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XPC SB52G2

 
  • Intended especially for Server-use
    Mini aluminum barebone system
  • Socket 478 supports 400/533FSB and Hyper-Threading
  • Chipset: Intel 845GV / ICH4
  • Low noise with ICE-Heatpipe Cooling
  • Two network connectors: 1000/100/10 and 100/10
  • 2x PCI, 2x DDR266/200, 6x USB 2.0
  • 6 Channel audio with SPDIF out

 

Press reviews about SB52G2

 

ITNetCentral.com Philippines: Saving Space with Style


ITNetCentral.com Philippines
www.itnetcentral.com/...
6. June 2003
Shuttle XPC SB52G2 and SN41G2 mini-barebone server and PC: Saving space with style
(...) the Shuttle XPC SB52G2 gets our collective nods. If you're cruising for a barebones PC that'll double as a server (and save space at the same time), look no further. This is the one you need. This is also a great choice if you want to have a portable server (great for those LAN parties). 

 

Hardware-Test.dk: Excellent Product Award


Hardware-Test.dk
www.hardware-test.dk/...
12. April 2003
Excellent Product Award
Really exciting, throw the whole test I was excited by finding new functions and stuff. I'm not disappointed after having the Shuttle tested, but it might also have something to do with, that I didn't had any demand to it before the test. I was curious on how well the cooling would be, but I've got to say, that it was very impressive, and well functionally, so well done Shuttle for the good system. Besides that computer was running very well, they have also made a nice looking front, there are grills on the sides of the barebone. There are also 2 PCI slots, which are not what you expect when you open the computer, which is very small. I sure miss an AGP slot, and it could have replaced one of the PCI slots. But as I know, this barebone isn't made for gaming, and Shuttle have done the right thing making a nice serverbarebone. Just as you think this machine can't do anymore, then you have to remember the 1Gbit onboard LAN. It's from Intel and it rocks. I didn't have the opportunity to test the 1Gbit LAN on any network, but I can promise you that it will run fast and stable. This little machine has more offer, it have the 6 channels soundcard, and that's very nice too. So this barebone is suitable to many things, you can use it as a small DVD computer at the TV, and on the same time use Dolby Digital 5.1 on any amplifier, receiver etc. It's also practical as a small and fast firewall or something like that because it has the 2 ethernet cards.

+ Stable.
+ Really nice case.
+ Nice for cluster solutions.
+ Small as a barebone has to be.
+ Made out of aluminium.
+ Onboard 10/100Mbit and 10/100/1000Mbit.
+ 6-channels soundcard.
+ Very good cooler.
+ Self-regulating at xx degrees.
+ 2 PCI slots.

 

PCMag.de: Editor's Choice Award


PCMag.de Website
www.pcmag.de/...
March, 10th 2003
Sieht gut aus, ist klein, bietet viel, stabil, gute Verarbeitung
Gut einsetzbar als Mini-Server!

