy applications.

• Network Ports: ZimaBoard typically has fewer Ethernet ports, which might limit its flexibility in more complex setups.

Recommendation:
For 24x7 operation supporting RDP gaming, 4K streaming, and video conferencing for 10 users, a refurbished mini PC with a stronger CPU (e.g., Intel i5/i7) and more RAM would be a better choice. ZimaBoard is better suited for lighter workloads like home firewall setups or basic office tasks.

Why Refurbished Mini PCs Are the Better Choice

Superior Performance:
Refurbished mini PCs, equipped with Intel i3, i5, or even i7 processors, offer the processing power necessary for advanced firewall configurations. They are better suited for tasks like intrusion detection, VPN servers, and managing high traffic, making them ideal for smart homes and small office setups.

Cost-Effective:
While ZimaBoard is marketed as a budget-friendly solution, its higher initial cost negates its power-saving advantage over time. Refurbished mini PCs, starting at Rs. 5,000, provide unbeatable value with enterprise-grade reliability.

Scalability:
Mini PCs allow for hardware upgrades, ensuring that your firewall system can adapt to growing network demands. This flexibility is crucial for users planning to expand their home network or integrate additional services in the future.

Ease of Use:
With pre-installed operating systems and straightforward setup processes, refurbished mini PCs are user-friendly and accessible even to those with limited technical expertise.

Power Consumption Estimates and Electricity Costs

To accurately estimate the electricity costs for each device, we need to know their typical power consumption. Unfortunately, specific power consumption figures can vary depending on the exact model and usage patterns. However, we can make some general estimates based on typical power consumption ranges for these devices: