XPC SB51G

Das ist wirklich beeindruckend!
Das Shuttle-Gehäuse im Mini-Format ist so unglaublich klein und beinhaltet dennoch so unglaublich viele Funktionen. Shuttle wollte alle Funktionen eines herkömmlichen PCs in einem winzigen Gehäuse integrieren und hat dieses Ziel in perfekter Weise erreicht. Das kleine 200W Netzteil bietet genügend Strom, um 2x 120GB WD7200 Festplatten, eine Ti4600 Grafikkarte und irgendeinen P4 Prozessor, einschließlich der 3,06 GHz CPU mit Hyper-Threading Funktion. (...) Von außen sieht es sehr attraktiv aus und hat harmonische Farben: silbergraues gebürstetes Aluminium mit durchgehender Struktur. Das Endgewicht (mit allen Komponenten) ist weniger als 7 kg - und dies ist ein neuer Record. Normalerweise wiegen alle unseren bisherigen Gehäuse mindestens 12 kg ohne daß alle Komponenten komplett installiert sind. Es ist eindrucksvoll, daß es trotz der geringen Abmessungen wirklich alle Dinge eingebaut hat, die wir üblicherweise brauchen und noch mehr. Auch die Details stimmen: beginnend von den unwichtigen Dingen wie die blaue LED, die Knöpfe, die kleinen Front-Füßchen und die Rändelschrauben.

+ Stilvolles Gehäuse, gute Farbe, komplett aus Aluminium
+ Viel Raum trotz kleiner Abmessungen
+ es ist tatsächlich einfach zu installieren
+ proprietäres I.C.E. Kühlsystem, die sehr gut funktioniert
+ farbige Installations-Anleitung
+ viele optionale Zubehörteile
+ preisgünstig
+ genug freier Platz
+ leicht zu installieren/deinstallieren
+ gutes 200W Netzteil
+ klares gutes Design
+ Frontpanel-Anschlüsse: USB, Firewire(1394), SPDIF-out, Sound (Kopfhörer/Mikrofon)
+ blaue und orange LED (Power und Festplatte)
+ Rändelschrauben
+ vormontiert ausgeliefert, mit speziellem Mainboard (845GE, DDR333, HT-support)

Es ist nur ganz klein, paßt überall hin und ist fast für jeden geeignet. Stell es hin, wohin du willst. (...) nehm es mit zur LAN-Party, benutze es als Fileserver wenn du willst, verbinde ein paar hundert davon zu einem Cluster um einen Super-Computer zu erhalten oder baue dir einen normalen Spiele-PC zusammen. We mögen es sehr.

English translation:

That is really ingenious!
The Shuttle case in mini format is so unbelievable small, but contains so unbelievable many features. It is Shuttle's ideology to integrate all the functionality of an unsual PC in a tiny case and they really achieve this goal in perfect way. The small 200W power supply gives sufficient power, in order to supply 2x 120GB WD7200 harddisks, a Ti4600 and any P4 processor, including the 3.06 GHz with Hyper-Threading support. (...) From outside it is very attractive and it has harmonic colours: silvergrey brushed aluminum with throughout structure. The final weight (with all inclusive) is below 7 kg - and this is another record. Usually all our cases weigh at least 12 kg without installing all the components completely. It is impressive, that despite its small dimensions it has really all things we usually need and much more. All the details - from the minor things like the blue power LED, the buttons, the small cute front feet and the thumbscrews.

+ Stylish case, good color. throughout aluminum construction
+ Much room, despite the small size
+ in fact, it's easy to install
+ proprietary I.C.E. cooling engine, which functions very well
+ colored installation guide
+ many optional accessories
+ good value
+ enough free space
+ easy to install/deinstall
+ good 200W power supply
+ clear good design
+ frontpanel connectors: USB, Firewire(1394), SPDIF-out, Sound (headphone/mic)
+ blue and orange LED (power and HDD)
+ Thumscrews
+ delivered pre-mounted, including special mainboard (845GE, DDR333, HT-support)

It has only small dimensions, fits everywhere and for almost everybody. Put it, where you want. (...) take it with you to LAN party, as fileserver if you want, build an cluster of some hundreds of them will result in a super computer, or build yourself a harmless gaming machine. We like it very much!