Shuttle liefert ein fertig zusammengebautes Mini-Barebone mit viel Zubehör. (...) Zu Beginn ist zu sagen, dass das Gehäuse (295 x 200 x 180mm, 4,48 kg) dieses PCs sehr schön aussieht, da es komplett im Aluminium-Look gehalten ist. Es ist sehr gut verarbeitet und wirklich gut konstruiert bzw. durchdacht.  Sehr behilflich beim Einbau aller Komponenten war vor allen Dingen das mitgelieferte Installations-Handbuch (...) Trotz der geringen Größe, bietet hoch-integrierte Mainboard wirklich sehr viel. (...) Aufgrund der Ausrichtung dieses Modells, nämlich dem Office-/Server-Markt, hat man sich den AGP-Port seitens Shuttle gespart. Die Frage ist ja, ob man überhaupt erweitern muss! Wir meinen nein, denn wenn Ihr Euch die folgende Tabelle der onboard Komponenten und anderen Komponenten anschaut, werdet Ihr sehen, dass wirklich fast alles integriert ist. (...) Ein sehr wichtiger Punkt, gerade bei diesem Mini-Barebone, ist die Stabilität des Systems.  In unseren Tests, die fast eine Woche dauerten, hatten wir nicht einen Absturz zu vermerken. Dies liegt sicherlich an dem gut konstruierten Gehäuse und der guten Wärmeabfuhr. Der Prozessor wurde auch nicht zu heiß (...) [Das I.C.E. Kühlsystem ist] sehr effizient und zudem noch angenehm leise. (...) Fazit: Das Shuttle SB52G2 XPC ist ein sehr gut ausgestatteter PC, der eigentlich keine Wünsche offen lässt und sich sicherlich ideal als Office-PC einsetzen lässt. Auch als zuverlässiger universeller Mini-Server (Inter/Intranet, Daten-, DSL- oder E-Mail-Server) kann man dieses System einsetzen. 
 Hinzu kommt die wirklich sehr geringe Größe… Somit können wir jedem das SB52G2 XPC von Shuttle empfehlen, der noch einen kleinen PC für den Office- oder Server-Einsatz sucht. Wir können somit ohne schlechtes Gewissen dem Shuttle SB52G2 XPC unseren Award verleihen! Glückwunsch an Shuttle!

Looks great, is handy, offers a lot, stable, fine design, pretty good useful as a mini-server!

Shuttle delivers a final manufactured mini-barebone with a lot of accessories. (...)  First of all you got to know that the case (295 x 200x 180mm, 4,48 kg) of this PC looks pretty well, because it is designed completely in a aluminium -look. It´s designed pretty well and really good constructed / planned. Very helpful during the installation of all components , was especially the enclosed installation-handbook.(...)
In spite of the small size, the integrated mainboard, does a great job.
Because of the aim of this product (office-server-market)  Shuttle didn´t integrate the agp-port. The question is if you need this port we think not, because when you have a look at the following list of onboard component and other components you will see that nearly everything is integrated(...) A very important point especially at this mini-barebone is the stability of the system. During our test, which took nearly a week, we didn´t have one crash. This might be caused by our good constructed case and the good heatflow. The processor didn´t get to hot (...) the I.C.E. cooling system is very efficient and also pretty quite. Conclusion: The Shuttle SB52G2 XPC is a very good equipped PC, which actually does not  leave wishes open, and is  certainly ideal as a office-PC and as a reliable universal mini-server (Inter/Intranet, Daten-, DSL-oder E-Mail-Server), too. In addition comes the  very small size.... So we can recommended the Shuttle SB52G2 XPC to everyone, which needs a small PC for the office- or the server operation. So without a doubt we can give our award the Shuttle XPC SB52G2 . Congratulations to Shuttle.  

 

The Tech Report: Fulfills a specific function


The Tech Report
www.tech-report.com/...
10. March 2003
Since the release of Shuttle's first XPC cube system, the SV24, the mini-barebones systems have been a big hit. Newer models in the line, with features like an AGP slot and the near-silent I.C.E. cooling system, have achieved even greater success. In the process, the cubes have been adapted into roles that even Shuttle hadn't considered upon the systems' introduction. 
An example of this is Los Alamos National Laboratories, which recently implemented a News_SS51array"> server cluster using three hundred SS51G cubes. Perhaps as a reaction to this, Shuttle has created a new model of XPC, the SB52G2. This model will have two incarnations, one designed as a low-cost corporate desktop, the other as a server or cluster node, complete with dual NICs, one of them gigabit. (...)

Conclusions about SB52G2: Perhaps one of the reasons Shuttle's XPC line has been so successful is that they listen to their customers and incorporate their suggestions. (...) The SB52G2, on the other hand, may be the first example of an XPC designed not just with a specific feature, but to fulfill a specific function. With its dual NICs and gigabit Ethernet support, Shuttle has created a made-to-order cluster box. (...)
The dual-NIC arrangement of the SB52G2 makes it tailor-made for cluster use, eliminating both the extra cost and setup of a PCI NIC. Assuming the SB52G2 drops in price like the SB51G, it could be very attractive to those looking to build quiet, cost-efficient clusters.

 

PC Pro U.K.: Work well as a broadband gateway or mail/fileserver


PC Pro Magazine U.K.
issue: June 2003, page 72/73
If we were to go on looks alone, the SB52G2 would be the clear winner (...) the silver fascia and matte-black casing look the business and would suit either office or home. However, unlike recent fully featureed XPCs, Shuttle is targeting the SB52G2 more at the SoHo fileserver market. Adding weight to Shuttle's argument are two Intel Ethernet MACs, one of which supports Gigabit Ethernet, providing high-performance network capabilities. Dual Ethernet MACs also makes the SB52G2 suitable for use as a broadband gateway. (...) Cooling is another important consideration for a fileserver and Shuttle agian uses its excellent ICE CPU cooling system. Two large side-panel vents provide some additional cooling, and our review model was happy being left on constantly. (...) The SB52G2 is another well-designed, stylish bare-bones system from Shuttle that will work well as a broadband gateway or a mail server/Fileserver for small businesses. (...)

 

myWorld Hardware: Editor's choice with full rating


myWorld Hardware
www.myworldhardware.com/...
10. March 2003
Editor's Choice - Five-Star-Rating
Conclusions: After the thorough usage and testing the Shuttle XPC SB52G2, I might say that I've never encountered any problem or what so ever. The stability and performance are top notch, but of course, try to couple it with a fast processor. 

XPC is an ideal PC for home and business users alike, who wants to have flexibility while not sacrificing the performance. Besides that, they can be treated as a server as more and more business corporates wanting to have an affordable server solution for their companies. (...)

+ Good performance
+ Good stability
+ Space saving
+ Good chassis construction

 

HardwareLuxx: Shuttle Cubes statt teure Server Racks


HardwareLuxx
www.hardwareluxx.de/...
31. März 2003
Fazit: Shuttle geht mit dem SB52G2 ziemlich deutlich einen neuen Weg - man möchte für jede Zielgruppe einen besonderen Cube schaffen. Der SB52G2 geht eindeutig in den Bereich Office, NAS, File- und SoHo-Server. Wenn man sich überlegt, das die Größe des Cubes geringer ist, als der eines 1U-Servers, so müßte theoretisch auch in der nächsten Zeit der eine oder andere Provider auf die Idee kommen, Shuttle Cubes statt teure Server Racks zu verbauen. Die Leistung ist auf jeden Fall beachtlich - und die Stabilität der Billig-Alternativen von einigen Providern sicherlich vorzuziehen. Allerdings ist mit einem 3.06 Ghz Pentium 4 und bis zu 2 GB RAM auch genügend Spielraum für anspruchsvolle und leistungsfähigere Webserver-Anwendungen.

Im Home-Bereich können wir uns den kleinen Cube als Media-Server vorstellen - schließlich kommt jetzt auch Microsofts Windows Media Center Edition nach Europa und die ersten Digital Media Adapter stehen auch bereits vor der Tür. Es ist also nur noch eine Frage der Zeit, bis wir unsere Medien auf dem PC ablegen, zentral verfügbar machen und bei Bedarf darauf zurückgreifen. Dank der Gigabit Ethernet Schnittstelle steht auch eine leistungsfähige Anbindung zur Verfügung. (...)

Kritikpunkte gibt es an diesem Cube eigentlich nicht - die Stabilität ist hervorragend, die Performance zwar nicht, aber das ist bei einer integrierten Grafik auch nicht verwunderlich. Gute Benchmarks haben wir beim Sysmark gesehen (...) Die VGA-Qualität der Onboard-Grafik ist gut, auch die Lautstärkeentwicklung der Lüfter des Cubes ist in Ordnung. Für den Büro-Einsatz ist der kleine Rechner also hervorragend geeignet. (...)