SB51 ist der absolut beste PC im Small-Form-Factor Format!
Der Sieger an allen Fronten!

Der Grundaufbau des SB51G folgt dem Design von Shuttle's äußerst beliebten SS51G-System mit einigen Änderungen. Das SB51G verfügt über den Intel 845GE-Chipsatz mit besserer Gesamt-Performance und Grafik-Power. Auch das Gehäuse ist vorn und hinten leicht verändert worden, damit die Luft besser hindurchströmt - zusammen mit einer geänderten Acryl-Front, wodurch die Farbe besser zu den beigen optischen Laufwerken paßt. (...) Kurzum, das SB51G scheint ein System zu sein, woran sich sowohl Spieler als auch deine Großmutter erfreuen könnte. (...) Der neueste XPC hat einiges zu bieten: bessere Gesamt-Performance, schnellere integrierte Grafik mit schärferem Bild, einen eleganteren Gesamteindruck und bessere Gehäuse-Belüftung. Ganz zu schweigen, daß dieser XPC einen Intel-Chipsatz hat, was nicht nur bedeutet, daß diese Plattform extrem stabil ist, sondern daß dieses System auch für Intel's Hyperthreading-fähigen Prozessoren geeignet ist, was zusätzliche Performance ergibt. (...) Da es hier nicht viel Konkurrenz, ist es allzu offensichtlich für uns, daß das SB51G heute der absolut beste Small-Form-Factor (= SFF) PC auf dem Markt ist. (...) Shuttle beherrscht weiterhin den SFF-Markt. Nach dem Meeting mit Shuttle auf der Comdex-Messe war ich begeistert über die Richtung, die Shuttle in der Zukunft mit ihrer XPC-Familie einschlägt. Shuttle hat bereits zukünftige XPCs am Laufen, die auf nVidia's nForce2 und Intel's E7205 (Granite Bay) basieren. Und sie beginnen damit, eine breite Palette von Zusatzartikeln und Extras für ihre XPC-Modelle anzubieten. Das SB51G ist ein ausgezeichnetes kleines System, welches absolut mit der Performance der Systeme in der üblichen Bauform mithalten kann. Ein Sieger an allen Fronten.

English:

SB51G is the absolute best SSF PC!
A Winner on all fronts!

The SB51G follows the same basic design as Shuttle's ultra-popular SS51G system, with a few alterations. The SB51G features the Intel 845-GE chipset for better overall performance and onboard graphics power. The chassis also features slightly redesigned front and rear bezels for better airflow, along with a modified acrylic front cover for better color matching with beige optical drives. (...) In short, the SB51G looks to be a system that both gamers and your grandmother could both enjoy. (...) The latest XPC brings a lot to the table, including better overall system performance, a sharper and faster integrated graphics core, a sleeker overall look, and better airflow through the chassis. Not to mention this XPC has an Intel branded chipset, which not only means the platform will be extremely stable, but allows this system to be used with Intel Hyperthreading-ready processors for added performance. (...) While there isn't much competition at this point, it's glaringly clear to us that the SB51G is the absolute best SFF PC on the market today. (...) Shuttle still holds the reigns of the SFF market. After meeting with Shuttle at Comdex, I can't help but be very excited to see where Shuttle is taking the XPC family in the future. Shuttle already has future XPC systems based on nVidia's nForce2 and Intel's E7205 (Granite Bay) in the works, and is starting to offer a wide array of add-ons and extras for their XPC models. The SB51G is a superb little system, and absolutely can deliver full-sized PC performance in a pint-sized form factor. A winner on all fronts.

Part 1: Installation here
Part 2: Multimedia here
Part 3: Burning/Scanning here
Part 4: Windows under Linux here

The Shuttle XPC and Linux Revolution. Part I - Installation.