+ Brilliantes Design 
+ Gute Kühlkörperkonstruktion 
+ Größe 
+ Guter Sound, Gigabit Ethernet, 10/100mbit Ethernet 
+ Hochwertige Verarbeitung 
+ geringe Geräuschentwicklung 


Conclusion: The SB52G2 is clearly positioned for office, NAS, file- and SoHo-Server. Considering that this cube is smaller than a 1U-sized server, then it is possible that someone or other provider could prefer Shuttle cubes instead of expensive server racks next time. Anyway, it offers considerable performance and its stability certainly beats some low cost alternatives.

+ Excellent Design
+ Good cooler construction
+ Size
+ Good sound, Gigabit Ethernet 10/100MBit Ethernet
+ high-quality craftsmanship
+ low noise

 

TBreak.com: Recommended Product Award


TBreak.com
www.tbreak.com/...
10. March 2003
Recommended Product Award
What comes to mind when you think of a server? Quite a few people will think of a full tower case with multiple SCSI drives and dual or Quad CPUs. While some of you may think of a pizza boxes- or rack mountable 1U and 2U servers. We doubt anyone would think of a cube when the word SERVER is brought into your thoughts. And Shuttle wants to do just that. With their XPC enjoying tremendous success in the desktop market, they are now targeting their new SB52G2 as a small-sized server. (...) 
The SB52G2 is a great entry for Shuttle in the Server market. Although its not exactly a conventional Server, we can easily see it replacing white box servers that can be found in a lot of SOHO as well as small to medium sized businesses. Sure, the SB52G2 wont replace your full tower servers running Active Directory, but we can easily see it being used as a simple File Server, a Print Server, an Email Server or an Internet Gateway.
In fact, you can use the SB52G2 for quite a few functions at the same time. For instance, you can hook up dual hard drives for it to act as a file server, along with your printer so it can act as a Print server. On top of that, you can connect one NIC to your DSL line and the other to your switch to make it an Internet Gateway. And while you’re at it, why not install a Mail Server Software like MDaemon so you can use it for distributing your company mail. And last but certainly not the least, you can easily install a Web Server software and host your website. The SB52G2 can do all that, along with looking real good. This XPC may appear small in size when compared to a regular server but there’s a lot that it can do.

 

Gotapex: Overall 9 out of 10 - definitely recommended


Gotapex
www.gotapex.com/...
10. March 2003
Overall rating: 9/10
Conclusion: (...) What exactly does the SB52G2 provide for the target market? First, it provides a small, visually and audibly unobtrusive server that a company or person can use in an office or home without having to turn up the TV or speaker volume a notch to drown out the noise. Second, the system has enough power to provide juice to high-end SCSI drives, enough so that you can run a 15k drive and still be able to have a powerful CPU. This allows you to run a decent file server in a multi-user environment, especially if the SFF XPC has a gigabit uplink on the switch with the users having 100 Mbps. The dual NICs allow it to be the router to the outside world, thus serving a dual capacity. Lastly, the system allows you to have the capability of having a nice router since all of the hardware on the board is already supported by newer Linux distro's. Installing SME or Smoothwall was just as easy and having this little guy as a router would be nice since it can sit in the corner (or out front since it looks pretty cool) and run 24/7 without a hitch.

It is obvious that Shuttle continues to improve the XPC line, adding features every new product release and listening to its customers on some suggestions. Every new generation brings new innovations such as the ICE cooler, side ventilation and dual NICS. The heart of a good business is being able to identify the different target markets where a company can thrive, and Shuttle has definitely been nimble in ID'ing the SFF market and seems to continue this trend with this latest offering. I was impressed with the build quality of the SB52G2 since it seemed like it would hold up under many years of use. The case was well built and nice to look at. (...)
Shuttle delivers a solid product to the market it is targeting. If you are looking for a product for simple file serving, routing, or other basic server needs, then this box is for you. If your looking for a performance product for games, then I would look at Shuttles other XPC's. The SB52G2 can make itself feel at home, whether in a home, home office, or corporate business office. It can replace those ugly beige boxes by the svelte look that Shuttle has created for the box. Since it is highly integrated with all that you need already installed, easy to use, and fully supported by Linux and Windows, it can be used in a multitude of tasks. This is a box I would definitely recommend for those looking for this type of product.

+ Easy installation of parts with good cable routing 
+ Looks nice and is pretty quiet, good for offices and personal work areas 
+ Awesome accessories like the security cable and ICE cooler 
+ Power supply is able to handle large power draws 
+ Dual LAN is an awesome feature that many people will like 

 

2CPU.com: 9.5 out of 10


2CPU.com
www.2cpu.com/...
10. March 2003
2CPU.com gives this barebones system 9.5/10 CPUs

+ Stylish Design 
+ All Intel Chipset and NICs make for a stable, well-supported system 
+ Heat-pipe cooling solution (cool and quiet) 
+ Ventilation grills 
+ Intuitive Design decisions with respect to cable routing 
+ Performance more than adequate

(...) Shuttle is definitely leading the SFF industry right now. Their R&D isn't satisified with the status quo and they're continually searching for ways to improve their product. Taking that one step further, they're also not satisifed with success in the enthusiast market alone. Getting their foot into the corporate door is what they're trying to accomplish with the SB52G2, and I for one think they're on the right track. (...)
The SB52G2 is a reliable and flexible XPC which will please the geeks and the suits alike. Router? Web Server? Cluster Node? Corporate Desktop? That's an impressive resume if you ask me.

 

Lost Circuits: Could become enemy #1 for all entry-level server


Lost Circuits
www.lostcircuits.com/...
10. March 2003
Conclusion 
Over the past few days we beat up on the SB52G2 and we beat up on it some more and then we beat it up again. We hit it with a RAID on the client side but the only effect was a lower transfer rate, as odd as it may appear. We switched memory sticks more often than we can remember, even took the box outside for some beauty shots in the green. 

And nothing happened, the system was purring along just fine, with not as much as a hiccup. Not that we expected anything different but it is good to know that there are no hidden power issues or else, well, you never know until you try. Bottom line is that the SB52G2 could become public enemy #1 for all entry-level server manufacturers. (...)

 

Lost Circuits: Internal 4-Way SATA RAID For The XPC


Lost Circuits
www.lostcircuits.com/...
20. April 2003
Internal 4-Way SATA RAID For The XPC
(...) what we had in mind was rather to replace the floppy with a 4-disk internal RAID (...)

 

AMD3D.com: Ideal for office, saves desktop space


AMD3D.com
www.amd3d.com/...
7. June 2003
The first Shuttle XPC units I had my hands on was the SS51G. Our office needed a mini PC system to save desktop space. At that time Shuttle were among the very few that offered such a unit. I knew that Shuttle produced some very good Socket-A motherboards, but didn't really know what their Socket-478 motherboards were like ... so I took a risk and purchased the XPC SS51G. I never looked back after that (...) The performance is slightly better than Shuttle's original SS51G and it does offer 533FSB and Hyper Threading support ... shame about the AGP slot. There isn't any. I feel that the XPC SB52G2 isn't really designed for 3D gaming ... the lack of an AGP slot doesn't help. However, if you want a office PC ... the Shuttle XPC SB52G2 is ideal.

+ Intel 845GV Chipset & ICH4
+ Good Performance
+ Onboard audio and LAN
+ Shuttle's innovative ICE system
+ Looks great

 

Hardware Upgrade Italy: optimal construction


Hardware Upgrade Italy
www.hwupgrade.it/...
10. March 2003
Translation:
(...) The new Mini-PC Shuttle SB52G2 is a solution with optimal total construction, with a rich accessory equipment and suitable for a varied number of applications. (...) Really impressive is the internal optimization of the spaces: although there are numerous features integrated, including two network connectors, it is still not high and the internal layout is very tidy. (...) no kind of stability problem occurs during our stress test. The cooling solution does its job well (...)