The past decade of home computing has created an almost universal stereotype of the personal computer - a large beige tower running a Microsoft Windows operating system. (...) The move away from the beige case is largely the result of increasing competition amongst hardware suppliers, desperate to find a means of making their product stand apart from the competition. (...) The last twelve months has seen a growing trend for more and more functionality to be integrated into the motherboard - networking, audio, video, Bluetooth wireless, RAID, USB, IEEE1394, and so on. (...) One of the most significant manufacturers to recognize and exploit this emerging trend has been Shuttle, with the launch and growth of their Shuttle XPC small form factor computing range. In addition to developing their own small form factor motherboard standard, Shuttle have focussed on developing a distinctively simple, but elegant, computer housing a quarter of the size of a standard PC. They have recognised the other major bug-bear of the modern computer - noise - and patented novel techniques such as the Integrated Cooling Engine (ICE) heat pipe cooler to allow great cooling with very little noise. However, despite the reduction in size and noise and the change in colour, Shuttle have been careful not to sacrifice performance over the beige box, and these elegant aluminium dwarves of the PC world perform just as well as their larger relatives, albeit with fewer expansion slots. It is clear that the small form factor PC as pioneered by Shuttle will become increasingly commonplace and may soon become as synonymous with home computing as the beige box.

(...) it has taken over a decade for Linux to emerge from the obscurity of the geek's bedroom and the hacker's lab to reach a sufficiently mature and user-friendly state that it is feasible to discuss its use for a home computer. (...) The growth of Linux is far from slowing, and it is becoming increasingly commonplace for manufacturers to now directly provide Linux support for their products. In addition, several big names in the computer industry such as IBM and Sun Microsystems are donating considerable resources to the Linux development process, resulting in a system that rivals Windows in many areas. (...) Sudhian are pleased to start a new series of articles to explore this alternative model for the home computer. The aim of this series will to be investigate how realistic it is for the home user to migrate from the beige box and Windows to the small form factor PC running Linux. Along the way we'll look at many of the exciting new uses that a Shuttle XPC can be put to, exploiting its small size, low noise and integrated networking and 5.1 audio features. (...) The small footprint of the Shuttle means that it is quite reasonable to have it in the living room, and to use it as a Home Theatre Personal Computer (HTPC) or "Windows Media Centre" PC. Many people assume that this kind of functionality is not available under Linux, so we'll be taking a close look at what multimedia features are available under Linux. (...)

Conclusion: The installation of Red Hat Linux 8.0 on the Shuttle SB51G was not difficult (...) In our next article in this series we'll start to take a look at how to configure your Shuttle SB51G for multimedia applications. Until then, enjoy your new system!

Insgesamt hat SB51 eine hervorragende Performance - etwas, was wir auch von der Shuttle XPC-Linie erwarten konnten. Jeder, der sich dieses System anschaffen möchte, wird nicht enttäuscht. (...)

Conclusion: So does Shuttle have yet another winner on their hands? To put it simply: yes. Shuttle has enjoyed huge successes with their XPC line, and looking to the future, it only seems to get better. The SB51 is a great system that is hard to beat. Shuttle is enjoying the fact that there aren’t that many competitors that offer SFF systems, and some of the ones that do even use Shuttle’s own motherboards to power them. (...)

Overall the SB51 is a great performer – something we have come to expect from the XPC lineup from Shuttle. Anyone looking to buy this system won’t be disappointed. (...)

(...) What has to be the most impressive aspect of the SB51G from Shuttle, is the fact that in every situation, this tiny cube computer performs on par with its full sized counterparts, based on the similar configurations. Add to the mix, its 3 Firewire, 4 USB 2.0 ports, on board 10/100 Ethernet and 5.1 AC '97 Sound, and you've got a great little system that packs the punch and features of something more than three times its size. (...) once again, Shuttle pulls down the EC Award for Innovation and Excellence.

Empfehlung der Redaktion!

The SB51G's performance speaks for itself. This thing is just as fast as the fastest full-sized ATX motherboards we have on hand today. In fact, working with the SB51G has made me start wondering whether I wouldn't want to replace my desktop PC with an XPC system. These aren't idle thoughts, either; it's about time for an upgrade to the DamageBox (then again, isn't it always time for an upgrade?).

The XPC line has gotten so good, Shuttle has reduced the tradeoffs of owning an XPC system to the simple limitations of the form factor. You only get so many drive bays and expansion slots inside, but beyond that, the XPC SB51G is nearly everything an enthusiast would want in a PC. (...)

In fact, next to the FB51 motherboard, those full-sized boards don't seem like such an accomplishment anymore. Shuttle includes almost all the same bells and whistles on the FB51, plus graphics. (...) the SB51G just rocks. I can't believe how far these cubes have come. Consider one of these things seriously when it comes time to build your next PC.

(...) Miniature barebones systems have come a long way and have metamorphed from the ugly duckling (Sorry, Danny, no pun intended) to extremely serious performance machines. (...) we are all of a sudden confronted with an entirely new alternative to home and business computing that spells: Low cost, low noise and low space requirement while offering the best integrated connectivity anyone could have without the security risks of wireless protocols that still need to be weeded out. (...) What we did not mention so far is the fact that Shuttle is riding the waves of success not only passively but that they are actively adding more features to the SFF concept. Multi-colored face plates are just the beginning, the next step already includes integrated LCD display on the front panel instead of requiring an extra monitor. It is true that some of the ideas belong into the realm of concept showcasings rather than into real life production but what is also true is that the XPC is, in fact, a milestone in the history of the PC.
Low noise and space requirements allow to move the XPC from the office into the living room where it can serve multiple purposes from a high end workstation over a home entertainment system to a communication docking station at the same time. Space requirements are extremely important in urban environments, that is, appartment buildings where not only square footage counts but vertical space needs to be taken into consideration as well. Likewise, particularly in smaller appartments, noise reduction is of enormous importance and that is where the SB51, along with its predecessors fits right in. 
So, what is wrong with this picture? We have heard arguments that Shuttle should adhere to more commonly employed formats like the new VIA ITX mainboards built around their Eden processors. Realistically, though, there are hardly less efficient ways to shoot oneself in the foot than opening up a really proven concept to third party competition (if we exclude Apple / MacIntosh). As long as Shuttle is capable of providing new mainboards that fit into the same boxes, why in the world would they encourage anybody else to do the same? (...)
So what is the overall verdict here? It is very simple: With the connectivity offered by the SB51 in form of USB2.0 and firewire, there is no real requirement for any further internal expansion slots, keep it mean and lean as it is. At this point in time, if I were to buy any new system, it would be one of the XPCs and the SB51G would be very high on the list but I am still waiting for the nForce2 version combined with a Barton. 
In over 5 years and several hundred reviews we have given out only a handful of editor's choice awards for exceptional achievements in personal computing. The SB51G for sure deserves to be added to this illustrious list. Keep them coming, for me, XPC is the future of personal computing.

9 out of 10
Rock solid stability, relatively quiet, good performance, terrific form factor.

Conclusions: The SB51G easily keeps pace with other Pentium 4 systems (...) The SB51G also outpaces Shuttle's earlier Pentium 4 XPC, the SS51G. The SS51G may be available at a lower cost, but the overall performance of the SB51G likely outweighs any minor differences in price. (...)

Great LAN Party Box
Meanwhile, the SB51G is the core of a superb LAN party box. In fact, if you don't need the expansion capability, it's an excellent PC in just about every way. All you need to do is add your own ingredients -- CPU, RAM, storage, graphics. You don't even need a sound card, if the integrated Intel 6-channel soft audio is enough for your applications. 

The SB51G is quite cost-effective, too. It's in the same ballpark pricing as a bulkier system. (...) About the only item that kept us from giving it a perfect "10" was the issue of expandability. If Shuttle ever manages to squeeze a second PCI slot into this form factor, then it would be damned near perfect. Even so, with built-in networking, FireWire, USB 2.0, as well as solid stability, great performance and its quota of "cute", the SB51G's Feng Shui is off the charts.