 

Hexus.net: 8 out of 10


Hexus.net
www.hexus.net/...
10. March 2003
If you want to buy a Shuttle XPC in the next few weeks I would certainly look at what you intend to use it for. If you are going to use it as a dedicated server for e-mails, storage, etc. certainly consider the SB52G2. (...)
+ Looks Amazing 
+ Very easy to install hardware components 
+ Superb cooling via heatpipe and grills 
+ Action packed compact PC 
+ Many additional accessories available 

 

SSFTech.com: 


SSFTech.com
www.sfftech.com/...
10. March 2003
Conclusion: The introduction of the Shuttle XPC SB52G2 bodes true to Shuttle’s goal of an XPC for everyone and every situation. Up to this point we have seen the XPC lines grow from a small AGPless noisy system to a very capable high-end desktop replacement.

The SB52G2 was designed to shine in the small to medium-size enterprise server/client market where often times they don’t even have space for a dedicated server room. This leaves concerns for cost, noise, and size. Shuttle has answered all of those with the SB52G2. The dual onboard NICs, the stable 845GV chipset, and two PCI slots could make for a very efficient high powered cluster in a compact space. 

Although not designed to be an enthusiast SB51 replacement, home users may still find uses for the SB52G2 and the two NICs and PCI slots that come with it. The SB52G2 also boasts the most fashionable case that Shuttle has put out in an XPC to date. The improved cooling via the side vents and the black aluminum approach will likely appeal to many.

Pricing for the server SB52G2 is at #350 SRP with the single NIC client version likely to be in the #300 price range. 

In the end, Shuttle has accomplished what they set out to do with the SB52G2. They have designed an XPC that fits the requirements for a client/server in a small to medium size enterprise by providing a fast, stable, expandable, quiet, inexpensive PC that won’t take up your valuable space or budget. 

 

Übersetzung:

Fazit: Die Einführung des Shuttle XPCs SB52G2 entspricht dem erklärten Ziel von Shuttle, für jede Person und für jeden Zweck einen XPC anzubieten. Bis hierher haben wir die XPC-Familie wachsen sehen vom kleinen AGP-losen lauten System bis zu einem sehr leistungsfähigen highend Desktop-Ersatz.

Das SB52G2 wurde als Server/Client-System für den kleinen bis mittleren Geschäftsbetrieb konzipiert, wo oftmals kein Platz für einen speziellen Server-Raum vorhanden ist. Hierbei sind Kosten, Geräusch und Größe von Wichtigkeit. Shuttle beantwortet all diese Fragen mit dem SB52G2. Der zweifache Netzwerk-Adapter, der stabile 845GV-Chipsatz und die beiden PCI-Steckplätze können es zu einem sehr effizienten Hochleistungs-Cluster mit kompakten Abmessungen machen.

Obwohl es nicht den Enthusiasten-XPC SB51 ersetzen soll, können auch Home-User dennoch Anwendungen für den SB52G2 samt seinen beiden Netzwerk-Anschlüssen und PCI-Slots finden. Das SB52G2 prahlt auch mit dem elegantesten Gehäuse, das Shuttle für einen XPC bisher hervorgebracht hat. Die verbesserte Kühlung durch die seitlichen Lüftungsschlitze und das schwarze Aluminium-Look wird wahrscheinlich bei vielen Anklang finden. (...)

Schließlich hat Shuttle erreicht, was sie mit dem SB52G2 angestrebt haben. Sie haben einen XPC designed, der den Erfordernissen eines Client/Server-Systems in einem kleinen bis mittleren Betrieb gerecht wird, indem es einen schnellen, stabilen, erweiterbaren, leisen, kostengünstigen PC abgibt, der nicht zuviel vom kostbaren Raum oder Geld abverlangt.

 

1bits.com Taiwan: A full server solution!


1bits Taiwan
www.1bits.com/...
19. March 2003
New product release--XPC SB52G2 is a full server solution

 


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Shuttle Computer - European Headquarters - All rights reserved - Date: 30.4.2008